Hand-held Dental Dispensing Device with Ultrasonic Shaping and Curing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current dental hand-held devices require users to switch between separate devices for dispensing and curing pasty filling materials, making the process cumbersome and time-consuming, and often result in incomplete filling and poor handling precision.

Innovation Solution

A hand-held device that integrates means for dispensing pasty filling material and emitting radiation for hardening, featuring an outlet nozzle with ultrasonic capabilities and a modeling tip, allowing for efficient dispensing, compacting, and shaping of the material without the need to change tools or devices, with adjustable viscosity and radiation emission aligned 90° to the dispensing axis for efficient curing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If separate devices are used for dispensing and curing filling materials, then each device can be optimized for its specific function, but the overall process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming requiring frequent device switching

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of operationVSAvoidtime for device switching
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the dispensing device and curing device into a single integrated hand-held unit. The dispensing nozzle and radiation emitting means are integrated into one device, eliminating the need for frequent device switching during the filling process. This merging resolves the contradiction by maintaining functional optimization while improving ease of operation and reducing time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hand-held device is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a dispensing device and a curing device. The single device can dispense pasty filling material and subsequently emit radiation to harden it, making it a universal tool that performs multiple functions in the dental filling process, thereby eliminating the need to switch between separate specialized devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Manufacturing precision

If separate devices are used for dispensing and curing, then device specialization is maintained, but handling precision deteriorates due to repeated attachment and detachment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehandling precisionVSAvoiddevice switching complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the dispensing and curing functions into a single hand-held device, the patent eliminates the repeated attachment and detachment operations that compromise handling precision. The integrated design ensures that the same device that dispenses the material can immediately cure it, maintaining precision throughout the process without the complexity of coordinating multiple separate devices.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If the radiation source is aligned with the dispensing axis, then curing efficiency is improved, but the dispensing nozzle becomes blocked by premature hardening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecuring efficiencyVSAvoiddispensing reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs asymmetric arrangement where the radiation emitting means is positioned at an angle (preferably 90 degrees) relative to the dispensing axis rather than being aligned with it. This asymmetric configuration allows the radiation to cure the filling material effectively while avoiding direct exposure to the dispensing nozzle, preventing premature hardening and blockage. The angled positioning resolves the contradiction by maintaining both curing efficiency and dispensing reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #4Asymmetry

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This integrated solution simplifies the dental filling process, saving time and improving precision by allowing continuous use of a single device for dispensing and curing, ensuring complete cavity filling without gaps, and enabling high-quality shaping of fillings.

Implementation Method 1

additional means are provided on the hand-held device for emitting radiation that causes the filling material to harden

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotopolymerisation: Photopolymerisation

Implementation Method 2

the corresponding hand-held devices have means for dispensing filling materials as well as means for dispensing radiation for curing the filling materials

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectUltrasonic vibration: Ultrasonic Vibration

Data Source

PatentEP2144574B1Hand-held device for dispensing a pasty filling material
Publication Date: 2017.08.09 KALTENBACH & VOIGT GMBH & CO
  • EP2144574B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2b
  • EP2144574B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3c
  • EP2144574B1 patent drawingFigure 4a~4c

AI summary

Disclosed is a hand-held device (1), particularly for dental purposes, comprising means for dispensing a pasty filling material (M) as well as additional means for emitting a radiation which causes the filling material (M) to cure.