Dental Grinding Tool with Elastic Masking Cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dental grinding tools often damage gums and fail to shape the formation part accurately due to incorrectly applied masking, leading to gaps between dental prostheses and teeth, resulting in a high rejection rate.
Innovation Solution
A dental grinding tool with a chamfered part on the outer circumference of the metal base and diamond abrasive grains fixed only on the end face, within the outer circumferential line, using an elastic masking cap to prevent grain protrusion during electrodeposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If masking is applied on the outer surface other than the end face to prevent abrasive grains from adhering to the chamferred part, then the abrasive grains can be fixed only on the end face, but the masking is sometimes applied erroneously or unmasked parts are left on the chamferred part, causing defective products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an elastic masking cap (flexible shell) that covers the chamferred part and side surfaces, exposing only the end face for abrasive grain adhesion. This flexible membrane structure ensures complete and consistent masking without human error, as the cap elastically conforms to the tool holder surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking cap acts as an intermediary between the tool holder and the abrasive grain deposition process. It provides a reliable physical barrier that prevents abrasive grains from adhering to unwanted areas while allowing precise deposition on the exposed end face.
2Ease of manufacture
If abrasive grains are electrodeposited on the chamferred part due to masking errors, then the grinding tool can be manufactured, but the abrasive grains on the chamferred part may damage the gums when grinding the boundary part between tooth and gums
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic masking cap completely covers the chamferred part with a flexible membrane, ensuring no abrasive grains can adhere to this area. The cap's elasticity allows it to conform perfectly to the chamferred surface, eliminating gaps where grains might deposit.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of abrasive grains on the chamferred part into a benefit by using the masking cap to deliberately direct grain deposition only to the end face, where it is needed for grinding, while protecting the chamferred part from grain adhesion.
3Productivity
If abrasive grains protrude over the outer circumferential line of the end face, then the grinding tool can be manufactured, but the protruding grains may contact and damage the gums, and the formation part cannot be shaped finely
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic masking cap extends to the outer circumferential line of the end face, creating a precise boundary that prevents abrasive grains from protruding beyond this line. The flexible membrane conforms to the tool holder geometry, ensuring accurate grain placement within the desired area.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking cap is applied before the abrasive grain deposition process, preliminarily defining the exact area where grains should adhere. This preliminary action prevents grain protrusion before it can occur, ensuring precise formation part shaping.
4Ease of manufacture
If the end face is partly electrodeposited with abrasive grains due to masking errors, then the grinding tool can be manufactured, but the end face has areas with no abrasive grains, causing nondefective products to still fail to shape the formation part accurately
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic masking cap provides complete and uniform coverage of the chamferred part and side surfaces, ensuring that abrasive grains are deposited only on the exposed end face. This eliminates partial electrodeposition and ensures uniform grain distribution across the entire end face area.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking cap serves as an intermediary that precisely controls the deposition area, acting as a physical barrier that ensures complete coverage of areas where grains should not adhere while leaving the end face fully exposed for uniform grain deposition.
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
The solution ensures precise and safe grinding without damaging gums, allowing for accurate shaping of the formation part and preventing gaps between dental prostheses and teeth, significantly reducing the rejection rate.
Implementation Method 1
an elastic masking cap is pressed onto a outer circumferential surface of a metal base
Implementation Method 2
diamond abrasive grains are fixed only onto the end face... by the composite plating method
Data Source
Figure 1A~1E
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 3
AI summary
The present invention provides a dental grinding tool which is unlikely to damage gums and capable of finely shaping a formation part on which a crown is placed, and further provides a method for making the same. The dental grinding tool is made by forming a chamferred part on the end portion of a columnar metal base 10, and fixing abrasive grains 2 onto the end face 10a of the metal base 10, wherein all of the abrasive grains 2 exist inside the outer circumferential line 10d of the end face 10a of the metal base 10. Grinding is performed only by the end face 10a. When a boundary part between teeth and gums is ground, only a chamferred part 10c which have no abrasive grains comes in contact with the gums. Therefore, the damage to the gums is prevented.