Dental Mixing Device Vibration Damping Guide Element

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing dental mixing devices face issues with poor lateral guidance and long-term stability due to relative movements between damping elements and the housing, leading to wear and strain on the base, especially when handling large quantities of dental material, causing vibrations to be transmitted to the base and affecting the device's stability.

Innovation Solution

The use of elastomeric foam damping elements and a specially designed base that compensates for deflection through contact pressure, combined with a guide element to optimize lateral guidance and reduce vibration transmission, ensures improved stability and reduced stress on the base.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If a pin with lock nut and washers is used to compress damping elements, then the damping elements can be prestressed, but lateral guidance is poor and relative movements cause wear

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprestressing forceVSAvoidlateral guidance stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A guide element is introduced as an intermediary component between the frame and damping elements. This guide element provides lateral guidance and prevents relative movements between the frame and damping elements, while allowing the damping elements to be compressed and prestressed effectively. The guide element acts as a mediator that separates the lateral guidance function from the compression function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If the vibrating device moves large mass of dental material, then high filling degree is achieved, but the device bounces and strains the base

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of dental materialVSAvoiddevice stability on base
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element acts as a counterbalancing structure that provides downward stabilizing force to counteract the bouncing effect. When large mass of dental material is vibrated, the guide element's structural rigidity and connection to the housing provide a stabilizing counterforce that prevents the device from bouncing excessively and reduces strain on the base.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

Solution Approach 2:

The guide element serves as an intermediary structure between the vibrating frame and the housing/base. It transmits and distributes the vibrational forces and stabilizing forces, reducing the direct impact on the base and improving overall device stability during high-load operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If multiple damper units with transverse retaining plates and screws are used, then vibration damping is improved, but construction complexity increases and stress on base increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration dampingVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The guide element combines multiple functions into a single integrated component: it provides lateral guidance for the frame, serves as a retaining structure for the damping elements, and acts as a mounting point for the frame. This merging of functions eliminates the need for separate transverse retaining plates and multiple screws, simplifying the construction while maintaining vibration damping effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 significantly enhances the long-term stability of the dental device and reduces stress on the base, allowing for efficient operation even with large quantities of dental material, while minimizing vibrations and maintaining proportional force compensation.

Implementation Method 1

Each cushion unit includes a first cushioning element and a second cushioning element which can be compressed and generate an elastic restoring force when compressed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the base is deformed by the contact pressure of the dental appliance on the respective bearing point in such a way that the deflection is at least partially compensated by the contact pressure

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentEP2090262B1Dental device
Publication Date: 2013.05.15 IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
  • EP2090262B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2090262B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2090262B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a dental device, in particular a dental mixing device, comprising a housing and a frame which supports at least one motor and a mixing arm (16) and is mounted at at least two, preferably at least three, in particular four, bearing points within a housing, each of these bearing points being clamped between an upper and a lower elastic, prestressed damping element (32, 34). The lower damping element (34) is supported on a first, upwardly facing stop surface (50) of the housing (44), and the upper damping element (32) on a second, downwardly facing stop surface (50).