Pivotable Dental Capsule Nozzle Sealing Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental material capsules face challenges in maintaining effective sealing and efficient mixing of components during storage and dispensing, particularly for two-component materials like pasty components, leading to potential leakage and inefficient mixing.
Innovation Solution
A capsule design featuring a pivotable nozzle with a bearing member and bearing shell, where the nozzle has an annular ridge that forms part of the material chamber in the closed position and creates a fluid pathway in the open position, enhancing sealing through increased pressure and reducing gaps, and includes a mixing channel for efficient mixing of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the nozzle is made pivotable to enable closing and opening of the capsule, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability of sealing deteriorates due to potential leakage at the pivot interface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible sealing foil (28) that conforms to the bearing surfaces of the bearing member (864) and bearing shell (869). This flexible film maintains reliable sealing at the pivot interface while accommodating the relative motion between nozzle and cartridge, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and sealing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing foil acts as an intermediary element between the bearing member and bearing shell, providing a reliable seal at the pivot interface. This intermediate sealing layer ensures that the pivotable mechanism maintains sealing reliability while enabling easy opening and closing operations.
2Reliability
If the bearing member and bearing shell are designed to improve sealing through increased pressure in the open position, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bearing member and bearing shell are designed with pressure-differential sealing where the sealing effectiveness dynamically changes with nozzle position. In the open position, increased pressure between the bearing surfaces enhances sealing reliability without requiring additional sealing components, thus improving reliability while maintaining simple device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing mechanism utilizes changes in pressure parameters between closed and open positions. The bearing surfaces are configured to generate higher contact pressure in the open position, automatically improving sealing reliability through parameter change rather than through complex mechanical sealing structures.
3Productivity
If the annular ridge is used to form part of the material chamber and create fluid pathway, then productivity is improved through efficient mixing and dispensing, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The annular ridge (865) is integrally formed with the bearing member (864), merging the structural support function with the material chamber formation and fluid pathway creation. This integration improves productivity by enabling efficient mixing and dispensing through a single component, while the integral formation reduces manufacturing precision requirements compared to assembling multiple separate parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The annular ridge serves multiple functions simultaneously: it forms part of the material chamber wall, creates the fluid pathway when the nozzle is in the open position, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality improves productivity through efficient material flow and mixing while reducing the number of separate components that would require precise manufacturing and assembly.
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 improved sealing and mixing mechanism ensures minimal leakage and efficient dispensing of mixed dental material, optimizing the capsule's performance by maintaining uniform pressure and reducing inaccuracies from material shrinkage during cooling.
Implementation Method 1
The bearing member and bearing shell form a pivot. Upon pivoting the nozzle from the first to the second position, the seal between the bearing member and the bearing shell is improved due to an increase in the pressure between at least a part of the surface of the bearing shell and a corresponding opposite part of the surface of the bearing member.
Implementation Method 2
The bearing member and bearing shell form a pivot. Upon pivoting the nozzle from the first to the second position, the seal between the bearing member and the bearing shell is improved due to an increase in the pressure between at least a part of the surface of the bearing shell and a corresponding opposite part of the surface of the bearing member.
Implementation Method 3
Upon pivoting the nozzle from the first to the second position, the seal between the bearing member and the bearing shell is improved due to an increase in the pressure between at least a part of the surface of the bearing shell and a corresponding opposite part of the surface of the bearing member.
Data Source
Figure 24~26
AI summary
A capsule for storing and dispensing dental material. The capsule comprises a cartridge for the dental material, and a nozzle. The nozzle being pivotable with respect to the cartridge between a first position in which the capsule is closed for storage and a second position in which the capsule is opened for dispensing the dental material. One of the nozzle and the cartridge comprises a bearing member and the other one of the nozzle and the cartridge comprises a bearing shell, wherein the bearing member and bearing shell form a pivot. Upon pivoting the nozzle from the first to the second position, the seal between the bearing member and the bearing shell is improved.