Orthodontic Ring Installation Pistol Automatic Feeding Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ring assembly guns for elastic rings used in orthodontics lack an efficient mechanism for automatic loading and feeding of elastic rings onto metal locks, requiring manual intervention and inefficiencies in the assembly process.
Innovation Solution
The ring assembly gun features a mechanism where pressing the trigger activates a working piston to separate and load elastic rings, and upon trigger return, a gear wheel in the magazine moves the strip, enabling automatic feeding of the next ring for continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If manual loading and feeding of elastic rings is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity and assembly speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic rings are pre-cast onto a strip in advance, and the magazine is pre-loaded with multiple rings. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for manual ring-by-ring loading during assembly, enabling automatic feeding and significantly improving assembly speed without requiring complex real-time loading mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses a spring-loaded magazine that automatically feeds rings to the assembly position as they are consumed. The mechanism self-regulates the feeding process through spring pressure and gravitational force, eliminating the need for external manual intervention or complex motorized feeding systems
2Productivity
If automatic loading mechanism is implemented, then productivity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The trigger mechanism is merged with the piston actuation system. A single trigger pull simultaneously activates the working piston to separate the ring from the strip and initiates the magazine advancement. This consolidation allows continuous operation through simple repeated trigger pulls while maintaining ease of operation
Solution Approach 2:
The device operates through periodic trigger pulls, where each pull completes a full cycle of ring separation and magazine advancement. This rhythmic periodic action enables continuous production while keeping the operator's involvement simple and repetitive, maintaining ease of operation
3Loss of time
If ring separation and loading is automated, then loss of time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ring separation mechanism is segmented into distinct functional components: the working piston for linear movement, the wire forks for gripping and pulling, and the magazine for storage. This segmentation allows each component to be simple and focused on a single task, reducing overall complexity while enabling rapid automated ring separation
Solution Approach 2:
The wire forks act as intermediaries between the piston and the elastic rings. The piston provides the driving force, and the forks transfer this force to grip and pull the rings from the strip. This intermediary mechanism simplifies the direct connection requirements and reduces complexity in the force transmission system
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 solution enables seamless automatic loading and assembly of elastic rings onto metal locks, enhancing the efficiency and speed of the ring assembly process by eliminating manual loading and ensuring continuous operation.
Implementation Method 1
By pressing the trigger (2) of the ring assembly pistol according to the invention, which is mounted in a pistol-shaped housing (3), the working piston (4) is pushed forward. There, the wire fork tips (5) that have been brought together grip one of the cast-on rings (6) and separate this from its strip (7) by pulling.
Implementation Method 2
When the trigger (2) is returned, a gear wheel (10) in the magazine (8) is actuated via a transport lever (9), which moves the strip (7) via a transport wheel (11) in such a way that the next ring on the strip is in the following Operation can be tapped.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a ring installation pistol (1), which is used to automatically install orthodontic rings made of elastic material, which are molded onto a strip (7). By pulling the trigger (2), which is installed in a pistol-shaped housing (3), the working piston (4) is pressed forward. There, the wire fork tips (5), which have been moved toward each other, reach into one of the molded-on rings (6) and remove said ring from the strip of the ring by pulling the ring. At the same time, the magazine (8) moves to the side. The ring separated in such a way is then expanded by the spreading of the forks and pushed off onto a metal lock. When the trigger is returned, a gear (10) in the magazine is actuated by means of a transport lever (9), which gear moves the strip by means of a transport wheel (11) in such a way that the next ring on the strip can be grabbed in the following operation.