KR102320906B1 - Apparatus for Manufacturing Orthodontic Brace - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing an orthodontic brace, including: a sheet molded product magazine for stacking a plurality of sheet molded products to individually supply the sheet molded products; an ultrasonic cutting unit for forming the orthodontic brace by performing ultrasonic cutting on the sheet molded product supplied from the sheet molded product magazine; a machine vision for inspecting whether the orthodontic brace has a defect by photographing the orthodontic brace formed by the ultrasonic cutting unit; an orthodontic brace transfer device disposed at a rear end of the machine vision to individually accommodate the inspected orthodontic brace in a transfer tray and transfer the orthodontic brace to an outside of the apparatus; and a housing body in which based on the ultrasonic cutting unit, the sheet molded product magazine is disposed on one side of the ultrasonic cutting unit, the orthodontic brace transfer device is disposed on an opposite side of the ultrasonic cutting unit, and the machine vision is disposed between the ultrasonic cutting unit and the orthodontic brace transfer device. Accordingly, mass production of the orthodontic brace is performed precisely and rapidly.

Description

Apparatus for Manufacturing Orthodontic Brace

The present invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces in the form of transparent braces.

In general, orthodontic treatment may mean to obtain a healthy oral tissue and aesthetic effect by correcting skeletal incongruity of teeth through an orthodontic process that aligns crooked teeth so that normal functions can be performed.

In other words, a harmonious jaw-facial relationship and normal occlusion are induced or formed by orthodontic treatment, so that the health of teeth, oral cavity and jaw face and oral and maxillofacial functions such as normal mastication, articulation, breathing, and swallowing can be normalized, Growth and development can be induced, and the likelihood of trauma can be reduced, or bad habits and psychological disorders can be eliminated.

In this orthodontic treatment, the arc method was the mainstay. Here, the arch method may be a method of performing orthodontic treatment by attaching an orthodontic bracket and an arch line to the teeth. At this time, the arch-type orthodontic braces have an aesthetic problem of the braces and the inconvenience of having to attach brackets and metal parts for the line to the teeth.

On the other hand, as an orthodontic technique that does not attach an orthodontic bracket, there is a method of using a transparent brace.

For example, the transparent orthodontic braces may be subdivided into a plurality of steps corresponding to the patient's dental condition from before orthodontic treatment to completion of orthodontic treatment. Thereafter, as the user changes and wears the corresponding transparent braces step by step, the user's teeth may be corrected to a normal position by the transparent braces.

In the orthodontic brace manufacturing process according to the prior art, a scan step of acquiring the patient's tooth shape information through a 3D measuring device, that is, scanning the subject's tooth information to acquire data information may be performed.

In this way, the data information acquired in the scan step is transmitted to a specialized company, and can be corrected through a dedicated CAD program. That is, the image is made by graphic design based on the data information set based on the acquired tooth information, and as a result, the image model generation step in which the tooth model to be implemented is implemented as the image model can be performed.

Thereafter, the image model may be used to manufacture a mold for correcting teeth through a multi-axis processing machine or a 3D printer.

In addition, the molding machine may mold the orthodontic appliance by using a mold for correcting teeth. For example, in the manufacture of transparent braces according to the prior art, the molding machine is mainly made of an adsorption method through a vacuum, and is manufactured by heating a sheet-shaped polyethylene material and then adsorbing it to a mold for correcting teeth with a vacuum.

Then, a cutting or trimming operation to cut out unnecessary parts and a releasing operation for separating the material and the mold are performed.

In particular, the cutting or trimming operation of the prior art is a situation in which the cutting is done by hand using a hand tool, for example, scissors. In addition, in order to maintain quality and protect users, a deburring operation to remove burrs from the cutting surface or a grinding operation to smooth the cutting surface is essential.

In addition, the braces are made of a material strong enough to exert orthodontic power. Therefore, due to the nature of the material, it is very difficult to cut only with the force of the hand through scissors, and the failure of the scissors occurs very frequently, so there is a problem of tool replacement cost. It has the disadvantage of causing irregular material damage.

In addition, cutting using some lasers has been attempted in the conventional cutting or trimming operation, but the material evaporates during laser cutting to generate byproducts harmful to the human body, thereby causing a problem of contaminating the orthodontic appliance.

In addition, in the cutting process using a conventional laser, the heat of the laser beam generates an excessive heat-affected zone on the material, which changes the mechanical properties of the orthodontic brace, which may cause a problem in that it is difficult to obtain the desired orthodontic force. .

In addition, since orthodontics is subdivided into tens of steps according to the patient's dental condition, up to tens of transparent braces may be required for each patient at multiple stages, and a lot of labor and time is consumed in manufacturing the braces.

In addition, companies that manufacture orthodontic braces require a relatively large amount of installation space, and it is very difficult to apply expensive laser equipment. There is an urgent need for technological development.

The present invention is a deburring operation on the cutting surface of the sheet molding by cutting an unnecessary part by ultrasonic cutting by ultrasonic cutting in a sheet molding for orthodontic braces formed through a molding machine, or a polishing operation for smooth processing of the cutting surface of the sheet molding An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces capable of mass-producing orthodontic braces precisely and quickly to the extent that they are not required.

Orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object, a sheet molding magazine for individually supplying a plurality of sheet moldings; an ultrasonic cutting unit for making a dental brace by performing ultrasonic cutting on the sheet molding supplied from the sheet molding magazine; machine vision for inspecting whether the orthodontic braces are defective by photographing the braces made by the ultrasonic cutting unit; a dental brace transport device disposed at the rear end of the machine vision to individually accommodate the dental braces on which the examination has been completed in a transport tray and transport them to the outside of the device; and a housing in which the sheet molding magazine is disposed on one side of the ultrasonic cutting unit, the orthodontic brace conveying device is disposed on the other side, and the machine vision is disposed between the ultrasonic cutting unit and the orthodontic brace conveying device. It is characterized in that it includes a body;

The apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces according to the present invention has the advantage of being able to mass-produce transparent braces very economically without a separate post-processing (eg, deburring or polishing process) after the cutting process.

That is, the dental brace manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention has the advantage of increasing the cutter cutting force capable of forming a smooth cutting surface by reducing the frictional resistance and peripheral stress of the cutting surface through high-frequency vibration by the ultrasonic cutting method. .

1 is a conceptual diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 1 .
3 is a perspective view for explaining the external configuration of the orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 is a front view illustrating the ultrasonic cutting unit and the dust collecting unit shown in FIG. 3 .
FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of circle A shown in FIG. 4 .

Hereinafter, with reference to the drawings, a dental brace manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention will be described in more detail.

Advantages and features of the present invention and methods of achieving them will become apparent with reference to the embodiments described below in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but will be implemented in a variety of different forms, and only these embodiments allow the disclosure of the present invention to be complete, and common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention belongs It is provided to fully inform the possessor of the scope of the invention, and the present invention is defined by the description of the claims.

On the other hand, the terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular also includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise in the phrase. As used herein, "comprises" and/or "comprising" refers to the presence of one or more other components, steps, operations and/or elements in a referenced element, step, operation and/or element. or addition is not excluded. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a conceptual diagram of an apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram for explaining the configuration of the apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces shown in FIG. 1 .

1 and 2, the orthodontic brace manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the present invention is a sheet molded article magazine 100, an ultrasonic cutting unit 200, a dust collector as can be mounted based on the housing body 20. (300), machine vision 400, orthodontic brace transport device 500, first transport device 600, second transport device 610, first ionizer 700, second ionizer 710, It may include a classification device 800 and a control unit 900 .

In addition, the orthodontic brace manufacturing apparatus 10 may further include a defective product collection unit 30 that collects the defective dental braces classified by the classification device 800 according to the inspection result of the machine vision 400 .

First, the sheet molding magazine 100 means a means for temporarily storing or shipping a plurality of sheet moldings 1 so that a plurality of sheet moldings 1 can be placed and individually supplied to the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 . can do.

Each sheet molding 1 may mean an intermediate product for orthodontic braces, each made by a general transparent orthodontic manufacturing process.

That is, according to the manufacturing process of transparent braces, the patient's tooth shape information is acquired through a 3D measuring device, and this data is sent to a specialized company to correct the tooth arrangement to a normal state through a dedicated CAD program, A mold of the corrected tooth shape is manufactured using a printer, and then, the sheet molding 1, which is an intermediate product for orthodontic braces, can be manufactured through a molding machine capable of molding the sheet material into the shape of a brace.

This sheet molding 1 may be cut by the orthodontic brace manufacturing apparatus 10 of the present invention to be described later, and separated into the brace 2 and the residue 3 . And, the braces 2 may be packaged and then shipped to the dentist.

In particular, the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 of the orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus 10 according to the present invention applies a pressureless cutting technology that can prevent material deformation of the sheet molded product 1 and high precision and high efficiency based on high cutting force. It has the advantage of being able to perform ultrasonic cutting that can be processed.

For example, the material of the sheet molded article 1 to be applied in the present invention is any one of polyethylene, polycarbonate, and polyethylene terephthalate, or one or more selected from the group of plastic materials having high transparency and heat insulation properties are laminated or coalesced. It may be made of a composite material.

At this time, when trying to cut a sheet made of the above material with a laser, the use of an expensive femtosecond laser may be required, and such a femtosecond laser is specialized only for a single material, and by applying a material other than the material of the set condition When cutting is performed, there may be a big problem in that the laser module needs to be changed because the physical properties are changed.

That is, when using ordinary scissors or laser cutting devices in the existing technology, the inconvenience of having to select a processing device or processing method differently depending on the material of the object to be cut, the occurrence of defects during cutting, or contamination inside the device caused by laser heat, etc. The problem can be solved through the orthodontic brace manufacturing apparatus 10 having the ultra-precision ultrasonic cutting technology provided by the present invention.

For example, the sheet molding magazine 100 is provided with a plurality of trays inside the magazine casing, and the sheet molding 1 can be placed on each tray, and the tray lifting device or tray already installed inside the magazine casing. According to the driving of the conveying device, it may be configured as a device capable of individually drawing out the sheet molded product 1 loaded on the tray toward the outlet of the magazine casing, respectively.

The sheet molding magazine 100 may be controlled through the control unit 900 .

The control unit 900 includes an ultrasonic cutting unit 200 , a machine vision 400 , a dental brace conveying device 500 , a first conveying device 600 , and a second conveying device 610 , including the sheet molding magazine 100 , to be described later. ), the first ionizer 700 , the second ionizer 710 , and a device for controlling functions, operations, sequence, timing, sensor information processing, power supply, and the like of the classification device 800 . Since the detailed configuration of the control unit 900 can be implemented or applied by existing factory automation technology, in the present invention, it can be described only within the range necessary to describe the features of the present invention, and unnecessary detailed technology can be omitted. .

The ultrasonic cutting unit 200 performs ultrasonic cutting on the sheet molded product 1 supplied from the sheet molded product magazine 100 to make the orthodontic brace 2, as in FIGS. 3 to 5 to be described later. can

The machine vision 400 may play a role of examining whether the orthodontic brace 2 is defective by photographing the orthodontic brace 2 made by the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 .

The orthodontic brace conveying device 500 is disposed at the rear end of the machine vision 400, and may serve to individually accommodate the dental braces 2 that have been inspected in the conveying tray and convey them to the outside of the device.

Since the sheet molding magazine 100 and the orthodontic brace transport device 500 can be selectively disposed on either the inner or outer both sides of the housing body 20 of the orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus 10, the mounting position is not limited to a specific position. may not be

However, in the case of the housing body 20 according to this embodiment, for the efficiency of supply and processing or process optimization, based on the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 , the sheet molding magazine 100 is one side of the housing body 20 . is disposed, the orthodontic brace transport device 500 is disposed on the other side of the housing body 20, and the machine vision 400 is the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 and the teeth in the inner space of the housing body 20. It may be disposed between the straightener transport device (500).

3 is a perspective view for explaining the external configuration of the orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. 2 .

2 and 3 , the housing body 20 may include a job confirmation window 21 disposed on the front of the housing body 20 so that the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 can be visually confirmed from the outside of the device. can

The operation confirmation window 21 may be an openable and openable tempered glass window or a door structure, and may have an effect of providing convenience of maintenance.

In addition, the housing body 20 may include a first transfer device 600 and a second transfer device 610 disposed therein.

The first transport device 600 may serve to transport the sheet molded product 1 from the sheet molded product magazine 100 to the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 .

The second transfer device 610 is disposed between the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 and the machine vision 400, so that the orthodontic brace 2 (refer to FIG. 1) cut from the sheet molding 1 is transferred to the ultrasonic cutting unit 100 ) from the machine vision 400 may be responsible for transporting.

Here, the first transfer device 600 and the second transfer device 610 pick and place a predetermined pick-and-place that picks up each of the sheet moldings 1 or the orthodontic braces 2, which are transfer objects, respectively, and puts them down at the target positions. It may consist of a (pick-and-place) device.

For example, the first transfer device 600 and the second transfer device 610 may include a mechanical device 601 such as an articulated robot or a multi-axis robot as shown in FIG. 4 , and a vacuum installed in the corresponding mechanical device 601 , respectively. It may have an adsorption unit 602 and a vacuum generator 603 coupled to the vacuum adsorption unit 602 .

The sheet molded product 1 or the dental brace 2, which is the transfer object, may be adsorbed or desorbed to the vacuum adsorption unit 602 in a vacuum adsorption method, and for this purpose, the first transfer device 600 and the second transfer device 610 may be supplied with a vacuum force required for adsorption or desorption from the corresponding vacuum generator 603 . Here, the vacuum generator 603 supplies or recovers the vacuum force to the vacuum adsorption unit 602 for each first transfer device 600 and the second transfer device 610 through a hose, a pipe, a distribution block, a solenoid valve, etc. may be composed.

The sorting device 800 is also configured as a factory automation device, and may be disposed between the machine vision 400 and the orthodontic delivery device 500 .

In response to the inspection result of the machine vision 400, the classification device 800 classifies the normal product and the defective product among the orthodontic braces 2, and supplies the defective product to the defective product collection unit 30, or to the normal product. It may serve to supply the corresponding orthodontic braces 2 to the orthodontic braces transporting device 500 .

Meanwhile, a first ionizer 700 may be further disposed between the first transfer device 600 and the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 .

The first ionizer 700 sprays ionized air through corona discharge to the sheet molding 1 carried by the first transfer device 600, and blows the dust remaining in the sheet molding 1 can play a role.

The first ionizer 700 removes static electricity from the sheet molded product 1 immediately before cutting the sheet molded product 1 by the ultrasonic cutting unit 200, and prevents the adsorption of dust or foreign substances in advance, thereby securing cutting quality You can take advantage of what you can do.

Meanwhile, a second ionizer 710 may be disposed between the second transfer device 610 and the machine vision 400 .

The second ionizer 710 sprays ionized air through corona discharge with respect to the dental braces 2 carried by the second transfer device 610, and combines with ions on the surface of the braces 2 to neutralize them. After the cutting process, the residual dust of the sheet molding 1 that can remain on the surface of the orthodontic brace 2 can be effectively blown and separated.

That is, the second ionizer 710 removes foreign substances or dust on the surface of the orthodontic brace 2 immediately before the inspection by the machine vision 400 , thereby increasing the inspection quality of the machine vision 400 . can exert

Meanwhile, the dust collecting unit 300 may be mounted inside the housing body 20 .

4 is a front view illustrating the ultrasonic cutting unit and the dust collecting unit shown in FIG. 3 , and FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the circle A shown in FIG. 4 .

Referring to FIG. 4, the dust collecting unit 300 is disposed inside the housing body 20, and while the air in the housing body is filtered and discharged to the outside of the device based on the ultrasonic cutting unit, the air suction is carried out. It may play a role of collecting dust or foreign substances generated during ultrasonic cutting of the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 by an electrostatic method by an electric field.

For example, the dust collecting unit 300 is mounted inside or outside the housing body 20 and is electrically connected to the high voltage DC power supply unit 310 and the high voltage DC power supply unit 310 controlled by the control unit 900 and described later. It may include a discharge electrode 320 disposed on the base module 220 of the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 .

In addition, the dust collecting unit 300 is disposed around the discharge electrode 320 of the base module 220, or is disposed inside the dust collecting ducts 340 and 341, and is electrically connected to the high-voltage direct current power supply unit 310 as an electric circuit. It may include connected dust collecting electrodes 330 and 331 .

The dust collecting unit 300 forms an ionosphere having a charge layer in the space between the discharge electrode 320 and the dust collecting electrodes 330 and 331 by the operation of the high-voltage DC power supply unit 310, thereby introducing dust or foreign substances into the electric field in the ionization sphere. It can be collected by electrostatic method.

Of course, since the dust collecting ducts 340 and 341 are piped to the filter device and the suction pump, the collected dust and foreign substances can be safely treated.

4 and 5 , the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 may include an ultrasonic cutting module 210 , a base module 220 , and a multi-axis stage module 230 .

The ultrasonic cutting unit 200 is configured so that the ultrasonic cutting module 210 can cooperate with the base module 220 and the multi-axis stage module 230 for ultra-precision ultrasonic cutting.

For example, the ultrasonic cutting module 210 is installed to be movable in the vertical direction of the housing body 20 in the inner space of the housing body 20 and performs ultrasonic cutting processing, so that the sheet molding 1 is previously shown in FIG. 1 . It can serve to separate the braces (2) and the residue (3) described.

At this time, the base module 220 detects vibrations that may additionally occur due to the ultrasonic cutting module 210, and offsets the detected vibrations to serve as a vibration-free table for stably supporting the sheet molding 1 . is configured to To this end, the base module 220 is spaced apart from the bottom of the ultrasonic cutting module 210, it may be a vibration-free mounting base of the sheet molding (1).

The multi-axis stage module 230 may cause a relative displacement motion of the base module 220 with respect to the ultrasonic cutting module 210 for ultrasonic cutting of the sheet molding 1 , that is, the multi-axis stage module 230 . ) may serve to move or rotate the base module 220 along the axial movement direction or the rotation axis direction for the relative displacement motion.

The multi-axis stage module 230 may refer to a precision robot stage capable of performing a linear reciprocating motion or a rotational motion along a predetermined coordinate system.

The multi-axis stage module 230 provides motion for, for example, 5-axis machining technology to the base module 220, so that the 5-axis machining path algorithm according to the shape of the cutter 219 and ultrasonic cutting parameters and the transparent straightening device ultrasonic cutting for polyethylene material It may be manufactured to implement motion optimized for process variables.

The control unit 900 connected to the multi-axis stage module 230 may further include a plurality of control boards capable of performing a position correction camera, a vision controller, a digital linear speed control, and a rotation speed control.

The control unit 900 derives ultrasonic conditions suitable for the material conditions and development conditions of the sheet molding 1 set on each control board, and the motion of the base module 220 and the ultrasonic cutting module 210 by the derived values. It may be configured to control the operation and input a display or operation control value through an input/output combined display device.

In more detail, the ultrasonic cutting module 210 may include an actuator 211 that is suspended from the ceiling of the housing body 20 and provides elevating/lowering force to the operating arm in the vertical direction of the housing body 20 . .

Also, the ultrasonic cutting module 210 may include a motor unit 212 coupled to the end of the operating arm of the actuator 211 .

The motor unit 212 serves to provide its motor rotational force to the hollow spindle rotating body 213 and is configured to be controlled by the aforementioned control unit 900 .

The motor unit 212 may refer to a spindle motor device that rotates the hollow spindle rotating body 213 at 10,000 to 30,000 rpm.

The ultrasonic cutting module 210 may include a rotating body 214 , a housing cover 215 , a horn 216 , an ultrasonic vibrator 217 , a cutter holder 218 , and a cutter 219 .

The rotating body 214 may be installed based on the casing of the motor unit 212, coupled to extend downward from the motor unit 212, and the spindle rotating body 213 through a plurality of bearings 214a. The role of supporting the rotation of and the housing cover 215 has the advantage of preventing foreign substances, dust, dust, etc. from flowing toward the hollow spindle rotating body (213).

The housing cover 215 is coupled to the rotating body 214 to close the lower opening of the rotating body 214, and forms a through hole 215a based on the rotation center of the spindle rotating body 213. can

The horn 216 is inserted non-contactingly into the through hole 215a of the housing cover 215 and is coupled to the end of the spindle rotating body 213 to aggregate the ultrasonic vibration force generated from the ultrasonic vibrator 217 to form a cutter. It may serve to transfer to the holder 218 and the cutter 219 .

The ultrasonic vibrator 217 is coupled to the upper end of the horn 216 , is disposed inside the spindle rotating body 213 , and may refer to an ultrasonic vibrating element for cutting that can be rotated together with the spindle rotating body 213 .

For example, the ultrasonic vibrator 217 generates vibration in a high-frequency region of 20 to 40 KHz while rotating at a high speed together with the spindle rotating body 213 , thereby cutting the sheet molded product 1 to be cut. Here, the vibration of the high-frequency region of the ultrasonic vibrator 217 may be varied through the control unit 900 in response to a set condition value (eg, material, thickness, temperature, property value, etc.), so it may not be limited to a specific value. have.

The high-frequency vibration by the ultrasonic vibrator 217 produces an effect of reducing the frictional resistance of the cutting surface of the brace 2 separated by cutting from the sheet molding 1, thereby increasing the cutting quality required by the orthodontic appliance. A burr height quality of the cutting face can be obtained that is satisfactory or does not require post-processing (eg, deburring or grinding).

As a comparative example, in the case of a general ultrasonic cutting machine, the cutting surface burr height is about 200 micrometers, but the cutting surface burr height by the ultrasonic cutting module 210 of the present invention has the special advantage of exhibiting a quality of 30 micrometers or less. .

The cutter holder 218 is formed at the lower end of the horn 216 and may be configured to enable detachment and replacement of the cutter 219 .

The cutter 219 means an ultrasonic blade or cutting tip, is detachably coupled to the cutter holder 218 , and the ultrasonic vibration force and spindle rotation generated from the ultrasonic vibrator 217 and transmitted through the horn 216 . It may serve to cut the sheet molding 1 by the rotational force of the whole 213 .

Referring to FIG. 5 , the base module 220 has an air suction hole 221 formed in the block upper plate based on an area corresponding to the bottom surface of the sheet molding 1 , and selectively according to a change in air suction pressure. It may include a hollow base block 222 supporting the molding 1 by adsorption.

The hollow base block 222 may be provided with a vacuum piping facility 225 serving as a path of vacuum pressure for vacuum adsorption.

The adsorption pressure of the vacuum piping facility 225 may be controlled by the control unit 900 , and the bottom surface of the sheet molding 1 may be adsorbed through the inner space of the hollow base block 222 and the air suction hole 221 . can work

Therefore, when the adsorption pressure of the vacuum piping facility 225 is negative pressure, the sheet molding 1 can be selectively and closely fixed to the block upper plate of the hollow base block 222, or in the case of positive pressure, the sheet molding 1 is It can be separated from the block upper plate of the hollow base block (222).

The base module 220 may include a single or a plurality of vibration sensors 223 that are circuitly connected by the aforementioned control unit 900 . Here, the vibration sensor 223 may serve to detect the ultrasonic vibration transmitted from the cutter 219 to the hollow base block 222 via the sheet molding 1 and input it to the control unit 900 .

The control unit 900 is configured to implement an attenuation algorithm capable of attenuating the detected ultrasonic vibration, and as a result, control to maintain the hollow base block 222 in the form of a vibration-free table.

That is, the control unit 900 may be connected to a weight balancer 224 that can be configured as a damping mechanism device (eg, a spring and a shock absorber).

The weight balancer 224 is installed between the hollow base block 222 and the moving plate 231 of the multi-axis stage module 220 so as to cancel the vibration detected through the vibration sensor 223, It is possible to keep the base block 222 more stable. Here, the multi-axis stage module 220 may refer to a device capable of precisely moving or rotating the moving plate 231 in a multi-axis direction. That is, the multi-axis stage module 220 precisely moves the weight balancer 224 mounted on the moving plate 231 and the hollow base block 222 and the sheet molding 1 thereon in the multi-axial direction corresponding to the cut line. Or it can be rotated.

At this time, in the present invention, due to the application of the weight balancer 224 and the vibration sensor 223, the hollow base block 222 of the base module 220 supports the sheet molding 1 without fine vibration to maintain cutting quality. can

As a result, the ultrasonic cutting module 210 of the present invention can mass-produce high-quality orthodontic braces with a cutting surface burr height of 30 micrometers or less, and can exhibit the advantage of preventing the user's gum damage in advance.

In addition, a temperature control device 226 (eg, a thermoelectric element in a heater or an exothermic cooling peninsula) for generating moisture or controlling a cutting temperature may be further mounted inside the hollow base block 222 .

For example, a thermal change may be made during cutting of the sheet molding 1 interposed between the ultrasonic cutting module 210 and the base module 220 . However, in the present invention, such a possible thermal change is feedback-controlled by the control unit 900 through the temperature sensor 227 and the temperature control device 226, and as a result, a temperature environment necessary for optimal cutting can be created, and further cutting There is an advantage that quality can be secured.

Hereinafter, an operation method of the apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces according to the present invention will be described.

2 to 5 , an operator may mount a plurality of sheet moldings 1 on the sheet molding magazine 100 .

The control unit 900 transmits an operation start signal to the sheet molding magazine 100 , and causes the sheet molding 1 to be drawn out through the outlet of the magazine casing of the sheet molding magazine 100 .

The first transport device 600 picks up the sheet molded product 1 drawn out from the sheet molding magazine 100 and transports it, and then the hollow base block 222 of the base module 220 of the ultrasonic cutting unit 200 . It can be loaded on top of the block.

The control unit 900 converts the inner space of the hollow base block 222 into a negative pressure through the vacuum piping facility 225 , and the negative pressure is applied to the sheet through the suction hole 221 of the block upper plate of the hollow base block 222 . The bottom surface of the molding 1 may be closely adhered and fixed to the block upper plate of the hollow base block 222 .

Thereafter, in accordance with the cutting algorithm of the controller 900 , the ultrasonic cutting module 210 , the base module 220 , and the multi-axis stage module 230 start to operate.

For example, the ultrasonic cutting module 210 operates the ultrasonic vibrator 217 while driving the motor 212, and as a result, the cutter 219 of the ultrasonic cutting module 210 rotates to start ultrasonic excitation. .

In the meantime, the multi-axis stage module 230 approaches the hollow base block 222 and the sheet molding 1 of the base module 220 toward the cutter 219 .

In addition, the control unit 900 moves and rotates the hollow base block 222 of the base module 220 to correspond to the cutting path of the sheet molding 1 , and accordingly the cutter 219 moves the sheet molding 1 . Cutting is performed along the cutting line.

The control unit 900 performs an attenuation function of the weight balancer 224 in response to the ultrasonic vibration detection value of the hollow base block 222 detected by the vibration sensor 223, as a result, the hollow base block 222 By maintaining it in the form of a vibration-free table, cutting can be made continuously with precision and stability.

When the cutting operation is completed, the motor unit 212 of the ultrasonic cutting module 210 may be stopped by the control unit 900 .

In addition, the second transfer device 610 picks up the braces 2 from the base module 220 and transports them toward the machine vision 400 .

In addition, the second transfer device 610 may also pick up the residue 3 and transport it toward a residue treatment location (not shown).

The machine vision 400 performs an inspection corresponding to a predetermined inspection algorithm, such as performing light source output, imaging, and analysis for defect detection, on the delivered orthodontic brace 2, and classifies the inspection result. (800) may be provided.

In addition, the second transfer device 610 may deliver the dental braces 2 at the end of the examination toward the classification device 800 .

In response to the inspection result of the machine vision 400, the classification device 800 classifies the normal product and the defective product among the orthodontic braces 2, and supplies the defective product to the defective product collection unit 30, or to the normal product. The corresponding orthodontic braces 2 may be supplied to the orthodontic braces transporting device 500 .

The orthodontic brace transporting device 500 may be configured to transport the orthodontic braces 2 corresponding to the normal products toward the packaging equipment thereafter.

As such, the apparatus for manufacturing orthodontic braces according to the present invention has the advantage of reliably mass-producing orthodontic braces made by cutting the sheet molding 1 made by molding a very thin and transparent plastic material or sheet.

In addition, the orthodontic brace manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention can minimize the heat affected zone in the sheet molding 1 compared to laser cutting equipment, and by-products harmful to the human body due to material evaporation according to laser cutting It can be prevented from occurring in advance, and the change in mechanical properties of the sheet molding 1 is minimized, and as a result, it has the advantage of sufficiently stably exhibiting the desired orthodontic force in the orthodontic appliance.

100: sheet molding magazine 200: ultrasonic cutting unit
210: ultrasonic cutting module 220: base module
230: multi-axis stage module 300: dust collector
400: machine vision 500: orthodontic delivery device
600: first transfer device 610: second transfer device
700: first ionizer 710: second ionizer
800: classification device 900: control unit

Claims (8)

a sheet molding magazine for individually supplying a plurality of sheet moldings;
an ultrasonic cutting unit for making a dental brace by performing ultrasonic cutting on the sheet molding supplied from the sheet molding magazine;
machine vision for inspecting whether the orthodontic braces are defective by photographing the braces made by the ultrasonic cutting unit;
a dental brace transport device disposed at the rear end of the machine vision to individually accommodate the dental braces on which the examination has been completed in a transport tray and transport them to the outside of the device; and
Based on the ultrasonic cutting unit, the sheet molding magazine is disposed on one side, the orthodontic brace transport device is disposed on the other side, and the machine vision is disposed between the ultrasonic cutting part and the orthodontic brace transport device. including;
The ultrasonic cutting unit,
an ultrasonic cutting module installed movably in the vertical direction of the housing body in the inner space of the housing body to perform ultrasonic cutting, so that the sheet molded product is separated into the dental braces and the remainder;
a base module spaced apart from the ultrasonic cutting module and serving as a base for mounting the sheet molding; and
For ultrasonic cutting processing of the sheet molding, a multi-axis stage module for moving the base module along an axial movement direction or a rotational axis direction capable of generating a relative displacement motion based on the ultrasonic cutting module,
The ultrasonic cutting module,
an actuator suspended from the ceiling of the housing body and providing elevating/lowering force to the operating arm in a vertical direction of the housing body;
a motor unit coupled to an end of the operating arm of the actuator and providing a motor rotational force to the hollow spindle rotating body;
a rotating body housing extending downward from the motor unit and supporting rotation of the spindle rotating body through a bearing;
a housing cover coupled to close the lower opening of the rotating body and having a through-hole formed with respect to the center of rotation of the spindle rotating body;
a horn inserted into the through hole of the housing cover in a non-contact manner and coupled to an end of the spindle rotating body;
an ultrasonic vibrator for cutting coupled to the upper end of the horn and disposed inside the spindle rotating body;
a cutter holder formed at the lower end of the horn; and
and a cutter detachably coupled to the cutter holder and cutting the sheet molding by ultrasonic vibration force generated from the ultrasonic vibrator and transmitted through the horn,
The base module is
a hollow base block having an air suction hole formed in the upper plate of the block based on an area corresponding to the bottom surface of the sheet molding, and selectively supporting the sheet molding by adsorption according to a change in air suction pressure;
a vibration sensor for detecting ultrasonic vibration transmitted from the cutter to the hollow base block via the sheet molding; and
Orthodontic appliance manufacturing apparatus including a weight balancer installed between the hollow base block and the moving plate of the multi-axis stage module so as to offset the vibration detected through the vibration sensor. According to claim 1,
The housing body is
a work confirmation window disposed on the front of the housing body so that the ultrasonic cutting unit can be visually confirmed;
a first transport device disposed inside the housing body to transport the sheet molded product from the sheet molded product magazine to the ultrasonic cutting unit;
a second transfer device disposed between the ultrasonic cutting unit and the machine vision to transport the braces cut from the sheet molding to the machine vision from the ultrasonic cutting unit;
It is disposed between the machine vision and the orthodontic brace transport device, and in response to the inspection result of the machine vision, classifies normal products and defective products among the orthodontic braces, and supplies the defective products to a defective product collection unit, or A dental brace manufacturing apparatus comprising a sorting device for supplying a dental brace corresponding to a product to the orthodontic brace conveying device. 3. The method of claim 2,
Between the first transfer device and the ultrasonic cutting unit,
By injecting ionized air through corona discharge to the sheet molding carried by the first transfer device, a first ionizer for blowing the dust remaining in the sheet molding is further disposed. 3. The method of claim 2,
Between the second transfer device and the machine vision,
By spraying ionized air through corona discharge with respect to the braces carried by the second transfer device, a second ionizer is further disposed to combine with ions on the surface of the braces to neutralize them. . 3. The method of claim 2,
The housing body is
The orthodontic appliance manufacturing further comprising a dust collecting unit disposed inside the housing body and collecting dust or foreign substances generated during the ultrasonic cutting process by an electrostatic method by an electric field while air is sucked based on the ultrasonic cutting unit Device. delete delete delete

Images