Patent ID: 6120290
Filing Date: 2000-09-19
Classification: A61B,A61C

Abstract:
A jaw movement simulator in which an upper jaw model, patterned after at least part of an upper jaw and a lower jaw model patterned after at least part of a lower jaw are mounted, and the lower jaw model is relatively moved with the respect to the upper jaw model, the jaw movement simulator comprising:a substrate;a lower jaw fixing unit on which the lower jaw model is fixed;at least one lower jaw fixing unit supporting part for supporting said lower jaw fixing unit in such a manner that a position and a posture of said lower jaw fixing unit in a three-dimensional space are changeable with respect to said substrate;lower jaw driving means for moving said lower jaw fixing unit supporting parts to alter the position and the posture of said lower jaw fixing unit;an upper jaw fixing unit on which the upper jaw model is fixed in a predetermined positional relation with respect to the lower jaw model fixed on said lower jaw fixing unit in a predetermined initial position and a predetermined initial posture; andlower jaw control means for controlling said lower jaw driving means in accordance with data representative of relative position and posture of the lower jaw with respect to the upper jaw so that the lower jaw model fixed on said lower jaw fixing unit offers its position and posture according to said data;a lower jaw model fixing position arithmetic means for determining a fixing position of the lower jaw model for said lower jaw fixing unit, wherein said lower jaw control means controls said lower jaw driving means in accordance with said data and in addition data representative of a fixing position of the lower jaw model, determined by said lower jaw fixing position arithmetic means;a contact detection probe for detecting that the lower jaw model fixed on said lower jaw fixing unit is in contact with said contact detection probe; anda sensor for detecting a position and a posture of said lower jaw fixing unit at time when the lower jaw model is in contact with said contact detection probe, wherein said lower jaw model fixing position arithmetic means determines the fixing position of the lower jaw model for said lower jaw fixing unit in accordance with the position and the posture detected by said sensor.