METHOD AND APPLIANCE USING ONE OR MORE WIRE-FEEDING TRACKS FOR PRODUCTION OF ARTIFICIAL SUPPORTING MEMBERS FOR THE HUMAN BODY

Abstract: In the production of dental bridges, use is made of one or more wire-feeding tracks (12, 13). In a first manufacturing stage, supporting member parts (1, 2) are matched together by machining of contact surfaces with the said wire-feeding tracks. The relative positions of the contact surfaces are identified. In a second manufacturing stage, supporting member parts which have thus been matched are joined together using the identified information. A bearing member (8) is used, and the respective wire-feeding track (12 or 13) and the bearing member are mutually displaced so that the relative position of the track in relation to the said plane is altered. The wire-feeding track can in this case be made to cross the connection portions of the supporting member parts and can be brought into contact with the material in the respective supporing member part for establishing a contact surface (10 and 11). The identified positional information is obtained with the mutual positional relationship of the track and of the bearing member in a plane during the said first subsidiary stage.

Description: TITLE Method and appliance using one or more irefeeding tracks for production of artificial supporting members for the human body. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a method for producing, by means of one or more wire-feeding tracks, artificial supporting members which can be in the form of dental bridges for use in the human body. The novel method includes two or more manufacturing stages in which, in a first manufacturing stage, at least two supporting member parts are matched together by machining of contact surfaces via which the supporting member parts are intended to be joined together. In conjunction with the matching, positional information is obtained on the relative positions of the supporting member parts or of the contact surfaces. Positional information on the relative positions of the supporting member parts or of the contact surfaces is identified in the first manufacturing stage. In the second manufacturing stage, supporting member parts which have thus been matched are joined together using the identified information on the said positions. The method utilizes a bearing member on which the supporting member parts are applied during the first manufacturing stage. The supporting member parts are moved or are placed in relation to a plane, for example a horizontal plane, which extends at right angles with respect to a selected direction, preferably the longitudinal direction, of the supporting member parts when these assume their mutually matched positions. The invention also relates to an appliance for accomplishing the said method. STATE OF THE ART It is already known from Swedish Patent 8605272-7 (455 156) to produce a dental bridge. Two manufacturing stages are used there, and positional information obtained from or in the first stage is used in the second manufacturing stage in order to simplify the adjustment work. The supporting member parts are matched to each other and machining members for producing contact surfaces between the supporting member parts for action of the supporting member parts in predetermined positions, which are transferred to the second subsidiary stage, which includes laser welding, adhesive bonding, etc., of the supporting member parts. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM There is a need to be able to carry out the production of bridges/production of dental bridges in a manner which is simplified from the point of view of handling. The invention aims to solve this problem. In accordance with the idea behind the invention, one or more wire-conveying tracks will be used in conjunction with production. It must be possible for the position of the wire-feeding tracks in relation to the bearing member, or rather in relation to a plane through the supporting parts arranged on the bearing member, to be adjusted. The invention also solves this problem. The arrangement and the method concerning production of the supporting member will be able to permit a spark machining function in association with the bearing member and the supporting member parts which are arranged on the latter. The invention solves this problem. There is a requirement to be able to automate the production process to a greater extent. The invention also solves this problem. In order to achieve an efficient production method, it may be necessary, in the first subsidiary stage, to carry out machining of two contact surfaces simultaneously on one and the same supporting member part, i.e. on both sides of the supporting member part. The invention aims to solve this problem. There is a need to be able to use one and the same joining member (laser welding member) for serving several pairs of contact surfaces. The invention solves this problem and proposes movement in a given plane in an efficient and clearly defined manner. It must be possible for a plurality of joining members to be used to serve two or more pairs of contact surfaces along the curved length of the dental bridge. The invention solves this problem. A user-friendly arrangement with spark machining unit and bearing members for supporting member parts is necessary for an efficient production procedure. The invention also solves this problem. In some cases it is necessary, in connection with the production of a dental bridge, to design the bridge with an at least essentially plane top surface. The invention solves this problem by proposing that each wire-feeding track will be able to attack the supporting member parts in more than one main direction, preferably two main directions which are at right angles to each other. SOLUTION The feature which can principally be regarded as characterizing a method according to the invention is that the respective wire-feeding track and the bearing member are mutually displaced such that the position of the wire track in relation to the initially mentioned plane is altered. At predetermined positions, the wire- feeding track is made to cross the connection portion(s) of the supporting member parts or an overlying portion (in the case where it is desired that the result of machining should have a straight top edge) . The wire- feeding track is thus brought into contact with the respective supporting member part for establishing a contact surface or a compensating surface by means of a contact surface effected in a corresponding manner with the said wire-feeding track or a second wire-feeding track. The used positional information identified in the second subsidiary stage is obtained by the indication of the mutual positional relationship in the said plane, during the said first subsidiary stage, between the respective wire-feeding track and the bearing member. The novel appliance can principally be regarded as having the following characteristics. The respective wire-feeding track and the bearing member will be mutually displaceable in order to bring about changes in the relative position of the wire track in relation to the said plane. At predetermined positions, the wire- feeding track crosses the connection portion of the supporting member parts, or crosses those parts of the supporting member parts which are under machining. The identifiable positional information which is used in the second subsidiary stage can be related to the mutual positional relationship of the wire-feeding track and of the bearing member in the said plane during the said first subsidiary stage. In one embodiment, the wire-feeding track constitutes a first subsidiary track in a common wire- feeding track. In the latter, the first subsidiary track merges into second and third subsidiary tracks via switching members. In one embodiment, the bearing member or supporting member part bears on a portion directed towards a user or operator. The wire-feeding track and the bearing member are arranged to permit monitoring of the said mutual movements at the said portion. Moreover, the wire-feeding track or wire-feeding tracks can form part of one or more wire sparking units or spark machining units which can be of a type known per se. In a further embodiment, the bearing member is arranged to assume a fixed position in terms of angle of rotation. Supporting member parts included in a dental bridge can thus be arranged with positions which concur with a curved length, which corresponds essentially to all or part of the shape of a jaw. Two wire-feeding tracks are thus arranged on both sides of a dividing line or radius through the said curved length. In an alternative embodiment, one and the same wire-feeding track can also be moved between different working positions in conjunction with the bearing member. The said plane can be essentially parallel with respect to the top surface of the bearing member. The relative movement between the bearing member and the respective wire-feeding track consists essentially of a parallel displacement of either the track or the bearing member. Alternatively, both the track and the bearing member can be mutually displaceable. In a further embodiment, in the case where there are essentially uniformly shaped cross-sectional areas of the connection portions between different pairs of supporting member parts, use is made of a movement function for contact surfaces of the first connection portions to a member serving all the connection portions and contact surfaces. The movement can take place in the plane to a common joining position for joining members, for example laser welding electrodes, adhesive bonding members, etc. The joining position can be arranged at second, third, etc., connection portions/contact surfaces or between two pairs of connection portions/contact surfaces. The movement of the connection portions or of the contact surfaces to the joining position is arranged preferably to take place with uniform, predetermined distribution of the movement or movements in question. In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of joining members, or joining positions by means of the said joining members, can be arranged along the curved length. Each wire-feeding track can be arranged such that it attacks or crosses the supporting member parts in two main directions, arranged at right angles to each other, for establishing the said machining function. Thus, in the first direction, the wire-feeding track cuts connection portions on the supporting member parts. In the second direction, the wire-feeding track can cut or machine the supporting member parts to form a straight top edge on the dental bridge, or to form an adaptation surface in the mouth, etc. ADVANTAGES By means of what has been proposed above, advantages are gained by virtue of the fact that bridge constructions can be used which are known per se and have been tried and tested. Supporting member parts which can be arranged on implants in the jaw bone can be matched in the bridge construction work and can be joined together with the prescribed accuracy, which is normally 0.01 - 0.02 mm. Position-identifying members and arrangements of known type can be used, i.e. stored between the manufacturing stages and transferred to the second subsidiary stage when the latter is to be carried out. The second subsidiary stage can be followed by a third subsidiary stage for obtaining the said straight top surface on the dental bridge, for achieving the said adaptation, etc. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES A presently proposed embodiment of a method and appliance having the characteristics pertaining to the invention will be described hereinbelow with reference to the attached drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows from the side, and in partial section, supporting member parts arranged in a bearing member/model/jaw, Figure 2 shows a plan view of the supporting members according to Figure 1, to which there run wire- feeding tracks arranged in conjunction with connection portions of the supporting member parts, Figure 3 shows a side view of a spark machining unit arranged on a bearing part, on which a supporting member part is arranged, Figure 4 shows from the front, i.e. from the direction of the operator, the spark machining unit, supporting member parts, jaw section according to Figures 2 and 3, Figure 5 shows a plan view of supporting member parts and of joining members (laser welding electrodes) arranged on these, and Figure 6 shows a plan view of a dental bridge which is made up of supporting member parts and on which wire-feeding tracks and joining members are arranged. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The supporting member parts in a dental bridge can comprise or consist of a first supporting member part 1 which is shown by full lines, and a second supporting member part 2 which is shown by broken lines. Each supporting member part has a fastening part la and 2a, respectively. Wing-shaped members 3, 4 and 5, respectively, issue from the fastening part, for example from the diametrally opposite sides lb, lc and 2b, 2c, respectively, of the fastening part. The supporting member parts are intended to be fastened in an implant 6 or 7, respectively, in a jaw bone 8. The supporting member parts are in this case secured by means of screws 9 in a manner known per se. In accordance with the invention, the supporting member parts will be matched via their wings 3, 4 and 5, respectively, in order to form a composite dental bridge which can be joined together. The wing-shaped elements 3, 4 and 5, respectively, will in this case be machined or cut such that contact surfaces are established between the wings on the various supporting member parts. Such cut surfaces or contact surfaces are symbolized in Figure 1 by 10 and 11, respectively. A model of the jaw bone 8 is used during the matching and the joining. The said implants 6 and 7 are arranged in the model in a manner known per se. Each supporting member part is applied on its associated implant, i.e. the supporting member part 1 is applied on the implant 6, or rather its representation in the model. With each supporting member arranged in the model, the wings of the supporting member part are cut or sliced, i.e. the wings 3 and 4 in the case of the supporting member part 1. The supporting member in question is thereafter removed from the model, and the second supporting member part 2 is instead fastened in place in the model. The sectioning or cutting of the wings of this supporting member part, i.e. the wing 5 in Figure 1, is then carried out in a corresponding manner in order to form the contact surface with respect to the wing of the supporting member part 1, i.e. the wing 4 in this case. In this way, contact surfaces are arranged on the various supporting member parts of the dental bridge. In accordance with the invention, at least one wire-feeding track will be used for the said production or cutting of the said contact surfaces 10, 11. Figure 1 shows a case in which two wire-feeding tracks 12 and 13 are used in parallel. It is possible per se to move the position of the wire-feeding track 12 to the position of the wire-feeding track 13 in the case where only one wire-feeding track is used. Figure 2 shows the arrangement according to Figure 1 as seen from above. The thickness of the wires in the wire-feeding tracks 12 and 13 is shown in an exaggeratedly thick representation for the sake of clarity. The wire-feeding tracks 12 and 13 run via deflection members or rollers 14, 15 and 16, 17, respectively. The shape of the jaw or of the model 8' is a curved shape. The matched and joined supporting member parts will extend essentially along this curve shape. Figure 3 shows the arrangement from the side, in which the deflection members or the rollers 14 and 15 are shown. The said wire-feeding track 12 is included as a subsidiary track in a common track which also comprises the track sections 18 and 19. The common track forms part of a spark machining unit 20, which can be of a type known per se. In the spark machining unit, one track section 18 is made positive and the other track section 19 is made negative by means of connections to positive and negative voltages, for example by means of a battery 21, in a known manner. The unit 20 is arranged to be vertically displaceable in the directions of the arrows 22 and 23. Figure 3 shows the unit in a lowered position indicated with broken lines for the deflection wheels 14 and the wire track 12. The model 8'' or the bearing member with associated implant 6 can either be arranged in a fixed manner or can be displaced vertically in the directions of the arrows 24 and 25. Alternatively, the unit can be arranged to be essentially fixed, and the bearing member can be arranged to be vertically displaceable. By means of the relative vertical displacements between the unit and the bearing member/the supporting member parts, the wire-feeding track 12 can be made to cross the lengths of the joining portions, i.e. the wings 3, 4 and 5. Upon the said crossing function, the wire-feeding track 12 is brought into cooperation with the respective supporting member part, via its connection portion. Upon this cooperation, the portion in question is cut or machined in order to establish the said contact surface (cf. 12 and 11, respectively, above) . An operator has a good overview of the machining in the direction of the arrow 26. The bearing member or the model thus bears the supporting member part at a portion 8a of the model or the bearing portion where the said good view can be established. Figure 4 shows the unit 20 from the front, as well as the model 8' . In this case the axes of the supporting member parts have been shown by le' , le' ' and 2e' . The axes le' ' and 2e' are in this case shown inclined, as is the associated implant. Contact surfaces can also be arranged on such inclined supporting member parts with the novel arrangement. The parallel wire- feeding tracks 12 and 13 have been shown together with the track section 18 (or 18') described in connection with Figure 3. Each common track is driven in a manner known per se with motor arrangement M which acts on drive wheels H and H' , respectively. The deflection wheels 14 and 14' are braced on struts S and S' , respectively. According to the above, the unit can be moved in the vertical direction in the directions of the arrows PI and P2. In the present case the unit can also be displaced in the lateral directions in accordance with the arrows P3 and P4 for moving the wire tracks 12 and 13, respectively, in a horizontal plane HP through the supporting member parts and 2', 2'', respectively. A member for collecting information on the unit, i.e. the positions of the wire-feeding tracks 12, 13 in the plane HP, is contained in a unit I for use in the joining stage according to Figure 5 hereinafter. The information- collecting member is symbolized by IS. The information identification or the information collection is symbolized by connections L and signal information SI. In Figure 5, two supporting member parts are shown by 27 and 28. The connection portions of the supporting member parts are indicated by 29 and 30. In a first manufacturing stage in accordance with the above, matching of the supporting member parts has taken place, and the contact surfaces between their connection portions 29, 30 have been established. The said contact surfaces are symbolized by 31. The purpose of Figure 5 is to show the second manufacturing stage in which the supporting member parts are actually joined in order to form a dental bridge. Each contact surface pair is set up in the model 32, and joining takes place, for example, by means of laser welding, with Figure 5 showing two electrodes 33 and 34 which are associated with a laser welding unit. Alternatively, the joining together can be effected by means of an adhesive bonding member 35, by means of which adhesive 36 is applied in the seams or joints in question. The joining preferably takes place at the same positions where the formation of the contact surfaces has been carried out. Positional information on the formed contact surfaces can be obtained in a manner known per se from the first manufacturing stage. The said positional information can be included in the second manufacturing stage, and members containing the positional information are symbolized by 37 in Figure 5. The action on, or adjustment of, the model or the bearing member 32 has been symbolized in Figure 5 by connections 38. In Figure 6, a dental bridge which has been essentially matched and has been produced is shown by 39. In the horizontal section shown, the dental bridge has a curve shape which essentially corresponds to all or part of the shape of a jaw. In Figure 6, four supporting member parts 40, 41, 42 and 43 are indicated with matched connection portions 44, 45; 46, 47; 48; 49 and 50; 51, etc., respectively. In accordance with Figure 1, a wire- feeding track 52 can be used and can be moved between different machining positions. Thus, the wire-feeding track 52 can assume the position 52'. Alternatively, two wire-feeding tracks can be used for the positions 52 and 52', respectively, etc. In Figure 6, an angle alpha is indicated in order to show the distance between the different positions of the wire-feeding track 52. An angle beta shows the angular position or angular distance [lacuna] track position. The angular positions are identified and are stored upon production of the contact surfaces and are used at the joining stage. The bearing member 55 can be fixed from the point of view of the angle of rotation or can be moved from the point of view of the angle of rotation. In accordance with the above, the wire-feeding tracks too can be fixed or can be moved in the horizontal plane shown by Figure 6. This also applies to the various working positions of the electrodes 53 and 54. By means of the above it is possible to obtain an optimal manufacturing function for each individual case by using one or more wire-feeding tracks, one or more welding units, fixed or movable position of rotation of the bearing member 55, etc. The information on angular or parallel displacement which is available in the first manufacturing stage is transferred, in accordance with the above, to the second manufacturing stage and can be implemented in the spark machining arrangement or in the welding arrangement. In accordance with Figure 1, the finished bridge or supporting member parts can be subjected to further treatments. Thus, for example, the supporting member parts can be machined with the wire-feeding track or wire-feeding tracks so that a straight top edge Id, 2d (Figure 1) is formed on the finished bridge despite the fact that the bearing axes le and 2e, respectively, of the supporting member parts and the implant are inclined. Spark machining is substantially quicker than cutting, for example with roller, for example 10 times quicker. The invention is not limited to the embodiment which is shown above as an example, but instead can be modified within the scope of the patent claims which follow and the inventive concept.

Claims: PATENT CLAIMS 1. Method for producing, by means of one or more wire-feeding tracks (12, 13), artificial supporting members, principally dental bridges, for use in the human body, and including two manufacturing stages in which, in the first manufacturing stage, at least two supporting member parts (1, 2) are matched together by machining of contact surfaces (10, 11) via which the supporting member parts are intended to be joined together, and positional information on the relative positions of the supporting member parts/of the contact surfaces is identified (in a coordinate system) , and in which, in the second manufacturing stage, supporting member parts which have thus been matched are joined together using the identified information (IS) , and the supporting member parts are applied on a bearing member (8) in which the supporting member parts are moved or are placed in relation to a plane, for example a horizontal plane, which extends at right angles with respect to a selected direction, preferably the longitudinal direction, of the supporting member parts when these assume their mutually matched positions, characterized in that the respective wire-feeding track (12 or 13) and the bearing member are mutually displaced such that the relative position of the wire track in relation to the said plane (HP) is altered, and in that, at predetermined positions, the wire-feeding track is made to cross the connection portion or connection portions (3, 4 and 5 respectively) of the supporting member parts and is thus brought into contact with the respective supporting member part for establishing a contact surface which can cooperate with a contact surface effected in a corresponding manner with the said wire-feeding track or a second wire-feeding track, and in that the identified positional information (IS) which can be used in the second subsidiary stage is obtained with the mutual positional relationship of the respective wire-feeding track and of the bearing member in the said plane during the said first subsidiary stage. 2. Appliance according to Patent Claim 1 with one or more wire-feeding tracks in conjunction with manufacturing systems for artificial supporting members, principally dental bridges (39) , for the human body, in which each supporting member is made up of at least two supporting member parts (1, 2) which, after machining, are intended to be able to be matched together and joined together in two successive manufacturing stages, in which, in the first manufacturing stage, the said supporting member parts are machined in order to ensure mutual precise bearing via contact surfaces (10, 11), and positional information (IS) for the supporting member parts in the first manufacturing stage can be identified for use during the second manufacturing stage, during which the supporting member parts are joined together, and the supporting member parts can be arranged on a bearing member (8) in which the supporting member parts can be moved in relation to a plane, for example a horizontal plane (HP) , which extends essentially at right angles with respect to a selected direction, preferably the longitudinal direction, of the supporting member parts when these assume their mutually matched positions, characterized in that the respective wire-feeding track (12 or 13) and the bearing member can be mutually displaced so as to bring about changes in the relative position of the wire track in relation to the said plane (HP) , in that, at predetermined positions, the wire- feeding track crosses the connection portion or connection portions of the supporting member parts for effecting the machining of the supporting member parts, and in that the identifiable positional information which is used in the second subsidiary stage can be related to the mutual positional relationship of the wire-feeding track and of the bearing member in the said plane during the said first subsidiary stage. 3. Appliance according to Patent Claim 1, characterized in that the wire-feeding track constitutes a first subsidiary track in a common wire-feeding track and in which the first subsidiary track merges into second and third subsidiary tracks (18, 19) via deflection members (14, 15), for example rollers, wheels, etc. 4. Appliance according to Patent Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bearing member bears the respective supporting member part on a portion (8a) directed towards a user/operator, and in that the wire- feeding track and the bearing member are arranged for the said mutual movements at the said portion. 5. Appliance according to Patent Claim 2, 3 or 4, characterized in that the wire-feeding track or wire- feeding tracks (12, 13) form part of one or more wire sparking units/spark machining units (20) . 6. Appliance according to any one of Patent Claims 2-5, characterized in that the bearing member (55) is arranged to assume a fixed angle of rotation position, in that supporting member parts included in a dental bridge are arranged with positions which link up to form a curved length which essentially corresponds to all or part of the shape of a jaw, and in that two wire-feeding tracks are arranged on both sides of a dividing line/radius (R) through the curved length, or one wire- feeding track can be moved between different working positions. 7. Appliance according to any one of Patent Claims 2-6, characterized in that the plane (HP) is essentially parallel with respect to the top surface of the bearing member, and in that the relative movement between the bearing member and the respective wire-feeding track consists essentially of a parallel displacement of either the track or the bearing member or of both the track and the bearing member. 8. Appliance according to any one of Patent Claims 2-7, characterized in that, in the case where there are essentially uniformly shaped cross-sectional areas of the connection portions between different pairs of supporting member parts, for example in a dental bridge (20) , movement of contact surfaces (31) of first connection portions to a member (53) serving all the connection portions/contact surfaces is designed to take place in the plane to a common joining position for joining members, for example laser welding electrodes, which joining position can be arranged at second, third, etc., connection portions/contact surfaces or between two pairs of connection portions/contact surfaces. 9. Appliance according to any one of Patent Claims 2-7, characterized in that the movement of the connection portions/contact surfaces to the joining position is arranged to take place with uniform, predetermined distribution of the movement/movements in question, and/or in that a plurality of joining members/joining positions by means of joining members are arranged along the curved length. 10. Appliance according to any one of Patent Claims 2-9, characterized in that each wire-feeding track is arranged to attack/cross the supporting member parts in two main directions, arranged at right angles to each other, and, in the first direction, the wire-feeding track cuts connection portions on the supporting member parts, and, in the second direction, it cuts or machines the supporting member parts to form a straight top edge (Id, 2d) on the dental bridge (20) .

Inventors: BOSS ANDERS, BOSS, ANDERS
Applicants: BOSS ANDERS, NOBELPHARMA AB, BOSS, ANDERS
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A61C8
IPC codes: A61C8, A61C13