Patent ID: 7789601

Claim:
A mill blank mandrel system for securing a machinable dental blank within a dental milling machine, comprising: a mill blank mandrel comprising: an elongated shaft extending along a first longitudinal axis, the elongated shaft including a recess consisting of a fully-concave arcuate surface extending perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis, the cross-section of the elongated shaft being non-stepped along the first longitudinal axis except for the recess; and a shoulder extending from an end portion of the elongated shaft, the shoulder having an outer profile larger than an outer profile of the elongated shaft and having a surface for accepting the machinable dental blank; a mandrel socket comprising: a first elongated opening extending along a second longitudinal axis, the first elongated opening sized and shaped for receiving the elongated shaft of the mill blank mandrel; and a second opening in communication with the first opening and extending perpendicular to the second longitudinal axis, wherein the second opening is at least partially aligned with the recess in the elongated shaft of the mill blank mandrel to define a locking aperture when the elongated shaft of the mill blank mandrel is received within the first elongated opening of the mandrel socket; and a locking pin having a D-shaped cross section having a flat surface joined at opposite ends to a convexly-curved surface, the locking pin being positioned within the second opening of the mandrel socket, the locking pin connected to an actuator for moving the locking pin between a receiving position and a locked position, wherein in the receiving position the locking pin allows the elongated shaft of the mill blank mandrel to be inserted into the first elongated opening of the mandrel socket and wherein in the locked position the locking pin secures the elongated shaft of the mill blank mandrel within the first elongated opening of the mandrel socket via engagement of the convexly-curved surface of the locking pin with the arcuate surface of the recess of the elongated shaft.