Dental model gripping system

A dental model gripping system, comprising:

• a dental model including a replica set of teeth and a substantially flat bottom surface located beneath the replica set of teeth, wherein the substantially flat bottom surface includes first and second vertical openings spaced apart by an opening distance;
• and
• a dental model gripper having a substantially flat top surface and first and second pins extending vertically through the top surface, at least one of the first and second pins being configured to move in a sliding motion toward and away from the other pin,
• wherein the first and second pins are configured to be arranged at an engaging position where the first and second pins are spaced apart by the opening distance and are insertable into the first and second vertical openings of the dental model,
• wherein the first and second pins are further configured to be arranged at a gripping position while inserted into the first and second vertical openings of the dental model, the gripping position resulting in a greater distance between the first and second pins than the opening distance, and
• wherein at least one of the first and second pins press against internal surfaces within the first and second vertical openings of the dental model to grip firmly the bottom surface of the dental model against the top surface of the dental model gripper while the first and second pins are at the gripping position.

A dental model gripper, comprising:

• a base including a top side, a bottom side, a central opening at the bottom side, and first and second recesses formed therein;
• a shaft defining a longitudinal vertical axis, the shaft extending longitudinally into the central opening of the base, wherein the shaft is configured to be rotated along its vertical axis in frontwards and backwards directions;
• a spring coupled to the shaft beneath the base, wherein the spring is configured to bias the shaft toward a fully backwards rotational position;
• a lever coupled to the shaft beneath the base and extending from the shaft in a non-parallel direction to the vertical axis, wherein the lever is configured to rotate the shaft to a fully frontwards rotational position;
• a gear having gear teeth and coupled to the shaft within the base, wherein the gear is configured to rotate with the shaft about the vertical axis;
• a plate coupled to the top side of the base, the plate having a flat upper surface and first and second slotted openings therethrough, wherein the first and second slotted openings are oriented along a single straight line;
• first and second vertically oriented pins extending through the first and second slotted openings of the plate, each of the first and second vertically oriented pins having a pin head with a diameter that is greater than the diameter of its pin, wherein each pin head is configured to pass vertically through a vertical opening along a bottom surface of a separate dental model;
• and
• first and second pin carriers located within the first and second recesses within the base, each of the first and second pin carriers being coupled to a respective one of the first and second vertically oriented pins and having a toothed portion that engages the gear teeth, wherein each of the first and second pin carriers is configured to reside at a default position with its respective pin at a maximum distance away from the vertical axis when the shaft is biased toward the backwards rotational position by the spring and to slide in a direction orthogonal to the vertical axis so that its respective pin moves to a fully actuated position with its respective pin at a minimum distance away from the vertical axis when the lever rotates the shaft to the fully frontwards rotational position.