System for post-processing orthodontic appliance molds

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11284973-B2
Application number	US-202117452975-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 29, 2021
Priority date	Apr 13, 2007
Publication date	Mar 29, 2022
Grant date	Mar 29, 2022

Abstract

A system and method for post-processing of polymeric items having a liquid component and a predetermined heat deflection temperature is provided. The system includes a washing station to spray water at elevated temperature and pressure on the items while maintaining the temperature of the item below the heat deflection temperature. Then using a water distillation system to separate the water from the water mixed with the liquid polymer component by evaporating the water using heating coils with surface that is not conducive to adhesion of the liquid polymer component and then condense the water vapor into liquid water. The system may further include a spin station to separate the liquid polymer component by spinning the item. The system may further include one or more processing stations to rinse the item, dry the item, cure the item, remove the item from a tray to which the item may be attached and clean trays after removing the item. A conveyor system may be used to automate the post-processing of the items.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method for manufacturing items, the method comprising:
using a layer-by-layer build process on a polymeric resin to produce one or more partially cured items, wherein the one or more partially cured items include uncured portions of the polymeric resin thereon;
rotating the one or more partially cured items to separate the uncured portions of the polymeric resin from the one or more partially cured items; and
collecting the uncured portions of the polymeric resin separated from the one or more partially cured items.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more partially cured items are rotated in a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more partially cured items are rotated at a speed of up to 500 RPM.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rotating is performed by a spin station.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising monitoring operation of the spin station using one or more sensors.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer-by-layer build process comprises:
providing the polymeric resin in an uncured state, and
selectively curing the polymeric resin to build up individual layers of the one or more partially cured items.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layer-by-layer build process comprises a stereolithography process.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more partially cured items comprise one or more polymeric molds.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more partially cured items represent one or more orthodontic appliances for repositioning a patient's teeth.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting the one or more partially cured items to a spin station.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more partially cured items are transported to the spin station on trays.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the one or more partially cured items are transported to the spin station on a conveyor system.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising locking the one or more partially cured items to a turntable in the spin station.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising detecting whether the one or more partially cured items are locked to the turntable before rotating the one or more partially cured items using the turntable.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the uncured portions of the polymeric resin in a container.

16. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the uncured portions of the polymeric resin for reuse in a subsequent layer-by-layer build process.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting the one or more partially cured items for additional processing.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising one or more of washing the one or more partially cured items or curing the one or more partially cured items using reciprocating UV sources.

19. The method of claim 1 , further comprising processing one or more electronic files representing one or more items to be manufactured, wherein the one or more partially cured items are produced based on the one or more electronic files.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the one or more electronic files represent a treatment plan to move a patient's teeth from an initial arrangement toward a target arrangement using a series of orthodontic appliances.

21. A method for manufacturing orthodontic appliances, the method comprising:
using a layer-by-layer build process to produce a plurality of polymeric items, each polymeric item corresponding to an orthodontic appliance for repositioning teeth, wherein the polymeric items include excess material thereon;
rotating the plurality of polymeric items to separate the excess material from the plurality of polymeric items; and
collecting the excess material separated from the plurality of polymeric items.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of polymeric items are produced from a polymeric resin.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the excess material comprises uncured portions of the polymeric resin.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein the layer-by-layer build process comprises a stereolithography process.

25. The method of claim 21 , wherein each polymeric item is a mold for forming the corresponding orthodontic appliance.

26. The method of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of polymeric items are rotated in multiple directions.

27. The method of claim 21 , wherein the rotating is performed by a spin station and the method further comprises monitoring operation of the spin station using one or more sensors.

28. The method of claim 21 , further comprising transporting the plurality of polymeric items for additional processing, wherein the additional processing includes one or more of washing the plurality of polymeric items or curing the plurality of polymeric items.

29. The method of claim 21 , further comprising processing an electronic file representing a plurality of orthodontic appliances, wherein the plurality of polymeric items are produced based on the electronic file.

30. A method for manufacturing orthodontic appliances, the method comprising:
receiving, at a rapid prototyping apparatus, a treatment file representing a plurality of orthodontic appliances for repositioning teeth;
building, using the rapid prototyping apparatus, a plurality of solid polymeric objects from a liquid resin, each solid polymeric object corresponding to a respective orthodontic appliance;
rotating, using a spin station, the plurality of solid polymeric objects to separate the liquid resin from the plurality of solid polymeric objects;
collecting the liquid resin separated from the plurality of solid polymeric objects in a container for reuse in a subsequent rapid prototyping process; and
transporting the plurality of solid polymeric objects for additional processing.

Assignees

• Align Technology Inc

Inventors

• Kaza Srinivas
• Sambu Shiva P
• Tata Kamesh
• Doung Michael J
• Phan Long

Classifications

• F26B5/08 Primary

  by centrifugal treatment · CPC title

• A61C13/00 Primary

  Dental prostheses; Making same (tooth crowns for capping teeth A61C5/70; dental implants A61C8/00) · CPC title