Shape setting a shape memory alloy dental arch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016242873-A1
Application number	US-201615145198-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 3, 2016
Priority date	Aug 24, 2010
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Methods are provided for shape-setting hyperelastic, single-crystal shape memory alloy (SMA) material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material. A wire or rod of a single crystal shape memory alloy material is heated to an annealing temperature (T a ). While maintained at the annealing temperature, the wire or rod is shaped by driving the wire or rod and a shaping form together into contact with each other, and the shaped wire or rod is quenched in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A dental archwire having a pre-set shape including an elongate, curved length approximating the shape of a dental arch and a rectangular cross-section having a first dimension of 0.013-0.021 inch and a second dimension of 0.018-0.026 inch or a circular cross-section of diameter 0.013 through 0.026 inch over at least a portion of the elongate, curved length, wherein the dental archwire in the pre-set shape comprises a hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy that is free of elemental precipitates and is capable of exhibiting greater than a 10 percent strain recovery, a constant force deflection, negligible stress hysteresis, and a binding force equal or less than 4 N.

2 . The archwire of claim 1 , wherein the hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy is a CuAl-based alloy.

3 . The archwire of claim 2 , wherein the hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy is CuAlNi.

4 . The archwire of claim 2 , wherein the hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy is CuAlMn.

5 . The archwire of claim 2 , wherein the hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy is CuAlBe.

6 . The archwire of claim 2 , wherein the hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy is CuAlNiMnTi.

7 . A dental archwire having a pre-set shape including an elongate, curved length approximating the shape of a dental arch and a rectangular cross-section having a first dimension of 0.013-0.021 inch and a second dimension of 0.018-0.026 inch over at least a portion of the elongate, curved length, wherein the dental archwire in the pre-set shape comprises a hyperelastic, single crystal CuAl-based shape memory alloy that is free of Al precipitates and is capable of exhibiting greater than a 10 percent strain recovery, a constant force deflection, negligible stress hysteresis, and a binding force equal or less than 4 N.

8 . The archwire of claim 7 , wherein the CuAl-based shape memory alloy comprises 14-14.5 wt. % Al and 3-4.5 wt. % Ni, the balance Cu.

Assignees

• Ormco Corp

Inventors

• Johnson Alfred David
• Alauddin Sammel Shahrier

Classifications

• A61C7/20 Primary

  Arch wires (A61C7/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C22F1/006

  Resulting in heat recoverable alloys with a memory effect · CPC title

• A61C2201/007

  using shape memory effect · CPC title

• C22C9/01

  with aluminium as the next major constituent · CPC title

• C22F1/08

  of copper or alloys based thereon · CPC title