Methods for shaping green bodies and articles made by such methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9539064-B2
Application number	US-201414495389-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 25, 2005
Publication date	Jan 10, 2017
Grant date	Jan 10, 2017

Abstract

A method of shaping a green body provides a shaped green body comprised of a plurality of sinterable particles and an organic binder. Such a method includes: (1) molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into the shape of an initial green body or intermediate, wherein the sinterable particles include at least one of metal particles or ceramic particles; and (2) shaping the green body intermediate with at least one of a stream of energy or a stream of matter, wherein the shaping yields a green body having a desired shape. The shaped green body can be sintered in order to provide a hardened body having substantially the shape of the shaped green body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of manufacturing an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate, comprising:
molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into a desired shape of a green body;
removing sinterable particles from the green body using at least one of a stream of energy or a stream of matter and vaporizing, melting, and/or burning the binder associated with the removed sinterable particles to yield a plurality of protrusions, recesses, and undercuts that define an irregular and uneven surface on the green body; and
sintering the green body to form an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the irregular and uneven surface forms at least a portion of a surface configured to attach the orthodontic bracket or the orthodontic base plate to a tooth.

3. A method of manufacturing an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate, comprising:
molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into a desired shape of a green body;
removing sinterable particles from the green body using at least one of a stream of energy or a stream of matter and vaporizing, melting, and/or burning the binder associated with the removed sinterable particles such that the particles exposed following removing define an irregular and uneven surface on the green body; and
sintering the green body to form an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the irregular and uneven surface forms at least a portion of a surface configured to attach the orthodontic bracket or the orthodontic base plate to a tooth.

Assignees

• Ormco Corp

Inventors

• Abels Norbert
• Backes Claus-H

Classifications

• C04B35/634

  Polymers (C04B35/636 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61C13/0022

  Blanks or green, unfinished dental restoration parts · CPC title

• B28B17/0036

  Cutting means, e.g. water jets · CPC title

• Y10T428/24893

  including particulate material · CPC title

• A61C7/14

  Brackets (A61C7/28 takes precedence); Fixing brackets to teeth · CPC title