3m Innovative Properties Company

3m Innovation Properties Company

Eric S Hansen

Richard E Raby

Alberto Alvarez

Steven C Demlow

Zhisheng Yun

Shannon D Scott

David B Stegall

Aya Eid

James L Graham, Ii

Vladimir Kryzhniy

A 3D imaging apparatus with enhanced depth of field to obtain electronic images of an object for use in generating a 3D digital model of the object. The apparatus includes a housing having mirrors positioned to receive an image from an object external to the housing and provide the image to an image sensor. The optical path between the object and the image sensor includes an aperture element having apertures for providing the image along multiple optical channels with a lens positioned within each of the optical channels. The apparatus also includes a transparent cover positioned within the optical path and having a plurality of fiducials. The depth of field of the apparatus includes the cover, allowing the fiducials to be used to calibrate the apparatus or verify and correct the existing calibration of it.

3D image capture apparatus with cover window fiducials for calibration

A method for determining virtual articulation from dental scans. The method includes receiving digital 3D models of a person's maxillary and mandibular arches, and digital 3D models of a plurality of different bite poses of the arches. The digital 3D models of the maxillary and mandibular arches are registered with the bite poses to generate transforms defining spatial relationships between the arches for the bite poses. Based upon the digital 3D models and transforms, the method computes a pure rotation axis representation for each bite pose of the mandibular arch with respect to the maxillary arch. The virtual articulation can be used in making restorations or for diagnostic purposes.

Virtual model of articulation from intra-oral scans

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Arden Hills, MN, United States of America

Eric S Hansen