The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 03, 2001
Filed:
May. 14, 1999
Muhammad Chishti, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Huafeng Wen, Redwood Shores, CA (US);
Align Technology, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US);
Abstract
A positive mold for use in creating an orthodontic appliance is produced by obtaining a digital dentition model, such as a 3D geometric surface model or a 3D volumetric image model, that defines the shape of an orthodontic appliance and then altering the digital dentition model to remove a portion that does not affect the shape of the orthodontic appliance. The altered digital dentition model then is used to construct a positive mold for the orthodontic appliance. Processing circuitry, such as a programmed computer, is used to obtain and alter the digital dentition model. A rapid prototyping device, such as a stereolithography machine, is commonly used to construct the positive mold.