Methods for manufacturing thermoformed objects
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorsYevgeniy Sirovskiy, James C. Culp
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for manufacturing thermoformed objects are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes controlling a material transport system to move a material to a first location proximate to one or more heat sources. The method can include controlling the one or more heat sources to heat a first region of the material to a first temperature and heat a second region of the material to a second temperature. The method can also include controlling the material transport system to move the material to a second location proximate to an object forming element, and controlling the object forming element to form a dental appliance from the material.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- moving a thermoforming material in a sequence of linear movement and stopping motions with a material transport system, the linear movements moving the thermoforming material to a heating element comprising a first heat source and a second heat source, then from the heating element to an object forming element, and then from the object forming element to an extracting element, wherein the movement of the material transport system is determined in response to a first temperature measured proximate the first heat source and a second temperature measured proximate the second heat source;
- controlling the first heat source to heat a first region of the thermoforming material to a first measured temperature;
- controlling the second heat source to heat a second region of the thermoforming material to a second measured temperature, wherein the first region and the second region of the thermoforming material are different regions;
- and
- controlling the object forming element to form the heated thermoforming material to a dental mold to form a shape of a dental aligner, based on the thermoforming material being heated above the second measured temperature.
A method comprising:
- controlling a material transport system to move a material to a first location proximate to one or more heat sources;
- controlling the one or more heat sources to heat a first region of the material to a first temperature and heat a second region of the material to a second temperature;
- controlling the material transport system to move the material to a second location proximate to an object forming element;
- and
- controlling the object forming element to form a dental appliance from the material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.