Hand tool for separating a deep-drawn jaw-spanning dental apparatus of thermoform film
AssigneeDENTSPLY SIRONA Inc.
InventorsHans-Christian Schneider, Peter Burger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hand tool (1) for separating a deep-drawn jaw-spanning dental apparatus such as an aligner or a bite splint of thermoform film. The hand tool includes a grip (2) for holding; a separating element (3) for thermally separating the deep-drawn thermoform film and refining the separated deep-drawn thermoform; a heating device adapted to regulate heating of the separating element (3) so as to increase the temperature of the thermoform film substantially to at least its glass temperature; and a power supply device for supplying electric power to the heating device.
Claims17
A hand tool for separating a deep-drawn jaw-spanning dental apparatus comprising:
- a grip;
- a separating element configured to thermally separate a deep-drawn thermoform film and refine the separated deep-drawn thermoform in a single step;
- a heating means configured to regulate heating of the separating element so as to increase the temperature of the thermoform film substantially to at least its glass temperature without degradation and unnecessary melting of the thermoform film;
- and
- a power supply means for supplying electric power to the heating means;
- wherein the separating element is configured to follow a separation contour on the thermoform film.
A method for separating a deep-drawn jaw-spanning dental apparatus comprising:
- thermally separating a deep-drawn thermoform film and refining the separated deep-drawn thermoform in a single step using a separating element of a hand tool, the hand tool comprising a grip;
- regulating heating of the separating element, using a heating means of the hand tool, to increase a temperature of the thermoform film substantially to at least its glass temperature without degradation and unnecessary melting of the thermoform film;
- and
- supplying, by a power supply means of the hand tool, electric power to the heating means;
- wherein the separating element is configured to follow a separation contour on the thermoform film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.