Shape setting a shape memory alloy dental arch
AssigneeOrmco Corporation
InventorsAlfred David Johnson, Sammel S. Alauddin
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Abstract
Methods are provided for shape-setting hyperelastic, single-crystal shape memory alloy (SMA) material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material. A wire or rod of a single crystal shape memory alloy material is heated to an annealing temperature (Ta). While maintained at the annealing temperature, the wire or rod is shaped by driving the wire or rod and a shaping form together into contact with each other, and the shaped wire or rod is quenched in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.
Claims20
A method of shape-setting a hyperelastic material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material, the method comprising:
- heating a wire or rod of a single crystal shape memory alloy material to an annealing temperature (Ta);
- while maintained at the annealing temperature, shaping the wire or rod by driving the wire or rod and a shaping form together into contact with each other;
- and
- quenching the shaped wire or rod in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.
A method of shape-setting a hyperelastic material into a dental archwire while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material, the method comprising:
- heating a wire of single crystal shape memory alloy material selected from CuAlNi, CuAlMn, CuAlBe, or CuAlNiMnTi to an annealing temperature (Ta);
- while maintained at the annealing temperature, shaping the wire into an archwire shape by driving the wire and a shaping form together into contact with each other;
- and
- quenching the archwire-shaped wire or rod in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.