System and method for cleaning aligners
AssigneeAlign Technology, Inc.
InventorRobert E. Tricca
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for cleaning removable oral appliances, such as tooth repositioning aligners, comprise a base having a tray for holding the appliance in a bath of cleaning solution. A low-frequency driver is provided in the base for reciprocating the tray about a horizontal or vertical axis to wash the cleaning solution over the appliance. Usually, the apparatus will further comprise a cradle which is mounted to reciprocate about a horizontal axis within the base. The cradle defines a receptacle which removably receives the cleaning tray. The cleaning tray is preferably reciprocated at frequency in the range from 1 Hz to 10 Hz, usually in the range from 2 Hz to 5 Hz.
Claims8
An oral appliance cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a tray in the base for holding the appliance in a bath of a cleaning solution;
- means comprising an axis for mounting the tray in the base;
- and
- a driver in the base for reciprocating the tray about the axis to wash the cleaning solution over the appliance at a frequency in the range from 1 Hz to 10 Hz.
An oral appliance cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a base having a cavity;
- a tray having a removable cover for holding the oral appliance in a cleaning solution;
- a cradle mounted within the base cavity and having a receptacle for removably receiving the tray;
- means in the base comprising a horizontal axis for mounting the cradle in the base;
- and
- means in the base for pivoting the cradle about the horizontal axis to clean the oral appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.