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US 9,662,190 B2Granted
Addressable matrices/cluster blanks for dental CAD/CAM systems and optimization thereof
AssigneeIvoclar Vivadent AG
InventorsRobert A. Ganley, Dmitri G. Brodkin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cluster mill blank includes a framework constructed to cooperate with a blank holder of an existing CAD/CAM system, and a plurality of sub-blanks attached to the framework forming an addressable matrix or cluster blank. CAD/CAM systems including such a framework, as well as associated methods are described.
Claims26
A CAD/CAM system for the fabrication of dental articles comprising:
- one or more milling machines;
- one or more blank holders in the one or more milling machines;
- a cluster milling blank comprising a framework constructed to cooperate with the one or more blank holders;
- a plurality of sub-blanks attached to the framework, wherein the sub-blanks are optimally arranged in an addressable matrix designed from nesting software;
- wherein the nesting software has at least a second order level of functionality, wherein the second order level of functionality comprises a statistical function, wherein the statistical function provides statistics on size and shape distribution for milling envelopes based on parameters received from a history of prior milling operations or prior business operations;
- wherein the parameters comprise at least one of type of dental case, dental material selection, size of dental articles, shape of dental articles, shade of dental articles, optimal tool path, and milling parameters;
- and
- wherein a portion of the sub-blanks are to be milled into dental articles.
5 more elements
A method of milling dental articles using a CAD/CAM system comprising:
- statistically analyzing data corresponding to milled dental objects with nesting software thereby obtaining a size and shape distribution for milling envelopes and their correlation with specific types of dental articles, wherein the data analyzed is based on parameters comprising at least one of type of dental case, dental material selection, size of dental articles, shape of dental articles, shade of dental articles, optimal tool path, and milling parameters;
- selecting a batch of dental cases corresponding to objects to be milled by selecting their corresponding electronic data;
- optimizing, by the nesting software, an addressable matrix arrangement of a plurality of sub-blanks selected for milling the batch of dental cases;
- assembling the selected sub-blanks on to one or more frameworks utilizing one or more templates to produce one or more cluster blanks;
- and
- milling the sub-blanks into dental articles.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.