Methods for shaping green bodies and articles made by such methods
AssigneeOrmco Corporation
InventorsNorbert Abels, Claus H. Backes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of shaping a green body provides a shaped green body comprised of a plurality of sinterable particles and an organic binder. Such a method includes: (1) molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into the shape of an initial green body or intermediate, wherein the sinterable particles include at least one of metal particles or ceramic particles; and (2) shaping the green body intermediate with at least one of a stream of energy or a stream of matter, wherein the shaping yields a green body having a desired shape. The shaped green body can be sintered in order to provide a hardened body having substantially the shape of the shaped green body.
Claims13
A method of manufacturing an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate, comprising:
- molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into a green body in the shape of the orthodontic bracket or the orthodontic base plate;
- removing sinterable particles from the green body using a stream of energy to yield at least one thermal-cut surface of the green body including at least one melted surface layer and a plurality of protrusions, recesses, and undercuts that define an irregular and uneven surface on the green body;
- removing the organic binder prior to sintering the green body;
- and
- sintering the green body to form the orthodontic bracket or the orthodontic base plate.
A method of manufacturing an orthodontic bracket or an orthodontic base plate, comprising:
- molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into a desired shape of a green body;
- removing sinterable particles from the green body using a stream of energy to yield a thermal-cut portion of the green body that includes at least one melted surface layer and a plurality of protrusions, recesses, and undercuts that define an irregular and uneven surface on the green body;
- removing the organic binder prior to sintering the green body;
- and
- sintering the green body to form the orthodontic bracket or the orthodontic base plate.
A green body for use in making an orthodontic appliance comprising:
- a body of sinterable particles mixed with a binder in the shape of the orthodontic appliance, the body including at least one thermal-cut surface that includes at least one melted surface layer and a plurality of protrusions, recesses, and undercuts that define an irregular and uneven surface on the green body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.