Patent · US Active

Methods for making dental aligners from multilayer sheets

US11766313B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by

21References

30Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Align Technology, Inc. · US

Inventors

Chunhua Li · Cupertino, US
Yan Chen · Cupertino, US
Heinz Pudleiner · Krefeld, DE
Klaus Meyer · Dormagen, DE
Joerg Nickel · Dormagen, DE
Craig Pehlert · Lenox, US

Key dates

Filing date	Feb 9, 2023
Grant date	Sep 26, 2023
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Feb 9, 2043

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10T428/31786
WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A multilayer sheet comprising first, second, and third layers is provided. The first layer consists of a co-polyester having an elongation at break of greater than 70%. The second layer consists of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer having an elongation at break of greater than 200% and a hardness of about 60 A to about 85 D. The first layer has a hardness greater than the hardness of the second layer. A mold is provided and the multilayer sheet is thermoformed over the mold to form a plurality of tooth-receiving cavities configured to receive and position a patient's teeth from a first arrangement toward a second arrangement. Excess material is trimmed from the thermoformed multilayer sheet to form the multilayer dental aligner.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.