Method of manufacturing an endodontic instrument
US6783438B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 18, 2002 |
| Grant date | Aug 31, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T29/49568
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Method for manufacturing endodontic instruments having either helical or non-helical flutes. A method is provided for forming superelastic endodontic instruments having helical flutes, wherein a wire of superelastic material is formed into an instrument blank, and before twisting, the superelastic alloy is brought to an annealed state comprising a phase structure including a rhombohedral phase alone or in combination with austenite and/or martensite, or a combination of martensite and austenite. In this annealed state, the instrument blank is twisted at low temperature, for example less than about 100° C., and advantageously at ambient temperature to the final desired twisted configuration. The twisted instrument is then heat treated and rapidly quenched to a superelastic condition. A method is further provided for manufacturing endodontic instruments having either helical or non-helical flutes with hard surfaces and resilient cutting edges by either an EDM or ECM process, wherein material is removed from the instrument blank in the desired flute pattern. The EDM or ECM process disintegrates the surface material, and as it cools, at least a portion of the removed material re-de…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.