公开(公告)号：US20250153425A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-15

申请号：US19021123

申请日：2025-01-14

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Mehdi Mojdeh ,  Michael Christopher Cole ,  Peter Dorfinger ,  Shiva P. Sambu

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/188 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/232 ,  B29C64/245 ,  B29C64/264 ,  B29C64/295 ,  B29C64/307 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B33Y80/00

Abstract: A method of three-dimensional (3D) printing includes heating a photo-curable material and extruding the photo-curable material from a nozzle of a dispenser to form a first layer of an object according to a digital file, wherein the first layer has a first shape specified by the digital file, and wherein the first shape has a first minimum line width based on a diameter of the nozzle. The method further includes directing a light beam onto the first layer according to the digital file or an additional digital file to cure a portion of the first layer, wherein the cured portion of the first layer has a second shape, wherein the second shape may comprise features that are smaller than the first shape. The light source is attached to the dispenser and is movable to adjust a direction of the light beam relative to the nozzle of the dispenser.

公开(公告)号：US20250136867A1

公开(公告)日：2025-05-01

申请号：US18933844

申请日：2024-10-31

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Kejia Yang ,  Michael Christopher Cole ,  Xiance Wang ,  Umesh Upendra Choudhary

IPC: C09K19/20 ,  C09K19/32 ,  C09K19/34

Abstract: The present disclosure provides curable compositions comprising one or more of polymerizable liquid crystalline compounds or polymerizable polyesters with disrupted crystallinity, as well as polymeric materials formed from the curable compositions. Further provided herein are methods of producing the compositions and using the same for the fabrication of medical devices, such as orthodontic appliances.

公开(公告)号：US12286493B2

公开(公告)日：2025-04-29

申请号：US18543471

申请日：2023-12-18

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Michael Christopher Cole

IPC: C08F2/46 ,  A61C7/08 ,  B29C64/106 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08F2/44 ,  C08F2/48 ,  C08F2/50 ,  C08F218/04 ,  C08F220/14 ,  C08F220/18 ,  C08G61/04 ,  G03F7/029 ,  G03F7/20 ,  B29K105/00 ,  B33Y70/10

Abstract: Systems for fabricating orthodontic appliances are provided. In some embodiments, a system includes a build platform configured to receive a polymerizable composition, the polymerizable composition including a first polymerizable component and a second polymerizable component, the polymerizable composition characterized by an initial ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component. The system can also include a light source configured to form a portion of an orthodontic appliance from the polymerizable composition by: forming a first region by exposing the polymerizable composition to radiation, where the first region includes a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the first ratio being different from the initial ratio; and forming a second region, where the second region includes a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component, the second ratio being different from the initial ratio and the first ratio.

公开(公告)号：US20250073990A1

公开(公告)日：2025-03-06

申请号：US18821709

申请日：2024-08-30

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Michael Christopher Cole ,  Stuart Macrae Montgomery ,  Xirui Peng ,  Yuxiang Wang

IPC: B29C64/135 ,  B29C64/268 ,  B29C64/277 ,  B29K105/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y80/00

Abstract: Systems and methods for additive manufacturing are provided. In some embodiments, a method for additive manufacturing includes forming a portion of an additively manufactured object within a reservoir of curable material by scanning a plurality of energy beams of a plurality of energy sources through a plurality of respective scanning regions in the curable material. The scanning regions can overlap at one or more object locations, such that a combined energy dosage delivered to the one or more object locations by two or more of the energy beams is greater than or equal to a threshold dosage for solidifying the curable material. The method can further include advancing the reservoir of curable material relative to the energy sources. The forming and advancing processes can be repeated to fabricate the additively manufactured object.

公开(公告)号：US20250066525A1

公开(公告)日：2025-02-27

申请号：US18825389

申请日：2024-09-05

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Peter Dorfinger ,  Michael Christopher Cole

IPC: C08F220/30 ,  A61C7/08 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08L33/14

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, systems, devices, and kits for creating composite materials from a single resin, the composite materials having multiple continuous phases. The disclosure includes a process to three-dimensionally print objects (e.g., orthodontic appliances) with composite properties. In some aspects, the composite properties are formed from a single formulation with components that, when processed, have hard and soft continuous phases. In some aspects, the composite properties are formed by separately processing the hard phase components and the soft phase components. In some aspects, the composite materials and devices are three-dimensionally printed using the processed material.

公开(公告)号：US12215223B2

公开(公告)日：2025-02-04

申请号：US17083641

申请日：2020-10-29

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Michael Christopher Cole ,  Jennifer Chavez

IPC: C08L67/04 ,  A61C7/08 ,  A61C7/10 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08F299/02 ,  C08L67/02

Abstract: This disclosure provides polymeric materials comprising polymer crystals, methods and resins for making the same, and objects and appliances made from said polymeric materials. Polymeric materials having polymer crystals provide favorable properties, such as enhanced durability and rigidity. This disclosure also provides polymeric materials comprising a crystalline phase comprising at least one polymer crystal, as well as an amorphous phase comprising at least one amorphous polymer. The crystalline phase can confer rigidity to the polymeric material, while the amorphous phase can confer elasticity and flexibility.

公开(公告)号：US20240391162A1

公开(公告)日：2024-11-28

申请号：US18792428

申请日：2024-08-01

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Mehdi Mojdeh ,  Michael Christopher Cole ,  Peter Dorfinger ,  Shiva P. Sambu

IPC: B29C64/118 ,  B29C64/188 ,  B29C64/209 ,  B29C64/232 ,  B29C64/245 ,  B29C64/264 ,  B29C64/295 ,  B29C64/307 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y30/00 ,  B33Y40/00 ,  B33Y80/00

Abstract: A 3D printer comprises a platform, a dispenser, and a light source. The dispenser comprises a nozzle to extrude photo-curable material onto the platform to form a first layer according to one or more digital files. The first shape of the one or more extruded photo-curable materials corresponds to a first minimum line width that is based on a diameter of the nozzle. The light source is to emit a light beam directed onto the first layer according to the one or more digital files to cure a portion of the first layer. A first cured layer of the one or more photo-curable materials corresponds to a second shape of a first layer of a 3D printed orthodontic aligner specified by the one or more digital files. The second shape has a second minimum line width that is smaller than the first minimum line width.

公开(公告)号：US12115719B2

公开(公告)日：2024-10-15

申请号：US16942330

申请日：2020-07-29

Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.

Inventor： Siobhan O'Leary ,  Peter Webber ,  Michael Christopher Cole

IPC: B29C64/124 ,  A61C7/08 ,  A61C7/14 ,  A61C13/00 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  A61C7/00

CPC classification number: B29C64/124 ,  A61C7/08 ,  A61C7/146 ,  A61C13/0019 ,  B29C64/393 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y50/02 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  A61C7/002

Abstract: Strategies that reduce shrinkage and ultimately warping of parts that are directly fabricated from photopolymer resins. This increases the accuracy of directly fabricated parts, which is essential for patient specific applications. Implementing these strategies can reduce the need for directly fabricated parts to have supporting structures, which can reduce pre-processing and post-processing steps and facilitate an easier route for production level scale of additive manufacturing.

公开(公告)号：US11884758B2

公开(公告)日：2024-01-30

申请号：US17871632

申请日：2022-07-22

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Michael Christopher Cole

IPC: A61C7/08 ,  C08F2/46 ,  C08F2/50 ,  C08G61/04 ,  C08F220/18 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  C08F218/04 ,  C08F2/44 ,  C08F2/48 ,  B29C64/106 ,  C08F220/14 ,  G03F7/029 ,  G03F7/20 ,  B33Y70/10 ,  B29K105/00

CPC classification number: C08F220/1804 ,  A61C7/08 ,  B29C64/106 ,  B33Y10/00 ,  B33Y70/00 ,  B33Y80/00 ,  C08F2/44 ,  C08F2/48 ,  C08F218/04 ,  C08F220/14 ,  C08F220/1811 ,  G03F7/029 ,  G03F7/2002 ,  G03F7/2004 ,  B29K2105/0002 ,  B33Y70/10 ,  C08F2800/20 ,  C08F220/1811 ,  C08F222/102 ,  C08F220/1811 ,  C08F222/1025 ,  C08F218/10 ,  C08F218/10 ,  C08F220/1804 ,  C08F216/14 ,  C08F226/12

Abstract: Methods for fabricating orthodontic appliances are provided. In some embodiments, a method includes providing a polymerizable composition including a first polymerizable component and a second polymerizable component. The polymerizable composition can be characterized by an initial ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component. The method can include fabricating a portion of the orthodontic appliance from the polymerizable composition by forming a first region of the orthodontic appliance by exposing the polymerizable composition to radiation, the first region including a first ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component. The method can also include forming a second region of the orthodontic appliance, the second region including a second ratio of the first polymerizable component to the second polymerizable component. The initial ratio, the first ratio, and the second ratio can be different.

公开(公告)号：US11851510B2

公开(公告)日：2023-12-26

申请号：US17190308

申请日：2021-03-02

Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.

Inventor： Blaine Carter ,  Jennifer Chavez ,  Lance Robert Pickens ,  Michael Christopher Cole ,  Peter Dorfinger ,  Yan Chen

IPC: C08F2/50 ,  A61L27/16 ,  C08F20/34 ,  C08K5/14 ,  A61L27/14

CPC classification number: C08F2/50 ,  A61L27/14 ,  A61L27/16 ,  C08F20/34 ,  C08K5/14

Abstract: This disclosure provides low-viscosity resins for producing polymers with properties suitable for use in various mechanical appliances, such as orthodontic appliances (e.g., aligners). The low-viscosity resins may be photo-curable and can be used with direct fabrication methods and equipment. In various embodiments, the polymeric materials produced from the low-viscosity resins described herein have high toughness while remaining resistant to stress relaxation. Low-viscosity, photo-curable resins described herein have reduced hydrogen bonding in comparison to traditional materials (e.g., materials having high urethane content) used in orthodontic appliances.