Method and system for selecting surface finishes
Inventors
Suttin, Zachary B. • Towse, Ross W
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10922447-B2
Publication Date
2021-02-16
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method and system of selecting a surface finish for a computer designed component associated with an anatomical area of a specific patient. A computer designed component is created. The component includes at least one surface. An interface of finishing software displays an image of the component and the at least one surface. A plurality of finishes available for the at least one surface is displayed. A selection of one of the plurality of finishes for the at least one surface is input by a user. The component data and finishing data may then be sent to a computer aided manufacturing system to manufacture the computer designed component.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) approach for producing patient-specific dental components with controlled surface finish requirements. The system includes a finishing-software interface that displays a three-dimensional representation of a component and provides an image of the component and its outer surfaces for user interaction.
A user can assign surface finish types to selected surfaces or portions of the outer surface associated with an anatomical area of a specific patient. The interface supports defining multiple surface portions by accepting user inputs that select portions of the outer surface and then displaying a reduced plurality of available surface roughness finishes for each portion, with the displayed options differing between different portions.
The selected finishing data are stored with the component data file and transferred to a tooling system for manufacturing the component. The tooling system includes CNC machining and additional controlled chemical/mechanical processes to fabricate the component according to the specified finishes, including dental bar and dental abutment components.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover three related features: portion-based selection of surface roughness finishes from a reduced set, storing macro geometric data and determining compatible finishes, and analyzing compatibility to display fewer finish options than the total set. Across the independent claims, the core inventive constraint is presenting fewer finish options than the total set for a defined portion of the outer surface.
Portion-based display of reduced finish options across outer surface portions
The method creates a computer designed component including an outer surface, displays an image of the component and the outer surface, accepts input defining a first portion of the outer surface, displays a first plurality of available surface roughness finishes for the first portion where the number is less than the total number, and accepts a selection via a user interface; it further accepts input defining a second portion, displays a second plurality where the number is less than the total number and where the first plurality includes at least one finish different from at least one finish in the second plurality, and accepts a second selection via the user interface.
Storing macro geometric data and selecting compatible finishes from a reduced set
A system comprising storage device storing macro geometric data representing a component having an outer surface; a display showing an image of the component and the outer surface; and a processor configured to accept input defining a portion of the outer surface, determine based on the input a number of available surface roughness finishes from a plurality where the number is less than a total number and where the available finishes are compatible with the portion defined by the user, display the available surface roughness finishes for the portion, and accept a selection of one finish via the user interface.
Analyzing compatibility to display fewer finish options than total
A method creating a computer designed component including an outer surface, displaying an image of the component and the outer surface, accepting an input that defines a portion of the outer surface, analyzing a plurality of surface roughness finishes to determine a number of the plurality compatible with the portion, displaying based on the input the number of the plurality where the number is less than a total number of the plurality analyzed, and accepting a selection of one of the plurality for the portion via a user interface.
Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage centers on user-defined portions of a computer designed component’s outer surface and presenting a reduced number of surface roughness finish options that are compatible with the selected portion, with the number of displayed finishes being less than the total available set and optionally differing between portions.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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