US 12,263,620 B2
Orthodontic aligner manufacturing and quality assessment system
James Nishimuta, Durham, NC (US); Enrique Soltero Borrego, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Enrique Jonathan Guzman Olivas, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Jun Sato, San Jose, CA (US); Kevin Daniel Rodriguez Trujillo, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Jose Kiyotaka Blanco Romo, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Erick Enriquez de Anda, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Lance Robert Pickens, Campbell, CA (US); Wesly Wong, Cupertino, CA (US); Gabriela Perez Vallejo, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Carlos Alberto Garcia Carmona, Ciudad Juarez (MX); Omar Barraza Alvarez, Ciudad Juarez (MX); and Miguel Angel Hurtado Soltero, Ciudad Juarez (MX)
Assigned to Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed by Align Technology, Inc., San Jose, CA (US)
Filed on Nov. 18, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/990,581.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/282,576, filed on Nov. 23, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2023/0158716 A1, May 25, 2023
Int. Cl. B29C 33/38 (2006.01); B29C 51/10 (2006.01); B29C 51/26 (2006.01); B29C 51/30 (2006.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/00 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); B29L 31/00 (2006.01)
CPC B29C 33/3842 (2013.01) [B29C 51/10 (2013.01); B29C 51/268 (2013.01); B29C 51/30 (2013.01); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/00 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12); A61C 7/08 (2013.01); B29L 2031/753 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of manufacturing a dental appliance, comprising:
receiving, at a holder, a feature of the dental appliance, the feature comprising a first surface having a first shape, wherein the holder holds the feature of the dental appliance at a reference position;
capturing an image of the dental appliance in the holder prior to placing an object against the feature of the dental appliance;
processing the image;
determining whether the dental appliance has a correct placement in the holder based on a result of the processing;
automatically placing the object against the feature at the reference position using a robot arm, wherein the object comprises a second surface having a second shape that mates with the first shape;
applying pressure to press the object against the feature of the dental appliance; and
bonding the object to the feature of the dental appliance while applying the pressure.