US 12,453,622 B2
Methods for manufacturing an oral appliance
Alastair E. McAuley, Auckland (NZ); and Charles F. Collins, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to AirWay Technologies, LLC, Farmers Branch, TX (US)
Appl. No. 16/756,055
Filed by AirWay Technologies, LLC, Carrollton, TX (US)
PCT Filed Oct. 5, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/054497
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 14, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/071063, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 11, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/568,878, filed on Oct. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2021/0369422 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. A61C 13/00 (2006.01); A61C 7/08 (2006.01); B29C 35/08 (2006.01); B29C 51/10 (2006.01); B29C 35/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 13/0006 (2013.01) [A61C 7/08 (2013.01); A61C 13/0022 (2013.01); B29C 35/08 (2013.01); B29C 51/10 (2013.01); B29C 2035/0283 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of thermoforming an oral appliance, the method comprising:
inserting a dual-layer disk into a pressure chamber of a pressure molding machine, wherein:
the dual-layer disk comprises a first layer and a second layer;
the first layer comprises a first material and the second layer comprises a second material, the first material having a higher melting point than the second material; and
the second material is cross-linked by irradiation;
positioning an oral mold on a molding platform of the pressure molding machine;
applying heat to the dual-layer disk using a heating element, wherein applying heat to the dual-layer disk causes the first material and the second material to melt;
positioning the heated dual-layer disk above the oral mold; and
applying pressure to the heated dual-layer disk to cause the first material and the second material to form over the oral mold.