阅读说明：本技术 具有可分离的特征部的模具 (Mold with separable features ) 是由 彼得·韦伯 罗希特·塔纳古拉 希瓦·桑布 克丽丝特尔·塔嘉 丹尼斯·特 于 2015-05-21 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种模具(550),包括主体(555)和可分离的特征部(560)。一个以上的弱化区域(565)将可分离的特征部(560)结合到主体(555)。该一个以上的弱化区域(565)能够断裂,从而使得主体(555)能够在壳体形成在模具(550)上之后独立于可分离的特征部(560)地从壳体移除。(A mold (550) includes a body (555) and a separable feature (560). One or more weakened regions (565) join the separable feature (560) to the body (555). The one or more weakened areas (565) are breakable to enable the body (555) to be removed from the shell independent of the separable features (560) after the shell is formed on the mold (550).)

1. A method, comprising:

determining a first shape of a body of a mold associated with a current or future arch of a patient;

determining a second shape of a separable feature of the mold;

determining a third shape and configuration of a receiving part of the body that receives the separable feature; and

outputting instructions for making the separable feature and the body including the receiving part receiving the separable feature.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first section and a second section of the mold, the first section being at least a portion of one or more first teeth of a plurality of teeth of the current or future arch; and

determining a configuration of a weakened area joining the first section to the second section, wherein the weakened area is capable of breaking or deflecting in response to a first threshold force that enables the first section to be removed from the shell after the shell is formed on the mold, the first threshold force being less than a second threshold force that is capable of damaging or permanently deforming the shell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the separable feature is attached to the body via the containment component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing is formed on the body and the separable feature by thermoforming or pressure forming the housing on the body and the separable feature.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the shell is an orthodontic appliance, an orthodontic retainer, or an orthodontic splint for at least one of straightening, retaining, or positioning one or more teeth of the patient.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the separable features are used to create projections in the shell to facilitate application of force to reposition the patient's teeth or jaw.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the housing and the separable feature are removed from the body, wherein the separable feature remains inside the housing in response to the housing being removed from the body.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the separable feature is removed from the housing after the housing is removed from the body.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the separable feature is bonded to the body by one or more weakened regions, and wherein the one or more weakened regions comprise the containment component.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more weakened areas comprise an adhesive or a mechanical securing device.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of rapid prototyping dies, and in particular to dies formed with rapid prototyping techniques having separable features.

Background

For some applications, a shell is formed around the mold to achieve a negative mold. The shell is then removed from the mold for further use in various applications. One example application where the shell is formed around a mold and then used is in orthodontic or orthodontic treatment. In such an application, the mold is a mold of a dental arch of a patient and the shell is an appliance (aligner) for aligning (aligning) one or more teeth of the patient.

One challenge with the mold used to form the shell is the subsequent removal of the shell from the mold. To ensure that the shell may be removed from the mold without damaging or permanently deforming the shell, the shape and type of features included in the mold may be limited. For example, features having a pronounced undercut (also known as negative lean) and/or complex features may affect the removal of the shell from the mold.

Drawings

In the drawings, the invention is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation.

Fig. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of manufacturing a mold having separable features according to one embodiment.

Fig. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a method of making a housing using a mold having separable features according to one embodiment.

Fig. 3A illustrates a mold having separable features according to one embodiment.

Fig. 3B illustrates an enlarged view of a portion of a mold having separable features according to one embodiment.

Figure 3C illustrates a top view of a mold of a dental arch having a first separable feature attached to a first section of a body and a second separable feature attached to a second section of the body, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 4A illustrates a mold configured to receive separable features according to one embodiment.

Figure 4B illustrates a separable feature configured for placement in the mold of figure 4A, according to one embodiment.

Fig. 4C illustrates another mold having separable features according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4D illustrates other molds having separable features according to one embodiment.

Figure 5A illustrates an example of a mold for a dental arch having attached features.

Figure 5B illustrates an example of a mold for the dental arch of figure 5A including separable features according to one embodiment.

Fig. 6 illustrates another example mold having separable features according to one embodiment.

Fig. 7 illustrates an example breakable mold according to one embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a block diagram of an example computing device, according to an embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Embodiments of molds having separable features, and embodiments of methods of making and using such molds, are described herein. Molds with separable features can be designed, manufactured, and used. The separable features may be bonded to the body of the mold by a weakened region. Separable features can be formed on the mold at regions that would otherwise be retaining features (e.g., features with undercuts or negative slopes). The mold may also have a segmented construction comprising a plurality of segments of the body, wherein the segments are joined together by additional weakened areas. For example, the breakable or deflectable mold may be divided into more than two weak bond areas. During or after the shell has been formed on the breakable mold (e.g., during removal of the shell from the mold), the mold may break or deflect at a weakened region that bonds the separable features to the body and/or connects the different sections. After the mold is broken at the weakened region, the separable features can be removed from the housing separately from the body of the mold. If the mold is also divided into sections joined by additional weakened areas, the fracture or deflection of the additional weakened areas causes the mold to at least partially separate into constituent parts (e.g., a complete separation for a breakable mold or a partial separation for a deflectable mold). In some cases, more than one section may not be completely separated from the shell and/or other sections of the mold. For example, a section may be nearly separated from another section, yet leaving a connection point. This may allow the housing additional deflection and/or freedom to be removed without damage. Each section can then be removed from the housing independently of the other sections.

The use of a mold with separable features according to embodiments herein enables incorporation of complex features (e.g., features with rough surface texture), bulky features (e.g., features that skew the aspect ratio of the body to at least one dimension of the feature), features with significant undercuts, and/or other retention features into a formed shell. For example, if the mold is a dental arch mold for a patient and the shell is an orthodontic appliance for correcting one or more teeth of the patient, the mold enables the appliance to correct dental/orthodontic problems such as very crowded teeth, anteverted teeth, retroverted teeth, ectopic teeth, extraarch teeth, and the like. The use of a mold with separable features also makes the housing easier to remove from the mold in other situations. The shell may also serve as an orthodontic retainer or splint for at least one of retention or positioning of one or more teeth of a patient. The term "appliance" is used herein to refer to orthodontic appliances, retainers, and/or cleats that are capable of one or more of straightening teeth, retaining teeth, and positioning teeth. The absence of a mold having separable features can compromise the ability to create an appliance with complex features that can facilitate correction of such dental/orthodontic problems. In addition, the use of the molds with separable features described herein enables the placement of strengthening features with moderate to significant bite edges on the patient's teeth (and included in the mold). Such strengthening features may promote orthodontics by enabling treatment of different and/or complex dental problems. Also, the use of a mold having separable features may minimize or eliminate damage to the shell during removal of the mold from the shell, thereby reducing the amount of product scrapped and thus the overall cost.

By reference to various embodiments herein, a mold with separable features for an arch for the manufacture of orthodontic appliances is described. However, it should be understood that the mold described herein may also be manufactured for other purposes (e.g., for molding any other desired plastic article).

Embodiments are discussed herein with reference to molds having separable features and forming shells on such molds. Such a mold includes a body (which may or may not be segmented into sections) that is joined with separable features by weakened regions that can be broken before the shell is removed from the mold. For embodiments in which the body is divided into a plurality of sections, those sections may fracture or deflect from each other. For example, the weakened area of the joining section may bend or deflect during removal of the shell from the mold. Although the features in the deflectable mold include negative slopes or undercuts, the deflection of the weakened region may enable the mold to be removed from the housing. For example, a practitioner (practioner) may apply a force to the first section of the deflectable mold that deflects an area of weakness connecting the first section and the second section, thereby partially separating the first section from the second section. The force may cause the first section to substantially remove or separate from the housing before the second section begins to separate from the housing.

Fig. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method 100 of making a mold having more than one separable feature, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, one or more operations of method 100 are performed by processing logic of a computing device. Processing logic may include hardware (e.g., circuitry, dedicated logic, programmable logic, microcode, etc.), software (e.g., instructions executed by a processing device), firmware, or a combination thereof. For example, one or more operations of method 100 are performed by a mold modeling module, such as mold modeling module 850 of FIG. 8. Additionally, some operations may be performed by a fabrication machine based on instructions received from processing logic. Or some operations may be performed by a user (e.g., based on user interaction with a mold modeling module or a charting program).

At block 105 of the method 100, the shape of the mold is determined. In one embodiment, the shape is determined based on a scan of the object to be modeled. In the orthodontic example, an intraoral scan of a patient's dental arch may be performed to generate a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model of the patient's dental arch. For example, a full scan of the patient's mandibular and/or maxillary arch may be performed to generate a 3D virtual model thereof. Intraoral scanning may be performed by creating multiple overlapping intraoral images from different scanning sites and then stitching the intraoral images together to provide a composite 3D virtual model. In other applications, the virtual 3D model may also be generated based on a scan of the object to be modeled or based on the use of computer-aided drawing techniques (e.g., designing a virtual 3D mold). Alternatively, an initial negative mold may be generated from the actual object to be modeled. The negative mold can then be scanned to determine the shape of the positive mold to be produced.

Returning to the orthodontic example of reference, a plurality of different molds may be created for a single patient. The first mold may be a model of the patient's arch and/or teeth for which it currently exists, and the final mold may be a model of the patient's arch and/or teeth after correction of one or more teeth and/or jaws. A plurality of intermediate molds may be modeled, each intermediate mold may be progressively different from the previous mold. The appliance may be formed from each mold to provide a force to move the patient's teeth. The shape of the final mold and each intermediate mold may be determined by calculating the progression of tooth movement in the orthodontic treatment through the initial tooth arrangement and orientation to the final orthodontic tooth arrangement and orientation. Each mold may be used to make an appliance that applies a force to a patient's teeth at a particular stage of orthodontic treatment.

The housing can be designed to contain features (bumps, protrusions, wings, etc.) that are not natural to the patient's dentition. These features can facilitate the application of certain desired forces to reposition teeth or position the jaw. To manufacture the appliance shell, these features may be included in the shape of the mold.

In some cases, a dental practitioner may form an attachment or feature on some of the patient's teeth. These additional non-naturally occurring features may be used to facilitate the application of certain desired forces on a patient's teeth to reposition the teeth (e.g., rotate and/or move the teeth). The features can also apply a force to facilitate movement of the jaw. These attachments or features may include: small, medium and large protuberances, wings, etc., which fit to the patient's teeth, are formed of a hard composite material. Such features may be included in the determined shape of the mold. For example, these features may be arranged prior to scanning the dental arch of the patient, and thus may be reflected in a 3D virtual model of the dental arch.

Additionally, or alternatively, features can be added in the model (e.g., a 3D model generated based on a 3D intraoral scan of the patient's jaw or other dental site). A mold produced from the model having separable features would then include those features even if those features were not present in the patient's mouth. Thus, features can be added before or after intraoral scanning is performed.

At block 110, one or more retention features for a determined shape of a mold having a complex shape, an enlarged shape, undercuts, and/or other retention properties are identified. A retention feature (a feature having retention properties) is a feature that can hinder removal of a shell formed on a mold from the mold. As used herein, the term "enlarged feature" refers to a feature of a mold that is skewed in at least one of height, width, or length relative to the aspect ratio of the mold body. In one embodiment, the aspect ratio of the skew is an aspect ratio that is at least 30% greater. For example, a feature may be identified as an enlarged feature if it has a height, width, or length that is at least 30% greater than the average height, width, or length of the mold.

In one embodiment, processing logic identifies such features. For example, processing logic may process the 3D virtual model to identify all features having undercuts that satisfy some threshold. The threshold may be a particular amount of undercut (e.g., 0.2mm undercut, 0.4mm undercut, 1.0mm undercut, etc.) or a particular aspect ratio. In addition, multiple different thresholds may be used to identify features that may be problematic. Alternatively or additionally, the dental practitioner may identify complex features, features with undercuts, and/or other retention features. For example, a dental practitioner may highlight or delineate such features on the 3D virtual model using a drawing tool and/or a computer-aided charting application (e.g., using a model modeling module). Some examples of prominent features that may have undercuts that are significant enough to cause problems include attachments placed by a dental practitioner, crowded teeth, anteverted teeth, retroverted teeth, ectopic teeth, extraarch teeth, and the like.

At block 112, a determination is made as to how to divide the virtual 3D mold to form a mold having more than one separable feature and/or having breakable or deflectable segments. In one embodiment, such a determination is made by processing logic. This may include determining the configuration and arrangement of separable features in the mold (block 115), determining whether the mold will have multiple sections (block 118), determining how to divide the mold into sections (block 120), and/or determining the configuration of the weakened regions (block 125).

In one embodiment, the processing logic (or a dental practitioner assisted by the processing logic) may determine the shape of the separable feature and how the separable feature is bonded to the body of the mold at block 115. The processing logic or dental practitioner can determine whether the mold is a continuous structure including both the separable features and the body, or whether the body is a first mold and the separable features are separate second molds attached to the first mold. In one embodiment, the separable feature is bent around by a weakened region that bonds the separable feature to the body.

At block 118, the processing logic or dental practitioner determines whether the mold will have multiple sections. The mold with the separable features may be divided into sections to further reduce the stress imparted on the shell formed on the mold during removal of the shell from the mold. For example, the mold may be divided into right and left sections, and each of the right and left sections may include different separable features. If the mold is to be divided into sections, the method continues to block 120. Otherwise the method proceeds to block 125.

At block 120, the processing logic (or dental practitioner) may determine the location where the weakened area is placed. The weakened area arrangement may be determined relative to the separable features, and the virtual 3D mold may be divided into a plurality of sections joined by the weakened areas. In a simple example, the mold may be divided into two sections, with a first section on a first side of the separable feature and a second section opposite the first section (e.g., on an opposite side of the feature) relative to the separable feature. In another simple example, the mold may be split into two sections, where a first section includes a separable feature and a second section does not include a separable feature or includes another separable feature.

At block 125, the processing logic or technician may determine the configuration of the weakened region that bonds the section of the mold and/or bonds the separable feature to the body of the mold. This may include determining the shape of the weakened areas and the strength of the weakened areas (e.g., controlling how much force is required to break the weakened areas) and how each weakened area is weakened. If the mold is to be a single continuous mold, the processing logic or dental practitioner can determine the configuration of the weakened region that bonds the separable features to the body. If the mold is a plurality of separate molds, the processing logic or dental practitioner can determine the shape and configuration of the receiving component in the first mold of the body that receives the attachment component of the second mold of the separable feature.

The weakened region may be achieved based on at least one of a weakening geometry, a weakening build parameter, or a material that introduces weakening. For example, the strength of the weakened areas may be controlled by modifying the length, width, height, and/or number of support structures (e.g., support posts) included in the weakened areas. The location, size and strength of the weakened areas may be important to the functioning of the mold. In one embodiment, the weakened areas may be designed to withstand the forces and stresses of thermoforming or pressure forming while being weak enough to break apart later when manually manipulated by a technician or computer-controlled machine operator. Alternatively, the weakened regions may be constructed such that they do not substantially affect the final shape of the shell (e.g., cause flaws or undesirable defects in the region of the shell formed on the weakened regions, such as penetration of the shell into gaps included in the weakened regions). For example, the portion of the weakened region that interfaces with the shell may be solid (e.g., in instances of the weakened region that include a cut or gap that does not extend to one surface of the mold). In other words, the weakened area may comprise a void or cut at the intersection region between two regions in the mould (and/or between the separable feature and the mould body) that extends through less than the whole mould at the intersection region. In another example, a gap or void between the two sections (and/or between the separable feature and the body of the mold) may extend to the surface of the mold that interfaces with the shell, but the gap may be narrow enough not to cause a defect in the shell formed on the mold.

In an example, one type of weakened area is a cut through a majority of the mold. The cut-out may extend to near but not through the upper surface of the mold that will contact the housing. Another type of weakened area is a void that separates two sections with one or more support structures that bridge the void. Another type of weakened area is a series of perforations between two or more sections. Other types of weakened areas are also possible.

In some embodiments, the mold is manufactured as two or more separate molds (e.g., one mold for the body, and an additional mold for each separable feature) that are joined after manufacture. In such embodiments, the weakened area may be a point of contact between different molds. In one embodiment, the weakened area is an adhesive (e.g., glue, double sided tape, solder, weld, etc.) that bonds the body to the separable feature. In another embodiment, the weakened area is a mechanical fixture or component that secures the detachable feature to the body. For example, the weakened region may include a protrusion from the separable feature that extends into a recess (i.e., receiving component) in the body. Other types of weakened areas may also be used.

At block 128, a mold having separable features is manufactured. This may include forming a single mold having a body joined to one or more separable features by a weakened region, or forming multiple separate molds joined together by a weakened region. In one embodiment, the 3D virtual model includes a body and one or more separable features that are joined together by a weakened region. The 3D virtual model may additionally comprise a plurality of sections and weakened areas joining the sections. Thus, the mold may be manufactured as a single unitary body with these sections, body, separable features and weakened areas built into the design of the mold. Alternatively or additionally, more than one weakened area may be introduced to the mold, and/or the mold may be divided into more than one section via a post-treatment process. For example, after the mold has been formed, one or more cuts, perforations, holes, etc. may be formed in the mold using a saw, drill, laser cutter, plasma cutter, knife, etc. Alternatively, multiple molds (one for each separable feature) may be created, and the multiple molds may be subsequently joined (e.g., via glue, mechanical retention mechanisms, adhesives, etc.).

In one embodiment, the mold is made using a rapid prototyping manufacturing technique. One example of a rapid prototyping manufacturing technique is 3D printing. 3D printing includes any additive manufacturing process based on layering. The 3D printer may receive input of a 3D virtual model of the mold having separable features (e.g., a computer-aided drafting (CAD) file or a 3D printable file such as a Stereolithography (STL) file), and may create the mold using the 3D virtual model. 3D printing can be achieved with additive processes where successive layers of material are formed in a prescribed shape. 3D printing may be performed using extrusion deposition, particle material bonding, lamination, photopolymerization, or other techniques.

In one embodiment, Stereolithography (SLA), also known as photofabrication solid imaging, is used to make SLA molds. In SLA, a mold is made by successively printing thin layers of light-curable material (e.g., polymeric resin) on top of each other. The platform is positioned in the liquid photopolymer or resin bath directly below the surface of the bath. A light source (e.g., an ultraviolet laser) traces a pattern on the platform and cures photopolymer pointed by the light source to form a first layer of the mold. The stage is gradually lowered and the light source tracks the new pattern on the stage, forming another layer of the mold at each step. This process is repeated until the mold is completely made. In an embodiment, each layer has a thickness between 25 and 200 microns. Once all the layers of the mold are formed, the mold can be cleaned and cured.

In one embodiment, the mold is created as a plurality of separate molds that are then bonded together. In such an embodiment, more than two sections may be manufactured as separate molds. These separate dies may then be joined together in a manner that enables them to later deflect or break away from each other. Thus, the intersection between the separable dies/sections may form a weakened area. In one example, the different sections (and/or separable features and bodies) are joined by a resilient or flexible glue to enable deflection. In another example, the different sections (and/or separable features and bodies) are joined by a relatively weak glue that will stop holding the sections together when sufficient force is applied (e.g., during removal of the housing from the mold). In another example, the different sections (and/or separable features and bodies) are interlocked in such a way that they can separate when an appropriate force is applied.

Fig. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a method 200 of making a housing using a mold having separable features according to one embodiment. At block 205 of method 200, a mold having separable features is provided. The mold may be manufactured according to the method 100 of fig. 1. The mold includes at least a separable feature bonded to the body by a weakened region. In one embodiment, the mold may also include any number of sections, and may include weakened areas at each intersection of two or more sections. The separable features may be attached to more than one section. If the mold is a combination of a body mold and one or more separable feature molds, the separable feature molds may be attached to the body mold by a weakened region at block 205. The arrangement of weakened regions around the separable features and/or between the sections can accommodate retention features in the mold (e.g., those having undercuts or negative slopes).

At block 210, a housing is formed on a mold. In one embodiment, the sheet is pressure formed or thermoformed on a mold. The sheet material may be, for example, a sheet material of plastic (e.g., an elastic thermoplastic). To thermoform the shell over the mold, the sheet may be heated to a temperature at which the sheet becomes soft. Pressure may be simultaneously applied to the sheet to form the now soft sheet around the mold having the separable features. Once the sheet cools, it will have a shape conforming to the mold. In one embodiment, a release agent (e.g., a non-stick material) is applied to the mold prior to forming the housing. This may facilitate later removal of the mold from the housing.

At block 215, the shell may be marked and/or modified while still on the mold. For example, if the mold is a mold of an arch and the shell is an orthodontic appliance to correct a patient's teeth, a gingival tangent (or other tangent) may be identified and cut. A laser cutter, plasma cutter, or mechanical cutter (e.g., a 5-axis milling machine) may be used to cut the gum cutting line or other cutting line. In one embodiment, the appliance is not cut until after the shell is removed from the mold. Alternatively, the aligner may be cut prior to mold removal. Alternatively, some modifications may be made before the mold is removed from the shell, and additional modifications may be made after the mold is removed from the shell. Marking of the housing may include using a laser to add a label, such as a serial number or part number, to the housing.

At block 220, the mold is broken at one or more weakened regions to enable the separable features to be separated from the body of the mold. The weakened area may be broken manually by a technician or by an automated tool. In one embodiment, ultrasonic waves may be applied to the breakable mold to cause the weakened area to break, fracture, or break. Alternatively, the mold may be vibrated to break the weakened region. In another example, a clip having a knife edge or other shaped edge may be applied to the breakable structure (e.g., at the weakened area) to cause one or more weakened areas to be crushed, severed, or broken. For example, the clamp may apply a predetermined amount of force in a particular direction or angle to break the weakened area. In another example, the weakened area may be broken by applying pressure to the mold. In another example, the weakened area is broken by the application of a force to remove the mold from the housing.

If there are multiple weakened regions, all of the weakened regions may break at substantially the same time (e.g., in response to a single application of force to the breakable mold). Alternatively, different fracture zones may fracture at different times. For example, a first application of force may fracture a first sub-region of the weakened area, and a second application of force may fracture a second sub-region of the weakened area.

At block 225, the separable features of the breakable mold are removed from the housing. The body may be later removed from the housing. In one embodiment, the weakened area completely surrounds the separable feature and is accessible from the bottom of the mold. An example of which is shown in fig. 3B. This enables a technician or machine to break the mold at the weakened area from the bottom of the mold and then remove the separable features from under the mold while the body of the mold is still attached to the housing. Alternatively, the body may be removed from the housing first, followed by removal of the separable features from the housing.

At block 230, processing logic or a technician determines whether additional separable features are present in the mold. If additional separable features are present, the method continues to block 235. Otherwise, the method proceeds to block 245.

At block 235, the mold is broken at one or more weakened regions that bond the additional separable features to the body, thereby separating the additional separable features from the body of the mold. At block 240, the additional separable features are removed from the housing. This process may be performed for each additional separable feature on the mold.

At block 245, the processing logic or technician determines whether the mold is divided into a plurality of sections. If the mold is divided into multiple sections, the method continues to block 255. Otherwise the method proceeds to block 250.

At block 250, the body of the mold is removed from the housing. As mentioned, in an alternative embodiment, the body may be removed from the housing first, followed by removal of one or more of the separable features.

At block 255, the mold is broken at one or more weakened regions that join at least one section of the mold to at least one other section of the mold. Various techniques may be used to fracture these weakened regions of the mold. In one embodiment, the user may simply break the mold at the weakened areas between the segments by attempting to remove the body of the mold from the housing. The weakened area may be weakened such that the weakened area is broken by application of force prior to application of a force sufficient to damage or permanently deform the housing.

In one embodiment, the weakened region of the bonding section (and/or bonding the separable feature to the body) breaks after the shell has been formed on the mold (e.g., during the process of removing the mold from the shell). In another embodiment, the weakened area of the bonding section and/or the weakened area bonding the separable feature to the body (e.g., section) is broken during the process of forming the housing on the mold. For example, the weakened areas may be broken by the application of pressure that is used to form the shell on the mold. In other embodiments, some weakened areas may break during formation of the shell, and other weakened areas of the mold may break after the shell has been formed. For example, the weakened region joining the section of the body may break during formation of the housing, and the weakened region joining the separable feature to the body may break after the housing is formed.

At block 260, the first section of the mold body is removed from the shell. At block 265, the second section of the mold body is removed from the shell. If additional sections are present, each additional section may also be removed from the housing individually.

Additional processing of the shell may then be performed, such as any further cutting of the shell (e.g., at the previously marked gum cutting line). Other additional processes may include polishing the housing, cleaning the housing, stamping the housing (stamp), and the like. The housing can then be packaged and shipped.

Fig. 3A shows a top view of a mold 300 of a dental arch having a first separable feature 310 and a second separable feature 315. The first separable feature 310 is joined to the body 305 of the mold 300 by a weakened region 318, the weakened region 318 including a void at the boundary of the first separable feature 310 and the body 305 and a support structure 320 spanning the void. A weakened region comprising a void surrounds the first separable feature 310. The second separable feature 315 is joined to the body 305 of the mold 300 by a weakened region 322, the weakened region 322 comprising a void at the boundary of the second separable feature 315 and the body 305 and a support structure 324 spanning the void. A weakened region comprising a void surrounds the second separable feature 315. The body 305, the first separable feature 310, the second separable feature 315, and the support structures 320, 324 are all parts of a single continuous mold. The weakened regions 318, 322 can break to enable the separable features to be removed from the housing independently of the body (e.g., prior to removal of the body).

Fig. 3B shows a bottom view of a portion of a mold 350 for a dental arch having separable features 360. The separable feature 360 is joined to the body 355 of the mold 350 by a weakened region 365, the weakened region 365 including a void at the boundary of the separable feature 360 and the body 355 and a support structure 370 spanning the void. A weakened region comprising a void surrounds the detachable feature 360. As shown, the separable features 360 can be contacted from the bottom of the mold while the mold is still attached to the housing formed thereon. Thus, a technician or machine can reach and break the support structure 370 and then remove the separable features from the housing without disturbing the body 355.

Fig. 3C shows a top view of a mold 370 of a dental arch having a first separable feature 372 attached to a first section 374 of a body 371 and a second separable feature 376 attached to a second section 378 of the body 371. The mold 370 is substantially similar to the mold 300, except that the body is divided into a plurality of sections. The first separable feature 372 is joined to the first section 374 by a weakened region 380, the weakened region 380 including a void at the boundary of the first separable feature 372 and the first section 374 and a support structure 392 spanning the void. The second separable feature 376 is joined to the second section 378 by another weakened region 382, the weakened region 382 including a void at the boundary of the second separable feature 376 and the second section 378 and a support structure 394 spanning the void. The first section 374 is joined to the third section 395 by an additional weakened region 384, the additional weakened region 384 including a void at the boundary of the first section 374 and the third section 395 and a support structure 396 spanning the void. The second section 378 is also joined to the third section 395 by an additional weakened region 397 that includes: a) a void at the boundary of the second section 378 and the third section 395; and b) a support structure 398 spanning the void. The first section 374, the second section 378, the third section 395, the first separable feature 372, the second separable feature 382, and the support structures 392, 394, 396, 398 are all components of a single continuous mold. The weakened areas 380, 382, 384, 387 can be broken to enable the separable features and the separated segments to be removed from the housing independently of one another.

Figure 4A illustrates a top view of a mold 400 of a dental arch having a body 405 and a receiving component (e.g., a slot or hole) 410 configured to receive a separable feature, according to one embodiment. Fig. 4B illustrates an additional mold having a separable feature 450 configured to be inserted into a protrusion 455 of a receiving member 410 on the mold 400, according to one embodiment. An additional mold of separable features 450 may be attached to the mold 400 by placing the protrusion 455 into the receiving member 410. After the housing has been formed over the mold 400 and the additional mold of separable features 450, the mold 400 can be removed from the housing, leaving the additional mold of separable features 450. The additional mold of separable features 450 can then be separately removed from the housing.

Fig. 4C shows another dental arch mold 470 having a body 475 and separable features 480, 485, the separable features 480, 485 being mechanically attached to the body 475 by slots or other receiving components inserted into the body 475.

Fig. 4D shows a first die 492 of a maxillary arch and a second die 494 of a mandibular arch, each having a body and a channel portion for receiving a separable feature 496.

Fig. 5A shows a mold 500 of a dental arch having a body 505 with attached features 510. The attachment features 510 are large retention features that have undercuts that make removal of the shell formed on the mold 500 very difficult, if not impossible.

Fig. 5B illustrates an example mold 550 of the same dental arch of fig. 5A with the addition of separable features 560. The mold 550 includes a body 555 and attached detachable features 560 (e.g., features similar to the attached features 510 of fig. 5A). However, the separable feature 560 is bonded to the body 555 via a weakened region 565, the weakened region 565 including a void and two support structures 570, 575 bridging the void. During removal of the mold 550 from the housing formed thereon, the support structures 570, 575 will break, enabling the body 555 to be removed from the housing independently of the attached detachable features 560. This enables the mold 550 to be removed from the housing without damaging the housing.

Fig. 6 illustrates another example mold 600 having separable features 660. The example mold 600 includes a body 655 bonded to separable features 660 by a weakened region 665. The weakened region 665 includes a void and three support structures 670 and 680 bridging the void. The weakened area 665 may not reflect the size of the actual weakened area. For example, the weakened region 665, which is illustrated for purposes of illustration, is shown with an enlarged void. However, the width of the gap may be reduced in some embodiments.

Fig. 7 illustrates an example breakable mold 700. The example fracturable mold 700 is divided into a first section 755, a second section 760, and a third section 762. The first section 755 is bonded to the second and third sections 760, 762 via a first weakened region 765, which weakened region 765 includes a void and a plurality of support structures 770 spanning the void. The second section 760 is additionally joined to the third section 762 by a second weakened region 780, which weakened region 780 comprises a void and a plurality of support structures 785 spanning the void. The weakened areas 765, 780 may not reflect the size of the actual weakened area. For example, the weakened regions 765, 780 illustrated for illustration purposes are shown with enlarged voids. However, the width of the gap may be reduced in some embodiments.

Fig. 8 shows a diagrammatic representation of machine in the example form of a computing device 800, where a set of instructions, for causing the machine to perform one or more of the methodologies discussed with reference to fig. 1, is presented in the computing device 800. In alternative embodiments, the machine may be connected (e.g., networked) to other machines in a Local Area Network (LAN), an intranet, an extranet, or the internet. For example, the machine may be networked to a rapid prototyping device such as a 3D printer or SLA device. The machine may operate in the capacity of a server or a client machine in client-server network environment, or as a point machine in a peer-to-peer (or decentralized) network environment. The machine may operate as a Personal Computer (PC), a tablet PC, a set-top box (STB), a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), a mobile telephone, a web appliance, a server, a network router, switch or bridge, or any machine capable of executing a set of instructions (sequential or otherwise) that specify actions to be taken by that machine. Moreover, while only a single machine is illustrated, the term "machine" shall also be taken to include any collection of machines (e.g., computers) that individually or jointly execute a set (or multiple sets) of instructions to perform any one or more of the methodologies discussed herein.

The example computing device 800 includes a processing device 802, a main memory 804 (e.g., Read Only Memory (ROM), flash memory, Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (sdram), etc.), a static memory 806 (e.g., flash memory, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), etc.), and a secondary memory (e.g., data storage device 828) that communicate with one another via a bus 808.

The processing device 802 represents one or more general-purpose processors, such as a microprocessor, central processing unit, or the like. More specifically, the processing device 802 may be a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) microprocessor, Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) microprocessor, Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) microprocessor, processor executing other instruction sets, or processors executing a combination of instruction sets. The processing device 802 may also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Processing device 802 is configured to execute processing logic (instructions 826) for performing the operations and steps discussed herein.

The computing device 800 may further include a network interface device 822 for communicating with a network 864. Computing device 800 may also include a video display unit 810 (e.g., a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) or a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT)), an alphanumeric input device 812 (e.g., a keyboard), a cursor control device 814 (e.g., a mouse), and a signal generation device 820 (e.g., a speaker).

The data storage 828 may include a machine-readable storage medium (or more particularly, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) 824 that stores one or more sets of instructions 826 that implement one or more methods or functions discussed herein. The non-transitory storage medium refers to a storage medium other than a carrier wave. During execution of instructions 826 by computing device 800, main memory 804, and processing device 802, which also constitute computer-readable storage media, instructions 826 may also reside, completely or at least partially, within main memory 804 and/or within processing device 802.

The computer-readable storage medium 824 may also possess a storage module 850 that stores one or more virtual 3D models and/or mold modeling modules, which may perform one or more operations in the method 100 described with reference to fig. 1. The computer-readable storage medium 824 may also store a software library containing methods for invoking the mold modeling module 850. While the computer-readable storage medium 824 is shown in an example embodiment to be a single medium, the term "computer-readable storage medium" should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, and/or associated caches and servers) that store the one or more sets of instructions. The term "computer-readable storage medium" shall also be taken to include any medium that is capable of storing or encoding a set of instructions for execution by the machine and that cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies of the present invention. The term "computer-readable storage medium" shall accordingly be taken to include, but not be limited to, solid-state memories and optical and magnetic media.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Although embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it should be recognized that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but can be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.