Patent EP0376873A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0376873A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for digitizing the contour of a dental surface, particularly useful for preparing a dental crown
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-12-06
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-12-06
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for digitizing the contour of a three-dimensional surface of an object includes a handle (20), a probe (26) carried by the handle (20) and movable along three independent axes to contact sample points on the three- dimensional surface, and a positional sensor for sensing the position of the handle (20) along the three axes and for outputting positional values. The probe(26) includes an arm (28) deflectable during the movement of the probe (26), which deflections are sensed by a sensor. A digital processor processes the positional values only when one of the deflection sensors senses a deflection in its respective arm above a predetermined threshold value, and modifies the positional values by the deflection values.
Inventors
- 👤 Aaron Shafir
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:27
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C19/00; A61C19/04; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/42; G05B19/4202; G05B19/4207; A61C13/00; A61C13/0003; A61C13/0004; A61C9/00; A61C9/004; A61C9/0046; A61C9/008; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/37; G05B2219/37039; G05B2219/37273; G05B2219/37274; G05B2219/37357; G05B2219/41; G05B2219/41206; G05B2219/45; G05B2219/45167; G16; G16H; G16H20/00; G16H20/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for digitizing the contour of a three-dimensional surface of an object, comprising: a handle graspable by the user; mounting means for mounting the handle with respect to the object; a probe connected to and carried by the handle and movable thereby along three independent axes to contact sample points on said three-dimensional surface; positional sensor means for sensing the position of the handle along the three axes and for outputting positional values corresponding thereto; said probe including an arm deflectable along first and second ones of said three axes during the movement of the probe along the three-dimensional surface by the handle; first and second deflection sensor means for sensing the deflection of said arm along said first and second axes, respectively, and for outputting deflection values corresponding thereto; and a digital processor including means for processing said positional values only when one of said deflection sensors senses a deflection in its respective arm above a predetermined threshold value, and means for modifying said positional values by said deflection values to output digital surface-location values representing the location of the sample points on said three-dimensional surface during the movement of the probe therealong by said handle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
Apparatus for digitizing the contour of a three-dimensional surface of an object, comprising: a handle graspable by the user; mounting means for mounting the handle with respect to the object; a probe connected to and carried by the handle and movable thereby along three independent axes to contact sample points on said three-dimensional surface; positional sensor means for sensing the position of the handle along the three axes and for outputting positional values corresponding thereto; said probe including an arm deflectable along first and second ones of said three axes during the movement of the probe along the three-dimensional surface by the handle; first and second deflection sensor means for sensing the deflection of said arm along said first and second axes, respectively, and for outputting deflection values corresponding thereto; and a digital processor including means for processing said positional values only when one of said deflection sensors senses a deflection in its respective arm above a predetermined threshold value, and means for modifying said positional values by said deflection values to output digital surface-location values representing the location of the sample points on said three-dimensional surface during the movement of the probe therealong by said handle.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein each of said deflection sensor means comprises a strain sensor fixed on a side of said deflector arm in alignment with its respective axis.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
50 words
The apparatus according to either of Claims 1 or 2, wherein said means for modifying said positional values by said deflection values comprises a look-up table stored in said digital processor and precalibrated for the respective probe to indicate the deflections corresponding to various outputs of said deflection sensor means.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
50 words
The apparatus according to any one of Claims 1-3, wherein said mounting means for mounting the handle with respect to said object comprises three slides, one for each of the three axes, each slide including roller bearings to permit displacement of the handle along the respective axis of the slide.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said positional sensor means comprises three linear encoders, one for each of said three axes and coupled to the slide of its respective axis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said mounting means further comprises a common base member mounting said three slides, three encoders, handle and probe.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
The apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein said mounting means further comprises a pair of articulated arms adjustably supporting said common base member, including the three slides, three encoders, handle and probe mounted thereto.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
43 words
The apparatus according to any one of Claims 1-7, wherein the apparatus is to be used for digitizing a dental surface of a subject, said mounting means comprising a mounting member to be clamped between the upper and lower teeth of the subject.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to any one of Claims 1-8, wherein the probe is mounted on an arm which is deflectable along the third independent axis.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
41 words
The apparatus according to any one of Claims 1-9, wherein said probe arm includes a first pair of deflection sensors on opposite sides of the arm, and a second pair of deflection sensors on the remaining opposite sides of the arm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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