A procedure and apparatus for producing individually designed, three-dimensional bodies usable as tooth replacements, prostheses, etc.

Claim 2

The procedure as claimed in Claim 1 characterized in including generation of at least a second representation by means of and actuation representing a variation of respective identified form, which second representation differs from the original first representation depending on said actuation, and in activation of the storage and processing unit for one or more read-outs via one or more output parts of one or more of the second representations or varied first representation.

Claim 3

The procedure as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized the production of one or more models of said bodies (6) and said identification are performed with the aid of the form(s) of the model(s), and/or production of a description of each respective form of each respective model (9) or body, and in that the identification is performed with the aid of the description, said description including description parts which each respectively discloses co-ordinate indications for each respective read-off point.

Claim 4

The procedure as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the description is allocated significances for form build-up, said significances consisting of predetermined codes characteristic of the build-up of the form and creating abbreviations or representations, here designated third representations, of the complete description parts and there forming an information mass which is substantially reduced in relation to the information mass of the complete description parts, and/or wherein the codes are stored in the processing unit and wherein complete first and second representations therein are generated with the aid of said codes.

Claim 5

The procedure are claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the application of the first information via an input port (21) to a first memory is arranged in file or database of the first information, transmission to working memory of relevant file or database content, respectively, editing by introduction of a second item of information from the terminal (26) and with the aid of the transferred file or database content, respectively, of further file(s) or database content, respectively, representing varied or form-modifying third information items of the first information, storage in the first memory (25) of said additional file(s) or said database contents, respectively, read-out, by activation or a terminal (26) request from each respective machine (43, 44), of one or more said first and third items of information.

Claim 6

The procedure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transition to user-friendly treatment form, e.g. a treatment form which operates on the basis of graphics in which editing may be carried out with the aid of a graphic representation on a screen, in connection with the transfer of each respective file or database content to the working memory (24), and/or in that, on application of the first information, a program is activated for file or database processing, and wherein, on transfer from the first memory to the working memory, a processing program is activated which effectuates editing of the additional files or database contents, respectively, and wherein the file or database content, respectively, transferred to the working memory is recycled and restored in the first memory.

Claim 7

The procedure as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein for making possible, by means of model, read-off or other copying, the production of implant bodies, e.g. tooth replacements, tooth crowns, protheses, and construction parts of prostheses in biocompatible and mechanically durable material, e.g. titanium, ceramics or plastic, two units (48, 49) are mutually longitudinally displaceable along their longitudinal axes which are obliquely inclined in relation to one another, the first unit carrying a blank (53) from which the implant body or a tool part for these is produced, and the second unit carries a processing device (52) acting on said blank, in connection with its longitudinal axes (105, 114) and the mutual longitudinal displacement movements of the units are effectuated by a movement effectuating device which, depending on controls from a device generating controls, is actuated such that the blank is allocated, by the processing device, a first form associated with the implant body or tool part, respectively, wherein first and second data in respect of a second form or a form which is to exist for the second form are entered in memory equipment associated with computer means (20), e.g. personal computer or a microprocessor, included in or associated with an electric control unit in which the controls are generated in the form of electric control signals, and in that the electric control signals are calculated in the computer unit from relevant data of said first and second data and are entered into the movement-effectuating device which then includes an electrically controlled servo device or adjusting means (93), whose movement effectuation is executed by the utilization of a slight inertia resistance in the movement-effectuating devices.

Claim 8

The procedure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first information by means of which said first data is generated is produced at a copier, e.g. a dentist or dental technician, and transmitted by means of data conveying or data storing media to a central unit (E-I) which caters for producing, and in that said first data is, at the central unit, entered in said electric control unit/computer device on the basis of the first information items, and/or wherein said second data in respect of different percentages in enlargement and reduction of the second form, or different for modifications of the first form in relation to the second form, are entered in said memory equipment/computer device (20), and wherein the relevant second data is selected by means of actuations of terminal devices (26, 40) associated with or connected to said computer devices (23, 34).

Claim 9

The procedure as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the blank and tool-carrying units (48, 49), or one of the blank and tool-carrying units is controlled by the electric control unit for obtaining an optimum manufacturing time in respect of machining speed and accuracy, and wherein each respective rotary unit is in such instance longitudinally displaced depending on the complexity of the first or second form such that, in such first portions of the first or second form, respectively, as represent a first part form which permits a certain first maximum machining speed or unit, respectively, in longitudinally displaced at the first maximum machining speed, in such second portions of the first or second form, respectively, as represent a second part form which permits a certain second maximum machining speed which differs from the first maximum machining speed, unit, respectively, is longitudinally displaced at the second maximum machining speed, and so on.

Claim 10

Apparatus for realizing the procedure as claimed in Claim 1 for producing individually designed, three-dimensional bodies (45, 46) intended to form at least parts of artificial replacements for teeth, dental bridges and joints, support parts for reconstruction of tissue build-up, and tools for producing whole or parts of such replacements and support parts, bridges and joints, wherein identification means (11, 12) are provided for identifying one or more forms of one or more of said bodies, wherein means (17) are provided for forming a first digital representation (i1) of each respective identification, wherein a storage and processing unit (20) receives each respective first digital representation in memory devices (23, 25) associated therewith, wherein the storage and processing unit handles or processes each respective first digital representation, wherein said storage and processing unit is actuatable for obtaining one or more read-outs (27) via one or more output ports (22) of one or more of the first representations wherein one or more positioning members (93) are disposed controllable by means of one or more of said read-outs, and wherein each respective member, depending on its control, is actuable in an actuation function in which a blank (53) and a tool (52) acting thereon are brought into co-ordination with each other as a result of the actuation of the member by means of relevant read-out, and in which the blank is by such means allocated the relevant read-out form, and a central unit (F, G, H, I) is arranged to receive the first representations via a connection (K), characterized in that rotating means (11) is arranged for respective model (9) at said identification, in that the sensing/scanning means (66-69, 81) is/are angled with respect to the rotational axis of the scanned model, in that data transmitting device(-s) is/are alloted to said first representations and includes transmitter and receiving means (28, 30) and the connection (K) includes permanent and/or switched communications in a public telecommunication network to which said transmitter and receiver means are connected/connectable via modems, and in that an angled relationship between the axes of the blank (53) of the body (45, 46) and the tool is arranged as well.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claimed in Claim 10, characterized in that an actuation causes generation of a second representation which differs from the first representation, and in that the central unit receives second representations or varied first representations via the connections.

Claim 12

The apparatus as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that for realizing production, by means of model, read-off or other copy, of tools, replacement, support body in the form of implant body, e.g. tooth replacement, tooth crow, prosthesis, and construction part for prosthesis, in biocompatible and mechanically durable/hard material, e.g. titanium or ceramics, there are included two blanks and tool-carrying units (48, 49) which are mutually longitudinally displaceable along their axes of rotation which are inclined at an angle in relation to one another said first unit (48) being disposed to carry a blank, from which the implant body or a tool part for these is produced, and the second unit (49) is disposed to carry a processing device (52) by means of which the blank is formable, and movement-effectuating means depending on controls from a device generating the controls, to realize mutual longitudinal displacement movements for the units so that the processing device allocates to the blank a first form associated with the implant body or tool part, respectively, wherein the device generating the controls includes an electric control unit (42) which comprises or is connected/connectible to computer means, e.g. a personal computer, or a microprocessor, in whose associated memory devices first and second data are entered in respect of a second form relating to the model, the read-off or the copy, or a difference in relation to the first form, respectively, in dimension or form which is to exist for the second form, and wherein the control unit, depending on relevant data from said first and second data generate electric signals to the movement-effectuating device which then includes or consists or electrically controlled servo devices, or adjusting members, with slight inertia resistance.

Claim 13

The apparatus as claimed in Claim 10, 11 or 12, characterized in that the electric control unit is included in a distribution system for transfer of first information, by means of which said first information, by means of which said first data is generated in the memory equipment/computer device (20), said distribution system including a number, preferably a plurality, of initiation or gathering devices for said first information, in that said electric control unit is operative to control the one or both of the rotary units for their mutual longitudinal displacement movements at speeds which are dependent upon the complexity of the form in question, e.g. in complicated form portions of the form in question at a first speed, in less complicated form portions of the form in question at a second speed which exceeds the first speed, and so on, in that in such forms in which the processing device cannot operate above the axis of rotation of the blank because of the total configuration of the form in question, the electric control unit controls each respective rotary unit such that processing in certain phases takes place only under a part of a rotation turn for each respective rotary unit, in that it includes two or more pairs of rotary units where each respective pair is included in a machine or machine part allocated thereto, and in that the electric control unit controls, directly or via subordinate control units, the different unit pairs/machines/machine equipment parts on the basis of the same model/read-off/copy.

Claim 14

The apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that the first pair of rotary units/a first machine/a first machine equipment part shapes a first blank which forms the implant body and which has an outer configuration which corresponds to the outer configuration of the model/the read-off/or the copy, or has been allocated said difference in relation to the outer configuration of the model/the read-off/the copy, and in that at least second and third pairs of rotary units/second and third machines/second and third machine equipment parts shape second and third blanks, respectively, which form first and second tool parts in the form of electro-erosion devices intended for the production of an inner configuration of the implant body which then obtains socket form in its final configuration, cf. tooth crown, which first tool part forms a rough production part which has been provided with frontal wear durability for compensation of frontal wear in electro-erosion and which second tool part forms a fine production tool part with close association to the second form.