EP0574098A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for making customized fixation devices
Assignee: Amei Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1993-01-08
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2013-01-08
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus is described for making a custom fixation device. The apparatus comprises a means for scanning a treatment site and for producing image data representative of the treatment site. A means for generating a set of vectors is included for defining a set of points, the set of vectors representative of the treatment site, the points associated with a surface, part of the surface representative of part of the treatment site, part of the surface hidden from view. Further, means for associating each point with a pole of a control polygon of a non-uniform rational B-spline, means responsive to the non-uniform rational B-spline for constructing a model of the treatment site, and means responsive to the model for constructing the fixation device are described.
Inventors
- 👤 David F. Crook
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:14
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/56; A61B17/58; A61B17/68; A61B17/70; A61B17/7059; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/30; A61F2/3094; A61F2/30942; B; B33; B33Y; B33Y50/00; G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/4097; G05B19/4099; G06; G06T; G06T9/00; G06T9/20; A61F2/32; A61F2/36; A61F2/3662; A61F2/28; A61F2002/2825; A61F2002/30943; A61F2002/30948; A61F2002/30952; A61F2002/30957; A61F2002/30962; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/35; G05B2219/35043; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02; Y10; Y10S; Y10S623/00; Y10S623/901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
An apparatus for making a custom fixation device comprising: means for scanning a treatment site and for producing image data representative of the treatment site; means for generating a set of vectors defining a set of points, the set of vectors representative of the treatment site, the points associated with a surface, part of the surface representative of part of the treatment site, part of the surface hidden from view; means for associating each point with a pole of a control polygon of a non-uniform rational B-spline; means responsive to the non-uniform rational B-spline for constructing a model of the treatment site; and means responsive to the model for constructing the fixation device.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said means for scanning is a computerized axial tomography device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said set of vectors are used by a computer aided design device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein said constructing means is a stereolithographic device.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
126 words
A method for constructing a customized fixation device comprising: scanning a treatment site to produce image data representative of the treatment site; receiving a plurality of sets of data values, the data values within each set corresponding to a property of the treatment site along a first and second dimension, each set corresponding to the value at a predetermined position along a third dimension; generating a surface from the sets of data, part of the surface representative of the treatment site; generating a vector to each point; associating each vector with a pole of a control polygon of a non-uniform rational B-spline; generating a model of the treatment site in accordance with the control polygon; and constructing a customized fixation device in accordance with the model.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of Claim 5, further comprising the step of manipulating the image data prior to said step of generating a model.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of Claim 5, wherein said model of the treatment site is formed in three dimensions.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
109 words
An apparatus for making customized fixation devices comprising: means for generating image data representative of a treatment site; means for modifying the image data; means for generating a set of vectors representative of the treatment site, the points associated with a surface, part of the surface representative of the treatment site, part of the surface hidden from view; means for associating each point with a pole of a control polygon of a non-uniform rational B-spline; means for translating the non-uniform rational B-spline into slice data suitable for use with a stereolithographic system; and means for converting the slice data to a three dimensional object representative of a treatment site.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for generating image data is a CAT scanner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for generating image data is an MRI scanner.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for modifying said image data is a computer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for associating is a computer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for translating is a computer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, wherein the means for converting is a stereolithographic apparatus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of Claim 8, further comprising a local area network connecting the means for modifying, the means for associating and the means for translating.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0093869A1
Cited
EP0097001A1
Cited
DE3522196A1
Cited
US4976737A
Cited
US5104592A
Cited
WO1991007139A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.