Patents by Inventor Robert Grünenfelder

Robert Grünenfelder has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11896450
    Abstract: An articulator having a maxillary member and a mandibular member, which are connected to each other via condylar articulations, wherein a maxillary adaptor is attachable or attached at the maxillary member and a mandibular adaptor at the mandibular member, wherein a maxillary alignment member especially is form-fittingly connected to the maxillary adaptor and a mandibular alignment member is especially form-fittingly connected with the mandibular adaptor, and wherein the alignment members are automatically alignable to each other and comprising scanning members, by means of which the arrangement of alignment members and adaptors is scannable in a scanner and especially the relative position thereof moreover is detectable in relation to the articulator via the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Wolfgang Dawedeit, Alexander Schröck, Fabian Lüppens
  • Publication number: 20230008250
    Abstract: A dental device with a speech recognition module is provided, which is connected to a control device that controls at least part of the functions of the dental device. Based on the recognition result, the speech recognition module triggers a selected function of the dental device via the control device and has at least one microphone. An output module outputs information about the triggered function. The speech recognition module continuously listens via the microphone and has a code word module that activates or leaves active speech recognition for the temporally successive words when a code word is recognized and attempts to recognize them as predetermined control words each assigned to a function.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Brotzge, Michael Tiefenthaler, Johannes Matt, Robert Grünenfelder, Diego Gabathuler
  • Patent number: 11432913
    Abstract: An articulator having a maxillary member and a mandibular member, which are connected to each other via condylar articulations, wherein a maxillary adaptor is attachable or attached at the maxillary member and a mandibular adaptor at the mandibular member, wherein a maxillary alignment member especially is form-fittingly connected to the maxillary adaptor and a mandibular alignment member is especially form-fittingly connected with the mandibular adaptor, and wherein the alignment members are automatically alignable to each other and comprising scanning members, by means of which the arrangement of alignment members and adaptors is scannable in a scanner and especially the relative position thereof moreover is detectable in relation to the articulator via the scanner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Wolfgang Dawedeit, Alexander Schröck, Fabian Lüppens
  • Publication number: 20210041852
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a dental restoration for a patient and dental ceramics production devices are disclosed. A dental restoration may be designed based on a scan of the patient's mouth, using a CAD software module. The software module may produce conveyor channels for a positive model based on the dimensions of a muffle in relation to the size and shape of the positive model. The conveyor channels may extend at an angle of between 0° and 130° away from an axis of the pressing channel, the axis being located essentially along an isotherm inside the muffle. A docking site may be selected based on a position with the greatest wall thickness of the positive model. The present disclosure allows the creation of a high-quality dental restoration in a very efficient fashion, in particular when lithium disilicate is used as the dental ceramics material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: Jörg Ebert, Robert Grünenfelder, Tobias Specht, Oliver Voigt
  • Publication number: 20200405458
    Abstract: An articulator having a maxillary member and a mandibular member, which are connected to each other via condylar articulations, wherein a maxillary adaptor is attachable or attached at the maxillary member and a mandibular adaptor at the mandibular member, wherein a maxillary alignment member especially is form-fittingly connected to the maxillary adaptor and a mandibular alignment member is especially form-fittingly connected with the mandibular adaptor, and wherein the alignment members are automatically alignable to each other and comprising scanning members, by means of which the arrangement of alignment members and adaptors is scannable in a scanner and especially the relative position thereof moreover is detectable in relation to the articulator via the scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Wolfgang Dawedeit, Alexander Schröck, Fabian LÜPPENS
  • Patent number: 10816955
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a dental restoration for a patient and dental ceramics production devices are disclosed. A dental restoration may be designed based on a scan of the patient's mouth, using a CAD software module. The software module may produce conveyor channels for a positive model based on the dimensions of a muffle in relation to the size and shape of the positive model. The conveyor channels may extend at an angle of between 0° and 130° away from an axis of the pressing channel, the axis being located essentially along an isotherm inside the muffle. A docking site may be selected based on a position with the greatest wall thickness of the positive model. The present disclosure allows the creation of a high-quality dental restoration in a very efficient fashion, in particular when lithium disilicate is used as the dental ceramics material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Jörg Ebert, Robert Grünenfelder, Tobias Specht, Oliver Voigt
  • Patent number: 10182891
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dentel device for the treatment of a dental restoration part, comprising at least one operating program, a storage of the dental device and at least one detection device for at least one object. The detection device can detect data of the object and this data, in particular together with an operating program associated with the object, can be stored in a storage of the dental device or can be compared to the data of objects which have been stored in advance in the storage of the dental device. The dental device, depending on the comparison result of the data of a detected object with the data of objects which have been stored in advance in the storage of the dental device, starts the associated operating program or shows it for selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Michael Brotzge, Johannes Lorünser, Robert Grünenfelder, Philipp Kettner
  • Publication number: 20180263738
    Abstract: An articulator having a maxillary member and a mandibular member, which are connected to each other via condylar articulations, wherein a maxillary adaptor is attachable or attached at the maxillary member and a mandibular adaptor at the mandibular member, wherein a maxillary alignment member especially is form-fittingly connected to the maxillary adaptor and a mandibular alignment member is especially form-fittingly connected with the mandibular adaptor, and wherein the alignment members are automatically alignable to each other and comprising scanning members, by means of which the arrangement of alignment members and adaptors is scannable in a scanner and especially the relative position thereof moreover is detectable in relation to the articulator via the scanner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Wolfgang Dawedeit, Alexander Schröck, Fabian Lüppens
  • Patent number: 9733018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a dental furnace, in particular a firing furnace or press furnace, for firing or pressing a dental restoration part which is receivable in the furnace, possibly after pre-heating in a pre-heating furnace, and which is placeable on a base, in particular centrally thereon, wherein the dental furnace comprises a firing chamber whose diameter is larger than, in particular at least twice as large as, the largest dental restoration part to be fired, and which comprises a control device and an operating unit at the or for the dental furnace (10), wherein by means of the operating unit (26) the size and/or the weight and/or the number of the dental restoration part(s) (18) to be fired or pressed is adjustable in units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Robert Grünenfelder, Philipp Kettner, Harald Bürke
  • Patent number: 9631868
    Abstract: A dental furnace having a display device and an operating device (10) for the dental furnace, is provided, the operating device being integrated in particular in the display device by forming a touch screen (12), and the operating device (10) facilitating the selection of programs for the firing of dental restoration parts in the dental furnace. The operating device (10) allows in particular the input of further parameters for a firing cycle. An operating element (30, 32, 34) facilitates the control of a final firing program of the dental furnace, namely with different values for the temperature as well as for the duration of the final firing, the operating element (30, 32, 34) making possible the simultaneous adjusting of temperature and duration parameters of the final firing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kettner, Robert Grünenfelder, Rudolf Wachter
  • Patent number: 9579171
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a dental restoration part as well as a dental furnace are provided in which the dental restoration part is produced on a foundation by means of applying at least two layers, wherein initial data, in particular three-dimensional data of the foundation, are stored in a memory device, and picture data, in particular three-dimensional data concerning the outer contour of the dental restoration part to be produced and the layers of the dental restoration part to be applied, are determined and in particular stored. It is provided that the dental restoration part is positioned at least partially during its production within the picture recording area of a picture recording device (30), and that before finishing the dental restoration part (20) and upon the application of at least one layer, the latter is recorded at least with regards to the thickness of the layer and/or its color, is displayed in particular via a display device (16).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Johannes Lorünser, Michael Brotzge, Robert Grünenfelder, Philipp Kettner
  • Publication number: 20160089220
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a dental restoration for a patient and dental ceramics production devices are disclosed. A dental restoration may be designed based on a scan of the patient's mouth, using a CAD software module. The software module may produce conveyor channels for a positive model based on the dimensions of a muffle in relation to the size and shape of the positive model. The conveyor channels may extend at an angle of between 0° and 130° away from an axis of the pressing channel, the axis being located essentially along an isotherm inside the muffle. A docking site may be selected based on a position with the greatest wall thickness of the positive model. The present disclosure allows the creation of a high-quality dental restoration in a very efficient fashion, in particular when lithium disilicate is used as the dental ceramics material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Jörg Ebert, Robert Grünenfelder, Tobias Specht, Oliver Voigt
  • Publication number: 20150238288
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a dental restoration part as well as a dental furnace are provided in which the dental restoration part is produced on a foundation by means of applying at least two layers, wherein initial data, in particular three-dimensional data of the foundation, are stored in a memory device, and picture data, in particular three-dimensional data concerning the outer contour of the dental restoration part to be produced and the layers of the dental restoration part to be applied, are determined and in particular stored. It is provided that the dental restoration part is positioned at least partially during its production within the picture recording area of a picture recording device (30), and that before finishing the dental restoration part (20) and upon the application of at least one layer, the latter is recorded at least with regards to the thickness of the layer and/or its color, is displayed in particular via a display device (16).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2013
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Johannes Lorünser, Michael Brotzge, Robert Grünenfelder, Philipp Kettner
  • Patent number: D750113
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kettner, Robert Grünenfelder, Michael Brotzge, Johannes Lorünser
  • Patent number: D750114
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kettner, Robert Grünenfelder, Michael Brotzge, Johannes Lorünser
  • Patent number: D750115
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kettner, Robert Grünenfelder, Michael Brotzge, Johannes Lorünser
  • Patent number: D758591
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Ronny Watzke, Robert Grünenfelder, Michael Brotzge, Gottfried Rohner
  • Patent number: D759704
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG
    Inventors: Philipp Kettner, Robert Grünenfelder, Michael Brotzge, Johannes Lorünser
  • Patent number: D794202
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Ronny Watzke, Robert Grünenfelder, Senad Lidan, Christian Frei, Stephanie Huth
  • Patent number: D1010129
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Ivoclar Vivadent AG
    Inventors: Michael Tinius, Michael Tiefenthaler, Lukas Matt, Robert Grünenfelder, Ronny Watzke