Patents by Inventor Dietmar Blees

Dietmar Blees 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).

  • Publication number: 20240315805
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance includes a body defining a slot including an inserting portion including an open end, and a receiving portion spaced apart from the open end and communicating with the inserting portion. A locking member is at least partially and movably received within an opening. The locking member is movable at least along the first axis between a locked state and an unlocked state and is normally biased to the locked state. In the locked state, the locking member at least partially extends into the inserting portion to removably retain the archwire within the receiving portion. In the unlocked state, the locking member is displaced from the locked state into the opening along the first axis, such that upon application of an external force, the locking member is movable to the unlocked state to allow movement of the archwire between the inserting portion and the receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: David K. Cinader, Jr., Ming-Lai Lai, Ralf M. Paehl, Dietmar Blees, Ralf Schlimper, André Golcher
  • Publication number: 20240238069
    Abstract: A method of making a transfer apparatus includes providing a physical mockup having a shape that corresponds to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and one or more carrier assemblies that each include a crane body releasably connected to an orthodontic appliance. A transfer apparatus may be formed over the physical mockup, with the transfer tray representing a negative replica of at least a portion of the mockup. The transfer apparatus may be used to seat the appliance on a patient's dental arch, after which point the appliance can be separated from the crane body and bonded to the associated tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2024
    Publication date: July 18, 2024
    Inventors: David K. Cinader, Rainer Dittmann, Michael K. Domroese, Thomas K. Mueller, Dietmar Blees, Özcan Dönmez, Daniel D. Oberpertinger, Ralf M. Paehl, Shane C. Pedersen, Nicholas A. Stark, Michaela Urban
  • Publication number: 20240033044
    Abstract: A method includes wire driven phase in which a plurality of attachments are bonded to teeth, the attachments including a wire-retaining region and an engagement region. The engagement region has a shoulder configured to releasably engage a corresponding indentation in an aligner tray. An archwire is inserted in to the wire-retaining regions to move a first malaccluded tooth from a first position to a second position. An aligner phase follows the wire driven phase, in which the archwire is removed, and an aligner tray is applied over the teeth of the patient. The aligner tray includes cavities shaped to receive and resiliently position the first maloccluded tooth from the second position to a third position, and further includes indentations configured to releasably engage at least a portion of the engagement regions on the attachments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, David K. Cinader, JR., Dietmar Blees, Ralf Schlimper, Ming-Lai Lai, Richard E. Raby
  • Publication number: 20240008959
    Abstract: An indirect bonding device includes a first tray and a second tray. The first tray is configured to be detachably coupled to a tooth having a tooth surface. The second tray is configured to be detachably coupled to the first tray. The first tray includes a cavity at least partially extending from a first inner surface to a first outer surface along a longitudinal axis. An orthodontic appliance is at least partially and detachably received within the cavity. An adhesive layer is disposed on a base surface of the orthodontic appliance. Upon detachable coupling of the first tray to the tooth, the adhesive layer is spaced apart from the tooth surface. Furthermore, upon detachable coupling of the move the orthodontic appliance towards the tooth surface, such that the adhesive layer contacts the tooth surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, Richard E. Raby, Dietmar Blees, David K. Cinader, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20230311410
    Abstract: The invention relates to a 3D printing system comprising a 3D printing device for manufacturing at least two workpieces. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing at least two workpieces by means of the 3D printing system. Furthermore, the invention relates to an adapter set for attaching workpiece holders to a 3D printing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Malte Korten, Andreas G. Herrmann, Bastian P. Kirchner, Gioacchino Raia, Daniel D. Oberpertinger, Christian A. Richter, Anja Friedrich, Richard E. Raby, Dietmar Blees, Ralf M. Paehl, Thomas K. Müller
  • Patent number: 11597830
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation curable composition for additive-manufacturing processes, the composition comprising (meth)acrylate component(s) not comprising an urethane moiety having a molecular weight Mw of at least 1,000 as Component A1, photo initiator as Component B, red, yellow or orange dye or combination thereof as Component C, blue dye having a light absorption band in the range of 350 to 420 nm as Component D, and optionally stabilizer as Component E. The invention further relates to a process of producing an elastomeric 3-dim article from the radiation curable composition in an additive-manufacturing process and the obtained elastomeric 3-dim article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Joachim Zech, Hendrik Grupp, Malte Korten, Ralf Paehl, Dietmar Blees, Gioacchino Raia
  • Publication number: 20210268730
    Abstract: A method of building up at least a first (10) and a second (20) physical workpiece from a light hardenable material (105) on a 3D printing device (100). The method has the steps of providing to the 3D printing device a first dataset for building up a first workpiece; starting a first print job based on the first dataset; providing to the same 3D printing device a second dataset for building up a second workpiece after the start the first print job; and starting a second print job based on the second dataset before finishing the first print job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2019
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Malte Korten, Gioacchino Raia, Adrian S. Eckert, Helmar B. Mayr, Dietmar Blees
  • Patent number: 10932888
    Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a bracket pad (2), and a bracket body (1) extending from the bracket pad. The bracket has a slot (4) for receiving an orthodontic archwire. The slot has a proximal slot side face (4a), a distal side face (4b) and a slot ground face (4c). The bracket has at least one archwire support structure (5a, 5b) that forms a support surface (6a, 6b) in a plane of the slot ground face. The support surface is spaced from the slot ground face. The archwire support structure forms a flat and protrudes in a dimention generally parallel to a slot cross axis. The invention help maximizing the tip control in an orthodontic treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, Dietmar Blees
  • Patent number: 10639130
    Abstract: A method of making a physical mockup the method comprises the steps of providing a virtual dental arch, a virtual set of orthodontic brackets for the virtual dental arch and a virtual set of analogs. Each analog is associated with a virtual bracket of the virtual set of brackets and the shape of at least one of the analogs differs from the shape of the associated bracket. The method further comprises the steps of providing a virtual mockup in which the virtual dental arch and the set of virtual analogs are merged, and manufacturing the physical mockup based on the virtual mockup. The physical mockup represents a shape composed of the shape the dental arch and the shape of the set of analogs. The invention facilitates bonding of brackets to a patent's teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Dietmar Blees, Ralf M. Paehl, Ralf Schlimper
  • Publication number: 20200131356
    Abstract: The invention relates to a radiation curable composition for additive-manufacturing processes, the composition comprising (meth)acrylate component(s) not comprising an urethane moiety having a molecular weight Mw of at least 1,000 as Component A1, photo initiator as Component B, red, yellow or orange dye or combination thereof as Component C, blue dye having a light absorption band in the range of 350 to 420 nm as Component D, and optionally stabilizer as Component E. The invention further relates to a process of producing an elastomeric 3-dim article from the radiation curable composition in an additive-manufacturing process and the obtained elastomeric 3-dim article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2018
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Joachim Zech, Hendrik Grupp, Malte Korten, Ralf Paehl, Dietmar Blees, Gioacchino Raia
  • Patent number: 10368961
    Abstract: A method of making a transfer tray includes providing a physical mockup having a shape that corresponds to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and a positive shape of one or more bracket analogs. A transfer tray may be formed over the physical mockup, with the transfer tray representing a negative replica of at least a portion of the mockup. One or more receptacles are accordingly formed in the ray, each receptacle approximating a least a portion of the shape of a bracket analog. A bracket associated with a bracket analog is placed into a receptacle of the one or more receptacles and a filler material is introduced into at least one receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, Dietmar Blees
  • Publication number: 20180325627
    Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a bracket pad (2), and a bracket body (1) extending from the bracket pad. The bracket has a slot (4) for receiving an orthodontic archwire. The slot has a proximal slot side face (4a), a distal side face (4b) and a slot ground face (4c). The bracket has at least one archwire support structure (5a, 5b) that forms a support surface (6a, 6b) in a plane of the slot ground face. The support surface is spaced from the slot ground face. The archwire support structure forms a flat and protrudes in a dimention generally parallel to a slot cross axis. The invention help maximizing the tip control in an orthodontic treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2017
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, Dietmar Blees
  • Publication number: 20160310239
    Abstract: A method of making a transfer tray includes providing a physical mockup having a shape that corresponds to a positive shape of a patient's dental arch and a positive shape of one or more bracket analogs. A transfer tray may be formed over the physical mockup, with the transfer tray representing a negative replica of at least a portion of the mockup. One or more receptacles are accordingly formed in the ray, each receptacle approximating a least a portion of the shape of a bracket analog. A bracket associated with a bracket analog is placed into a receptacle of the one or more receptacles and a filler material is introduced into at least one receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Inventors: Ralf M. Paehl, Dietmar Blees
  • Publication number: 20150313687
    Abstract: A method of making a physical mockup the method comprises the steps of providing a virtual dental arch, a virtual set of orthodontic brackets for the virtual dental arch and a virtual set of analogs. Each analog is associated with a virtual bracket of the virtual set of brackets and the shape of at least one of the analogs differs from the shape of the associated bracket. The method further comprises the steps of providing a virtual mockup in which the virtual dental arch and the set of virtual analogs are merged, and manufacturing the physical mockup based on the virtual mockup. The physical mockup represents a shape composed of the shape the dental arch and the shape of the set of analogs. The invention facilitates bonding of brackets to a patent's teeth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Dietmar Blees, Ralf M. Paehl, Ralf Schlimper