Patents by Inventor James D. Hansen

James D. Hansen 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: 12688335
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automating the design of dental restoration appliances using machine learning models. An example computing device receives transform information associated with a current dental anatomy of a dental restoration patient, provides the transform information associated with the current dental anatomy of the dental restoration patient as input to a machine learning model trained with transform information indicating placement of a dental appliance component with respect to one or more teeth of corresponding dental anatomies, the dental appliance being used for dental restoration treatment for the one or more teeth, and executes the machine learning model using the input to produce placement information for the dental appliance component with respect to the current dental anatomy of the dental restoration patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2024
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2026
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Gandrud, Cameron M. Fabbri, Joseph C. Dingeldein, James D. Hansen, Benjamin D. Zimmer
  • Patent number: 12636134
    Abstract: Techniques are described for automating the design and manufacture a dental restoration appliance for restoring the dental anatomy of a patient. For example, a system processes a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of a future (desired) dental anatomy of a patient, the future dental anatomy representing an intended shape of at least one tooth of the patient. The system includes a landmark identifier configured to automatically compute, based on the digital 3D model of the future dental anatomy of the patient, one or more landmarks of the future dental anatomy of the patient. The system also includes a custom feature generator configured to automatically generate, based on the one or more landmarks, one or more custom appliance features for a dental appliance for restoring the at least one tooth of the patient. The system further includes a memory device configured to store a digital model of the dental appliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Gandrud, James D. Hansen, Joseph C. Dingeldein, Alexandra R. Cunliffe, Jaime B. Willoughby, Christopher R. Kokaisel, John M. Pilgrim
  • Publication number: 20260063886
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a multiphoton imaging method. The method includes a) immersing a semi-submersible microscope objective in a liquid medium that is at least one of scattering or absorbing; b) directing laser light through the semi-submersible microscope objective and into the liquid medium in an image-wise manner under conditions such that multiphoton absorption by the multiphoton absorber occurs, and at least partial polymerization of the polymerizable compound occurs resulting in an article; and c) removing uncured polymerizable compound to clean the article. The liquid medium includes a polymerizable compound, a secondary component, and a multiphoton absorber. An article is also provided. The article includes a material defining one or more tortuous or arcuate channels, one or more internal architectural voids, one or more undercuts, one or more perforations, or combinations thereof, at least one of which exhibits a surface roughness of 1.0 micrometer Ra or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2025
    Publication date: March 5, 2026
    Inventors: Alexander J. Huffman, Brian J Gates, Jeremy K. Larsen, David A. Ender, Gareth A. Hughes, James D. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20260041530
    Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a patient's mouth includes a facial mold body and a lingual mold body, each configured for a patient-specific, customized fit with respective sides of at least one tooth. The facial and lingual mold bodies each include restorative portions and engagement portions that interlock at locations offset from a mold cavity formed between the restorative portions. The engagement portions are dimensioned to produce a residual seating pressure that maintains the mold bodies in a clamped state when interlocked, facilitating accurate shaping of restoration material within the mold cavity. The tool may include apertures for injection of restorative material, hinged doors or plugs for sealing, and vents for controlling material flow. The device and associated methods enable the digital design and fabrication of custom dental restoration molds for single or multiple teeth, improving restoration quality and reducing overall clinical or procedural complexity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2025
    Publication date: February 12, 2026
    Inventors: Joseph C. DINGELDEIN, John M. PILGRIM, Christopher R. KOKAISEL, Katelyn M. LANGUELL, James D. HANSEN
  • Patent number: 12528743
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of making a ceramic article. The method includes (a) obtaining a photopolymerizable slurry or sol including a plurality of ceramic particles distributed in the photopolymerizable slurry or sol and (b) selectively polymerizing the photopolymerizable slurry or sol using actinic radiation and continuous movement of a build substrate through the photopolymerizable slurry or sol to form a gelled article. The method also includes (c) extracting solvent from the gelled article to form an aerogel article or a xerogel article; (d) heat treating the aerogel article or the xerogel article to form a porous ceramic article; and (e) sintering the porous ceramic article to form a sintered ceramic article. The sintered ceramic article exhibits a particular density. Further, additive manufactured ceramic articles are provided that exhibit a particular density, opacity, or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2026
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Amy T. Shah, James D. Hansen, David B. Stegall, Alexander J. Huffman, Gareth A. Hughes, Melissa A. Lackey, Kathleen M. Humpal, Andreas M. Geldmacher, Kristen F. Keller
  • Patent number: 12502260
    Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a facial mold body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the facial side of at least one tooth of the patient, wherein the facial mold body includes a restorative portion and a first engagement portion extending away from the restorative portion; a lingual mold body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the lingual side of the tooth of the patient, wherein the lingual mold body includes a restorative portion and a first engagement portion extending away from the restorative portion; wherein the first engagement portion of the facial mold body interlocks with the first engagement portion of the lingual mold body; and wherein the facial mold body and lingual mold body are configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of at least one tooth to be restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph C. Dingeldein, John M. Pilgrim, Christopher R. Kokaisel, Katelyn M. Languell, James D. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20250375272
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for training one or more neural networks to automatically validate geometrical characteristics of a digital representation of a dental restoration appliance component are disclosed including analyzing one or more assigned labels, automatically generating output that specifies whether the dental restoration appliance is incorrect, automatically training the neural network based on the one or more result labels assigned by the neural network.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 11, 2025
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Gandrud, Marie D. Manner, Joseph C. Dingeldein, James D. Hansen, John A. Norris, Jianbing Huang, Seyed Amir Hossein Hosseini, Wenbo Dong
  • Publication number: 20250366958
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for training one or more neural networks to automatically determine placement of a digital representation of an orthodontic appliance are disclosed including comparing one or more aspects of the second representation of a 3D printed part with one or more respective aspects of a first representation of the 3D printed part, generating a reconstruction error based on the comparing, and when the reconstruction error is greater than a predetermined threshold, assigning one or more result labels that specify that the respective aspects of the 3D printed part were not correctly fabricated and when the reconstruction error is less than the predetermined threshold, assigning one or more result labels that specify that the respective aspects of the 3D printed part were correctly fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 4, 2025
    Inventors: Joseph C. Dingeldein, Jonathan D. Gandrud, Nicholas A. Stark, Marie D. Manner, David K. Cinader, JR., James D. Hansen, Wenbo Dong, Michael B. Starr, Robert L.W. Smithson, Nicholas S. Wren, Gareth A. Hughes
  • Publication number: 20250366959
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for training one or more machine learning models to generate digital representations of dental restoration tooth geometry are disclosed including generating one or more digital representations that define a restored state for a first digital representation, determining one or more differences between the one or more predicted representations for the restored state and the one or more reference representations of the restored state, and modifying the machine learning model based on the determined differences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 4, 2025
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Gandrud, Marie D. Manner, Annie K. Stabnow, Joseph C. Dingeldein, James D. Hansen, Mariah Sonja Pereira Penha, Seyed Amir Hossein Hosseini, Michael B. Starr, Delaram Pir Hayatifard
  • Publication number: 20250364117
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for training one or more neural networks to automatically generate tooth segmentation data used in digital dentistry are disclosed including predicting one or more segmentation labels pertaining to aspects of dental geometry, generating an accuracy score that specifies a difference between the one or more predicted representations and one or more respective reference and modifying at least one aspect of the neural network based on the accuracy score.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: November 27, 2025
    Inventors: Jonathan D. Gandrud, Marie D. Manner, Kelly J. Reff, James L. Graham II, David K. Cinader Jr., Joseph C, Dingeldein, James D. Hansen, John A, Norris, Jianbing Huang, Seyed Amir Hossein Hosseini, Wenbo Dong
  • Patent number: 12468138
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a multiphoton imaging method. The method includes a) immersing a semi-submersible microscope objective in a liquid medium that is at least one of scattering or absorbing; b) directing laser light through the semi-submersible microscope objective and into the liquid medium in an image-wise manner under conditions such that multiphoton absorption by the multiphoton absorber occurs, and at least partial polymerization of the polymerizable compound occurs resulting in an article; and c) removing uncured polymerizable compound to clean the article. The liquid medium includes a polymerizable compound, a secondary component, and a multiphoton absorber. An article is also provided. The article includes a material defining one or more tortuous or arcuate channels, one or more internal architectural voids, one or more undercuts, one or more perforations, or combinations thereof, at least one of which exhibits a surface roughness of 1.0 micrometer Ra or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Alexander J. Huffman, Brian J. Gates, Jeremy K. Larsen, David A Ender, Gareth A. Hughes, James D. Hansen
  • Patent number: 12421336
    Abstract: Orthodontic articles and polymerizable resin compositions are described. The orthodontic article comprises a cured composition comprising the reaction product of free-radically polymerizable resin comprising 30 to 70 wt. %, inclusive, of at least one urethane component, and 25 to 70 wt. %, inclusive, of reactive diluent(s) comprising at least one monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomer. The polymerizable resin comprises no greater than 35 wt. % of reactive diluent(s) having a high affinity for water. Reactive diluent(s) such as monofunctional (meth)acrylate monomers having a high affinity for water have low log P values. In one embodiment, the polymerizable resin comprises at least one acidic monomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties
    Inventors: Tianyu Wu, Saswata Chakraborty, Benjamin C. MacMurray, Richard J. Pokorny, Thomas P. Klun, Wayne S. Mahoney, Chad M. Amb, Ahmed Abuelyaman, Robert S. Clough, John M. Riedesel, James D. Hansen, Ian Dailey, Daniel J. Skamser, Eric W. Nelson, George W. Griesgraber, Dana R. Reed
  • Publication number: 20250195191
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an apparatus for post-curing an article, as well as a system, methods, and post-cured articles. The apparatus includes a housing, a chamber disposed in the housing, at least two light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed within the housing, and a user interface disposed on an exterior of the housing. The chamber is adaptable to each of an open, closed, and hermetically sealed configuration. The chamber includes a material transparent to actinic radiation and light from the LEDs enters the chamber from more than one direction. The user interface includes a display and program switches configured to adjust at least three operational parameters of the apparatus. The apparatus further includes a vacuum pump operatively coupled to the chamber. The system includes the apparatus and an article. An article includes layers of at least one photopolymerized crosslinked composition and a low extractable component content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2025
    Publication date: June 19, 2025
    Inventors: Rudolf Schmid, Ralf M. Kelz, Christian A. Richter, Anja Friedrich, James D. Hansen, Saswata Chakraborty, Benjamin C. Mac Murray, Daniel D. Oberpertinger
  • Patent number: 12324715
    Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient includes a first mold body providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth of the patient. The first mold body includes a portion corresponding with at least a first surface of the tooth and an interproximal portion corresponding with an interproximal surface of the tooth, the interproximal portion being of unitary construction. The first mold body is configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing a first portion of missing tooth structure of the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Joseph C. Dingeldein, Mary C. Doruff
  • Patent number: 12268567
    Abstract: The apparatus (1000) includes a housing (110), a chamber (120) disposed in the housing, at least two light emitting diodes (LEDs) (130) disposed within the housing (110), and a user interface (140) disposed on an exterior (112) of the housing. The chamber (120) is adaptable to each of an open, closed, and hermetically sealed configuration. The chamber (120) includes a material transparent to actinic radiation and light from the LEDs (130) enters the chamber from more than one direction. The user interface (140) includes a display (142) and program switches (144) configured to adjust at least three operational parameters of the apparatus. The apparatus (1000) further includes a vacuum pump (150) operatively coupled to the chamber (120). The system includes the apparatus (1000) and an article (180). An article includes layers of at least one photopolymerized crosslinked composition and a low extractable component content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Rudolf Schmid, Ralf Kelz, Christian A. Richter, Anja Friedrich, James D. Hansen, Saswata Chakraborty, Benjamin C. MacMurray, Daniel D. Oberpertinger
  • Patent number: 12239507
    Abstract: An example removable dental appliance includes an appliance body configured to at least partially surround a plurality of teeth of a dental arch of a patient. The appliance body includes a shell shaped to engage a tooth in an initial position and a gingival ridge extending from a mesial interproximal region along a gingival edge of the shell to a distal interproximal region. The gingival ridge is configured to engage a lingual or labial surface of the tooth below a height of contour of the tooth to enable the appliance body to apply a force vector at a contact point on the tooth to cause movement of the tooth toward a desired position of the tooth when the removable dental appliance is worn by the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Michael K. Domroese, David K. Cinader, Jr., Richard E. Raby, James D. Hansen
  • Patent number: 12201490
    Abstract: Systems and techniques for designing a digital dental matrix with improved interproximal contacts are disclosed including generating a digital three-dimensional model of a future dental anatomy of a patient, the future dental anatomy representing an intended shape of at least one tooth of the patient, selecting one or more pairs of adjacent teeth in the 3D model, for each selected pair of teeth, determining a location and orientation in the interproximal space of the adjacent teeth to insert a digital 3D geometry having one or more initial parameters, and inserting the digital 3D geometry at the determined location and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2025
    Assignee: SOLVENTUM INTELLECTUAL PROPERTIES COMPAY
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Katelyn M. Languell, Joseph C. Dingeldein, John A. Norris
  • Publication number: 20250009479
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of making an orthodontic article. The method includes (a) providing a photopolymerizable composition; (b) selectively curing the photopolymerizable composition using actinic radiation to form an article in the shape of an orthodontic article including a number of layers of at least one photopolymerized polymer; and (c) moving the article and thereby generating a mass inertial force in the uncured photopolymerizable composition. The article has a first surface, and no more than 75% of the first surface has a slope magnitude greater than 2.5 degrees. Orthodontic articles are also provided, including an orthodontic article that is prepared according to the method. Orthodontic articles having low extractable component content are further provided. The mass inertial force tends to form a coating layer of uncured photopolymerizable composition on the article, and curing the coating layer can form a surface having low slope magnitude.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2024
    Publication date: January 9, 2025
    Inventors: Saswata Chakraborty, Benjamin C. Mac Murray, James D. Hansen, Karl J.L. Geisler, Thomas P. Klun, Daniel J. Skamser, John M. Riedesel, Steven H. Kong, Anja Friedrich
  • Patent number: 12186144
    Abstract: A custom tool for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient. The custom tool includes a facial mold body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the facial side of at least one tooth of the patient, wherein the facial mold body includes a restorative portion, at least one aperture aligned with a portion of a surface of a tooth to be restored and at least one door having an inner surface forming a portion of the mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of the tooth to be restored, wherein the door mates with the aperture; a lingual mold body for a patient-specific, customized fit with the lingual side of the tooth of the patient, wherein the lingual mold body includes a restorative portion; wherein the facial mold body and lingual mold body are configured to interlock together; and wherein the facial mold body and lingual mold body are configured to combine with the tooth of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of at least one tooth to be restored.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Joseph C. Dingeldein, John M. Pilgrim, Christopher R. Kokaisel, Katelyn M. Languell, James D. Hansen
  • Publication number: 20240423756
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a custom tool (10) for forming a dental restoration in a mouth of a patient, the custom tool comprising a mold body (12) providing for a customized fit with at least one tooth (102) of the patient, the mold body (12) including an occlusal portion forming an occlusal surface (32) corresponding with an occlusal surface of the tooth (102) or an incisal portion corresponding with an incisal surface of the tooth, a mesial proximal portion forming a mesial proximal surface (31) corresponding with a mesial proximal surface of the tooth (102), and a distal proximal portion forming a distal proximal surface (35) corresponding with a distal proximal surface of the tooth (102), wherein the mold body (12) is configured to combine with the tooth (102) of the patient to form a mold cavity encompassing missing tooth structure of the tooth (102), and wherein the occlusal or incisal portion, the mesial proximal portion, and the distal proximal portion are based on three-dimensional scan data o
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2024
    Publication date: December 26, 2024
    Inventors: James D. Hansen, Joseph C. Dingeldein, Mary C. Doruff