Patents by Inventor Jennifer Chavez
Jennifer Chavez 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).
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Publication number: 20240123680Abstract: The present disclosure provides photo-polymerizable components, photo-curable resins comprising one or more of such monomers, as well as polymeric materials formed from the photo-curable resins. Further provided herein are methods of producing the compositions and using the same for the fabrication of medical devices, such as orthodontic appliances.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Viswanath MEENAKSHISUNDARAM, Jennifer CHAVEZ, Michael Christopher COLE
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Patent number: 11945166Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects on a rotor, the plurality of additively manufactured objects having excess material thereon. The method can include removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects via the rotor. The method can further include applying energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects to cure a portion of each additively manufactured object while the plurality of additively manufactured objects are on the rotor.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2022Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Srinivas Kaza, Chunhua Li, Lance Robert Pickens, Shawn Stromenger, Jun Sato, Siobhan O'Leary, Peter Webber, Brett E. Kelly, Jennifer Chavez
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Patent number: 11851510Abstract: This disclosure provides low-viscosity resins for producing polymers with properties suitable for use in various mechanical appliances, such as orthodontic appliances (e.g., aligners). The low-viscosity resins may be photo-curable and can be used with direct fabrication methods and equipment. In various embodiments, the polymeric materials produced from the low-viscosity resins described herein have high toughness while remaining resistant to stress relaxation. Low-viscosity, photo-curable resins described herein have reduced hydrogen bonding in comparison to traditional materials (e.g., materials having high urethane content) used in orthodontic appliances.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: December 26, 2023Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Blaine Carter, Jennifer Chavez, Lance Robert Pickens, Michael Christopher Cole, Peter Dorfinger, Yan Chen
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Publication number: 20230191702Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects on a rotor, the plurality of additively manufactured objects having excess material thereon. The method can include removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects via the rotor. The method can further include applying energy to the plurality of additively manufactured objects to cure a portion of each additively manufactured object while the plurality of additively manufactured objects are on the rotor.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2022Publication date: June 22, 2023Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Srinivas Kaza, Chunhua Li, Lance Robert Pickens, Shawn Stromenger, Jun Sato, Siobhan O'Leary, Peter Webber, Brett E. Kelly, Jennifer Chavez
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Publication number: 20230134234Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects having excess material thereon. The method can include removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects. The method can also include adjusting an environmental temperature while rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects according to a dynamic temperature profile that facilitates removal of the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects. The dynamic temperature profile can include (a) a first temperature configured to decrease a viscosity of the excess material, and (b) a second temperature configured to increase a stiffness of the plurality of additively manufactured objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Srinivas Kaza, Chunhua Li, Lance Robert Pickens, Shawn Stromenger, Jun Sato, Siobhan O'Leary, Peter Webber, Brett E. Kelly, Jennifer Chavez
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Publication number: 20230133005Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a system includes a plurality of containers configured to receive a plurality of additively manufactured object having excess material thereon. The system can include a rotor having a central shaft and a plurality of arms, each arm having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end of each arm can be coupled to the central shaft and a second end of each arm can be coupled to a respective container of the plurality of containers. The system can also include an actuator configured to spin the rotor so as to remove the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects. The system can further include at least one heat source carried on the rotor to heat the excess material to decrease a viscosity thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Srinivas Kaza, Chunhua Li, Lance Robert Pickens, Shawn Stromenger, Jun Sato, Siobhan O'Leary, Peter Webber, Brett E. Kelly, Jennifer Chavez
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Publication number: 20230137027Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for post-processing additively manufactured objects are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, a method includes receiving a plurality of additively manufactured objects having excess material thereon. The method can include removing the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects by rotating the plurality of additively manufactured objects. The method can also include receiving sensor data indicative of a cleaning status of the plurality of additively manufactured objects. The method can further include adjusting, based on the sensor data, an operational parameter that enhances removal of the excess material from the plurality of additively manufactured objects.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Viswanath Meenakshisundaram, Srinivas Kaza, Chunhua Li, Lance Robert Pickens, Shawn Stromenger, Jun Sato, Siobhan O'Leary, Peter Webber, Brett E. Kelly, Jennifer Chavez
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Publication number: 20230089755Abstract: A support is coupled to an appliance to decrease warpage. The support may comprise a plurality of extensions coupled to the appliance to decrease warpage. The extensions can be coupled to the appliance at one or more of many locations, such as on an occlusal surface, a wall, an edge or an interior of the appliance. In some embodiments, the extensions are coupled to walls of the appliance such as a buccal wall and a lingual wall, and the extensions can be coupled to the walls of the appliance near edges of the walls, such as a gingivally facing edges of the walls that are oriented toward the gingiva when the appliance is worn.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2022Publication date: March 23, 2023Applicant: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.Inventors: Jennifer CHAVEZ, Peter WEBBER, Zhou (Jonelle) YU, Tzishing Jesse LIM, Luyao CAI, Eric YAU
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Patent number: 11534277Abstract: A support is coupled to an appliance to decrease warpage. The support may comprise a plurality of extensions coupled to the appliance to decrease warpage. The extensions can be coupled to the appliance at one or more of many locations, such as on an occlusal surface, a wall, an edge or an interior of the appliance. In some embodiments, the extensions are coupled to walls of the appliance such as a buccal wall and a lingual wall, and the extensions can be coupled to the walls of the appliance near edges of the walls, such as gingivally facing edges of the walls that are oriented toward the gingiva when the appliance is worn.Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jennifer Chavez, Peter Webber, Zhou (Jonelle) Yu, Tzishing Jesse Lim, Luyao Cai, Eric Yau
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Publication number: 20220110718Abstract: Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders, attachment templates, mandibular repositioning aligners, and a variable property aligners, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may have multiple regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be made of different materials, or different combinations of materials, based on rigidity, flexibility and/or other physical characteristics. The different regions may be joined together by a junction region configured to sufficiently hold adjacent regions together during use.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Jennifer CHAVEZ, Peter WEBBER, Peter DORFINGER
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Publication number: 20220110719Abstract: Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders and aligners, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may formed by printing different regions of the device with different properties, including hybrid regions formed between adjacent regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be joined together by a transition region configured to hold adjacent regions together during use and provide advantageous properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Jennifer CHAVEZ, Peter WEBBER, Peter DORFINGER
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Publication number: 20220110717Abstract: Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may have multiple regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be made of different materials, or different combinations of materials, based on rigidity, flexibility and/or other physical characteristics. For palatal expanders, the different regions can include a tooth engagement region adapted to engage with the patient's teeth and a palatal region adapted to exert an expansion force across the patient's palate. The different regions may be joined together by a junction or a transition region configured to sufficiently hold adjacent regions together during use.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2021Publication date: April 14, 2022Inventors: Jennifer CHAVEZ, Peter WEBBER, Peter DORFINGER
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Publication number: 20210277152Abstract: This disclosure provides low-viscosity resins for producing polymers with properties suitable for use in various mechanical appliances, such as orthodontic appliances (e.g., aligners). The low-viscosity resins may be photo-curable and can be used with direct fabrication methods and equipment. In various embodiments, the polymeric materials produced from the low-viscosity resins described herein have high toughness while remaining resistant to stress relaxation. Low-viscosity, photo-curable resins described herein have reduced hydrogen bonding in comparison to traditional materials (e.g., materials having high urethane content) used in orthodontic appliances.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Blaine CARTER, Jennifer CHAVEZ, Lance Robert PICKENS, Michael Christopher COLE, Peter DORFINGER, Yan CHEN
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Publication number: 20210147672Abstract: This disclosure provides polymeric materials comprising polymer crystals, methods and resins for making the same, and objects and appliances made from said polymeric materials. Polymeric materials having polymer crystals provide favorable properties, such as enhanced durability and rigidity. This disclosure also provides polymeric materials comprising a crystalline phase comprising at least one polymer crystal, as well as an amorphous phase comprising at least one amorphous polymer. The crystalline phase can confer rigidity to the polymeric material, while the amorphous phase can confer elasticity and flexibility.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2020Publication date: May 20, 2021Inventors: Michael Christopher COLE, Jennifer Chavez
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Publication number: 20200306017Abstract: A support is coupled to an appliance to decrease warpage. The support may comprise a plurality of extensions coupled to the appliance to decrease warpage. The extensions can be coupled to the appliance at one or more of many locations, such as on an occlusal surface, a wall, an edge or an interior of the appliance. In some embodiments, the extensions are coupled to walls of the appliance such as a buccal wall and a lingual wall, and the extensions can be coupled to the walls of the appliance near edges of the walls, such as a gingivally facing edges of the walls that are oriented toward the gingiva when the appliance is worn.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Applicant: Align Technology, Inc.Inventors: Jennifer CHAVEZ, Peter WEBBER, Zhou (Jonelle) YU, Tzishing Jesse LIM, Luyao CAI, Eric YAU
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Publication number: 20150094387Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an amine catalyst composition for producing polyurethane foam. The amine catalyst composition includes an amine catalyst and a diluent containing a thickening agent and water. The use of such a diluent, in place of conventional glycols, reduces raw material and processing costs as well as environmental concerns during the production of polyurethane foam.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2012Publication date: April 2, 2015Applicant: Huntsman Petrochemical LLCInventors: Eugene P. Wiltz, JR., Donald Ridgway, Jennifer Chavez, Frank Rodriguez, Robert A. Grigsby, JR., Gwynne Whitcombe