Patents by Inventor Joseph R. Dufour

Joseph R. Dufour 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: 12263058
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes articles, systems, and techniques including an additive manufactured orthodontic attachment including a body defining a retaining member configured to retain the article in a recess defined by a shell of a transfer tray; a coupling portion configured to engage a tool for insertion of the attachment into the recess of the transfer tray; and a bonding surface configured to bond the attachment to a portion of an outer surface of a tooth of a patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2025
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: David K. Cinader, Jr., Richard E. Raby, Joseph R. Dufour, Daniel J. Skamser, Jeremy A. Schmoll, Michael K. Domroese
  • Patent number: 12036092
    Abstract: A method to combine dental anatomy data includes, by the use of a computing device: receiving volumetric dental data and superficial dental data; segmenting the crowns of the volumetric dental data from the roots of the volumetric dental data; segmenting the crowns of the superficial dental data from the gingiva of the superficial dental data; transforming superficial dental data of the crowns to substantially align with volumetric dental data of the crowns; stitching the transformed superficial dental data of the crowns to volumetric dental data of the crowns; and outputting for display an image data based on the combined dental data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Solventum Intellectual Properties Company
    Inventors: Richard E. Raby, Eric S. Hansen, Joseph R. Dufour
  • Publication number: 20240099817
    Abstract: Attachments of the present disclosure combines the optimal practices of the traditional bracket-wire system and more recent resilient appliance (e.g., CTAs and polymeric bands) systems. The attachments include prescribed in/outs, torques and angulations designed utilizing the straight wire methodology for determining the bonding location on a particular tooth of the dental arch. A marriage of bracket prescription with attachment placement can help the treating professional to better visualize the treatment outcome with the tray or band on the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Ming-Lai Lai, Joseph R. Dufour, Daniel J. Skamser
  • Publication number: 20230380939
    Abstract: Attachments of the present disclosure combines the optimal practices of the traditional bracket-wire system and more recent resilient appliance (e.g., CTAs and polymeric bands) systems. The attachments include prescribed in/outs, torques and angulations designed utilizing the straight wire methodology for determining the bonding location on a particular tooth of the dental arch. A marriage of bracket prescription with attachment placement can help the treating professional to better visualize the treatment outcome with the tray or band on the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2022
    Publication date: November 30, 2023
    Inventors: Ming-Lai Lai, Ralf M. Paehl, Joseph R. Dufour
  • Publication number: 20230009985
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes articles, systems, and techniques including an additive manufactured orthodontic attachment including a body defining a retaining member configured to retain the article in a recess defined by a shell of a transfer tray; a coupling portion configured to engage a tool for insertion of the attachment into the recess of the transfer tray; and a bonding surface configured to bond the attachment to a portion of an outer surface of a tooth of a patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Inventors: David K. Cinader, JR., Richard E. Raby, Joseph R. Dufour, Daniel J. Skamser, Jeremy A. Schmoll, Michael K. Domroese
  • Publication number: 20220323183
    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 a positive shape of one or more appliance analogs including ramps extending in a generally gingival direction from the analog. 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 and related channels are accordingly formed in the ray, each receptacle approximating a least a portion of the shape of an appliance analog and each channel approximating at least a portion of the shape of a ramp. An appliance associated with an appliance analog is placed into a receptacle of the one or more receptacles, and the appliance may be bonded to a tooth surface of the patient's dental arch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: October 13, 2022
    Inventors: Joseph R. Dufour, David K. Cinader, Jr., Sheng Thao, Jeremy A. Schmoll, Peter See, Nicholas A. Stark, Richard E. Raby
  • Publication number: 20220110723
    Abstract: A method to combine dental anatomy data includes, by the use of a computing device: receiving volumetric dental data and superficial dental data; segmenting the crowns of the volumetric dental data from the roots of the volumetric dental data; segmenting the crowns of the superficial dental data from the gingiva of the superficial dental data; transforming superficial dental data of the crowns to substantially align with volumetric dental data of the crowns; stitching the transformed superficial dental data of the crowns to volumetric dental data of the crowns; and outputting for display an image data based on the combined dental data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2019
    Publication date: April 14, 2022
    Inventors: Richard E. Raby, Eric S. Hansen, Joseph R. Dufour