MECHANISMS TO AUTOMATE REMOVAL OF ALIGNER FROM MOLD
First Claim
1. A shell removal device comprising:
- a body comprising one or more sidewalls that enclose an interior of the body;
a platform disposed within the interior of the body, wherein the platform is configured to secure a mold that has an untrimmed shell formed over the mold, and wherein one or more portions of the untrimmed shell are to extend over the one or more sidewalls of the body;
a cover configured to secure the untrimmed shell to an upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body and provide a seal between a lower surface of the untrimmed shell and the upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body; and
a media inlet in the body to permit pressurized media into the interior of the body to cause a pressure differential between an upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the untrimmed shell, wherein the pressure differential causes the untrimmed shell to expand and release from the mold.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments relate to automating removal of an untrimmed shell from a mold. In one embodiment, a shell removal device includes a body and a platform disposed within the body. The platform is configured to secure a mold that has an untrimmed shell formed over the mold. The shell removal device further includes a cover configured to secure the untrimmed shell to an upper surface of one or more sidewalls of the body and provide a seal between a lower surface of the untrimmed shell and the upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body. The shell removal device may include a media inlet in the body to permit pressurized media into the interior of the body to cause a pressure differential between an upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the untrimmed shell to cause the untrimmed shell to release from the mold.
13 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A shell removal device comprising:
-
a body comprising one or more sidewalls that enclose an interior of the body; a platform disposed within the interior of the body, wherein the platform is configured to secure a mold that has an untrimmed shell formed over the mold, and wherein one or more portions of the untrimmed shell are to extend over the one or more sidewalls of the body; a cover configured to secure the untrimmed shell to an upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body and provide a seal between a lower surface of the untrimmed shell and the upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body; and a media inlet in the body to permit pressurized media into the interior of the body to cause a pressure differential between an upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the untrimmed shell, wherein the pressure differential causes the untrimmed shell to expand and release from the mold. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method comprising:
-
securing a mold to a platform of a shell removal device, wherein an untrimmed shell has been formed over the mold, wherein a body of the shell removal device comprises one or more sidewalls that enclose an interior of the body, wherein the platform is disposed within the interior of the body, and wherein sides of the untrimmed shell extend over the one or more sidewalls of the body; securing the untrimmed shell between a lower surface of a cover and an upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body to provide a seal between at least one of a lower surface of the untrimmed shell and the upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body or an upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the cover; performing at least one of pumping a pressurized media into the interior of the body or pumping media out of an area defined by the cover and the upper surface of the untrimmed shell to cause a pressure differential between the upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the untrimmed shell; and causing the untrimmed shell to expand and release from the mold based on the pressure differential. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A shell removal device comprising:
-
a body comprising one or more sidewalls that enclose an interior of the body; a platform disposed within the interior of the body, wherein the platform is configured to secure a mold that has an untrimmed shell formed over the mold, and wherein one or more portions of the untrimmed shell are to extend over the one or more sidewalls of the body; a cover configured to secure the untrimmed shell to an upper surface of the one or more sidewalls of the body and provide a seal between an upper surface of the untrimmed shell and a lower surface of the cover; and a media outlet in the cover to permit media to be removed from an area defined by the cover and the upper surface of the untrimmed shell to cause a pressure differential between the upper surface of the untrimmed shell and the lower surface of the untrimmed shell, wherein the pressure differential causes the untrimmed shell to release from the mold. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
-
Specification