Constructive modelling of articles

• US 6,112,109 A
• Filed: 04/13/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The University of Queensland
• Original Assignee: The University of Queensland
• Inventors: D'Urso, Paul Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Lateef, Marvin M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAW, SHAWNA JEANNINE
• Application Number:
  US09/058,811
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 128/922, 128/898, 623/901, 378/4, 378/34, 378/901, 395/120, 395/121, 395/124, 395/125, 356/376, 356/379, 356/380
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/06 Blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/2875 Skull or cranium A61F2/2803 and A61F2/3099 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/30942 for designing or making customized prostheses, e.g. using templates, CT or NMR scans, finite-element analysis or CAD-CAM techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30574 with an integral complete or partial collar or flange
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30948 using computerized tomography, i.e. CT scans
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30952 using CAD-CAM techniques or NC-techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30957 using a positive or a negative model, e.g. moulds
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30962 using stereolithography
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30963 using templates, e.g. grid charts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00023 Titanium or titanium-based alloys, e.g. Ti-Ni alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00293 containing a phosphorus-containing compound, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/06 Titanium or titanium alloys
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 27/12 Phosphorus-containing materials, e.g. apatite
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/135 the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/182 in parallel batches
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/40 Structures for supporting 3D objects during manufacture and intended to be sacrificed after completion thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 50/00 Data acquisition or data processing for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35217 : Cagd computer aided geometric design, sbgd scanning based geometric design
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45166 : Tomography
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45168 : Bone prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45204 : Die, mould making
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/49013 : Deposit layers, cured by scanning laser, stereo lithography SLA, prototyping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/00 : Three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/922 : including image analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 378/901 : Computer tomography program or processor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 : Method of manufacturing prosthetic device

Abstract

A method for constructive modelling of articles including prostheses and anatomical pathology wherein CT scan data is computed to construct a plurality of two dimensional cross sectional images along one axis and the two dimensional image data is computed to create three dimensional coordinate data sets for the articles to be modelled. The three dimensional data sets are then computed to obtained spaced parallel two dimensional image data sets in a second plane of the article and the reconstructed two dimensional image data sets are employed in a constructive modelling process to produce a three dimensional model of the article or part thereof.

Claims

1. A method for constructive modelling of articles, said method comprising the steps of:

inputting into a data storage means scanning data relating to internal and/or external surfaces of an article;

computing the stored scanning data according to a predetermined algorithm to reconstruct a plurality of parallel two dimensional cross-sectional images of the article;

computing said plurality of two dimensional cross-sectional images according to a predetermined algorithm to generate a three dimensional co-ordinate data set for the article; and

generating a three dimensional representation of said article by a constructive modelling process using selected sequential two dimensional image data sets computed from said three dimensional co-ordinate data set, said two dimensional image data sets being computed in parallel planes which are not parallel to the planes in which said two dimensional cross-sectional images are obtained by scanning.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said two dimensional image data sets are computed in parallel planes at closer intervals than planes in which said two dimensional cross-sectional images are obtained by scanning.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said scanning data comprises digitised X-Ray, MRI, MRA, PET, SPECT, acoustic or other computed tomographic data.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stored scanning data is computed to reconstruct a plurality of two-dimensional cross-sectional images of a selected region of the article scanned.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the two dimensional images of said selected region are generated by direct computation of image data obtained from a corresponding region on an opposite side of a central axis of a reconstructed two dimensional image.

6. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein said two dimensional images of said selected region are generated by overlaying, in the selected region, an image obtained from an opposite side of a central axis of a reconstructed two dimensional image, assigning respective values to the image data obtained from opposite sides of said central axis and adding or subtracting the assigned values to obtain two dimensional image data for the selected region only.

7. A method as claimed in claim 4 including the step of simultaneously modelling a first portion of an article with a boundary defining the selected region and a second portion of said article complementary to said selected region.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a model is constructed directly by a constructive modelling process.

9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the model is constructed indirectly by forming a mould from a constructively modelled article.

10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the model is constructed indirectly by manipulation of the scanned data, the reconstructed two dimensional images or the three dimensional co-ordinate data set to form a mould or mould surface from which the model is moulded or otherwise formed.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the constructive modelling process is stereolithography.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the constructive modelling process utilises laser sintering of particulate polymers.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the constructive modelling process comprises lamination of sheet-like material.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the constructive modelling process comprises a three dimensional printing process employing curable or cross-linkable materials.

15. A method for the surgical implantation of a prosthesis comprising the steps of:

topographically scanning a region of anatomical pathology;

inputting scanning data so obtained into a data storage means;

computing the stored scanning data according to a predetermined algorithm to reconstruct a plurality of parallel two dimensional cross-sectional images of the anatomical pathology;

computing said plurality of two dimensional cross-sectional images according to a predetermined algorithm to generate a three dimensional co-ordinate data set for the anatomical pathology;

generating a three dimensional representation of said anatomical pathology or a mould surface therefor by a constructive modelling process using selected sequential two dimensional image data sets computed from said three dimensional co-ordinate data set, said two dimensional image data sets being computed in parallel planes which are not parallel to the planes in which said two dimensional cross-sectional images are obtained by scanning; and

surgically implanting in a patient a prosthesis obtained directly or indirectly therefrom, said prosthesis being characterised in having a close fit with connective tissue and contours appropriate for an implant site.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said two dimensional image data sets are computed in parallel planes at closer intervals than planes in which said two dimensional cross sectional images are obtained by scanning.

17. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said three dimensional representation includes a region of anatomical pathology surrounding or adjacent to the region of anatomical pathology being modelled, said surrounding region providing a template for accurate fit of a prosthesis so obtained.

18. A method as claimed in claim 15 including the step of simultaneously modelling a first portion of an anatomical pathology with an aperture defining the boundary of a defect and a second portion of said anatomical pathology complementary to said defect.

19. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein said second portion is modelled with a peripheral boundary slightly larger than the peripheral boundary of said aperture.

20. A method as claimed in claim 15 wherein an anatomical prosthesis is constructed directly from a cross linkable polymer by a constructive modelling process.

21. A method according to claim 15 wherein the prosthesis is constructed indirectly by forming a mould from a constructively modelled anatomical pathology representation.

22. A method according to claim 15 wherein the prosthesis is constructed indirectly by manipulation of the scanned data, the reconstructed two dimensional images or the three dimensional co-ordinate data set to form a mould or mould surface from which the prosthesis is moulded or otherwise formed.