Holder for Affixing Reference Dots on Soft Modeling Materials

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing white-light scanning techniques, such as ATOS, are line of sight only and struggle to capture non-line of sight features effectively, as reference dots do not affix well to the solidified but soft rubber-like surface of liquid modeling impression materials like ScanRubber, making it difficult to align and scan these hidden areas accurately.

Innovation Solution

A holder with a handle portion, float portion, and anchor portion is designed to support the handle on the surface of the liquid modeling impression material, allowing reference dots to be placed and retained, and featuring a mesh area for immersion, enabling accurate optical data acquisition of non-line of sight features by facilitating the alignment and scanning of these features after solidification.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If liquid modeling impression material is used to capture non-line of sight features, then the ability to flow into and replicate hidden areas is improved, but the ability to affix reference dots to the surface deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to flow into non-line of sight featuresVSAvoidability to affix reference dots

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is positioned and reference dots are affixed to it before the modeling impression material is poured. This preliminary action ensures that reference dots are placed on a stable surface (the holder) rather than attempting to affix them to the liquid or solidified material, thereby resolving the contradiction between the material's flowability and its ability to hold reference dots.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The holder serves as an intermediary object between the reference dots and the modeling impression material. Instead of directly affixing reference dots to the material surface, the holder provides a stable platform for dot placement, while still allowing the material to flow around it and capture the non-line of sight features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If reference dots are affixed directly to the solidified modeling impression material, then alignment can be facilitated, but the reference dots do not affix well to the soft rubber-like surface

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment accuracyVSAvoidreference dot attachment reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Reference dots are affixed to the holder before the modeling impression material solidifies, rather than attempting to affix them to the soft rubber-like surface afterward. This preliminary action ensures reliable attachment while maintaining the ability to achieve precise alignment through the holder's reference features.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Manufacturing precision

If the holder is fully immersed in the liquid modeling impression material, then complete capture of non-line of sight features is improved, but the handle portion becomes inaccessible for positioning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of feature captureVSAvoidaccessibility for positioning

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The holder is segmented into distinct portions: an anchor portion that is immersed in the modeling impression material to ensure complete capture of non-line of sight features, and a handle portion that remains accessible above the material for positioning and manipulation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction between complete feature capture and operational accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The holder enables precise alignment and scanning of non-line of sight features by providing a stable reference frame within the modeling impression material, ensuring accurate integration of the scanned data back into the workpiece, overcoming the challenge of affixing reference dots to the soft surface of solidified materials.

Implementation Method 1

a float portion to at least partially support the handle portion with respect to a surface of a liquid modeling impression material

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS10675790B2System and method for affixing reference dots with respect to modeling impression materials

Publication Date: 2020.06.09 RTX CORP

AI summary

A holder to facilitate optical data acquisition includes a float portion that extends from a handle portion to at least partially support the handle portion with respect to a surface of the liquid modeling impression material. A method of optical data acquisition includes communicating a liquid modeling impression material into a non-line of sight feature of a workpiece and immersing a portion of a holder into the liquid modeling impression material.