Shade Guide Color Value Determination Method

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Solution Overview

Problem

The integration of new shade guides like 'Vita 3D-Master' with existing ones like 'Vitapan classic' and 'Chromascop' necessitates the development of additional colors, leading to increased costs and complexity in producing and storing artificial teeth in 62 different colors.

Innovation Solution

A method to determine new color values by increasing the color distance between lightness, hues, and chromata of existing color elements from 'Vitapan classic', 'Chromascop', and 'Vita 3D-Master' shade guides, allowing for the combination of similar colors into fewer, indistinguishable units, thereby reducing the number of individual color elements without compromising selection quality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If new shade guides are integrated with existing ones, then more color options are available, but the number of colors to be produced and stored increases to 62 different colors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor selection rangeVSAvoidnumber of color variants

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple existing shade guides (Vitapan Classic, Chromascop, Vita 3D-Master) into a single unified modular shade guide. Color tabs from different shade guides are integrated into common carriers organized by hue groups, merging previously separate color systems into one comprehensive yet compact structure that provides access to all colors without requiring separate physical guides for each system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The modular shade guide design allows a single shade guide body to serve multiple functions by accommodating color tabs from different shade guide systems. The common carriers can hold color tabs various hues and lightness values, making the shade guide universally applicable for matching different tooth colors while reducing the need for multiple separate shade guides.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If 62 different colors are produced and stored, then complete color coverage is achieved, but fabrication and storage costs increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor coverageVSAvoidfabrication and storage costs

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The shade guide is divided into modular components: a common carrier structure and detachable color tabs. Each carrier holds color tabs of similar hues, and tabs can be individually manufactured and assembled. This segmentation allows for more efficient production where color tabs can be made separately and systematically organized, reducing the complexity and cost of manufacturing 62 different complete tooth restorations in various colors.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Color tabs are organized in common carriers according to their hue characteristics, with each carrier containing tabs of similar hue but varying lightness. This local organization by color property allows for more efficient storage and retrieval, and enables the system to provide comprehensive color coverage while reducing the need to manufacture and store every possible combination of 62 colors as complete restorations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If 62 different colors are produced and stored, then all patient color requirements are met, but the shade guide pattern becomes confusing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor varietyVSAvoidshade guide pattern

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shade guide employs an asymmetric organizational structure where color tabs are arranged in common carriers grouped by hue, rather than a symmetric grid of all possible color combinations. This asymmetric organization by color property (hue groups) creates a logical, intuitive pattern that is easier to navigate than a complete 62-color matrix, reducing cognitive load while maintaining access to all color variants.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

Solution Approach 2:

The patent organizes color tabs in a hierarchical structure with common carriers representing one dimension (hue groups) and individual tabs within carriers representing another dimension (lightness variations). This dimensional organization transforms the complexity of 62 colors into a more manageable two-level system, making the shade guide pattern more intuitive and easier to use while preserving complete color variety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8542360B2Method and apparatus for producing a new shade guide having new color values from known color elements

Publication Date: 2013.09.24 IVOCLAR VIVADENT AG

AI summary

The invention relates to a method (100) for producing color elements of a shade guide. To this end, color values of known color elements (15) of shade guides (10) with similar lightness values, hues and chromata are initially ascertained. In another method step, the color values of each new color element are determined while increasing a color distance (16) between the lightness values, hues and chromata of the previously ascertained color values.