Patent ID: 6330904
Filing Date: 2001-12-18
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
A microwave-based process for burnout of a dental casting mold comprising embedding a wax pattern in a suitable thermal investment material to make an investment mold with said wax pattern embedded therein; and eliminating said wax pattern from said investment mold by subjecting said wax pattern and investment mold to microwave radiation under conditions sufficient to obtain burnout of said mold, wherein said microwave is operating at about 700 watts or more, wherein said wax pattern and investment told are enclosed in a microwave transmissive burnout chamber of low thermal conductivity, said burnout chamber being disposed within a microwave retaining chamber, wherein a heat-emissive element is disposed within said burnout chamber, and said investment mold and said heat-emissive element are positioned relative to one other during the mold burnout such that said heat-emissive element is beneath said investment mold and molten flow from an escape channel provided in said investment mold during the mold burnout occurs onto said heat-emissive element, which is adapted to assist said molten flow from said escape channel, wherein fluid flow into and out of said burnout chamber occurs during the mold burnout, and wherein said burnout chamber includes walls forming an opening for a door for access to the chamber interior and fluid flow occurs between said door and said walls.