1. An optical body, comprising:
a polymer matrix; and
a plurality of polymer fibers disposed within the polymer matrix and oriented substantially parallel to a first axis of the matrix, wherein at least one of the polymer fibers comprises a first polymer material and a second polymer material, the first and second polymer materials not miscible with each other and at least one of the polymer materials being birefringent, the at least one fiber having elongated internal multiple birefringent interfaces for reflecting light, the elongated birefringent interfaces formed between the first polymer material and the second polymer material, wherein a refractive index difference at the birefringent interfaces for light polarized parallel to the first axis is different from a refractive index difference at the birefringent interfaces for light polarized parallel to a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis.
2. An optical body as recited in claim 1, wherein a plurality of the polymer fibers comprises the first polymer material and the second polymer material, the plurality of fibers having elongated internal multiple birefringent interfaces for reflecting light, the elongated birefringent interfaces formed between the first polymer material and the second polymer material, wherein a refractive index difference at the birefringent interfaces for light polarized parallel to the first axis is different from a refractive index difference at the birefringent interfaces for light polarized parallel to a second axis, the second axis orthogonal to the first axis.
3. An optical body as recited in claim 2, wherein the fibers comprises a disperse phase of the second polymer material in a continuous phase of the first polymer material.
4. An optical body as recited in claim 3, wherein the second polymer material has a rod-like structure.
5. An optical body as recited in claim 2, wherein the fibers comprise a continuous phase of the first polymer material and a continuous phase of the second polymer material.
6. An optical body as recited in claim 5, wherein the first polymer material and the second polymer material are co-continuous.
7. An optical body as recited in claim 5, further comprising a third polymer material in the continuous phase of the second polymer material.
8. An optical body as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of fibers are arranged in a one-dimensional array in the polymer matrix.
9. An optical body as recited in claim 8, the plurality of fibers having a regular spacing between adjacent fibers.
10. An optical body as recited in claim 8, further comprising a fiber weave within the polymer matrix, the fiber weave comprising the plurality of polymer fibers.
11. An optical body as recited in claim 10, wherein the plurality of polymer fibers comprise one of the warp and the weft of the fiber weave.
12. An optical body as recited in claim 1, wherein the polymer matrix has at least one structured surface.
13. An optical body as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one structured surface provides optical power to light transmitted through the body.
14. An optical body as recited in claim 12, wherein the at least one structured surface comprises an array of prismatic structures.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A molded member made of form-stabilized material comprising at least a first component and a second component, characterized in that said second component has a different color from that of the first component, and the second component is arranged within the first component to form an interface in such a way that said interface represents a surface curved in space.
2. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein the interface at least partially corresponds to the course of the dentinenamel border of natural or artificial teeth.
3. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein a shape stabilization of the molded member is achieved by mechanical action, especially by pressure.
4. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein the pigmentation serves to adjust the translucency andor color of the molded member.
5. The molded member according to claim 4, wherein the translucency is adjusted by opaquers.
6. The molded member according to claim 4, wherein the color is adjusted by color pigments.
7. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein the first and second component is a ceramic material, especially a feldspar or oxide ceramic material.
8. The molded member according to claim 7, wherein said feldspar ceramic material comprises metal oxides selected from the group consisting of SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, K2O, optionally supplemented by adding pigments and inorganic fillers.
9. The molded member according to claim 7, wherein said oxide ceramic material comprises metal oxides selected from the group consisting of SiO2, Al2O3, ZrO2 stabilized by various compounds (Y2O3, CeO2 etc.), optionally supplemented by adding pigments or compounds of colored ions.
10. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein said molded member has been dense-sintered.
11. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein said molded member has been porous-sintered.
12. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein said sinterable material is preferably provided with a binder during the shaping.
13. The molded member according to claim 12, wherein said binder is selected from the group consisting of acrylate(s), PVA, cellulose derivatives etc.
14. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein said first and second components are a thermoplastic andor thermosetting material, especially an acrylate polymer.
15. The molded member according to claim 1, wherein the interface (16) is essentially described by a family of parabolas, whereby said second component (14) has an essentially parabolic border line (42, 44, 46) towards said first component in a cross-sectional plane (36, 38, 40).
16. The molded member according to claim 15, in which said second component (14) respectively has a parabolic border line (42, 44, 46) in parallel cross-sectional planes (36, 38, 40), preferably wherein said border line (42, 46, 48) is parabolic in all mutually parallel cross-sectional planes (36, 38, 40).
17. The molded member according to claim 15, in which the maximums of the parabolas (48) of border lines (42, 44, 46) decrease, preferably continuously, starting from a major cross-sectional plane (22) in a taper direction (52), which preferably extends perpendicular to said major cross-sectional plane (22).
18. The molded member according to claim 15, in which the decrease of the maximums of the parabola (48) goes through at least 50%, preferably through at least 75%, of the second component (14) in the taper direction (52).
19. The molded member according to claim 15, wherein the maximums of the parabola (48) lie in a common plane (50) extending in the taper direction (52), in particular which is a plane of symmetry (50) of said second component (14).
20. The molded member according to claim 15, wherein said parabolic border line (42, 44, 46) merges into a curve of opposite curvature on at least one end (34) of the two branches of the parabola.
21. A process for preparing the molded member according to the invention, especially consisting of a sinterable material or plastic material, which has at least one first and at least one second component, wherein
a) said at least one first component is filled into a mold;
b) a depression having a surface is pressed into the filled-in at least one first component of said material, especially sinterable material or plastic material; and
c) said surface forms an interface curved in space towards
d) the at least one second component filled into the depression.
22. The process according to claim 21, wherein the first and second components are cured at an elevated temperature and optionally under pressure in the case of a plastic material.
23. The process according to claim 21, wherein the surface of the interface at least partially corresponds to the course of the dentinenamel border of natural or artificial teeth.
24. The process according to claim 21, wherein step c) is followed by a sintering step.
25. Use of the molded member according to claim 1 for preparing a dental restoration.
26. The use according to claim 25, wherein said dental restoration is constructed and prepared by means of CADCAM methods.
27. A process for preparing a molded member made of form-stabilized material with an interface extending within the molded member, wherein said material has at least a first component and a second component;
said second component has a pigmentation different from that of the first component, and the second component is arranged within the first component to form an interface in such a way that said interface represents a surface curved in space;
said interface is obtainable by creating surfaces having radii of curvature with different degrees of curvature from sections made through a set of natural or artificial teeth; andor
said interface is obtainable by creating surfaces having radii of curvature with different degrees of curvature from courses of the dentinenamel border of natural or artificial teeth of the set;
the created surfaces having radii of curvature with different degrees of curvature are arranged in space as a function of the degree of curvature of the radii of curvature; and
wherein an arrangement in space of the created surfaces resulting therefrom produces the totality of the interface.
28. The process according to claim 27, wherein the marginal region of the courses of the dentinenamel border is left unconsidered when the created surfaces are arranged.
29. The process according to claim 28, wherein only those teeth whose dentinenamel border is in accordance with a predetermined approximating surface to at least 80%, especially at least 90%, are considered in the production of the totality of the interface.
30. The process according to claim 29, wherein said approximating surface is approximated by significant dentinenamel borders of natural or artificial teeth.
31. The process according to claim 27, wherein the teeth having a great curvature of the dentinenamel border are combined to form an apical region of the interface, or arranged in the apical region of an approximating surface.
32. The process according to claim 31, wherein the teeth selected to be arranged in the apical region are sorted essentially by their size.
33. The process according to claim 27, wherein the teeth having a small curvature of the dentinenamel border are combined in the marginal region of the interface, or arranged in the marginal region of an approximating surface.
34. The process according to claim 33, wherein the teeth selected to be arranged in the marginal region are sorted essentially by their size.
35. The process according to claim 27, wherein the teeth having a medium curvature of the dentinenamel border may be combined to form an intermediate region of the interface arranged between the marginal region and the apical region, or arranged in the intermediate region of an approximating surface.
36. The process according to claim 35, wherein the teeth selected to be arranged in the intermediate region are sorted essentially by their size.
37. The process according to claim 31, wherein the size sorting is performed in the same direction in space independently of the intensity of the curvature.