EP0609653A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dental dispensing system
Assignee: 3M Co
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Filing: 1994-01-05
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-01-05
Abstract
Abstract A dispensing system (20) for dental appliances such as orthodontic brackets includes a plurality of containers (22) releasably connected to a carrier strip (26). The carrier strip is received in channels (68) of an organizer tray (30) that hold the carrier strip in place as individual containers are detached from the carrier strip. Individual containers, each containing a dental appliance, are selected and removed from the organizer tray for placement in a patient setup tray that is then carried to the patient's chair.
Inventors
No inventors recorded.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 21:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C19/00; A61C19/02; A61C7/00; A61C7/12; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S206/00; Y10S206/82
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
75 words
A dental dispensing system comprising: a plurality of dental appliances; a plurality of containers each receiving a respective one of said dental appliances; a carrier strip; means for releasably connecting each of said containers to said carrier strip; an organizer tray; and structure releasably securing said carrier strip to said organizer tray such that said carrier strip is retained by said tray as one or more of said containers are released from said carrier strip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
The system of claim 1 wherein said tray includes opposed channels for slidably receiving said carrier strip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The system of claim 1 or 2 wherein said tray includes a bottom wall, a front wall and a pair of opposed channels extending over said bottom wall and perpendicularly away from said front wall, said tray including a slot located between said front wall and said bottom wall and extending between said channels for removal of said carrier strip once said containers have been released from said carrier strip.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
26 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said means for releasably connecting each of said containers to said carrier strip comprises an adhesive.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 4 wherein said adhesive is a hot melt adhesive.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The system of claim 4 or 5 wherein said adhesive is part of a double sided adhesive tape.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
43 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 6 wherein each of said containers includes a cover having a tab, and wherein said means for releasably connecting each of said containers to said carrier strip releasably connects said tab to said carrier strip.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
21 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said containers are connected to said carrier strip along a row.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 8 wherein certain of said containers are in contact with the next adjacent container along said row.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
25 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 9 including a cabinet having a drawer, and wherein said organizer tray is received in said drawer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The system of claim 10 wherein said tray is removably received in said drawer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
31 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 11 wherein said drawer includes a shoulder for contact with said organizer tray to facilitate retention of said organizer tray in said drawer.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
50 words
The system of any of claims 1 to 12 wherein said organizer tray has ten aligned, side-by-side pairs of opposed channels for slidably receiving said carrier strips, said ten pairs of channels corresponding with ten respective, expected locations of use of said dental appliances in one arch of the mouth.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
100 words
A dental dispensing system comprising: a plurality of dental appliances; a plurality of containers each having a side wall and a bottom defining a well, said well of each of said containers receiving a respective one of said dental appliances, each of said containers including a cover removably covering its well, each of said containers having a generally flat configuration; a carrier strip; and means for detachably connecting each of said containers to said carrier strip such that said containers abut each other and are oriented in a stacked array with each of said containers extending in an upward direction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The system of claim 14 wherein said cover of each of said containers includes a tab that extends away from said well for gripping said cover and releasably engages said carrier strip.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
EP0389226A1
Cited
WO1992008419A1
Cited
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