US3577855A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Jaw hinge axis locator
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-03-17
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Granted: 1971-05-11
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Expires: 1989-03-17
Abstract
Abstract A jaw hinge axis locator having a stiff wire frame with two curving segments which extend around the sides of a dental patient''s face from the handle of a mouthpiece mounted on his lower jaw, and a pair of dead soft wires connected to the outer ends of the curving segments of the frame. The dead soft wires terminate near the ends of the patient''s jaw hinge axis, and have flat squares of clear plastic, with grid markings, attached to their outer extremities. Each plastic square has an easily observable center of rotation which pinpoints the patient''s jaw hinge axis when he moves his lower jaw.
Inventors
- 👤 Lloyd Baum
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-22 19:55
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C9/00; A61C19/00; A61C19/04; A61C19/045
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
252 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means comprising: thin, elongate means, so sized, shaped and securable to the handle of a mouthpiece as to extend from said handle partway around at least one side of a dental patient''s face to termination near the area of his jaw hinge axis, when the mouthpiece is mounted for use on his lower jaw; and at least one flat, transparent plate member having center of rotation indexing markings thereon; said thin, elongate means having said flat, transparent plate member affixed at each end near said area of the patient''s jaw hinge axis in such fashion as to overlie that area; at least a portion of said thin, elongate means extending from each end to which said flat, transparent plate member is affixed being of dead-soft character to permit bending thereof and movement of said plate back and forth between positions of overlie and exposure with respect to said patient''s jaw hinge axis area; all parts of said jaw hinge axis-locating means serving to permit the rapid location of said patient''s jaw hinge axis either side of his face through observation of said flat, transparent plate member as the patient''s lower jaw is subjected to rotational movement, and notation, with the aid of said center of rotation-indexing marking thereon, of the center of rotation of said plate member, and to permit subsequent movement of said plate member out of the way and easy marking of the location of the appropriate end of the patient''s jaw hinge axis on his face.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
252 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means comprising: thin, elongate means, so sized, shaped and securable to the handle of a mouthpiece as to extend from said handle partway around at least one side of a dental patient''s face to termination near the area of his jaw hinge axis, when the mouthpiece is mounted for use on his lower jaw; and at least one flat, transparent plate member having center of rotation indexing markings thereon; said thin, elongate means having said flat, transparent plate member affixed at each end near said area of the patient''s jaw hinge axis in such fashion as to overlie that area; at least a portion of said thin, elongate means extending from each end to which said flat, transparent plate member is affixed being of dead-soft character to permit bending thereof and movement of said plate back and forth between positions of overlie and exposure with respect to said patient''s jaw hinge axis area; all parts of said jaw hinge axis-locating means serving to permit the rapid location of said patient''s jaw hinge axis either side of his face through observation of said flat, transparent plate member as the patient''s lower jaw is subjected to rotational movement, and notation, with the aid of said center of rotation-indexing marking thereon, of the center of rotation of said plate member, and to permit subsequent movement of said plate member out of the way and easy marking of the location of the appropriate end of the patient''s jaw hinge axis on his face.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 1, in which said thin, elongate means comprises a pair of wirelike arms adapted to curve from the vicinity of the handle of said mouthpiece around each side of said patient''s face in relatively close, but nontouching, proximity thereto, when said locating means is mounted for use on the lower jaw of the patient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
95 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 2, including an adapter for connecting said wirelike arms to the handle of said mouthpiece, said wirelike arms being joined together by means of a straight wire segment of round cross section, integral to both, and said adapter having a transverse bore, of round cross section, adapted to receive said straight wire segment, in freely rotatable relationship, and setscrew means for locking the straight wire segment in position in the bore, whereby angular adjustment of the positions of said arms relative to said handle is readily achievable.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
159 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 2, in which each of said arms has a rigid arcuate segment consisting of a piece of stiff curving wire, sufficiently long to extend, in a position of use on a dental patient, from the vicinity of the handle of said mouthpiece to a point short of the area of said patient''s jaw hinge axis on one side of his face; a dead-soft segment consisting of a piece of dead-soft wire of a length sufficient to extend from a point near the rearwardly disposed end of said rigid arcuate segment, when the latter is in the above-indicated position of use, to termination near the patient''s jaw hinge axis, and a connector having counterbored recesses, serving as receptive sockets for adjacently disposed ends of the rigid and dead-soft segments of the arm, and cooperating means for locking the adjacently disposed ends of said segments in said counterbored recesses in generally aligned relationship.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
153 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 3, in which each of said arms has a rigid, arcuate segment consisting of a piece of stiff, curving wire, sufficiently long to extend, in a position of use on a dental patient, from said adapter to a point short of the area of said patient''s jaw hinge axis on one side of his face; a dead-soft segment consisting of a piece of dead-soft wire of a length sufficient to extend from a point near the rearwardly disposed end of said rigid, arcuate segment when the latter is in its above-indicated position of use, to termination near said patient''s jaw hinge axis; and a connector having counterbored recesses, serving as receptive sockets for adjacently disposed ends of the rigid and dead-soft segments of the arms, and cooperating means for locking the adjacently disposed ends of said segments in said counterbored recesses in generally aligned relationship.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 4, in which the center of rotation-indexing markings on the flat, transparent plate members affixed to each of said arms consist of square grid markings.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 5, in which the center of rotation-indexing markings on the flat, transparent plate member affixed to each of said arms consist of square grid markings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 1, including, as a structural element, said mouthpiece.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 5, including, as a structural eLement, said mouthpiece.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
Jaw hinge axis-locating means in accordance with claim 7, including, as a structural element, said mouthpiece.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3056210A
Cited
US3078584A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-10 | 1974-11-09 | 1975-05-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-10 | 1978-11-09 | 1979-05-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-10 | 1982-11-09 | 1983-05-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |