US3903604A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Securing means for orthodontic appliance
Assignee: Ormco Corp
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Filing: 1974-02-13
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Granted: 1975-09-09
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Expires: 1994-02-13
Abstract
Abstract A manually retractable locking means is provided on the end of the inner arch of an orthodontic appliance, which engages the buccal tube in which the end of the arch resides, thereby to prevent undesired or accidental removal of the arch from the buccal tube. In similar vein the face bow, to which the inner arch is secured, is provided with a stop means associated with the resilient retractive elastic customarily used with the face bow, which prevents the face bow from being completely separated from the neck strap or retaining head gear to which it is secured. In this way a double safety feature is provided to prevent harm to the wearer by the accidental pulling out and snapping back of the face bow and/or the inner arch.
Inventors
- 👤 Wilford A Snead
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 21:56
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C7/00; A61C7/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
182 words
Orthodontic appliance comprising: an inner arch; a face bow secured to said inner arch; each end of said arch being adapted to extend through a respective buccal tube secured to a tooth, and having stop means bearing against said tooth to apply a retractive force to the tooth; manually actuable locking means forming an interengagement between each said end and its respective tube for preventing undesired removal of said arch from said tube; a first member and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member being adapted to being secured to the end of a neck strap or retaining head gear; said second member forming at least a part of the end portion of said face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an elongate tension member tensioned between said hoods; and stop means on said first and second members respectively, and engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
182 words
Orthodontic appliance comprising: an inner arch; a face bow secured to said inner arch; each end of said arch being adapted to extend through a respective buccal tube secured to a tooth, and having stop means bearing against said tooth to apply a retractive force to the tooth; manually actuable locking means forming an interengagement between each said end and its respective tube for preventing undesired removal of said arch from said tube; a first member and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member being adapted to being secured to the end of a neck strap or retaining head gear; said second member forming at least a part of the end portion of said face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an elongate tension member tensioned between said hoods; and stop means on said first and second members respectively, and engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
Orthodontic appliance comprising: a buccal tube adapted to be secured to a tooth; an inner arch having an end extended through said tube and having stop means bearing against said tube to apply a retractive force to the tooth; characterized by manually actuable locking means forming an interengagement between said end and said tube for preventing undesired removal of said end from said tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
Orthodontic appliance comprising: a buccal tube adapted to be secured to a tooth; an inner arch having an end extended through said tube and having stop means bearing against said tube to apply a retractive force to the tooth; characterized by manually actuable locking means forming an interengagement between said end and said tube for preventing undesired removal of said end from said tube.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Appliance in accordance with claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises: a groove in said arch; detent means mounted on said tube and resiliently biased into said groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
Appliance in accordance with claim 3 wherein said detent means comprises: a pin residing in a slot in said tube; and a leaf spring secured to said tube and bearing inwardly against said pin.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
66 words
Appliance in accordance with claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises: pawl means pivotally mounted to said arch end and engageable with the end of said tube; spring means for biasing said pawl means into position to engage said tube end; thereby to prevent removal of said arch from said tube except when said pawl means are deliberately retracted against the bias of said spring means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
117 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member forming at least a part of the end portion of a retaining head gear or neck strap; said second member forming at least a part of the end portion of a face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an enlongate tension member tensioned betweeen said hooks; and stop means on said first and second members respectively and engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member forming at least a part of the end portion of a retaining head gear or neck strap; said second member forming at least a part of the end portion of a face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an enlongate tension member tensioned betweeen said hooks; and stop means on said first and second members respectively and engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
Tension mechanism in accordance with claim 6 wherein said tension member comprises an elastic band.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
147 words
Tensioning mechanism adapted to link a first element comprising a face bow, to a second element comprising the end portion of a retaining head gear or neck strap, said mechanism comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member being joined to one of said elements; said second member comprising an elongate plate having a longitudinal slot, and attachment means adjacent one end for attachment to the other of said elements; a first hook extending laterally from said first member through said slot; a second hook extending laterally from said elongate plate adjacent said attachment means; an elongate tension member tensioned between saiD hooks; said first hook and an end of said slot constituting stop means engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
147 words
Tensioning mechanism adapted to link a first element comprising a face bow, to a second element comprising the end portion of a retaining head gear or neck strap, said mechanism comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member being joined to one of said elements; said second member comprising an elongate plate having a longitudinal slot, and attachment means adjacent one end for attachment to the other of said elements; a first hook extending laterally from said first member through said slot; a second hook extending laterally from said elongate plate adjacent said attachment means; an elongate tension member tensioned between saiD hooks; said first hook and an end of said slot constituting stop means engageable with each other to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
123 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member comprising a sleeve and linkage rod secured thereto, and means for connecting said rod to the neck strap; said second member comprising an end of the face bow extending through said sleeve; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an elongate tension member tensioned between said hooks; a lateral extension at the end of said face bow engageable with the end of said sleeve and serving as a stop means to limit the extensibility of said extension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
123 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member comprising a sleeve and linkage rod secured thereto, and means for connecting said rod to the neck strap; said second member comprising an end of the face bow extending through said sleeve; a first hook extending laterally from said first member; a second hook extending laterally from said second member; an elongate tension member tensioned between said hooks; a lateral extension at the end of said face bow engageable with the end of said sleeve and serving as a stop means to limit the extensibility of said extension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
135 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member comprising a sleeve secured to the end of the neck strap and having a longitudinal notch opening toward the face bow; said second member comprising a rod slideable in said sleeve, and means for connecting said rod to the face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said sleeve at the end of said sleeve opposite said notch; a second hook extending laterally from said rod and positioned to slide back and forth in said notch; a lateral extension on the end of said rod engageable with the end of said sleeve to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
Tensioning mechanism for an orthodontic face bow comprising: a first and a second member slideably mounted with respect to each other; said first member comprising a sleeve secured to the end of the neck strap and having a longitudinal notch opening toward the face bow; said second member comprising a rod slideable in said sleeve, and means for connecting said rod to the face bow; a first hook extending laterally from said sleeve at the end of said sleeve opposite said notch; a second hook extending laterally from said rod and positioned to slide back and forth in said notch; a lateral extension on the end of said rod engageable with the end of said sleeve to limit the extensibility of said tension member and to prevent undesired separation of said first and second members.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3686757A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-09-08 | 1979-03-10 | 1979-09-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-09-08 | 1983-03-10 | 1983-09-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-09-08 | 1987-03-10 | 1987-09-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |