Dental articulator

Claim 2

A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame; an upper frame; a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame; a pair of socket means for receiving each of said condyle means respectively, each of said socket means having three functional sides said first side being slidably mounted to said upper frame; means for constraining said first side to remain in a plane co-extensive with the plane of said first functional side associated with the second of said pair of socket means, said second and said third functional sides being mutually perpendicular; means for constraining said second and third functional sides to pivot relative to said upper frame about a first axis which is perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about a second axis which pivots about the first axis with said second and said third sides of which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of said sets of three functional sides further defining an occludent position fixed relative to said upper frame for said condyle means.

Claim 3

The device is claim 1, wherein said dental articulator further comprises: means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein said constraining means includes: pins rigidly fixed to said condyle means, the center line of said pins being coincident with a center line passing through the occludent position associated with each socket means; and two locking members pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said locking members including engaging means for pivotally locking said upper frame to said pins.

Claim 5

A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame; an upper frame; a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame; a pair of socket means for receiving each of said condyle means respectively, each of said socket means being defined by three functional sides, said first side being slidably mounted to said upper frame and being constrained to reamin in a plane co-extensive with the plane of said first functional side associated with the second of said pair of socket means, said second and said third functional sides being mutually perpendicular and being constrained to pivot relative to said upper frame about a first axis which is perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about a second axis which pivots about the first axis with said second and said third sides and which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of said sets of three functional sides further defining an occludent positIon fixed relative to said upper frame for said condyle means wherein each of said socket means includes; a back member slidably mounted on said upper frame, said back member having said first functional side; an angle member having said second and said third functional sides; and means for orienting said angle member with respect to said upper frame, said orientation means including a pivotal mount, said pivotal mount being pivotally located on said back member and having an access normal to the plane of the upper frame, a shaft, said shaft being fixed to said pivotal mount and having a center line which is perpendicular to and intersects the access of said pivotal mount, said angle member being pivotally mounted to said shaft.

Claim 6

A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame; an upper frame; a pair of condyle means positioned on said lower frame; a pair of socket means for receiving each of said condyle means respectively, each of said socket means being defined by three functional sides, said first side being slidably mounted to said upper frame and being constrained to reamin in a plane co-extensive with the plane of said first functional side associated with the second of said pair of socket means, said second and said third functional sides being mutually perpendicular and being constrained to pivot relative to said upper frame about a first axis which is perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame and about a second axis which pivots about the first axis with said second and said third sides and which is perpendicular to the first axis, each of said sets of three functional sides further defining an occludent positIon fixed relative to said upper frame for said condyle means wherein each of said socket means includes; a back member slidably mounted on said upper frame, said back member having said first functional side; an angle member having said second and said third functional sides; and means for orienting said angle member with respect to said upper frame, said orientation means including a pivotal mount, said pivotal mount being pivotally located on said back member and having an access normal to the plane of the upper frame, a shaft, said shaft being fixed to said pivotal mount and having a center line which is perpendicular to and intersects the access of said pivotal mount, said angle member being pivotally mounted to said shaft.

Claim 7

A dental articulator comprising; a lower frame, an upper frame, means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lower frame, means for selectively altering the orientation of said joining means to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lower frame about two axes, the first of said axis being perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and the second of said axes being perpendicular to said first axis, without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.

Claim 8

A dental articulator comprising; a lower frame, an upper frame, means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lower frame, means for selectively altering the orientation of said joining means to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lower frame about two axes, the first of said axis being perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and the second of said axes being perpendicular to said first axis, without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.

Claim 9

The device of claim 5, wherein said constraining means includes: pins rigidly fixed to said lower frame, said pins being centered on a center line passing through both joining means, and two locking members pivotally mounted to said upper frame, said locking members being pivotally lockable to said pins.

Claim 10

The device of claim 5, wherein said means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame include a pair of condyle means and a pair of sockets, each of said sockets being positioned to accept one of said condyle means respectively, and including a back member fixed to said frame and an angle member attached to said back member by said orientation means.

Claim 11

A dental articulator comprising; a lower frame, an upper frame, a means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame, whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lower frame, a means for selectively altering the orientation of said joining means to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lower frame in a range of directions without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about occludent position, wherein said orientation means includes; a pair of pivotal mounts located on said back member and having a pair of first axes normal to the plane of said upper frame, and a pair of swivels located on said first pivotal mounts respectively, and having second axes perpendicular to said pivotal mounts respectively, each of said angle members being pivotally mounted to one of said swivels respectively.

Claim 12

A dental articulator comprising; a lower frame, an upper frame, a means for joining said upper frame and said lower frame, whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between said upper frame and said lower frame, a means for selectively altering the orientation of said joining means to permit relative displacements of said upper frame on said lower frame in a range of directions without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining said upper frame to pivot about occludent position, wherein said orientation means includes; a pair of pivotal mounts located on said back member and having a pair of first axes normal to the plane of said upper frame, and a pair of swivels located on said first pivotal mounts respectively, and having second axes perpendicular to said pivotal mounts respectively, each of said angle members being pivotally mounted to one of said swivels respectively.

Claim 13

A dental articulator having a lower frame, an upper frame, and means for joining the upper and lower frames whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between the upper and lower frames, wherein the improvement comprises: means for selectively altering the orientation of each socket to permit relative displacement of the upper frame on the lower frame about two axes, the first of said axes being perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and the second of said axes being perpendicular to said first axes, without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining the upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.

Claim 14

A dental articulator having a lower frame, an upper frame, and means for joining the upper and lower frames whereby a fixed occludent position is provided between the upper and lower frames, wherein the improvement comprises: means for selectively altering the orientation of each socket to permit relative displacement of the upper frame on the lower frame about two axes, the first of said axes being perpendicular to the plane of said upper frame, and the second of said axes being perpendicular to said first axes, without disturbing the fixed occludent position, and means for selectively constraining the upper frame to pivot about the fixed occludent position.

Claim 15

A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame, an upper frame, a pair of spherical condyle balls mounted to said lower frame, a pair of pins, each one of said pair of pins being rigidly fixed to said spherical condyle balls respeCtively, said pins being oriented to have center lines coincident with a line passing through the centers of both of said condyle spheres, a pair of hooks pivotally mounted to said upper frame, each one of said hooks being associated with one of said pins respectively to selectively constrain said upper frame to rotate about a line passing through the centers of said spherical condyle balls, and a pair of sockets mounted on said upper frame to cooperate with said spherical condyle balls, said sockets being left and right handed respectively, each of said sockets comprising, a back member fixed to said frame, said back member having a surface which receives said condyle ball, a swivel mount pivotally mounted to said back member and having a first axis normal to the plane of said upper frame, a mounting plate fixed to said swivel mount and perpendicular thereto, an angle member pivotally fixed to said mounting plate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, said angle member having two interior surfaces for receiving said condyle ball, said two interior surfaces being mutually perpendicular and being constrained by the first and the second axes to remain tangential to said spherical condyle ball when said spherical condyle ball is positioned against said surface of said back member.

Claim 16

A dental articulator comprising: a lower frame, an upper frame, a pair of spherical condyle balls mounted to said lower frame, a pair of pins, each one of said pair of pins being rigidly fixed to said spherical condyle balls respeCtively, said pins being oriented to have center lines coincident with a line passing through the centers of both of said condyle spheres, a pair of hooks pivotally mounted to said upper frame, each one of said hooks being associated with one of said pins respectively to selectively constrain said upper frame to rotate about a line passing through the centers of said spherical condyle balls, and a pair of sockets mounted on said upper frame to cooperate with said spherical condyle balls, said sockets being left and right handed respectively, each of said sockets comprising, a back member fixed to said frame, said back member having a surface which receives said condyle ball, a swivel mount pivotally mounted to said back member and having a first axis normal to the plane of said upper frame, a mounting plate fixed to said swivel mount and perpendicular thereto, an angle member pivotally fixed to said mounting plate about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, said angle member having two interior surfaces for receiving said condyle ball, said two interior surfaces being mutually perpendicular and being constrained by the first and the second axes to remain tangential to said spherical condyle ball when said spherical condyle ball is positioned against said surface of said back member.

Claim 17

A condyle ball and socket joint comprising: a pair of condyle balls; a pair of sockets capable of receiving said condyle balls; said sockets being left and right handed respectively, each of said sockets comprising, a mounting base, said mounting base having a first surface to receive said condyle ball, a swivel mount, said swivel mount being pivotally mounted to said mounting base about a first axis which is parallel to said first surface, said swivel mount having a second surface to receive said condyle ball, an angle member, said angle member being pivotally mounted to said swivel mount about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, said angle member having a third and fourth surface to receive said condyle ball; said first, second, third and fourth surfaces forming a fixed position for said condyle ball irrespective of the positions of said swivel mount and said angle member about the first and second axis; a pair of pins, each one of said pins being rigidly fixed to one of said condyle balls; and locks fixed relative to said sockets, said locks being capable of engaging said pins to retain said condyle balls fixed relative to the fixed position formed by said first, second, third and fourth surfaces.

Claim 18

A condyle ball and socket joint comprising: a pair of condyle balls; a pair of sockets capable of receiving said condyle balls; said sockets being left and right handed respectively, each of said sockets comprising, a mounting base, said mounting base having a first surface to receive said condyle ball, a swivel mount, said swivel mount being pivotally mounted to said mounting base about a first axis which is parallel to said first surface, said swivel mount having a second surface to receive said condyle ball, an angle member, said angle member being pivotally mounted to said swivel mount about a second axis perpendicular to said first axis, said angle member having a third and fourth surface to receive said condyle ball; said first, second, third and fourth surfaces forming a fixed position for said condyle ball irrespective of the positions of said swivel mount and said angle member about the first and second axis; a pair of pins, each one of said pins being rigidly fixed to one of said condyle balls; and locks fixed relative to said sockets, said locks being capable of engaging said pins to retain said condyle balls fixed relative to the fixed position formed by said first, second, third and fourth surfaces.

Claim 19

The device of claim 11 wherein said locks can be selectively positioned to give specific degrees of movement of each said condyle ball relative to each said socket.