Orthodontic elastic inserter tool and method

Claim 2

Orthodontic elastic inserter apparatus comprising: a hollow sleeve having an opening; piston means mounted and slidable within said sleeve, said piston means adapted to support storage means; storage means attached at one end to said piston means and passing longitudinally through said opening, said storage means adapted to pass through said elastic rings; a body attached to the other end of said storage means and having a tapered surface adjacent said storage means, said surface adapted to receive said elastic rings annularly, and flexible clamp means, mounted to said sleeve and proximate said storage means, for engaging a selected one of said elastic rings on said storage means, whereby said selected elastic ring expands by movement of said tapered surface through said selected ring.

Claim 3

Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said elastic members comprise rings and said storage means is a rod over which said rings fit in a substantially undistorted condition.

Claim 4

Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein the portion of said body connected to the storage means has a tapering transition section adjacent the storage means to aid in placing said rings on said body.

Claim 5

Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said clamping means comprises a pair of clamp members, each having a corresponding flexible member connecting each said clamp member to said sleeve, each said clamp member having an inner surface shaped to conform to a part of the outer surface of said body to permit it to pass thereover.

Claim 6

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for mounting said piston means within said sleeve to prevent rotation of the piston means relative to the sleeve.

Claim 7

Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising resilient means for biasing said piston means in a direction outwardly toward said opening of said sleeve.

Claim 8

Apparatus as in claim 1 further comprising means for detachably mounting said storage means to said piston means.

Claim 9

Apparatus as in claim 7 wherein said elastic members comprise rings and said storage means is a rod over which said rings fit in a substantially undistorted condition.

Claim 10

Apparatus as in claim 5 further comprising means on said body for locating the same relative to a member to which an elastic means is to be attached in a fixed position as the sleeve is moved longitudinally of the body to prevent rotation of the body.

Claim 11

Orthodontic elastic inserter apparatus comprising: a cylindrical housing defining a cylindrical inner chamber having one closed end and an opposing open end, said chamber adapted to slidably receive a sliding member; a spring disposed within said chamber adjacent said closed end and extending at least partially and axially along said chamber; a sliding member slidably mounted within said chamber and disposed for movement toward said closed end against the urging of said spring; stopping means disposed within said housing for preventing sliding movement of said sliding member beyond a predetermined point in the direction urged by said spring; an elongate rod mounted to said sliding member and axially within said housing, said rod passing through said open end of said chamber when said sliding member abuts said stopping means, said rod being adapted to pass through said rings and having a circumference to permit rings of a predetermined size to be stored on said rod without substantial expansion of said rings; a delivery member axially mounted to the end of said rod opposite said sliding member, said delivery member having an inner portion adjacent said rod and there having its minimum diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said rod, said delivery member also having an outer portion having a diameter larger than said diameter of said inner portion, said inner portion and said outer portion being joined by a tapered and substantially continuous surface; and a pair of opposing clamps each mounted to said housing at said open end by a pair of opposing flexible members, each of said clamps having substantially the shape of one-half of a ring, the innermost surfaces of each of said clamps being adapted to engage a selected one of said rings and to support said rings throughout relative movement of said delivery member towards said closed end of said central opening, said clamps adapted to admit said delivery member between said clamps during said relative movement.

Claim 12

Orthodontic elastic inserter apparatus comprising: a cylindrical housing defining a cylindrical inner chamber having one closed end and an opposing open end, said chamber adapted to slidably receive a sliding member; a spring disposed within said chamber adjacent said closed end and extending at least partially and axially along said chamber; a sliding member slidably mounted within said chamber and disposed for movement toward said closed end against the urging of said spring; stopping means disposed within said housing for preventing sliding movement of said sliding member beyond a predetermined point in the direction urged by said spring; an elongate rod mounted to said sliding member and axially within said housing, said rod passing through said open end of said chamber when said sliding member abuts said stopping means, said rod being adapted to pass through said rings and having a circumference to permit rings of a predetermined size to be stored on said rod without substantial expansion of said rings; a delivery member axially mounted to the end of said rod opposite said sliding member, said delivery member having an inner portion adjacent said rod and there having its minimum diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said rod, said delivery member also having an outer portion having a diameter larger than said diameter of said inner portion, said inner portion and said outer portion being joined by a tapered and substantially continuous surface; and a pair of opposing clamps each mounted to said housing at said open end by a pair of opposing flexible members, each of said clamps having substantially the shape of one-half of a ring, the innermost surfaces of each of said clamps being adapted to engage a selected one of said rings and to support said rings throughout relative movement of said delivery member towards said closed end of said central opening, said clamps adapted to admit said delivery member between said clamps during said relative movement.