US4324547A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Dentistry technique
Assignee: Vishay Intertechnology Inc
•
Filing: 1979-01-04
•
Granted: 1982-04-13
•
Expires: 1999-01-04
Abstract
Abstract Qualitative as well as quantitative evaluation of bite characteristics is performed by subjecting to bite forces pieces of material which exhibits photoelastic memory and studying the resulting impression with a polariscope. A permanent record can also be obtained.
Inventors
- 👤 Mircea Arcan
- 👤 Benedict Heinrich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:02
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C9/00; A61C19/00; A61C19/04; A61C19/05
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of examining and determining the characteristics of a set of teeth and especially of human teeth, comprising placing between the teeth to be examined at least one strip-like segment of a material which is not completely elastic (i.e. elasto-plastic), optically isotropic and exhibiting mechanical birefringence (i.e. stress birefringence), bringing the jaws which hold the teeth to be examined to bear under pressure against the strip-like segment, removing the strip-like segment deformed by the teeth to be examined, and studying the impressions formed within the strip-like segment under polarized light.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
91 words
A method of examining and determining the characteristics of a set of teeth and especially of human teeth, comprising placing between the teeth to be examined at least one strip-like segment of a material which is not completely elastic (i.e. elasto-plastic), optically isotropic and exhibiting mechanical birefringence (i.e. stress birefringence), bringing the jaws which hold the teeth to be examined to bear under pressure against the strip-like segment, removing the strip-like segment deformed by the teeth to be examined, and studying the impressions formed within the strip-like segment under polarized light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the strip-like segment remains under load between the teeth for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the period ranges from 10 to 60 seconds.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the material has previously been calibrated with respect to its birefringent properties by application of various loads.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the material is flexible.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the material is foil-like.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the material has highly uniform thickness.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 7 wherein the thickness is between about 0.1 and 0.3 mm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 5 wherein the material is a polymer.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the polymer is a polyamid such as nylon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the polymer is polyethylene.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 2 wherein the period ranges from about 2 seconds to one minute.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the segment has a reflective coating on one side, and the segment is illuminated from the side opposite the reflective coating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the illuminating is through a linearly or circularly polarizing filter.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the illuminating is by a xerographic reproducing means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 further comprising making a photographic record of the reflected illumination viewed through the filter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13 wherein the strip-like segment is not removed but is illuminated in situ after the jaws have been opened to permit the illumination to reach the segment.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
103 words
A piece of material for use in examining and evaluating the bite of opposed teeth or sets of teeth, by first placing a piece of material between said teeth or sets of teeth, causing the arches to close upon said material and impress therein a pattern of the bite, and subjecting the resulting patterned material to polariscopic observation, the said piece of material comprising at least one layer of a substance of a size and shape to be placed in the mouth between the arches of teeth and which develops under the conditions of the bite residual photomemory that persists after the bite.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
103 words
A piece of material for use in examining and evaluating the bite of opposed teeth or sets of teeth, by first placing a piece of material between said teeth or sets of teeth, causing the arches to close upon said material and impress therein a pattern of the bite, and subjecting the resulting patterned material to polariscopic observation, the said piece of material comprising at least one layer of a substance of a size and shape to be placed in the mouth between the arches of teeth and which develops under the conditions of the bite residual photomemory that persists after the bite.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
28 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein at least one face of the layer is covered by a protective layer which does not exhibit substantial photomemory under bite conditions.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
18 words
The piece of claim 18 which further comprises a second layer of a substance which exhibits said photomemory.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
24 words
The piece of claim 20 which further comprises a separator layer beween the first and second layers, the separator layer being soft and spongy.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
The piece of claim 21 wherein the separator layer is selected from the group of rubber, foam, sponge material, putty-like and wax-like material.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
The piece of claim 21 wherein the exposed faces of both said first and second layers are covered by a protective coating which does not exhibit substantial photomemory under bite conditions.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
The piece of claim 18 which is of such configuration and dimension as to span the entire set of teeth.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The piece of claim 24 which has one edge curved to generally follow the arches of the set of teeth.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
23 words
The piece of claim 25 which is in the general shape of a crescent, having two edges curved to generally follow said arches.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
19 words
The piece of claim 26 which has an edge defining a line connecting the end points of the curve.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
20 words
The piece of claim 27, in combination with holding means configured to hold the piece along the said curved edge.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
19 words
The combination of claim 28 wherein the holding means has a grasping handle extending forward from the curved edge.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
35 words
The combination of claim 28 wherein the holding means is so dimensioned relative to the piece that the piece is bowed out of the plane of the curved edge when held by the holding means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
18 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the substance is substantially isotropic before being subjected to the bite conditions.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
19 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the substance is substantially uniformly anisotropic before being subjected to the bite conditions.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein at least one face of the layer is covered with a carbon-like coating or transferable paint or foil.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
23 words
The piece of claim 33 wherein the carbon-like cover is a foil and this foil also constitutes a protective coating for said layer.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
27 words
The piece of claim 33 wherein the carbon-like is opaque and susceptible of being stripped off from the layer before the layer is subjected to polariscopic observation.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
25 words
The piece of claim 33 wherein the carbon-like is sufficiently transparent that the layer can be subjected to polariscopic observation, without stripping off the carbon.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
The piece of claim 33 wherein there is present between the carbon-like and said layer a material which is light reflective at least on the side facing said layer.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
14 words
The piece of carbon-like 37 wherein the light reflective material is an aluminum coating.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
14 words
The piece of carbon-like 37 wherein the light reflective material is an aluminum coating.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
28 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein one face of the layer is covered with a material which is light reflective at least on the side facing said layer.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
29 words
The place of material of claim 18 which has been subjected to the bite conditions, whereby said piece exhibits photomemory of the forces characterizing the conditions of the bite.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
28 words
A permanent record of the photomemory of claim 40 produced by the steps of rendering said photomemory visible in a polariscopic instrument, and additionally recording said visible photomemory.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
11 words
The record of claim 41 wherein the recording is by photography.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
11 words
The record of claim 41 wherein the recording is by xerography.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
21 words
A record of the photomemory of claim 40 produced by the steps of rendering said photomemory visible in a polariscopic instrument.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
51 words
The record of claim 44 wherein the polariscopic instrument comprises illuminating means, a first linear or circular polarizing filter for producing polarization, a second linear or circular polarizing filter for producing analysis, means for holding the segments to be analyzed, and, magnifying means positioned above the illuminating means and polarizing filters.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
43 words
The record of claim 44 wherein the polariscopic instrument comprises means for holding the piece of material for observation, the holding means being so constructed that the photomemory impressed into the material by the bite is not substantially disturbed by the holding means.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
26 words
The record of claim 41, the production of which also includes the step of removing the material from the bite conditions before rendering the photomemory visible.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
16 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the residual photomemory is developed in the form of isochromatics.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
10 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the material is flexible.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
10 words
The piece of claim 49 wherein the material is foil-like.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
12 words
The piece of claim 50 wherein the material has highly uniform thickness.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
15 words
The piece of claim 51 wherein the thickness is between about 0.1 and 0.3 mm.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
11 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the material is a polymer.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
14 words
The piece of claim 53 wherein the polymer is a polyamid such as nylon.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
10 words
The piece of claim 53 wherein the polymer is polyethylene.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
11 words
The piece of claim 18 which comprises only a single segment.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
16 words
The piece of claim 21 wherein the separator has a thickness of 0.5 to 3 mm.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
12 words
The piece of claim 18 wherein the layer is of transparent material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-04-12 | 1985-10-12 | 1986-04-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-04-12 | 1989-10-12 | 1990-04-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-04-12 | 1993-10-12 | 1994-04-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |