Self-ligating bracket for orthodontic treatment
AssigneeSpecialty Appliance Works, Inc.
InventorsScott A. Huge, Steve A. Franseen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly has a bracket with an archwire slot extending in a mesial-distal direction for receiving an archwire; a vertical slot extending into the bracket to intersect the archwire slot; and a retentive boss in the vertical slot. A retentive pin slides in the vertical slot between an open position and a closed position. The pin has two parallel legs separated by a space, and a lower cross member extending between the legs. The cross member contacts the retentive boss in the open position to retain the pin in the vertical slot. Camming surfaces on the legs slidably engage the vertical slot to hold the pin in the closed position.
Claims19
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly comprising:
- a bracket having:
- (a) an archwire slot extending in a mesial-distal direction for receiving an archwire;
- (b) a vertical slot extending into the bracket to intersect the archwire slot;
- and
- (c) a retentive boss in the vertical slot;
- and
- a pin for sliding engagement with the vertical slot between an open position and a closed position, said pin having:
- (a) two parallel legs separated by a space, said legs extending across the archwire slot in the closed position to retain an archwire in the archwire slot, and retracting from the archwire slot in the open position to allow insertion of an archwire into the archwire slot;
- (b) a lower cross member extending between the legs, said lower cross member contacting the retentive boss in the open position to retain the pin in the vertical slot;
- and
- (c) camming surfaces on the legs slidably engaging the vertical slot to hold the pin in the closed position.
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly comprising:
- a bracket having:
- (a) an archwire slot extending in a mesial-distal direction for receiving an archwire;
- (b) a vertical slot extending into the bracket to intersect the archwire slot;
- and
- (c) a retentive boss in the vertical slot;
- and
- a pin for sliding engagement with the vertical slot between an open position and a closed position, said pin having:
- (a) two parallel legs separated by a space, said legs extending across the archwire slot in the closed position to retain an archwire in the archwire slot, and retracting from the archwire slot in the open position to allow insertion of an archwire into the archwire slot, said legs having:
- (i) a thin flex section allowing the leg to deflect laterally;
- (ii) a wider retentive plate with a retentive projection extending laterally outward;
- and
- (iii) an angled camming surface between flex section and retentive plate slidably engaging the vertical slot to hold the pin in the closed position;
- and
- (b) a lower cross member extending between the legs, said lower cross member contacting the retentive boss in the open position to retain the pin in the vertical slot.
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly comprising:
- a bracket having:
- (a) an archwire slot extending in a mesial-distal direction for receiving an archwire;
- (b) a vertical slot extending into the bracket to intersect the archwire slot and define a plurality of corners;
- (c) camming surfaces on the corners;
- and
- (d) a retentive boss in the vertical slot;
- and
- a pin for sliding engagement with the vertical slot between an open position and a closed position, said pin having:
- (a) two parallel legs separated by a space, said legs extending across the archwire slot in the closed position to retain an archwire in the archwire slot, and retracting from the archwire slot in the open position to allow insertion of an archwire into the archwire slot;
- (b) a lower cross member extending between the legs, said lower cross member contacting the retentive boss in the open position to retain the pin in the vertical slot;
- and
- (c) camming surfaces on the legs slidably engaging the camming surfaces on the corners of the brackets to hold the pin in the closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.