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US 5,322,435 AGranted
Orthodontic bracket
OwnerErwin C. Pletcherinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A self-locking orthodontic bracket having a body with an archwire slot, and a locking slide member which is movable to open and close the slot. Archwire retention is provided by the slide member without use of conventional ligatures or tie wires. A resilient member is provided to retain the slide member in either the open or closed position, while preventing excessive sliding movement which could disengage the slide member from the bracket body.
Claims9
A self-locking orthodontic bracket assembly, comprising:
- a bracket body having a tooth-facing base, the body extending forwardly from the base to define a mesiodistally extending and forwardly open archwire slot, the bracket body defining a forwardly open and rearwardly blind socket extending toward the base;
- a slide member engaged with the bracket body to be movable between an open position in which the archwire slot is open, and a closed position in which an archwire in the slot is held captive by the member;
- and
- a resilient means seated in the socket and urged forwardly against the slide member to retain the slide member in the open and closed positions until substantial force is applied to move the member from one position to the other.
1 more element
A self-locking orthodontic bracket assembly, comprising:
- a bracket body having a tooth-facing base, the body extending forwardly from the base to define a mesiodistally extending and forwardly open archwire slot, the bracket body defining a forwardly open socket extending toward the base;
- the bracket body further defining opposed grooves;
- a slide member with a body panel having side edges slidably engaged with the opposed grooves of the bracket body to be movable between an open position in which the archwire slot is open, and a closed position in which an archwire in the slot is held captive by the member;
- and
- a resilient means seated in the socket and urged against the slide member to retain the slide member in the open and closed positions until substantial force is applied to move the member from one position to the other.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.