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US 7,063,529 B2Granted
Self-ligating orthodontic brackets comprising a fiber-reinforced polymeric material
OwnerNorbert Abels, Claus-H Backesinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot in the bracket base, and a ligation cover. The bracket base and the ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with c-glass fibers. The cover is hingedly connected to the bracket base and rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position. Reinforcing the polymer resin with c-glass fibers provides substantially increased overall strength and durability while providing increased flexibility and toughness in the region of the hinge connection between the ligation cover and the bracket base.
Claims24
An orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a bracket base;
- at least one arch wire slot in said bracket base, said slot being adapted to receive an arch wire therein;
- and
- a ligation cover hingedly connected to the bracket base by a hinge element and rotatable relative to the bracket base about the hinge element between an open, non-ligating position in which the arch wire slot is completely unoccluded by the ligation cover and a closed, ligating position,
- wherein the bracket base, hinge element, and ligation cover comprise a polymer resin composition reinforced with flexible glass or ceramic fibers, wherein the hinge element reinforced with the flexible glass or ceramic fibers has increased toughness and flexibility compared to a hinge element in the absence of the flexible glass or ceramic fibers.
2 more elements
An orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a bracket base;
- at least one arch wire slot in said bracket base, said slot being adapted to receive an arch wire therein;
- a ligation cover hingedly connected to the bracket base and selectively rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position;
- and
- an elongate film hinge attached at one end to the bracket base and at an opposite end to the ligation cover so as to hingedly connect the ligation cover to the bracket base,
- wherein the bracket base, elongate film hinge, and ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with flexible glass or ceramic fibers, wherein the elongate film hinge reinforced with the flexible glass or ceramic fibers has increased toughness and flexibility compared to an elongate film hinge in the absence of the flexible glass or ceramic fibers.
3 more elements
An orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a bracket base;
- at least one arch wire slot in said bracket base, said slot being adapted to receive an arch wire therein;
- a ligation cover hingedly connected to the bracket base and selectively rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position;
- an elongate flint hinge attached at one end to the bracket base and at an opposite end to the ligation cover so as to hingedly connect the ligation cover to the bracket base;
- and
- a hinge guide structure disposed on the ligation cover or bracket base, the hinge guide structure providing a curved surface around which the elongate film hinge bends when the ligation cover is selectively rotated relative to the bracket base so that the elongate film hinge bends over a significant portion of its entire length,
- wherein the bracket base, elongate film hinge, and ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with c-glass fibers, wherein the elongate film hinge reinforced with c-glass fibers has increased toughness and flexibility compared to an elongate film hinge in the absence of the c-glass fibers.
4 more elements
An orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a bracket base;
- at least one arch wire slot in said bracket base, said slot being adapted to receive an arch wire therein;
- a ligation cover hingedly connected to the bracket base and selectively rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position;
- an elongate film hinge attached at one end to the bracket base and at an opposite end to the ligation cover so as to hingedly connect the ligation cover to the bracket base;
- and
- an interactive cam structure attached to the ligation cover having a surface that interacts with a surface of the bracket base so as to urge the ligation cover toward the open, non-ligating position when in the open position,
- wherein the bracket base, elongate film hinge, and ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with c-glass fibers, wherein the elongate film hinge reinforced with c-glass fibers has increased toughness and flexibility compared to an elongate film hinge in the absence of the c-glass fibers.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.