Patent · US Expired

Orthodontic elastomeric ligature manipulator

US4768950A · kind A · utility

7Cited by
13References
46Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 12, 1985
Grant dateSep 6, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 12, 2005

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C7/306
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A head (9) projecting from the end of a rod body (1') or from the apex of a flat trifurcated quadrant body (1) has an offset fixed prong (10) projecting from its end which is crossed by a movable prong (22) carried by a rocker (20) mounted on the head and tiltable to alter the spacing between the prongs. The tip portions (13 and 25) of the prongs have notches (14 and 26) facing away from each other to hold a ligature ring (37) in stretched condition for application to the wings (44 and 45) of an orthodontic tooth bracket (39). The tip portions of the prongs are canted relative to the prong shanks to be disposed in parallel planes and a line passing through the notches is at an angle to one edge of the body. The notch (26) in the movable prong (22) is deeper than the notch (14) in the stationary prong (10) and the portion of the shallower notch (14) adjacent to the tip of the prong forms the prong tip as a probe. A spring (28) presses the rocker to urge the tip of the movable prong away from the tip of the fixed prong.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.