Patent · US Expired

Implant carrier with gripping fingers

US6315562A · kind A · utility

42Cited by
43References
54Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 6, 1999
Grant dateNov 13, 2001
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 6, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61C8/0087
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A carrier, for a dental implant kit, for reliably and releasably holding the dental implant. The carrier incorporates a plurality of flexible fingers for engaging a screw of the dental implant kit in which the screw is threadably engaged with the implant. The fingers latch on to the screw by providing a mechanical lock in a groove of the screw. The fingers can further grip the screw by applying a generally radial compressive force on the screw. Advantageously, the resiliency and structure of the carrier fingers not only provides a reliable long-term grip on the screw, and hence the implant, but also permit the screw, and hence the implant, to be conveniently attached and detached from the carrier.

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