Orthodontic bracket having a biased slide member

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9956059-B2
Application number	US-201615162126-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2016
Priority date	Nov 8, 2012
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body, a slide member, and a resilient member. The slide member is slidable relative to the archwire slot. The resilient member is coupled to and is slidable with the slide member. The resilient member is configured to engage a first portion of the bracket body in the opened position and a second portion of the bracket body in the closed position. The second portion is different from the first portion. The resilient member imposes a biasing force on the slide member in the direction of movement toward the archwire slot when the slide member is in the closed position. The resilient member may be configured to impose a biasing force on the slide member in the direction away from the archwire slot when the slide member is at a position intermediate the opened and closed positions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
a bracket body configured to be mounted to the tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot being configured to receive the archwire therein;
a slide member slidable relative to the archwire slot between an opened position and a closed position; and
a resilient member coupled to and being slidable with the slide member, the resilient member being configured to remain on a first side of the archwire slot so as not to overlie the archwire slot during a translational motion of the slide member from the opened position to the closed position, and the resilient member being configured to impose a biasing force on the slide member in the direction of movement of the slide member and toward the archwire slot when the slide member is in the closed position.

2. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the resilient member is configured to impose a biasing force on the slide member in the direction of movement of the slide member away from the archwire slot when the slide member is at a position between the opened position and the closed position.

3. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the slide member includes a bore configured to receive one portion of the resilient member and the bracket body includes an aperture configured to receive another portion of the resilient member, and wherein the axis of the portion of the resilient member in the bore is offset from the axis of the portion of the resilient member in the aperture when the slide member is in the closed position.

4. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the bracket body further includes an aperture that is asymmetric about a plane substantially parallel to the archwire slot and is configured to slidably receive the resilient member.

5. The orthodontic bracket of claim 4 , wherein the aperture includes the first portion and the second portion, and the first portion is separated from the second portion by a central portion, and wherein a first radius defines the first portion and a second radius defines the second portion, and the central portion includes a first segment and a second segment opposing the first segment, the first segment being tangent to the first radius and tangent to the second radius, the second segment being tangent to the first radius and transverse to the first segment.

6. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the bracket body includes a dovetail-shaped portion and the slide member includes a central portion configured to receive the dovetail-shaped portion, the dovetail-shaped portion and the central portion being configured to form an interference fit that limits movement of the slide member in a direction away from the tooth when the slide member is at least in the closed position.

7. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the archwire slot includes a base surface and a first slot surface and a second opposing slot surface that each extends outwardly from the base surface, and the bracket body includes an aperture that defines a slide track along which the resilient member is slidable, and wherein a projection of the slide track forms an acute angle with the base surface or a projection thereof.

8. The orthodontic bracket of claim 7 , wherein the slide member has a leading surface and, when the slide member is in the closed position, a gap is formed between the leading surface and one of the first slot surface and the second slot surface.

9. An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
a bracket body configured to be mounted to the tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot configured to receive the archwire therein and separating the bracket body into a gingival side and an occlusal side, and the bracket body defining an aperture positioned on either the gingival or occlusal side of the bracket body and having a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions being separated by a pinch point;
a slide member slidable relative to the archwire slot between an opened position and a closed position; and
a resilient member coupled to and being slidable with the slide member and being configured to engage the first portion of the aperture without engaging the second portion of the aperture when the slide member is in the closed position, the resilient member being configured to impose a biasing force on the slide member in the direction of movement of the slide member and toward the archwire slot when the slide member is in the closed position.

10. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the resilient member is configured to impose a biasing force on the slide member in the direction of movement of the slide member away from the archwire slot when the slide member is at a position between the opened position and the closed position.

11. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the slide member includes a bore configured to receive one portion of the resilient member and the aperture of the bracket body is configured to receive another portion of the resilient member, and wherein the axis of the portion of the resilient member in the bore is offset from the axis of the portion of the resilient member in the aperture when the slide member is in the closed position.

12. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the aperture of the bracket body is asymmetric about a plane substantially parallel to the archwire slot and is configured to slidably receive the resilient member.

13. The orthodontic bracket of claim 12 , wherein the aperture includes the first portion and the second portion, and the first portion is separated from the second portion by a central portion, and wherein a first radius defines the first portion and a second radius defines the second portion, and the central portion includes a first segment and a second segment opposing the first segment, the first segment being tangent to the first radius and tangent to the second radius, the second segment being tangent to the first radius and transverse to the first segment.

14. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the bracket body includes a dovetail-shaped portion and the slide member includes a central portion configured to receive the dovetail-shaped portion, the dovetail-shaped portion and the central portion being configured to form an interference fit that limits movement of the slide member in a direction away from the tooth when the slide member is at least in the closed position.

15. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the archwire slot includes a base surface and a first slot surface and a second opposing slot surface that each extends outwardly from the base surface, and the aperture of the bracket body defines a slide track along which the resilient member is slidable, and wherein a projection of the slide track forms an acute angle with the base surface or a projection thereof.

16. The orthodontic bracket of claim 15 , wherein the slide member has a leading surface and, when the slide member is in the closed position, a gap is formed between the leading surface and one of the first slot surface and the second slot surface.

17. The orthodontic bracket of claim 9 , wherein the first portion of the aperture has a closed end wall in a direction of travel of the slide member, and wherein the resilient member is disposed between the pinch point and the closed end wall when the slide member is in the closed position.

18. An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
a bracket body configured to be mo

Assignees

• Ormco Corp

Inventors

• Huang Stanley S

Classifications

• A61C7/30

  by resilient means; {Dispensers therefor} · CPC title

• A61C7/287 Primary

  Sliding locks · CPC title

• A61C7/34

  using lock pins · CPC title