Patent ID: 11877907
Assignee: nan
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 10:
11. An orthodontic appliance which cooperates with both an upper and a lower dental arch of a patient to achieve a predetermined orthodontic treatment, comprising:
a pair of archwires each having a longitudinal axis, an anterior facing surface and a posterior facing surface, and which are individually releasably attached to a multiplicity of teeth, and which further, collectively, form the respective upper and lower dental arches of a patient undergoing orthodontic treatment;
a pair of archwire couplers which are individually releasably attached to each of the respective archwires, and each of the respective archwire couplers define an internal cavity, a first passageway, a second passageway and a recess/void, and the recess/void is axially aligned with the first passageway, and the recess/void is positioned between two spaced apart archwire support ends;
a pair of fasteners which individually releasably cooperate with each archwire coupler, and which further forcibly frictionally engage with the anterior facing surface of the archwire within the internal cavity of the respective archwire coupler, and at least partially force a deformation of the respective archwire, and the deformation of the respective archwire, on the posterior facing side thereof, extends at least partially into the recess/void;
an outer, cylindrically shaped tube having opposite first and second ends, and which further defines an internal cavity which extends between the first and second ends thereof;
a first attachment member defining an aperture, and which is made integral with the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and wherein one of fasteners passes through the aperture, and the first attachment member rotates freely about the fastener;
a first, intermediate tube which has opposite first and second ends, and an internal cavity which extends between the first and second ends thereof, and which further is telescopingly received within the internal cavity which is defined by the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and is reciprocally moveable relative thereto;
a second, intermediate tube which has opposite first and second ends, and an internal cavity extending between the first and second ends thereof, and which further is telescopingly received within the internal cavity of the first, intermediate tube, and is reciprocally moveable relative thereto;
an inner, elongated rod which has opposite first and second ends, and which is telescopingly received within the internal cavity of the second, intermediate tube, and is further reciprocally moveable relative thereto;
a second attachment member defining an aperture, and which is affixed to the second end of the inner elongated rod, and wherein another of the fasteners passes through the aperture which is defined by the second attachment member, and the second attachment member further freely rotates about the fastener, and wherein the first and second attachment members are individually rotatably affixed to one of the pair of archwires by way of the respective archwire couplers, and individual cooperating fasteners; and
a compression spring which is received, at least in part, within the internal cavity which is defined by the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and wherein a movement of the lower dental arch from an open position, where the lower dental arch is spaced from the upper dental arch, to a closed position, and where the lower dental arch is located in a closely adjacent orientation relative to the upper dental arch, and which defines an occlusal plane, is effective in imparting telescoping, reciprocal movement to the respective inner elongated rod, and first and second intermediate tubes relative to the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, along a course of travel from a first, extended position, where the inner elongated rod, and first and second intermediate tubes are located longitudinally, outwardly relative to the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and in a distally displaced orientation; and to a second, retracted position, and where the inner elongated rod, and the first and second intermediate tubes are telescopingly received, and enclosed within the internal cavity as defined by the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and wherein at least a portion of this telescoping, reciprocal motion between the first and second positions is effected without a biasing force being imparted by the compression spring to cause the telescoping, reciprocal movement between the first, extended position, and the second, retracted position, and wherein the biasing force of the compression spring effects the movement of the upper and lower dental arches, in opposite directions, one relative to the other, only when the elongated rod, and the first and second intermediate tubes are located in the second, retracted position.