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

Claim 5:
6. An orthodontic appliance as claimed in claim 5, and wherein the biasing spring comprises a helically shaped compression spring which has a first end which is received within the internal cavity defined by the end cap, and a distal, second end which is received within, and is moveable relative to, the internal cavity which is defined by the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and wherein a movement of the lower dental arch, by a patient, from an open position, where the lower dental arch is in a non-parallel and spaced location from the upper dental arch, to a closed position, and where the lower dental arch is located in a closely adjacent, and parallel orientation relative to the upper dental arch, and along the occlusal plane, effectively imparts a force to the inner elongated rod so as to urge the inner elongated rod to move along the course of travel from the first, extended position, longitudinally, inwardly relative to the second, intermediate tube, and without the biasing resistance of the helically shaped compression spring, until the second attachment member forcibly engages the second end of the first intermediate tube, and wherein a continued force as imparted by the closing of the lower and upper arches causes the first end of the second intermediate tube to forcibly engage the second end of the compression spring, and wherein the helically shaped compression spring biasingly resists continued, longitudinally inward motion of the second intermediate tube, and the inner elongated rod, until the second attachment member forcibly engages the second end of the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and reaches the second, retracted position along the course of travel, and wherein the biasing force exerted by the helically shaped compression spring in the second, retracted position is effective in imparting a longitudinally directed force to the each of the archwires, by way of the respective archwire couplers, so as to urge the upper dental arch to move in a rearward direction while simultaneously urging the lower dental arch to move in a forward direction for so long as the patient's dental arches are substantially closed, and wherein upon opening the dental arches, the helically shaped compression spring biasingly urges the second, intermediate tube longitudinally, outwardly from the second retracted position so as to engage the second attachment member, and then forcibly move the inner elongated rod longitudinally outwardly relative to the outer, cylindrically shaped tube, and to a longitudinally outward location where the compression spring no longer exerts a biasing force on the first end of the second intermediate tube, and wherein the continued opening of the dental arches, by the patient, is effective in moving each of the inner, elongated rod, and first and second intermediate tubes to a predetermined, longitudinally, outwardly position relative to the second end of the outer cylindrically shaped tube and to the first, extended position along the course of travel, and without the biasing force delivered by the helically shaped compression spring.