Patent ID: 11890161
Assignee: STRITE INDUSTRIES LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 30:
31. An orthodontic arch wire stop for attaching to an arch wire, the arch wire stop comprising:
a body made of a shape memory material having a shape reset temperature range within which the shape memory material is capable of deforming from a memorized shape of the shape memory material and a shape recovery temperature range within which the shape memory material is capable of recovering the memorized shape;
the body having first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other by a base portion; each arm portion having a proximal end and a terminal end; the first arm portion including a first jaw portion having a first inner, arch wire-gripping surface; the second arm portion including a second jaw portion having a second inner, arch wire-gripping surface; the first and second inner gripping surfaces being disposed opposite one another in spaced relation, the space between the first and second inner gripping surfaces defining a station for receiving the arch wire therein, at least a portion of the arch wire receiving station being sized smaller than the arch wire;
the base portion including a pedestal portion protruding from the inner surface of the body into the arch wire receiving station; the width of the pedestal portion being sized smaller than the space between the first and second inner gripping surfaces;
the body further including:
an entranceway defined between the first and second arm portions, the entranceway providing access to the arch wire receiving station; and
a plurality of undercuts formed in the body in communication with the arch wire receiving station; at least some of the plurality of undercuts being located adjacent the terminal ends of the first and second arm portions;
the first and second arm portions being movable outwardly away from each other when the temperature of the shape memory material of the body lies within the shape reset temperature range and remaining spread apart as long as the temperature of the shape memory material lies below the shape recovery temperature range, so as to allow admission of the arch wire through the entranceway into the arch wire receiving station;
the first and second inner gripping surfaces engaging the arch wire and applying opposing gripping forces against the arch wire so as to substantially prevent displacement of the arch wire stop relative to the arch wire in at least a mesial or distal direction, when the arch wire is seated within the arch wire receiving station and the temperature of the shape memory material of the body lies within the shape recovery temperature range.