Patent ID: 8961172
Filing Date: 2015-02-24
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. An orthodontic bracket, comprising: a body having a front and a back, the back for facing a tooth when the bracket is operably attached thereto, and the front having an archwire slot therein, the archwire slot having a length with at least a bottom, opposing sides, and an opening for providing an archwire therein, wherein the opening extends the length; a rotatable member for rotating relative to the body from an open position wherein the opening provides archwire access to operably position the archwire within the archwire slot, to at least one closed position wherein for each of the at least one closed position, at least a portion of the rotatable member inhibits the archwire from moving through the opening; wherein a first portion of the rotatable member is secured within a recess of the body, and rotates therein when the rotatable member rotates between the open position and the at least one closed position; wherein the rotatable member includes a slot cover external to the body so that in the open position the slot cover provides archwire access for positioning the archwire within the archwire slot, and in the at least one closed position the cover inhibits the archwire from moving through the opening, and wherein said slot cover comprises two slot coverable extensions that are substantially straight and bar shaped, each of said extensions having first and second sides that extend parallel to each other, and wherein, in said open position, said two slot coverable extensions are aligned parallel to each other and parallel to the opposing sides of the archwire slot, with a gap between the slot coverable extensions to allow an archwire to be passed therethrough, said rotatable member having an axis of rotation extending substantially directly beneath the archwire slot such that the axis of rotation of the rotatable member extends directly below and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the archwire when the archwire is positioned within the archwire slot, the archwire being positioned between the two slot coverable extensions when in the open position, and being restrained by the two slot coverable extensions when in the at least one closed position; wherein the at least one closed position comprises an active closed position and a passive closed position, said active closed position forcing said archwire into contact with a floor of the archwire slot with sufficient force to inhibit movement of the archwire in a direction along a length of the archwire slot; wherein upon rotation of the rotatable member, the first portion contacts predetermined discrete notches within the recess for positioning the rotatable member at corresponding predetermined angular orientations about an axis of rotation through the body.