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US5131843A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Orthodontic archwire

Assignee: Ormco Corp
•
Filing: 1991-05-06
•
Granted: 1992-07-21
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Expires: 2011-05-06
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Abstract

Abstract An orthodonic archwire and method of making same. The archwire through a unique combination of physical and material properties can be activated for providing a variety of teeth corrective forces simultaneously. The archwire is provided with a pair of loop structures substantially equidistant from the center line of the arch form., The posterior sections of the archwire are curved in two directions so as to provide both toe in forces, for rotation of the posterior teeth, and forces for extrusion of the posterior teeth and bite opening. The method of manufacturing the archwire is such that substantially no residual torque is present in the finally formed archwire.

Inventors

  • 👤 James J. Hilgers
  • 👤 Farrokh Farzin-Nia

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 14:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C7/00; A61C7/12; A61C7/20

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim 122 words
In an orthodontic appliance having a force-imparting archwire for applying corrective force to a tooth, said archwire having a generally U-shaped configuration having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending on either side of said anterior section, a pair of T-loop structures formed in said archwire, one of said T-loop structures being disposed on each side of said mesial center line, each of said T-loop structure comprising a pair of substantially vertically extending legs placed substantially adjacent each other which form a substantially closed loop section at their upper end, said posterior sections of said archwire each having a reverse curvature of spee of a first predetermined radius and a toe is curvature of a second predetermined radius.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 122 words
In an orthodontic appliance having a force-imparting archwire for applying corrective force to a tooth, said archwire having a generally U-shaped configuration having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending on either side of said anterior section, a pair of T-loop structures formed in said archwire, one of said T-loop structures being disposed on each side of said mesial center line, each of said T-loop structure comprising a pair of substantially vertically extending legs placed substantially adjacent each other which form a substantially closed loop section at their upper end, said posterior sections of said archwire each having a reverse curvature of spee of a first predetermined radius and a toe is curvature of a second predetermined radius.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 28 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said first predetermined radius ranges from 1 to 3 inches and said second predetermined radius ranges from 1 to 1.5 inches.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 21 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said reverse curvature of spee and said toe in curvature have a compound radius.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 29 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said loop structures are located at a distance from the mesial distal center line in the range of 22 to 42 mm.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said archwire is made of material having a modulus of elasticity in the range of about 8 million to about 12 million psi.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said reverse curvature of spee of said posterior section is in the range of 1 to 3 inches (2.54 cm to 7.62 cm).
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 1 wherein said archwire is made of a titanium molybdenum alloy having a body centered cubic structure having a maximum 30% alpha phase.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 7 wherein said alloy has the following composition: ______________________________________ Mo 11.5% ± 2% Zr 6.0% ± 2% Sn 4.5% ± 2% Ti balance ______________________________________
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 18 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1 wherein said archwire has a set angle less than about 75°.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1 wherein said archwire has a set angle less than about 70°.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 17 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 1 wherein said orthodontic archwire has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 36 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 11 wherein said archwire is made from a material having a flexural modulus in the range of 5 to 15 million psi and a set angle less than about 75°.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 12 wherein said flexural modulus is in the range of 6 to 10 million psi and the set angel is less than about 70°.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 35 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 11 wherein said orthodontic archwire has a thickness in the range of about 0.016 to 0.019 inches and a width in the range of about 0.022 to 0.025 inches.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 88 words
The method of making an orthodontic archwire having the desired physical characteristics comprising the steps of: a) forming a generally U-shaped archwire from a continuous length of wire having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending from both ends of said anterior section, partially forming a pair of loop structures in said archwire and forming said anterior sections with toe in curvature; b) completing the forming of said loop structure in said archwire c) forming a reverse curvature of spee in the posterior sections.
Claim 17
Independent Claim 88 words
The method of making an orthodontic archwire having the desired physical characteristics comprising the steps of: a) forming a generally U-shaped archwire from a continuous length of wire having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending from both ends of said anterior section, partially forming a pair of loop structures in said archwire and forming said anterior sections with toe in curvature; b) completing the forming of said loop structure in said archwire c) forming a reverse curvature of spee in the posterior sections.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 137 words
In an orthodontic appliance having a force-imparting archwire for applying corrective force to a tooth, said archwire having a generally U-shaped configuration having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending on either side of said anterior section; a pair of loop structures formed therein, one of said loop structures being disposed on each side of said mesial center line, each of said loop structure comprising a pair of substantially vertically extending legs placed substantially adjacent each other which form a substantially closed loop section at their upper end, said posterior sections of said archwire each having the reverse curvature of spee of a first predetermined radius and a toe in curvature of a second predetermined radius, said archwire being made of a material having a flexural modulus between 3 to 15 million psi.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 137 words
In an orthodontic appliance having a force-imparting archwire for applying corrective force to a tooth, said archwire having a generally U-shaped configuration having a central anterior section and a pair of posterior sections extending on either side of said anterior section; a pair of loop structures formed therein, one of said loop structures being disposed on each side of said mesial center line, each of said loop structure comprising a pair of substantially vertically extending legs placed substantially adjacent each other which form a substantially closed loop section at their upper end, said posterior sections of said archwire each having the reverse curvature of spee of a first predetermined radius and a toe in curvature of a second predetermined radius, said archwire being made of a material having a flexural modulus between 3 to 15 million psi.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
The orthodontic bracket according to claim 16 wherein said archwire is made of a titanium molybdenum alloy having a body centered cubic structure having a maximum 30% alpha phase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 28 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said first predetermined radius ranges from 1 to 3 inches and said second predetermined radius ranges from 1 to 1.5 inches.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 20 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said reverse curvature of spee and said toe in curvature have compound radius.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 29 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said loop structures are located at a distance from the mesial distal center line in the range of 22 to 42 mm.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said archwire is made of material having a modulus of elasticity in the rang of about 8 million to about 12 million psi.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said reverse curvature of spee of said posterior section is in the range of 1 to 3 inches (2.54 cm to 7.62 cm).
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 28 words
The orthodontic appliance of claim 16 wherein said archwire is made of a titanium molybdenum alloy having a body centered cubic structure having a maximum 30% alpha phase.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 30 words
An orthodontic appliance according to claim 23 wherein said alloy has the following composition: ______________________________________ Mo 11.5% ± 2% Zr 6.0% ± 2% Sn 4.5% ± 2% Ti balance ______________________________________
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 18 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 16 wherein said archwire has a set angle less than about 75°.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 18 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 16 wherein said archwire has a set angle less than about 70°.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 17 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 16 wherein said orthodontic archwire has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional configuration.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 37 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 27 wherein said archwire is made from a material having a flexural modulus in the range of 5 to 15 million psi and a set angle less than about 75 .
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 30 words
The orthodontic appliance according to claim 28 wherein said flexural modulus is in the range of 6 to 10 million psi and the set angle is less than about 70°.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3178822A Cited
US4050158A Cited
US4097993A Cited
US4268250A Cited
US4197643A Cited
US4490112A Cited
US4818226A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1995-07-21 1996-01-20 1996-07-21 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1999-07-21 2000-01-20 2000-07-21 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2003-07-21 2004-01-20 2004-07-21 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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