Patent Application
20220073254
The present disclosure relates to aligner cases. More particularly the present disclosure relates to aligner cases that having cleaning ports.
Aligners are orthodontic devices used to adjust teeth. Typical aligners are transparent, plastic devices that may be used to gradually adjust the spacing between teeth. A mold or scan of the patient's teeth is first taken and a series of aligners are custom made to reposition the patient's teeth in stages as desired.
Slim cases are used to hold the aligners when they are not in use or during travel. Generally, users clean their aligners by adding some combination of water, soap, vinegar, baking soda, hydrogen peroxide or other suitable solution to a glass, and soaking the aligner in the glass. However, this additional step makes the cleaning process cumbersome and allows for contamination of the aligner when moving it out of the case, into the glass, out of the glass, and back to the user's mouth.
In some embodiments, an aligner case includes a body having a floor and a sidewall and an inner cavity, the body having at least one inlet in at least one of the floor and the sidewall, and the body having at least one outlet in at least one of the floor and the sidewall, at least one door coupleable to the sidewall and transitionable between an open condition where the inner cavity is revealed, and a closed condition where the inner cavity is covered, and an actuator configured to allow transitioning of the at least one door between the open condition and the closed condition.
Various embodiments of the presently disclosed aligner cases are described herein with reference to the drawings, wherein:
Various embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the appended drawing. It is to be appreciated that these drawings depict only some embodiments of the invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope.
Despite the various improvements that have been made to aligner cases, conventional devices suffer from some shortcomings as described above.
There therefore is a need for further improvements to the devices, systems, and methods of manufacturing and using aligner cases. Among other advantages, the present disclosure may address one or more of these needs.
As used herein, the term “proximal,” when used in connection with a component of an aligner case, refers to the end of the component closest to the user, whereas the term “distal,” when used in connection with a component, refers to the end of the component farthest from the user.
Doors 120 are shown in
Turning to
Additionally, one or more outlets 124 may be formed in floor 102. In the example shown, outlet(s) 124 are arc-shaped ports that are disposed adjacent the outer circumference of floor 102. Three outlets 124 are shown in floor 102 in this example. Instead of, or in addition to the outlets 124 in the floor, outlets 124 may be formed in the sidewall. In some examples, the sidewall includes two, three, four, five, six, seven or eight outlets.
An inner wall or column 130 may be disposed in inner cavity 105, the inner wall defining a space for housing the actuating mechanism of the case and protecting this mechanism from a cleaning agent. In the example shown, the actuating mechanism includes a button 131 seated on a spring (not shown). Doors 120 may be transitionable between an open condition and a closed condition, and may be biased to return to the open condition when no external force is applied thereto, and to be retained in the closed condition by the actuating mechanism. In addition, the actuating mechanism may be configured to release the doors when pressed so that the doors return to the open condition.
In use, the device 100 may receive an aligner and the user may close the doors 120 to house the aligner in the interior cavity 105 of the device. With the aligner secured within the interior cavity, the aligner case 100 may be used to store and/or transport the aligner. When the user wishes to use the aligner, they may first introduce water or other cleaning solution through the inlet(s) 122 at the bottom of the device. The cleaning solution will fill the interior cavity and the water will deflect off the inner sidewalls to wash the aligner disposed in the case. Water will also exit through the outlets of the device. After the aligner is thoroughly rinsed or cleaned, the user may shake the case to remove the excess water or other solution from the interior cavity, and may then push the buttons to open the door and retrieve the aligner that is cleaned and ready for use.
Variations of the aligner case are possible.
Other variations are also possible, for example, in the manner in which the doors operate. As previously described, an aligner case may include a single door or multiple doors. For example, a single hinged door may open to one side or to the front or back of the aligner case. Alternatively, as shown in
Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
It will be appreciated that the various dependent claims and the features set forth therein can be combined in different ways than presented in the initial claims. It will also be appreciated that the features described in connection with individual embodiments may be shared with others of the described embodiments.
