This application is a national phase application of International Application No. PCT/IB2013/051304, filed Feb. 18, 2013, designating the United States and claiming priority to South African Patent Application No. 2012/01203, filed Feb. 17, 2012, both of which are incorporated by reference as if fully rewritten herein.
This invention relates to a vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer for a disposable articulator.
A disposable articulator is a mechanical device used in dentistry to which casts of the maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) teeth are fixed, reproducing recorded positions of the mandible in relation to the maxilla. A disposable articulator assists in the fabrication of removable prosthodontic appliances (dentures), fixed prosthodontic restorations (crowns, bridges, inlays and onlays) and orthodontic appliances.
In one version of the disposable articulator, after an impression has been poured up, it is directly mounted on a plastic base or tray that already has a built-in condyle to form a complete articulator when the two halves are joined. However, at present, this type of articulator does not have a vertical rotational adjustment arrangement to adjust the separation of the two halves of the articulator. The present invention aims to address this shortcoming.
According to the invention there is provided a vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer for a disposable articulator, the articulator comprising a hinged pair of support arms, each support arm having a proximal end and a distal end, with the proximal ends of the support arms being hingedly fitted together, each arm defining an opening or cavity between its distal and proximal ends, the vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer, in broad terms, comprising at least one body secured or securable to the support arms and positioned substantially within the opening defined by the support arm, and an elongate rotational member being adjustable relative to the at least one body so as to adjust and fix the distance between the distal ends of the support arms.
In an embodiment, the stabilizer comprises:
In an embodiment, the first swivel body is a truncated sphere that defines two substantially flat faces, with the bore extending through the flat faces of the first swivel body. The first swivel body further comprises a pair of lugs extending from opposite sides of the first swivel body.
In an embodiment, the seat of the first body includes a pair of curved side walls with an elongate groove therebetween so as to define the aperture, the curved side walls defining an aperture and/or a slot to receive the lugs of the first swivel body, the curved side walls thus accommodating the first swivel body to enable the first swivel body to swivel within the seat of the first body around an axis defined by the lugs.
In an embodiment, the first body includes a pawl proximate the aperture of the seat, and the first swivel body comprises a plurality of teeth on an exterior surface (approximately midway between the lugs and in line with the bore) so as to define a ratchet to facilitate the correct orientation of the first swivel body relative to the first body.
In an embodiment, the elongate rotational adjusting member comprises a handle portion proximal its proximal end and a threaded shank extending from the handle portion and terminating in its distal end, with the bore of the first swivel body being complementarily threaded with respect to the threaded shank, so that the adjusting member is adjustable relative to the first swivel body.
In an embodiment, the second body comprises a socket having a curved receiving surface. In an embodiment, the curved receiving surface comprises ridges/slots against which the distal end of the elongate rotational adjusting member can rest/grip.
In an alternate embodiment, the second body defines a seat with an aperture therein, with a second swivel body being able to swivel within the seat of the second body, the second swivel body comprising a socket having a curved receiving surface against which the distal end of the elongate rotational adjusting member can rest/grip.
In one version, the first and second bodies take the form of clip bodies that can be secured or removably clipped onto (or rest on or be supported by or glued to) the support arms. In this version, the first and second bodies comprise clipping formations to enable them to be clipped onto the support arms. The clipping formations comprise deformable lugs on either side of the bodies, which can be snap fitted into corresponding recesses defined in the support arms.
In an alternate version, the first and second bodies are integrally formed with the support arms.
The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring first to
Referring back to
In an embodiment, the seat 32 of the first body 30 includes a pair of curved side walls 35, 36 with an elongate groove 38 therebetween so as to define the aperture 34. With reference now also to
The curved side walls 35, 36 thus accommodate the first swivel body 42 to enable the first swivel body 42 to swivel within the seat 32 of the first body 30 around an axis defined by the lugs 40, 41. The first swivel body 42 has a bore 44 that can align with the aperture 34 in the seat 32 of the first body 30.
In an embodiment, the first swivel body 42 is a truncated sphere 46 that defines two substantially flat faces 48, 50, with the bore 44 extending through the flat faces 48, 50 of the first swivel body 42. The lugs 38, 40 extend from opposite sides of the first swivel body 42.
In an embodiment, the first body 30 includes a pawl 52 proximate the aperture 34 of the seat 32. The first swivel body 42 comprises a plurality of teeth 54 on an exterior surface (approximately midway between the lugs 40, 41 and in line with the bore 44) so as to define a ratchet to facilitate the correct orientation of the first swivel body 42 relative to the first body 30. This ratchet arrangement allows the first upper body 30 to determine the resting position of the stabilizer 10.
In particular, the elongate aperture 34 guides the stabilizer 10 along a defined path to stabilize the distance between two points in a given direction of motion. This elongate aperture 34 also predetermines the vertical adjustment of the distal ends 20 of the support arms 14, 16 of the articulator 12 from a minimum to a maximum elevation. Clearly, the greater the angle between the support arms 14, 16, the greater the rotational arc of the guiding aperture 34, and vice versa. In particular, the smaller the angle between the support arms 14, 16, the smaller the rotational arc to a minimum vertical position. The rectangular aperture 34 thus allows the stabilizer 10 the freedom to rotate to achieve a maximum and a minimum position. The vertical adjustable rotational vertical stabilizer 10 thus allows lateral, protrusive and orbital movement.
Referring now also to
In an embodiment, the elongate rotational adjusting member 56 comprises a handle portion 62 proximal its proximal end 58 and a threaded shank 64 extending from the handle portion 62 and terminating at its distal end 60. The bore 44 of the first swivel body 42 is complementarily threaded with respect to the threaded shank 64, so that the rotational adjusting member 56 is adjustable (and fixable) relative to the first swivel body 42.
Referring now also to
In an embodiment, the second body 66 comprises a socket 70 having a curved receiving surface 68. In an embodiment, the curved receiving surface 68 comprises formations 72 (typically, ridges and/or slots) against which the distal end 60 of the elongate rotational adjusting member 56 can rest/grip.
In an alternate embodiment, with reference now to
The curved side walls 83A, 83B thus accommodate the second swivel body 78 to enable the second swivel body 78 to swivel within the seat 74 of the second body 66A around an axis defined by the lugs 83E, 83F. This alternate embodiment is particularly useful for patients with extreme dental conditions.
In one version, the first and second bodies 30, 66, 66A take the form of clip bodies that can be secured to or removably clipped onto the support arms 14, 16 of the articulator 12. In this version, the first and second bodies 30, 66 comprise clipping formations 84 and 86, 88 and 90, and 92 and 94, respectively, to enable them to be clipped onto the support arms 14, 16. The clipping formations may comprise deformable lugs on either side of the bodies 30, 66, which can be fitted into corresponding recesses defined in the support arms 14, 16.
Alternatively, it is envisaged that the clip bodies can simply rest on or be supported by or be glued to the support arms 14, 16.
Although not shown, in an alternate version, the first and second bodies 30, 66 may be integrally formed with the support arms 14, 16 of the articulator 12.
Referring now to
Referring back to
Turning now to
In one version, the first and second bodies 130, 166 take the form of clip bodies that can be secured to or removably clipped onto the support arms 114, 116 of the articulator 112. In this version, the first and second bodies 130, 166 comprise clipping formations 184 and 186, and 188 and 190, respectively, on wing elements 192, 194 extending from the bodies 130, 166 to enable them to be clipped onto complementary clipping formations 196, 198 on the support arms 114, 116 in a substantially friction fit manner.
As described above, it is envisaged that the clip bodies can simply rest on or be supported by or be glued or cemented to the support arms 114, 116.
Although not shown, in an alternate version, the first and second bodies 130, 166 may be integrally formed with the support arms 114, 116 of the articulator 112.
In yet a further alternate version, as shown in
Referring now to
The stabilizers 10, 110, 210 may carry markings 300 to enable the visually impaired to work with the stabilizers of the present invention.
Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to only two currently available articulators 12, 112, the components of the invention, and in particular the bodies 30 and 66, 130 and 166, and 230 and 266, have been designed to be usable on a wide variety of currently available disposable articulators.
A further embodiment of a vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer 310 will now be described with reference to
In an embodiment, the seat 314 of the first body 312 includes a pair of curved side walls 318, 320 that define the aperture 316. The curved side walls 318, 320 define a pair of slots 322, 324 to receive the lugs 326, 328 of a first swivel body 330. The first swivel body 330 is substantially as described above with reference to
The curved side walls 318, 320 thus accommodate the first swivel body 330 to enable the first swivel body 330 to swivel within the seat 314 of the first body 312 around an axis defined by the lugs 326, 328. The first swivel body 330 has a bore 332 that can align with the aperture 316 in the seat 314 of the first body 312.
Although not marked, the first body 312 includes a pawl proximate the aperture 316 of the seat 314. The first swivel body 330 comprises a plurality of teeth 334 on an exterior surface so as to define a ratchet to facilitate the correct orientation of the first swivel body 330 relative to the first body 312.
The stabilizer 310 further comprises an elongate rotational adjusting member 336 having a proximal end 338 and a distal end 340. The member 336 is arranged to snugly extend through, and be adjustable relative to, the bore 332 of the first swivel body 330. The elongate rotational adjusting member 336 is also arranged to extend through the elongate, rectangular aperture 316 in the seat 314 of the first body 312 when the elongate rotational adjusting member 336 and the first swivel body 330 are seated within the seat 314 of the first body 312, as shown in
The stabilizer 310 further comprises a second, lower body 342 secured or securable to the other support arm of an articulator 12. The second body 342 defines a receiving surface 344 against which the distal end 340 of the elongate rotational adjusting member 336 can abut, as shown in
The first and second bodies 312, 342 include curved formations 350, 352, respectively, to accommodate complementally shaped arms of the articulator to which the stabilizer 310 may be fitted. In addition, these bodies 312, 342 include elongate wings 354, 356 to further facilitate the fitment of the bodies 312, 342 to the articulator, although in a further embodiment, these wings 354, 356 may be omitted.
The present invention thus provides a versatile and economical vertically adjustable rotational stabilizer for a disposable articulator. In terms of its versatility, the stabilizers of the present invention can perform the following dental work:
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2012/01203 | Feb 2012 | ZA | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2013/051304 | 2/18/2013 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2013/121402 | 8/22/2013 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2234411 | McDonald | Mar 1941 | A |
2423522 | Shmukler | Jul 1947 | A |
2510152 | Stoll | Jun 1950 | A |
4058895 | Mack et al. | Nov 1977 | A |
4214367 | Mack et al. | Jul 1980 | A |
4687442 | Wong | Aug 1987 | A |
Number | Date | Country |
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2511388 | May 1976 | DE |
19530157 | Apr 1996 | DE |
2008113717 | May 2008 | JP |
Entry |
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International Search Report for PCT/IB2013/051304 dated Jun. 10, 2014, 4 pages. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20150024338 A1 | Jan 2015 | US |