Patents Examined by Adriene J. Lepiane
  • Patent number: 4796647
    Abstract: The applicator unit for a liquid, pasty or pulverulent product, such as a cosmetic product comprises a bottle provided with a threaded neck and intended to contain the product, a cap closing the bottle by being screwed onto the neck, an applicator disposed at the end of a stem carried by the cap and a wiper device intended to be traversed by the applicator. This wiper device is formed as a first element disposed within the bottle and at the base of the neck, and a second element with a smaller diameter than the first element and extending the lower end of the first element, a first bore within the first element having a wall formed as a spiral with a thread in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation required for unscrewing the cap, a second bore coaxially extending the first bore passing through the end of the second element, the internal wall of the second bore and the external wall of the second element being at least partly covered with a fibrous coating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: L'Oreal
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Gueret
  • Patent number: 4797096
    Abstract: A measuring tool for the selection of artificial teeth includes a substrate on which at least the full-scale mesiodistal highest position of contour of artificial teeth is indicated with the product classification mark thereof. The substrate is provided on the predetermined positions with a scale for determining the average condyle head at an interval of 13 mm and a scale for judging an angle that the occlusal surface makes with the interalveolar ridge line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: G-C Toshi Kogyo Corporation
    Inventors: Toshio Ito, Takashi Miwa, Fujio Yamagishi
  • Patent number: 4795347
    Abstract: A tooth cleaning device for optimal tooth cleaning comprises, on a U-shaped carrier (109), tufts of bristles (180), which are placed against the tooth using pressure bubbles (149) under equal cleaning pressure on both sides. With this arrangement the tufts of bristles (180) are fitted to individually self-positioning rocker arms (174, 178'), in order to also engage in the spaces between the teeth, which are difficult to access. With the aid of a further pressure bubble arrangement (147) using phase-shifted pulsating pressurization, with reference to the pressure-generating bubbles (149), a wiping movement of the tufts of bristles (180) with cleaning pressure is generated in the direction from the gum towards the crown of the tooth, in counter-direction without bearing pressure on the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 3, 1989
    Inventor: Wilhelm Maurer
  • Patent number: 4793807
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for effecting delivery of a chemical solution useful in the softening of tooth caries and/or plaque in a patient's mouth utilizes a reciprocating piston-type pump having flow and pressure regulation for injecting a pulsating jet stream of the solution at a controlled rate and pressure, in combination with a separate heater device adjacent an applicator maintaining the temperature of the solution at or near body temperature as it is delivered to the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1987
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Assignee: National Patent Dental Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Aaron Friedman, H. Gordon Minns
  • Patent number: 4793808
    Abstract: The invention involves an enossal implant with comprehensive fastening devices for a firmly seated but, if necessary, removable tooth replacement that includes a fastening head and a implant post that can be connected to a base body. According to the invention, the fastening head is fitted with a tapering fitting surface in the direction of the tooth replacement; in particular, a conical surface, by which a reliable connection between the fastening head and the tooth replacement is obtained. Preferably, the fastening head can be rotated with respect to the base body, as with a ball-and-socket mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1988
    Inventor: Axel Kirsch
  • Patent number: 4792304
    Abstract: A catch mechanism for latching a shank of a head housing in a guide sleeve of a grip piece which latch mechanism includes stop surfaces engaged by catch surfaces characterized by an actuation element being carried on the grip part and movable radially inward to shift the catch surfaces from a first position engaged with the stop surfaces to a second position disengaged from the stop surfaces. In one embodiment, the catch surfaces are carried on a shank of the head part and the stop surfaces are on a guide sleeve of the gripping part. In other embodiments, the stop surfaces are provided on the shank of the head part and the catch surfaces are formed by an element carried on the guide sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Werner Schuss, Thomas Bierbaum, Thomas Muther
  • Patent number: 4791885
    Abstract: A harness for towing a sea mammal includes a first strap which extends around the body of the mammal at a point between the head and tail of the mammal. A second strap is secured to the first strap and extends along the port side of the mammal to a point forward of the mammal's head. A third strap is secured to the first strap and extends along the starboard side of the mammal to a point forward of the mammal's head. A fourth strap is secured to the second and third straps and extends between the straps and below the head of the mammal, whereby towing the mammal with the mammal's head in an elevated position may be accomplished by pulling the second and third straps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1988
    Inventor: Michael I. Sandlofer
  • Patent number: 4781582
    Abstract: A convertible buccal tube assembly for selectively receiving archwire in non-torquing or torquing modes, which includes a buccal tube portion having a round archwire opening therethrough capable of receiving round or non-round archwire and a torquing flap with a rectangular or other non-round opening selectively positionable between non-working and working positions and movable into the working position with the rectangular opening aligning with the round opening of the buccal tube portion to convert the assembly for receiving a rectangular archwire in a torquing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: TP Orthodontics, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter C. Kesling
  • Patent number: 4781585
    Abstract: A router for performing finishing operations on a dental model having a housing with a base in which a motor is positioned. A storage compartment mounted on the base includes a pivotal cover. The cover forms a horizontal work platform on which the dental model is supported during the operations. The motor extends into the storage compartment and a tool is secured to the shaft for vertical projection above the work platform through a hole in the cover. Apertures in the cover permit dust to fall down into the storage compartment from which a vacuum extracts the dust. A novel method of routing dental models is provided wherein the dental model is placed on a horizontal work surface and finished using a vertically oriented tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Ipco Corporation
    Inventor: Bernard Weissman
  • Patent number: 4781588
    Abstract: A counter-angle head for endodontic instruments comprises a body (1) in which is slidably mounted a cylindrical slide (3) clamp holder (4) tool (5) assembly. The slide is provided with at least one peripheral slot (6) in which is engaged a bearing (8) carried eccentrically by a shaft (7) rotatably mounted in a cylindrical housing (9A) of a radial extension (9) of the body (1).The head is notable particularly in that the slide may be disengaged by retracting the bearing (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Inventor: Daniel Granier
  • Patent number: 4781589
    Abstract: A clamping arrangement, especially for the clamping or gripping engagement of dental implements, consisting of a receiving sleeve which is rotatably supported in a handpiece and is connected with a rotary drive, which includes at least one rod-shaped elongated clamping element exerting a radially inwardly directed pressure against the shaft of the implement which is inserted into the receiving sleeve because of contact against an inclined track oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the clamping arrangement. The handpiece can pertain to a straight handpiece or to an angled handpiece (elbow) with an angled headpiece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 1, 1988
    Assignee: Kaltenbach & Voight GmbH & Co.
    Inventor: Erich Bareth
  • Patent number: 4780083
    Abstract: This invention relates to dentistry, and more particularly to cosmetic dentistry, where for aesthetic objectives it is desirable to remove a small amount of the patient's tooth enamel to modify tooth color. A procedure is described using an applicator and compound which provides accelerated treatment time in stripping away a sufficient amount of the outer layer of the tooth enamel to provide the necessary tooth color modification. The applicator has two functional ends. One end has a containment pocket for holding the compound, and a second end for high pressure scouring of the tooth enamel. The compound comprises an enamel softening acid, such as hydrochloric acid, in the concentration range of between 6%-16% in combination with an abrasive particulate material. The abrasive material should have a hardness greater than 6.0 as measured on the Mohs hardness scale for greatest effectiveness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1985
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1988
    Inventor: Theodore P. Croll
  • Patent number: 4778389
    Abstract: A stressless pin or post for dental preparation to seat in a predrilled hole or root canal without subjecting the tooth substance to lateral stress. The pin or post has a head, neck and shank and is an elongated member formed by crimping the midpoint of a bar, folding the bar in a predetermined configuration about the rings so that the pin or post consists of side-by-side sections joined only at the top of the head portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Inventor: Christopher A. Salvo
  • Patent number: 4778387
    Abstract: A guide attachment for guiding a dental treatment tip such as a dental bur is provided. The guide attachment is composed of a guide member for guiding the dental treatment tip and a fixing member for mounting the guide member to a dental handpiece in which the dental treatment tip is accommodated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Assignee: Hiroyuki Komatsu
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Komatsu
  • Patent number: 4778386
    Abstract: Ring for the construction of temporary or permanent dental crowns.The ring is constituted by two molded half-shells (1, 2) which carry coupling elements (3, 4; 5, 6) rigidly fastened together in pairs by bonding, welding or any other method of rigid attachment which is capable of ensuring cohesion of the assembly in such a manner as to constitute in combination a shuttering mold for the filling product which is intended to restore the tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 18, 1988
    Inventor: Jean-Louis Spiry
  • Patent number: 4776358
    Abstract: An improved dental flossing material and method of making the same is disclosed. The flossing material in the form of a tape is formed of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) folded longitudinally to form a pair of laminae defining a recess therebetween in which an abrasive or non-abrasive cleaning material is disposed. During the cleaning procedure, material flows from the free edges of the tape to become deposited upon the surfaces of the teeth and adjacent gingiva. Due to changes in light transmitting quality of the tape, a visual and reversible indication of prior use becomes apparent. In the manufacture of the tape, the PTFE, which is microporous, is coated on one surface thereof with a moist dentifrice which may be suitably thinned using a volatile vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Inventor: Leonard Lorch
  • Patent number: 4772201
    Abstract: A hygiene-promoting, dental mandrel/polishing-wheel system. The system includes a universal mandrel which can be mounted for rotation either within a chuck or upon an arbor. The mandrel includes a wheel anchor station which allows quick axial fitting and removal of a disposable polishing wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: Jordco, Inc.
    Inventors: James B. Johnsen, Hal J. Oien
  • Patent number: 4772200
    Abstract: A dental working stand comprises a stationary working table with a lower cabinet forming an instrument module and/or an upper cabinet.To facilitate the dentist's access to the lower and/or upper cabinet during sole working the lower and/or upper cabinet, respectively, are pivotal around a vertical axis from a first position in which the front of the cabinet faces the position of the dental nurse at the front of the working table to a second position in which the cabinet front faces a dentist's postion at one end of a patient's support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1988
    Assignee: A/S Flex Dental
    Inventor: Herluf V. Skovsgaard
  • Patent number: 4768528
    Abstract: A precision haircutting tool primarily designed to facilitate the cutting of one's own hair or someone else's hair easily and uniformly. The thumb of the hand used to hold the hair for cutting is slipped through the thumb ring and the finger guide (or stem) is allowed to extend between the index and 2nd fingers of the same hand. The hair is then combed upwards with the opposite hand and the hair is grasped between the same index and 2nd fingers between which the finger guide is being held. With the thumb resting on the head, the fingers are then slid up the stem to the finger stop and the protruding hair is cut above the fingers. By following a systematic pattern, the hair can be easily cut to the same length all over the head. By using various sizes of the device, a variety of hair lengths or combinations of hair lengths can be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Inventor: Vernon P. Steele, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4768953
    Abstract: An instrument particularly adapted for use in dentistry but capable of a wide variety of other applications and including a divider-caliper type instrument typically having two members of equal length and substantially corresponding configuration pivotally secured to one another wherein opposite ends of each member is defined by different sized points. A scale format is formed on an exposed surface on at least one of the members and is based on the golden proportion of 1 to 0.618. Accordingly, a plurality of scale settings are disposed in predetermined spaced apart relation to one another based upon formulized calculations resulting in use of the caliper instrument in dental applications including direct oral procedures, dental laboratory techniques, cephalometric analyses as well as aiding in the establishment of arch form, tooth size and outline form as well as cusp-fossa proportions and the accurate and simple placement of developmental grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Inventors: Jack Nestor, William A. Shoemaker, Jr.