Abstract: Method and apparatus for cleaning clogged dental equipment lines, such as water and air lines and drains, for a wide variety of dental equipment such as cuspidors and handpieces. One embodiment has an air hose connected to a connector for a handpiece for a drill, etc., wherein the connector has an interior plastic insert which closes off air to the holes in the drill for drive and exhaust air and allows air through two holes which connect with the spray air and water ports of the handpiece for the drill whereby the air blows out the clogged slits. Another embodiment uses the air hose with a rubber nozzle to blow clogged suction lines. Another embodiment has a rubber element with a hole in its middle which fits over the discharge hole in the cuspidor, whereby the air blows out the debris clogging the cuspidor hole and connecting lines.
Abstract: A liquid dispensing brush primarily used in dispensing liquid cleanser. The brush includes a reservoir which holds a predetermined amount of liquid cleanser and an arm with a longitudinal passage to deliver the cleanser from the reservoir to the head of the brush. The head of the brush comprises several sets of bristles and outlet means to allow the liquid cleanser to flow from the lingitudinal passage to the bristles. In order to effectuate the flow of liquid cleanser from the reservoir to the bristles, means are provided whereby the brush is tilted to raise the reservoir higher than the head of the brush. A cap, with a flexible clip for easy storage, provides the tilting necessary to effectuate fluid flow. In use, the brush is placed on a flat surface in the tilted position for a predetermined length of time to allow a sufficient amount of liquid cleanser to flow to the bristles.
Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for closing spaces between two adjacent teeth which includes a bar of elastomeric material or an elastic element and ligature wire means or an inelastic element for securing the bar in place over the labial or buccal or lingual faces of the teeth. The ligature wire means includes ligature wire secured to one or both ends of the bar for mounting and tensioning of the elastomeric bar on adjacent teeth. The appliance may also be configured to include a pair of spaced elastomeric bars and used to correct spot malocclusion problems.
Abstract: An orthodontic instrument for tightening a loop in a dental ligature about an anchor affixed to a tooth, to tie an archwire to the anchor, comprises a shaft having at one end a nose for bracing the tool against the wires and bracket; a movable ligature carriage on the shaft; and means on the carriage to hold a dental ligature to the carriage with a loop in the ligature projecting around and beyond the nose of the shaft. The ligature carriage is movable along the shaft to draw the ligature loop towards the abutment at the nose of the shaft and tighten the loop before twisting the ligature 180.degree., to seat the archwire in the anchor on the tooth, and then spinning the shaft to twist the wires.
Abstract: An oral hygiene tool is set forth formed of a resilient one-piece flexible material of a relatively thin, rectangular cross-sectional configuration. The tool includes a relatively wide centrally disposed tongue-scraping blade and a pair of handles extending from either end of said blade and integrally formed thereto. The tool is configured and arranged for telescoping acceptance within an associated toothbrush handle and may be formed with a widened tip at either terminal end of each handle for alignment within a cavity defined within said handle at one end and providing a grasping tip at the other end that depends outwardly of said handle.
Abstract: A spacer for dental implants of a bio-compatible material includes an inner sleeve-shaped spacer element of titanium which is part of a screw connection between an anchorage element implanted in the maxillary beneath the gingiva, and a dental prosthesis construction whose joint surface is located above the gingiva and which is disposed to absorb the loading of the screw connection. The spacer includes an outer spacer sleeve of porcelain or ceramics which wholly or partly encloses the inner sleeve-shaped spacer element. The ceramic or porcelain sleeve may, by grinding and coating with porcelain of different colors, be caused to visually approximate a dental cervix and gingiva and, thereby, not contrast with the natural dental cervix color and gingival color.
Abstract: A pure titanium implant having tightly captured bone therethrough is provided to dramatically reduce the nuturing period prior to the time that an implant may be utilized, by providing osteointegration or bone growth guided through the implant, in addition to any osseointegration or bone to titanium adhesion. In one embodiment, rings of compacted lyophylised or freeze-dried bone are secured between dove tailed, pure-titanium rings to a central implant shaft to guide bone growth through the implant from one side to the other for improved implant anchoring, without infection or rejection. In another embodiment, the implant includes a pure-titanium body having lateral channels completely through the implant, with bone rigidly secured in the channels to guide bone growth completely through the implant.
Abstract: An extraoral orthodontic force applying appliance defining an encircling assembly to be located about the head of the wearer which includes a single release mechanism incorporated at the nape of the wearer which will separate the encircling assembly upon the encircling assembly incurring an unusual force tending to enlarge the enclosed area of the encircling assembly. This release mechanism can be also purposely manually operated by the wearer for connection and disconnection. The encircling assembly can be collapsed when not in use to facilitate storage and portability.
Abstract: There is disclosed a calendar assembly having a first chamber containing a display mechanism for at least fourteen separate calendar year systems, the first chamber mechanically coupled to a second chamber comprising an index mechanism which includes indices for establishing the relative position between the index mechanism and the calendar year system in order to locate a calendar year system for any pre-selected calendar year.
Abstract: The stem is tubular, being provided with an axial bore and is frusto-conical. It is provided with an outer thread as well as with a helical groove which provides therefor a resiliency enabling its section to adapt itself perfectly to the section of the root canal in which the pin is screwed.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 31, 1988
Date of Patent:
October 3, 1989
Assignee:
Les Fils d'Auguste Maillefer, Societe Anonyme a Ballaigues
Abstract: A display device is disclosed which comprisees a plurality of positive lenses disposed in a concavely curved lens array as seen by an observer and a plurality of substantially concavely curved pictures respectively associated with the lenses. Each of the pictures is disposed behind the respective lens and is located substantially at or within the focal length of the respective lens. The pictures each comprise a plurality of picture elements such that, when the lens array is viewed from different angles by an observer, the observer is able to perceive a composite image formed from magnified images of the picture elements of different ones of the pictures.
Abstract: A message device including a planar panel, a waterproof cup defining an enclosure having an outwardly extending flange and an open end where the flange is adapted to be attached to the panel with the open end adjacent the panel and the enclosure extending through an opening where the cup is adapted to receive a water soluble capsule containing a expanable material cut in the shape of a message so that the capsule melts when it is exposed to water and allows the message piece to expand.
Abstract: A functional orthopedic magetic appliance (FOMA) for correcting sagittal disproportions of the jaws in the form of skeletal malocclusions occurring when one jaw jets further outward anteriorly than the other jaw; and may also be used when the sagittal imbalance is associated with vertical jaw relationship problems to correct an accompanied open bite or deep bite. The FOMA includes at least one pair of anterior magnetic units in attractive orientation, with an upper magnetic unit secured to the upper jaw and a lower magnetic unit secured to the lower jaw. The anterior magnetic unit can be placed labial or lingual to the dental arch. The magnetic unit associated with the forward extending jaw is positioned anterior or forward of the other magnetic unit when the mouth is open and almost no attractive force is operating.
Abstract: An orthodontic arch wire for use in imparting corrective forces to teeth comprising:an elongated central core made of a transparent or translucent material having a modulus of at least 3,000,000 pounds per square inch;an outer layer made of a substantially transparent or translucent material which is hydrolytically stable so as to resist staining or deterioration when placed in an oral cavity.
Abstract: An oral chock exerts uniformly axial forces on dental prostheses to seat the prosthesis. The chock is preferably shaped like the dental arch, and wedge-shaped to align the surfaces of the chock with the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. The chock is large enough to receive the entire dental arch, so that one or a plurality of prostheses of any size or extent can be seated. The chock may be scored for separation into partial chocks, and the central posterior portion may be removed for palatal and lingual relief. The chock is formed of expanded plastic material having a frangible cellular structure for deformation of the chock so that the chock will exert uniformly distributed forces. Though deformable, the material has sufficient strength to seat the prostheses.
Abstract: An air-turbine type dental handpiece in which the handle has separate passages for air and water under pressure respectively to drive the turbine to rotate a bur and furnish cooling water to the bur which has an axial passage entirely therethrough to direct the cooling water where the cutting end of the bur contacts tooth material for producing a dental preparation to receive filling material and the like. The head of the handpiece has a chamber within which the turbine and bearings are mounted and also includes a rotary coupling to direct cooling water to the inner end of the axial passage of said bur and prevent escape of the cooling water to the interior of the chamber for the turbine and bearings. Control mechanism to furnish and regulate the pressure of air and water to the handpiece also comprises part of the invention.
Abstract: A disposable, internally applied penile erection aid having support means in the form of a hollow tube inserted into the urethra and having in combination therewith to hold the support tube in place comprising an exterior plastic or nylon member formed to fit over the head of the penis and latex sheath, formed to fit over the body of the penis. Another function of this invention is to aid in maintaining or prolonging an existing erection through the constriction of blood flow.
Abstract: The invention relates to an improved bracket for use in fixed dental appliances for the orthodontic movement of teeth. An orthodontic bracket in accordance with the invention comprises a fixed member for attachment to the labial surface of the tooth and a member which is freely rotatable about a stub axle formed in the fixed member, the rotatable member being provided on its labial surface with a first channel in which archwire may be seated, means being provided to lock the rotatable and fixed members together at a predetermined angular position. Such a bracket allows free tipping of the teeth in the early stages of treatment and allows torque to be applie for fine control of the root apices in the latter stages of treatment.
Abstract: Automatic positioning of milking cups on the teats of an animal is achieved by way of an installation comprising a stall accessible to an animal, a device for calculating the coordinates of the teats of an animal in the stall, and arms carrying the cups for positioning same on the teats of an animal under the control of a signal generated as a function of the measured coordinates. The coordinates of the teats are determined using an overall sensor which is located in a fixed spot on one side of the stall and which has scanning device permitting the formation of an image of the teats, and a processing device for working out the instantaneous coordinates of the teats from the information supplied by the sensor. Four independent arms are provided, each carrying a respective cup, and each being controlled independently of the others in order to bring the carried cup to a respective teat of an animal without interfering with the movement of the other arms.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 8, 1987
Date of Patent:
September 19, 1989
Assignee:
Etablissement Public: Centre National du Machinisme Agricole du Genie Rural, des Eaux et des Forets - (Cemagref)
Inventors:
Jean-Bernard Montalescot, Guy Camus, Jean Lucas
Abstract: Yoking apparatus primarily intended for use in the milking of sheep has an upright framework mounted on a milking platform and defining a series of yoke openings in which ewes are held by their necks. Associated with each opening is a respective yoke lever mounted on the back of the framework. Each yoke lever is pivotable about its mid-point between a closed position in which it traps the ewe in the associated opening and a release position in which the top of the opening is clear. A number of pivotable shields are linked by chains to respective yoke levers to cover the openings when the levers are in their release positions. A locking mechanism positively latches the levers in their closed positions. The arrangement of linked yoking levers and shields permits cascaded yoking of ewes largely without unwanted trapping of the ewes in the yoke openings and with minimal fouling of the mechanism by wool.