Patents by Inventor Daphne Upchurch
Daphne Upchurch has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20170202642Abstract: An improved edgewise orthodontic bracket is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bracket comprises a single pair of opposing T-shaped tie wings which define an archwire slot therebetween. Notches are provided on each of the mesial and distal sides of the center leg of each T-shaped tie wing for selectively receiving a ligating device. The notches are defined in the gingival/occlusal edges of the tie wings and comprise sloped portions that extend labially towards the archwire slot. Convex sidewall portions and convex floor portions are provided in the archwire slot adjacent to the notches. The body of the bracket is interconnected to a base that includes a continuous series of characters that serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with a tooth. A discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2017Publication date: July 20, 2017Applicant: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Daphne Upchurch, Michael Dean Stevens, Paul Ritter Smith, Ray Winston Freeman, JR., George Kantor
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Patent number: 9597166Abstract: An improved edgewise orthodontic bracket is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bracket has a single pair of opposing T-shaped tie wings which define an archwire slot therebetween. Notches are provided on each of the mesial and distal sides of the center leg of each T-shaped tie wing for selectively receiving a ligating device. The notches are defined in the gingival/occlusal edges of the tie wings and comprise sloped portions that extend labially towards the archwire slot. Convex sidewall portions and convex floor portions are provided in the archwire slot adjacent to the notches. The body of the bracket is interconnected to a base that may includes a continuous series of characters that serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with a tooth. A discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2012Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Daphne Upchurch, Jr., Michael Dean Stevens, Paul Ritter Smith, Ray Winston Freeman, George Kantor
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Publication number: 20130280668Abstract: An improved edgewise orthodontic bracket is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bracket comprises a single pair of opposing T-shaped tie wings which define an archwire slot therebetween. Notches are provided on each of the mesial and distal sides of the center leg of each T-shaped tie wing for selectively receiving a ligating device. The notches are defined in the gingival/occlusal edges of the tie wings and comprise sloped portions that extend labially towards the archwire slot. Convex sidewall portions and convex floor portions are provided in the archwire slot adjacent to the notches. The body of the bracket is interconnected to a base that includes a continuous series of characters that serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with a tooth. A discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 17, 2012Publication date: October 24, 2013Inventors: Daphne Upchurch, JR., Michael Dean Stevens, Paul Ritter Smith, Ray Winston Freeman, George Kantor
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Publication number: 20110287378Abstract: The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to a self ligating orthodontic bracket having a rotatable member for securing an archwire within a slot of the bracket. Embodiments of the orthodontic bracket disclosed herein include a bracket body containing the archwire slot as well as tie wings for attaching various orthodontic devices (e.g., elastomeric bands) to the bracket. The rotatable member is rotatable in a first direction (e.g., counter clockwise) relative to a body of the bracket for securing or locking the archwire within the slot, and for rotating in an opposite direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) relative to the bracket body for unsecuring or unlocking the archwire so that it is substantially unrestrained from exiting the slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2011Publication date: November 24, 2011Applicant: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Dennis J. Dupray, Jeffrey Allen Smith, Nam Trinh, Tony Zakhem, Daphne Upchurch
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Patent number: 7959437Abstract: An improved orthodontic appliance is disclosed having information encoded or formed in the base of the appliance, wherein the encoded information increases the total base surface area by an amount that is effective for increasing the adhesion of the appliance to a patient's tooth. In one embodiment, the total base surface area may increase to 140% of what such surface would be without the encoded information. The encoded information may identify: a manufacturer or supplier of the appliance, a part/model number, a location and/or date of manufacturer, a composition of material, a patent number, a logo, etc.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2007Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Tony Zakhem, Jeffrey Allen Smith, Daphne Upchurch
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Publication number: 20080020338Abstract: An improved orthodontic appliance is disclosed having information encoded or formed in the base of the appliance, wherein the encoded information increases the total base surface area by an amount that is effective for increasing the adhesion of the appliance to a patient's tooth. In one embodiment, the total base surface area may increase to 140% of what such surface would be without the encoded information. The encoded information may identify: a manufacturer or supplier of the appliance, a part/model number, a location and/or date of manufacturer, a composition of material, a patent number, a logo, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 24, 2007Publication date: January 24, 2008Applicant: RMO, INC.Inventors: Tony Zakhem, Jeffrey Smith, Daphne Upchurch
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Publication number: 20070264606Abstract: A convertible orthodontic bracket is disclosed, wherein an archwire slot therein has a removable slot covering, thereby allowing the bracket to serve as a buccal tube during a first stage of treatment and an edgewise bracket during a subsequent phase of treatment. The slot covering is removable by detaching the slot covering from the bracket body along one or more predetermined extents of weakness, wherein each such extent of weakness includes perforations or voids providing a passage between an exterior of the bracket and an interior of the first archwire slot.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2007Publication date: November 15, 2007Applicant: RMO, INC.Inventors: Chris Muha, David Wolf, Daphne Upchurch, Leon Laub, Robert Rudman
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Patent number: 7247018Abstract: An improved edgewise orthodontic bracket is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bracket comprises a single pair of opposing T-shaped tie wings which define an archwire slot therebetween. Notches are provided on each of the mesial and distal sides of the center leg of each T-shaped tie wing for selectively receiving a ligating device. The notches are defined in the gingival/occlusal edges of the tie wings and comprise sloped portions that extend labially towards the archwire slot. Convex sidewall portions and convex floor portions are provided in the archwire slot adjacent to the notches. The body of the bracket is interconnected to a base that includes a continuous series of characters that serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with a tooth. A discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2004Date of Patent: July 24, 2007Assignee: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Ray Winston Freeman, Jr., George Kantor, Paul Ritter Smith, Michael Dean Stevens, Daphne Upchurch, David R. Wolf, Rosilio Ronald Perez
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Patent number: 6846178Abstract: The present invention comprises a continuous series of alpha-numeric characters (such as letters or numerals) or symbols (such as company logos) that are formed in a manner such that the symbols or characters on the base of the bracket serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with the tooth when the base of the bracket is attached to the tooth using an adhesive. In a separate aspect of the invention, a perimeter rail, and more preferably, a discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: RMO, Inc.Inventors: Ray Winston Freeman, Jr., George Kantor, Rosilio Ronald Perez, Paul Ritter Smith, Michael Dean Stevens, Daphne Upchurch
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Publication number: 20050003320Abstract: An improved edgewise orthodontic bracket is disclosed. In one embodiment, a bracket comprises a single pair of opposing T-shaped tie wings which define an archwire slot therebetween. Notches are provided on each of the mesial and distal sides of the center leg of each T-shaped tie wing for selectively receiving a ligating device. The notches are defined in the gingival/occlusal edges of the tie wings and comprise sloped portions that extend labially towards the archwire slot. Convex sidewall portions and convex floor portions are provided in the archwire slot adjacent to the notches. The body of the bracket is interconnected to a base that includes a continuous series of characters that serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with a tooth. A discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2004Publication date: January 6, 2005Inventors: Ray Freeman, George Kantor, Paul Smith, Michael Stevens, Daphne Upchurch
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Publication number: 20040081936Abstract: The present invention comprises a continuous series of alpha-numeric characters (such as letters or numerals) or symbols (such as company logos) that are formed in a manner such that the symbols or characters on the base of the bracket serve as texturing to facilitate bonding of the bracket with the tooth when the base of the bracket is attached to the tooth using an adhesive. In a separate aspect of the invention, a perimeter rail, and more preferably, a discontinuous perimeter rail may be used at the edge of the base. A method for forming a bracket is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2002Publication date: April 29, 2004Inventors: Ray Winston Freeman, George Kantor, Rosilio Ronald Perez, Paul Ritter Smith, Michael Dean Stevens, Daphne Upchurch