Patents by Inventor Steven A. Houser

Steven A. Houser 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).

  • Patent number: 4797095
    Abstract: A front body or plate for disposition in front of an arch wire is connected to a fork for disposition behind the arch wire by a crosstie forming a mounting that can be slid lengthwise of the arch wire to enable the fork to embrace the body of a tooth bracket behind the arch wire. A saddle projecting from the front body opposite the fork projects rearward to form a socket engageable with the arch wire by movement transversely of the arch wire. The prong of the fork nearer the rearward projection of the saddle may be shorter than the prong of the fork farther from the rearward projection to facilitate installation of the mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 10, 1989
    Assignee: Unitek Corporation
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser, Jeffrey A. Armstrong
  • Patent number: 4768950
    Abstract: A head (9) projecting from the end of a rod body (1') or from the apex of a flat trifurcated quadrant body (1) has an offset fixed prong (10) projecting from its end which is crossed by a movable prong (22) carried by a rocker (20) mounted on the head and tiltable to alter the spacing between the prongs. The tip portions (13 and 25) of the prongs have notches (14 and 26) facing away from each other to hold a ligature ring (37) in stretched condition for application to the wings (44 and 45) of an orthodontic tooth bracket (39). The tip portions of the prongs are canted relative to the prong shanks to be disposed in parallel planes and a line passing through the notches is at an angle to one edge of the body. The notch (26) in the movable prong (22) is deeper than the notch (14) in the stationary prong (10) and the portion of the shallower notch (14) adjacent to the tip of the prong forms the prong tip as a probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Unitek Corporation
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser
  • Patent number: 4704086
    Abstract: A force-producing connector connecting a force reaction orthodontic headcap or neckstrap and a J-hook for applying a force to a wearer's jaw includes a slide carrying a force-producing spring and guided for movement lengthwise of an elongated sidepiece base. The elongated base has a row of slots extending lengthwise of it selectively engageable by the toe of a pawl pivoted on the slide, which pawl can be held in locking position by a latch including an aperture in the pawl engageable with a catch on a post carried by the slide over which the pawl aperture can be moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 3, 1987
    Assignee: Unitek Corporation
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser
  • Patent number: 4553932
    Abstract: A pistol grip has twin abutments projecting in parallel relationship and spaced apart to straddle an orthodontic bracket attached to a tooth and to engage the tooth at opposite sides of the bracket. A swing handle pivoted to the pistol grip carries a pull wire extending between the abutments such pull wire has a loop for hooking a wing of the orthodontic bracket. The handle can be pulled toward the pistol grip to draw the pull wire toward the pistol grip for pressing the abutments against the tooth and simultaneously pulling the bracket off the tooth. During such pulling, constriction of the arch wire slot in the bracket is prevented by fitting in such slot a spacer hook of a tenaculum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Maclay M. Armstrong
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, John R. Rogers, Steven A. Houser
  • Patent number: 4553934
    Abstract: A connector for orthodontic headgear includes a casing for a helical compression spring one end of which engages the head of a rod extending through the spring and through a sleeve which engages the other end of the spring. The sleeve is supported in an aperture in the end of the casing and is adjustable axially relative to the casing for adjusting the spring force. The connection is disconnectible by providing a metal clip securable to a headcap having legs engageable in grooves in the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Maclay M. Armstrong
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser
  • Patent number: 4553933
    Abstract: A connector for orthodontic headgear includes a casing for a helical compression spring one end of which engages the head of a rod extending through the spring. The other end of the spring engages a sleeve supported in an aperture in the end of the casing. Such casing aperture has a straight chordal portion and the sleeve has axially spaced circumferential flanges with chordally truncated portions for enabling the sleeve to be moved axially relative to the casing flange when in one rotative position for adjusting the spring force and rotatively adjustable relative to the casing flange to hold the sleeve in a selected adjusted position. The connection is disconnectible by providing a metal clip securable to a headcap having legs engageable in grooves in the casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1984
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1985
    Assignee: Maclay M. Armstrong
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser
  • Patent number: D289328
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1987
    Assignee: Unitek Corporation
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser, Jeffrey A. Armstrong
  • Patent number: D292123
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: Unitek Corporation
    Inventors: Maclay M. Armstrong, Steven A. Houser, Jeffrey A. Armstrong