Patents by Inventor Steven Franseen

Steven Franseen 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).

  • Publication number: 20050037313
    Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to an orthodontic mechanical force module having a jack screw whose rotation is controlled by a ratchet. In one embodiment, a pair of housings are interconnected with the patient in any appropriate manner, and are further rotatably interconnected with a rotatable spindle. At least one of these housings is also threadably engaged with the spindle. A ratchet is associated with the spindle to selectively allow the spindle to rotate only in a direction that increases a magnitude of the treatment forces being exerted on the patient by changing the spacing between the pair of housings by a movement of at least one of the housings along the spindle due to its rotation. That is, in an active position the ratchet precludes the spindle from rotating in a direction that would tend to reduce the magnitude of the treatment forces being exerted on the patient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2004
    Publication date: February 17, 2005
    Inventors: Scott Huge, Arlen Hurt, Steven Franseen
  • Patent number: 5879158
    Abstract: From a negative impression of a patient's teeth, a positive hard duplicate pattern such as a stone model of the teeth is made. A digitized three dimensional coded image of the teeth is then generated by means of a coordinate measuring machine or by laser scanning. The central axis of each tooth is then displayed in an exploded image of the set of teeth and each tooth is moved in virtual space to a desired position and orientation using torque, tip and angulation values as well as in/out position information provided by the selected orthodontic bracket system. The optimum position of each tooth-mounted orthodontic appliance bracket and its attachment point to its associated tooth for moving the tooth to a desired orientation and position is then determined using the digitized coded images of each tooth including its central axis in its initial and final desired position and orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventors: Walter A. Doyle, Steven Franseen