The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 06, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 22, 1998
Applicant:
Inventors:
James D Christoff, Birchwood, MN (US);
John S Kelly, Arcadia, CA (US);
Evangelos G Georgakis, Alta Loma, CA (US);
Assignee:
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61C / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
433 14 ; 433 13 ;
Abstract
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket has a latch that is movable from a slot-open position to a first closed position or a second closed position. In the first closed position of the latch, the latch engages an archwire with sufficient force to provide active orthodontic therapy. In the second closed position, the effective labial-lingual dimension of the archwire slot is somewhat greater than the overall labial-lingual dimension of the archwire such that the bracket provides passive orthodontic therapy.