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:
Sep. 25, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 27, 1999
Matthew C. Trom, Cottage Grove, MN (US);
Byron Ciping Shen, Woodbury, MN (US);
John W. Dubbe, Oakdale, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A matrix clamp used in dental procedures to restore teeth to their natural shapes has a pair of gripping portions that are each connected to a cross-over bar. When the gripping portions are depressed by finger pressure, a pair of clamping tines connected to the cross-over bars spread apart from each other to enable the tines to be placed in contact with a sectional matrix band. When the gripping portions are released, a coil spring portion of the matrix clamp urges the tines toward each other so that the sectional matrix band is secured against the tooth and the clamp is retained in its selected position.