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:
Oct. 25, 2005
Filed:
Nov. 04, 2002
Applicant:
Jirina V. Pospisil, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
Inventor:
Jirina V. Pospisil, Hacienda Heights, CA (US);
Assignee:
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
A61C003/00 ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract
An orthodontic appliance for a molar tooth has a latch that is movable between an open position to admit or release an archwire into an archwire slot and a closed position to retain the archwire in the archwire slot. In one aspect of the invention, the appliance lacks tiewings and has a mesial archwire guide that is spaced from a distal archwire guide by a channel that extends in a generally occlusal-gingival direction across the appliance. In another aspect of the invention, the appliance includes a flange with at least one groove for retaining a wire segment or other item in place.