US2312171A

US2312171A - Impression tray

Info

Publication number: US2312171A
Application number: US432943A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl P Jochum
Original assignee: HARRY C SCHULDT
Current assignee: HARRY C SCHULDT
Priority date: 1942-03-02
Filing date: 1942-03-02
Publication date: 1943-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1960-02-23

Description

Feb. 23, 1943. c. P. JOCHUM IMPRESSION TRAY Filed. March 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. BY Kari PJoc/zwm I Y 4 M Feb. 23, 1943. c, P JOCHUM IMPRESS'ION TRAY Fil ed March 2, 1942 2 sheets-sheet 2 111A VII/IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIll 1/14 'IIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllfi BY Carl F J Z2352,

Patented Feb. 23, 1943 IMPRESSION TRAY Carl P. Jochum, Blue Island, 111., assignor of onehalf to Harry 0. Schuldt, Blue Island, 111.

Application March 2, 1942, Serial No. 432,943

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to dental impression trays and more in particular to improvements in water jacketed trays of the type designated.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel impression tray of multi-part co st t on adapting, it for use with various types of dental material.

More particularly the present invention includes as an object the idea of forming the tray in such a way as tomprovide increased surface areas for the mold cavity to secure more eflicient cooling effects from the cooling fluid used in conjunction therewith.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dental impression tray of multipart construction, the parts being releasably secured to one another whereby one of the parts may be used for taking impressions with dental plaster, andthe combined assembly may be used for taking impressions with hydrocolloid elastic material.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an impression tray having a part which is adapted to receive the impression material releasably secured to other parts of the tray, whereby the said removable part may be readily and easily disconnected for sending to a laboratory or the like, while the remaining part or parts may be used for taking additional impressions either alone or in conjunction with another removable part secured thereto.

Another object within the purview of the present invention is to provide a water jacketed dental impression tray having its mold cavity formed by a tray member rigidly secured in position but provided with a plurality of openings or perforations to increase the surface area for the mold cavity to thus provide increased cooling efiect upon the impression material.

The present invention further includes as an object the idea of providing a water jacketed dental impression tray in which one of the walls forming the jacket and providing the core cavity, is perforated to communicate with the fluid passage therethrough whereby cooling medium may come into immediate contact with the impression material to increase the setting and hardening of the said impression material.

Other objects, features, capabilities and advantages are comprehended by the invention, as will later appear and as are inherently possessed thereby.

Referring to the drawings- 1 Figure 1 is a topplan view of a bottom dental impression tray embodying the improvements according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of one of the elements of the tray assembly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, taken in the plane represented by line 33 of Figure 1 of the drawings;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken in the plane represented by line 4-4 of Figure 1 of the drawings;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a modified form of construction for a dental impression tray embodying in substance the improvements shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings;

Figure 6 is a top plan view of an upper dental impression tray embodying the improvements shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings;

Figure 7 is a top plan View of another dental impression tray embodying a modified form of assembly, varying somewhat from that shown in the previously illustrated embodiments;

igure 8 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation taken in the plane represented by line 88 of Figure 7 of the drawings; and

Figure 9 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of still another modified form of impression trays embodying improvements accord,- ing to the present invention.

Referring now more in detail to the drawings, an embodiment selected to illustrate the invention is shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings as comprising a lower dental impression tray formed with inner and

outer walls

2 and 4, formed to provide a substantially U-shaped mold cavity, having the base 6 and the sides 8 and H], the walls forming the same being interconnected to provide a fluid passage [2 therebetween, which fluid passage extends throughout the base 6 and side walls 3 and I0 to receive a cooling medium such as water or the like, for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully set forth, Disposed within the base 6 and between the inner and

outer walls

2 and 4 is a radially disposed partition 14 terminating at one edge in the side wall 8 and merging at its other edge with the wing partition elements It and I 8, likewise disposed between the

walls

2 and 4 but terminating short of the ends of the said walls to form a circuitous flow passage from one side of the partition member It around one of the wing partition members, thence around the other wing partition member and 2 back into the environment of the said partition l4 on its other side.

Connected to the water jacketed tray member above described are spaced nozzles or

conduits

20 and 22 radially disposed with respect to the water jacketed tray, and being interconnected by the reinforcing web 24. One of the said conduits or nozzles communicates with the inner fluid passage l2 on one side of the partition l4 and the other nozzle or conduit communicates with the fluid passage l2 on the other side of the partition I4. It will be apparent, therefore, that the

nozzles

20 and 22 serve in the capacity of inlets or outlets for the said fluid passage I2 so that water or other cooling medium may be introduced into either one of the nozzles and into the fluid passage I2, and after circulating about the partition means as disclosed will flow out through the other of the said nozzles. The provision of such a fluid passage within the tray member, as described, permits the cooling of impression material which may be used in the tray for taking dental impressions. The structure as above described is particularly adapted for taking dental impressions from dental plaster which is readily cooled through the medium of water or the like circulated through the fluid passage hereinbefore described.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to l, however, not only serves as an impression tray for receiving and taking impressions in dental plaster, but likewise includes additional structure in the assembly which adapts it particularly for use in connection with hydrocolloid elastic material. In order to adapt the tray structure for use of the latter material, the assembly further includes a tray member 26 conforming in shape to the mold cavity formed by the inner wall 2 of the previously described tray member, but being formed with a plurality of openings or perforations 28 which, when the tray member 26 is inserted in position within the said mold cavity, are in communication with the surface areas of the inner wall 2. In order to adapt the present embodiment for use in connection with either dental plaster or hydrocolloid elastic material, the said tray member 26 is removably secured to the first described tray member through the medium of clips or

brackets

30 and 32 disposed at the ends of the tray assembly and a resilient clip element 34 disposed at the top of the side wall 8 in opposed relation to the clips 3!] and 32. It is quite apparent that the tray member 26 is removably secured in position by the overhanging relation of the

clips

30 and 32 in respect thereto at its ends, and by the resilient clip element 34 which is adapted to receive the opposite marginal edge of the tray member 26 when the same is pressed down into intimate association with the mold cavity of the first described tray member.

Removal of the tray is readily accomplished by releasing the resilient clip member 34 from its engaging relation with the tray member 26 whereby the said tray member, with the impression material therein, may be removed after the impression has been taken. This ready releasable removability of the tray member 26 in respect to the water jacketed tray serves to permit the single water jacketed tray to be used with any number of the perforated tray members, thus decreasing the cost of equipment necessary to take dental impressions and permitting the use of the water jacketed tray at times when one or more of the perforated trays may have been sent to the laboratory.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 has the further attribute of greatly increasing the effectiveness of the cooling agent or medium being circulated in the fluid passage [2, in that the perforations in the tray member 26. greatly increase the effective area of the hydrocolloid elastic material being cooled by the cooling medium.

The embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 has an additional feature of construction covering a screw element 36 for positively holding the tray member 26 in position within the mold cavity of the outer water jacketed tray. Other than providing for the additional screw element 36, the embodiment shown in Figure 5 conforms in all respects to that shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

In Figures 1 to 4 improvements in accordance with the present invention have been shown as being incorporated in a lower dental impression tray, but the invention is not limited to such structure and may be incorporated in upper dental impression trays such as disclosed in Figure 6 of the drawings. In this embodiment the tray elements conform substantially to those shown in Figures 1 to 4, except that both the water jacketed tray member as well as the perforated tray member are each provided with a palate piece 38 bridging the immediately adjacent parts of the tray members conforming to those shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.

In addition to the novel characteristics of the invention as shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, the present invention contemplates impression tray structure conforming to that shown in Figures "I and 8 illustrative of a modified form of assembly in which the outer tray member 40 conforms substantially to that shown in Figures 1 to 4. The outer tray member 40 is provided with a flow passage for circulation of a cooling medium therethrough, and is formed with a mold cavity adapted to receive a second tray member 42 perforated at a plurality of points as at 44. In this modification, however, the tray member 42 is permanently ailixed to the tray member 46 as by welding along the marginal edges 46 or at any other place desired, to provide a rigid structure particularly adapted for taking impressions in hydrocolloid elastic material. This tray with its recessed mold cavity provides a very efficient impression tray in that the effective cooling area thereof is greatly increased over that which would be secured merely by the inner wall of the tray member 40. It is, of course, understood that the welding of the tray member 42 to the tray member 40 is of such a character that the same may be easily broken any time it is desired to replace the tray member 42 should the same need replacement because of wear or damage. The weld material along the marginal edges of the two tray members is such as to provide a smooth surface, free from projections or other undesirable marginal characteristics.

The present invention further contemplates a modified form of construction for dental impression trays particularly adapted for use in connection with the taking of impressions in hydrocolloid elastic material, the same being shown in Figure 9 and conforming in its structure substantially to the water jacketed tray member shown in Figures 1 to 4, except that in this embodiment the inner wall 48 isnot imperforate as is the wall 2 of the previously mentioned embodiment, but

is formed with a plurality of openings 511 permitting a certain amount of the hydrocolloid elastic material to enter into the fluid passage l2 provided in the tray. This direct contact between the cooling medium being circulated in the tray member and the hydrocolloid elastic material leads to certain improved results from the standpoint of quick setting of the material, and therefore has its advantages from that standpoint, although the said device is subject to a certain amount of criticism on the score that such material enters the fluid passage l2 and accordingly the device must be cleaned more frequently than is necessary in the previously described embodiments of the invention. However, under certain circumstances the increased cooling effect upon the hydrocolloid elastic material secured by using this type of tray more than offsets the disadvantages from clogging, and this device has a great deal of utility in the art.

In all of the embodiments of the invention hereinbefore described, it is noted that the base as well as the sides of the outer tray member are hollow, so as to provide a fluid passage l 2 through the device. however, is such as to contemplate the use of the various novel features of construction in connection with an outer tray of any desired construction and one in which the fluid passage or pas- The invention as herein described, 2

sages therethrough may vary from those as here- 30 in disclosed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown illustrative embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may comprehend other constructions, arrangements of parts, details and features Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An impression tray comprising a, tray member providing a mold cavity and having spaced base plates and upstanding walls, partitions providing an internal circuitous fluid passage within said tray structure, inlet and outlet means for said fluid passage, and a perforated tray member disposed in said mold cavity in association with said first named tray member.

2. An impression tray comprising a tray member providing a mold cavity and having spaced base plates and upstanding walls, partitions providing an internal circuitous fluid passage within said tray structure, inlet and outlet means for said fluid passage, a perforated tray member disposed in said mold cavity in association with said first named tray member, and means removably securing said second named tray member in association with said first named tray member.

3. An impression tray comprising a tray member providing a mold cavity and havin spaced base plates and upstanding walls, partitions providing an internal circuitous fluid passage within said tray structure, inlet and outlet means for said fluid passage, a perforated tray member disposed in said mold cavity in association with said first named tray member, and means fixedly securing said second named tray member in association with said first named tray member.

CARL P. J OCHUM.