US2549339A

US2549339A - Dental articulator

Info

Publication number: US2549339A
Application number: US24457A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis L Shore
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-05-01
Filing date: 1948-05-01
Publication date: 1951-04-17
Anticipated expiration: 1968-04-17

Description

April 17, 1951 l.. sHoRE DENTAL ARTICULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May l, 1948 ATTOPNEY INVENTOR. Louis L. SHORE BY L. L. SHORE DENTAL ARTICULATOR April 17, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May l, 1948 F'IG. 2

I' INVENTOR. 75 Lows L SHORE ATTQRNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFIC DENTAL ARTICULTR Louis L. shore', Cleveland, ohio Application May 1, 1948, Serial No. 24,457

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to dental articulators of the type used to simulate jaw movements in the processing of dentures.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an articulating device which is also adapted to serve as a duplicator and centriculator, thereby ob'viating the requirement for several distinct pieces of dental equipment.

Another object of my invention is to provide an articulator which is provided with an adjustable support post, thereby permitting greater accuracy in translating the movement of the patients jaw to the articulator.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an articulator in which a greater range of adjustment is possible than in presently used devices.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. l is a top plan view of an articulator embodying the features of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved articulator, a portion thereof being broken away to show details of the columnar structure.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the articulator, a portion thereof being broken away to show details of the structure.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional View, taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view, taken on line 1--1 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View, taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the articulator is seen to comprise broadly a base I, an upper jaw member 2 and a central support column 3. 'Ihe base I is generally triangular in form and is provided with a medially disposed portion 4 which serves as a mounting plate for an artificial denture or model, as is customary in the art. The mounting plate 4 has embossed thereon a series of intersecting ribs 5 which serve to maintain the denture against slippage on the mounting plate and also serve as registration points for accuratereplacement of the denture von the plate after it has vbeen removed.

elements to be hereinafter described. The post 'I and the wall 9 of the embossment 6 are provided with complementary keyways Il] which are adapted to slidablyreceive keys II and I2. The lowermost key i2 is secured against movement by a screw I3. The upper key il is held in frictional engagement with the post 8 by means of a thumb screw I4 which is threaded into the wall 9 of the embossment 6 and which bears against the surface of the key II. It will be apparent that the foregoing arrangement of parts permits the post 8 to be raised or lowered, as desired, and locked at a selected height by proper manipulation of the thumb screw I4. It will also be noted that the keys II and I2 prevent the post 8 from rotating about its own axis, thereby maintaining the condylar elements in equilateral relationship to the incisal guide unit.

The upper portion of the post 8 terminates in 5 a cross-piece I5 which, for purposes of rigidity and strength, is formed wtih a T cross-section, as best seen in Fig. '7. The end portions I5 of the cross-piece project downwardly at an angle and terminate in disc-like portions I'I which are recessed as at I8 to provide sockets for condylar posts I9 which are rotatably mounted therein. A thumb screw 20 extends upwardly into the recess I8 centrally thereof and is threaded into the post I9 thereby permitting the post I9 to be secured against rotation after a desired setting has been obtained. Suitable indicia 2l may be placed around the exterior of the disc-like portion I'I and an indicator mark 22 may be placed on the post I9 so as to indicate the relative angularity through which the posts I9 are rotated.

Each condylar post I9 is surmounted by a condylar head 23 in the form of a split ring having projecting ears 24. An adjusting screw 25, which traverses the ears 24, can be utilized to vary the internal diameter of the head 23 within narrow limits.

The head is recessed circumferentially thereof as at 26 and 2T, the recess 25 serving to accommodate a ilange 29 on a circular bearing 28 which is rotatably mounted in the head 23. The recess 21 accommodates a flat circular plate 39, the plate 30 and the bearing 23 being joined together by a screw 3| and a thumb screw 32. The screw 3| allows a slight clearance between the parts, so that when the thumb screw 32 is released, thev it plate 3l) may be rotated relatively to the bearing 28, arcuate slots 33 being provided in the plate 3D to permit such rotation.

An elongated depression 34 of semi-circular cross-section is formed in the bearings 28, which depression is adapted to serve as a bearing surface for the spherical ends 36 of a shaft 35 Which extends between the condylar heads 23 and is supported by the bearings 28 mounted therein.

Rigidly secured to each end 36 of the shaft and projecting axially therefrom is a shaft extension 31 of smaller diameter than the shaft 35, which extends through openings in the bearing 2B and the plate and projects laterally of the condylar heads 23. The aforesaid openings comprise a horizontally disposed slot 38 in the bearing 23 and a corresponding slot 39 in the plate 3G, the slot 35 being rotatable from an aligned position with the slot 38 to a position substantially vertical or normal to the slot 38. It 'will be apparent (see Fig. 2) that when the slot 39 coincides with the position of slot 38, the shaft 35 is free to move along the slots in a horizontalf plane. However, when the plate 33 is rotated so that the slot 39 is disposed vertically, the shaft 35 will be locked against displacement and will be free to move only about its own Likewise, if the condylar heads 23 be rotated about the axis defined by the screws 2B so as to be disposed at an angle other than normal to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 35, the shaft can again be locked against displacement by rotation of the plate 35 and its slot 33 to a position which, under these circumstances, is intermediate the horizontal and vertical positions. Thus at any selected position of angularity of the heads 23, the shaft 35 is either free to move back and forth in the depressions 35 or is locked in centric relation in the articulator, depending upon the setting of the plate 33. A pin it is secured to the surface of the plate 33 for convenience in effecting rotation of the plate.

The upper jaw member 2, just as the base i, is of a generally triangular form, but is of Somewhat smaller proportion. Its undersurface is provided with the pattern of raised ribs 5, previously mentioned, which serves as a mounting plate 52 for an artificial denture or model. Two laterally spaced thumb-screws isi extend from the upper surface of the member 2 into the mounting plate area and are normally threaded into nuts (not shown) which are imbedded in the denture. The screws il serve to secure the denture to the mounting plate and also assist in assuring accurate registry of the denture when it is replaced after removal.

The undersurface of the rearward portion of the member 2 is provided with a groove is of semi-circular cross-section, in which the shaft 35 may lie. The jaw member 2 is rigidly secured to the shaft 35 by two screws 44.

Two spaced ears 35 depend from the jaw member 2, these ears having bores 56 extending therethrough. When the upper jaw member is parallel to the base l, the bore d6 is in alignment with a bore i1 in spaced ears 48 which project upwardly from the cross-piece l5 in proximity to the ears e5. A locking pin 4S extends through the ears e5 and 48 and thereby locks the member 2 and the shaft 35 against rotation relative to the base I.

rThe forward extremity of the member 2 has slidably mounted therein an incisal stem or post 5B which is secured at selected positions of height by means of a screw 5l which bears against it.

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Suitable indicia 52 are scored on the post 55 to provide reference marks for the settings of the post.

The lower portion of the incisal post 53 termihates in a rounded stub or finger 53 which rests in a narrow groove 53 in a support member 55 which forms part of the incisal guide assembly indicated generally by the numeral 54 and to be more fully described below.

rEhe forward portion of the base i is formed as a low flat platform 51 with upstanding spaced ears 58 between which the incisal guide assembly 56 is pivotally suspended.

The incisal guide 59 is in the form of a semif circular base having an upstanding flange 6| around the arcuate periphery thereof and two upstanding posts 62 along the diametrical edge thereof. Extending laterally from the incisal guide, co-planar with the base 60, are narrow extensions 53 which are lupturned at their ends to form ears 54. The ears 64 nest between the ears 58 on the platform 51 and are pivotally secured to the ears 58 by means of a rivet 65 and a thumb screw 56. The incisal guide 59 may thus be tilted or pivoted to selected positions of inclination and may be secured in such positions by means of the screw 66.

rThe support member 55, previously mentioned, is formed with a depending bifurcated portion 61 at the forward end thereof and the ears 58 which are thus formed straddle a swivel pin 69 which is pivotally secured to the base 63 of the incisal guide 53. The support is in turn pivotally secured to the swivel 53 by means of a rivet 10 or the like which extends through the ears 68 and the swivel 69. A projecting pin 1i extends from the rearward portion of the support member 55 and is adapted to overlie the flange 3| and maintain the support 55 in a substantially horizontal position, except as will hereinafter appear.

Adjustable stops 12 are siidably mounted in the posts 52 and are frictionally secured against movement by thumb screws 13 which are threaded vertically into the posts 52 and bear against the stops 12. When manipulating the articulator, the arc traversed by the support 55 may be limited in either direction by proper setting of the stops 12, the ends of the stops thereby abutting the sides of the support member` 55 when the desired limit of pivotal movement is reached. Suitable indicia 14 may be provided on the stops 12 to serve as memoranda of the settings.

Two arcuate spring-metal `leaves 15 are pivotally secured to the flange 5| by a common screw 15. The spring leaves conform substantially to the shape and height of the flange Gl. Each leaf 15 is provided with a slot 11 through which extends a thumb screw 13 which bears against the leaf. As best seen in Fig. 5, the leaves 15 may be pivoted about the screw 13 so as to create an incline upon which the pin 1| will ride during manipulation of the articulator. The leaves 15 can, of course, be secured in position Iby the thumb screws 18.

The arrangement of the parts of the incisal guide assembly 54 thus permits universal movement of the incisal post 50 to accurately simu-A ered in conformity with `the actual. anatomical structure which is being duplicated, thereby insuring accuracies in simulation which have heretofore been unavailable to the dental practitioner. This also permits a greater degree of accuracy in the setting up and articulation of finished and unfinished dentures than` has heretofore been possible.

The novel means for locking the entire upper jaw member against movement also permits the articulator increased usefulness in processing dentures and models, and in duplicating and other uses.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herein shown and described, represents means for supporting said upper jaw member,

said means comprising a hollow column provided on said base member, a supporting post vertically slidable in said column, vertically extending keyways provided in said post and said column, a key connecting said keyways, and a set screw extending radially through said column into engagement With `said key whereby to frictionally secure said post against sliding movement.

2. In a dental articulator, a base member, an upper jaw member and vertically adjustable vmeans for supporting said upper jaw .member, said means comprising a hollow column provided on said base member, a supporting post vertically slidable in said column, vertically extending keyways provided in said post and said column, a key immovably secured to said column and connecting said keyways, a second key slidably mounted in said keyways, and locking means provided on said column for engaging said secf ond key whereby to frictionally secure said post a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or thescope of upper jaw member and vertically adjustableV against sliding movement.

LOUIS L. SHORE'.

REFERENCES CITEDV The following references are of record in the rile of this patent:

UNITED sTA'I'Es PATENTS