US3636634A

US3636634A - Hinge joint for dental articulator

Info

Publication number: US3636634A
Application number: US84585A
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony J De Pietro
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-10-28
Filing date: 1970-10-28
Publication date: 1972-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-25

Abstract

A hinge joint for a dental articulator is provided with a hinge part in the form of a spherical element carried by the lower bow member and a hinge part carried by the upper bow member including anterior and posterior guide parts conjointly providing a condylar guide surface seated upon the spherical element and an abutment engaging the side of the spherical element. The posterior guide part may be selectively rocked about its own principal axis relative to the anterior guide part and/or selectively moved back and forth in an arcuate path orbitally about the spherical element relative to the anterior guide part.

Description

United States Patent De Pietro [451 Jan. 25, 1972 [54] HINGE JOINT FOR DENTAL ARTICULATOR Anthony J. De Pietro, 208 School Lane, Springfield, Pa. 19064 [22] Filed: Oct. 28, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 84,585

[72] Inventor:

Primary ExaminerRobert Peshock Attorney-Louis V. Schiavo [5 7] ABSTRACT A hinge joint for a dental articulator is provided with a hinge part in the form of a spherical element carried by the lower bow member and a hinge part carried by the upper bow member including anterior and posterior guide parts conjointly providing a condylar guide surface seated upon the spherical element and an abutment engaging the side of the spherical element. The posterior guide part may be selectively rocked about its own principal axis relative to the anterior guide part and/or selectively moved back and forth in an armate path orbitally about the spherical element relative to the anterior guide part.

12 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures PATENTED was 1972 SHEET 1 BF 4 I l l INVENTOR.

ANTHONY J. DEPIETRO BY J FIG. 5

0:44; 4 ra'w ATTORNEY.

PATENTED M25 5972 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIGQ8 INVENTOR. ANTHONY J. DEPIETRO 'q, z VIII. III/I'll Kym MP4 0 BY J (){OZLM ATTORNEY PATENIEU JANZS 1972 3.636. 634

sum 3 or 4 259 INVENTOR.

ANTHONY J. DEPIETRO d zw fi mzr ATTQRNEY.

' HINGE JOINT FOR DENTAL ARTICULATOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,478,431, issued Nov. 18, I969, I describe a certain hinge-type joint for a dental articulator. This application is addressed to further improvements in such joints. 1

2. Description of the Prior Art The hinge joint of my said patent includes a hinge part in the form of a spherical element carried by the lower bow member and a hinge part carried by the upper bow member and provided with a condylar guide surface seated upon the spherical element. The hinge part carried by the upper bow member is provided with anterior and posterior parts respectively providing anterior and posterior portions of the condylar guide surface. The posterior guide part may be selectively positioned relative to the anterior guide part about its own principal axis extending fore and aft of the joint. However, no provision is made for selectively moving the posterior guide part back and forth in an arcuate path orbitally about the spherical element relative to the anterior guide part.

SUMMARY In a hinge joint constructed in accordance with the invention, the posterior guide part, in addition to being selectively positionable relative to the anterior guide part about its principal axis extending fore and aft of the joint, may be selectively shifted orbitally about the spherical element relative to the anterior guide part. 1

Other objects of the invention will become apparent when the following description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a side view of a hinge joint constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the hinge joint, as indicated by lines IIII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is afront view of the hinge joint, as indicated by lines III-III in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical transverse section on line V--\/ in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view, indicated by lines VIVI in FIG. I, showing only the principal parts of the hinge joint, the upper portion of the frame member or jacket being removed to expose the anterior and posterior guide parts mounted therein;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are similar to FIG. 6, but show the posterior guide part in extreme positions;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge joint;

FIG. 10 is a side view of a modified form of the hinge joint;

FIG. I] is a rear view of the hinge joint, as indicated by lines XIXI in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a front view of the hinge joint, as indicated by lines XII-XII in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a vertical longitudinal section on line XIII--XIII in FIG. I2;

FIG. 14 is a vertical transverse section on line XIV-XIV in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a view, indicated by lines XV-XV in FIG. 10, showing only the principal parts of the hinge joint, the upper portion of the frame member or jacket being removed to expose the anterior and posterior guide parts mounted therein;

FIGS. 16 and 17 are similar to FIG. 15, but show the posterior guide part in extreme positions; and

FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the lower portion of the upper hinge part.

The following description is directed to the specific forms of the invention shown in the drawings. It is not addressed to the scope of the invention, which may be practiced in a wider variety of forms.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9, my improved hinge-type joint for the dental articulator is generally upright and may extend upwardly and rearwardly at an angle of approximately 10 relative to the vertical. It comprises an upper hinge part or assembly, generally designated 10, and a lower hinge part, generally designated I2. The assembly 10 includes a subassembly or condyle guide means, generally designated 14, suspended from the upper bow member 16 by means of a second subassembly, generally designated 18. The lower hinge part I2 is provided with a neck 20 terminating in a spherical element 22, and the subassembly 14 is seated upon said spherical element.

The subassembly 14 includes a frame member or jacket part 24 which mounts posterior and

anterior guide parts

26 and 28. The jacket 24 generally is in the form of a hollow cylindrical main body part 30 extending fore and aft of the joint and closed at the rear end thereof by a cross-axially extending part 32 of hollow semispherical shape. The fore end and underside of the jacket are open. Extending in opposite directions respectively from opposite sides of the jacket are a pair of coaxially related bosses 34.

The posterior guide part 26 is generally of solid semispherical shape and is nested inthe hollow semispherical part 32 of the jacket, which serves'as a socket for receiving the same. The part 26 is undercut to provide a forwardly extending lip 36 overhanging the spherical element 22. As shown in FIG. 4, the fore edge of the lip extends a short distance beyond the center of the spherical element 22, and as shown in FIG. 5, the lip does not extend all the way across the posterior guide part, but terminates a short distance to the right of the vertical longitudinally extending median plane of the joint. The downwardly presenting surface area 38 of the undercut merges smoothly with a rounded surface area 30, which in turn merges smoothly with a forwardly presenting surface area 42. As shown, the forwardly presenting face 44 of the lip is beveled to assure freedom of movement of the posterior guide part 26 in the socket part 32 of the jacket.

The rearwardly presenting semispherical surface of the posterior guide part 26 is provided with a recess 46, and extending from the base of the recess rearwardly on the central axis of the part 26 is a stud 48. The stud extends freely through a sleeve 50 which in turn extends through an arcuate slot 52 in the socket part 32 of the jacket. The fore end of the sleeve 50 is provided with a flange 54 accommodated by the recess 46. Threaded on the sleeve is a nut 56 which draws the flange tight against the socket part 32 of the jacket, and threaded on the stud is a nut 58 which draws the posterior guide part 26 tight against the flange 54 of the sleeve 50. The portion 59 of the sleeve 50 between the flange 54 and the nut 56 is rectangular in transverse section and coacts with the edges of the slot 52 to secure the sleeve 50 against turning about its longitudinal axis.

The anterior guide part 28 is shaped as required for being nested in the main body part 30 of the jacket. In transverse section the upwardly presenting surface area 60 thereof is arcuate in shape, and the downwardly presenting surface area 62 thereof is straight and flat, as indicated in FIG. 3. In longitudinal section the surface area 60 is straight and flat, and the surface area 62 is curvilinear, as shown in FIG. 4. The aft end portion of the part 28 is provided with surface areas 64 which converge or feather rearwardly respectively from opposite sides of the part 28 to form an upright edge 66 disposed in close forwardly spaced relation to the fore edge of the lip 36. The lower terminal of the edge 66 abuts the top of the spherical element 22. The surface areas 64 are disposed as required to accommodate movement of the posterior guide part 26 from the position thereof shown in FIG. 6 to those is disposed just a short distance to the rear of the center of the spherical element 22, and the upwardly presenting surface area 72 of the abutment is disposed just a short distance above the center of the spherical element 22. The anterior guide part 28 may be turned relative to the jacket about the central axis of the latter, and for selectively positioning the part 28 a bracket 76 is provided. The bracket is affixed to the fore end of the part 28 and extends upwardly and rearwardly over the fore end of the jacket. A screw 78 serves to releasably fix the part 28 in position.

The second subassembly 18 includes a member 80 with a base portion 82 interconnecting a pair of laterally spaced

arms

84 and 86 which embrace the jacket, as shown. A pair of coaxially related pivot screws 88 and 90 extend freely respectively through the lower end portions of the arms and are threaded into the bosses 34 carried by the jacket. Extending upwardly from the base 82 is a stem in the form of a tubular element 92 projected freely through a slotted opening 94 in the upper bow member 16. Threaded over the stem is a nut 96, and threaded into the stem is a screw 98 the terminal portion of which is adapted to engage the back of the jacket, as shown.

It will be noted that the axis of the screw 98, designated Y- Y in FIG. I, the axis of the

screws

88 and 90, designated XX in FIG. 3, and the principal axis of the posterior guide part 26, designated ZZ in FIG. I, intersect at the center of the spherical element 22, and that each of these axes is disposed at right angles to the others.

As shown and described, no component part of the upper hinge part is movable relative to the upper bow member 16. In other words, the upper hinge part 10 is effectively locked in position. The spherical element 22 is in starting position, i.e., one side thereof is engaged with the abutment 70 and the top thereof is nested close under the lip 36, as shown particularly in FIG. 4.

The nut 96 being threaded down on the stem 92 clamps the member 80 to the upper bow member 16, and as a consequence, the upper hinge part 10 is secured against movement laterally of the upper bow member and against turning about the upright axis YY. The screw 98 being threaded down through the stem 92 bears down the back of the jacket and frictionally secures the assembly 14 against pivotal movement about the horizontal transverse axis XX. The nut 56 being threaded onto the sleeve 50 clamps the latter to the jacket, and the nut 58 being threaded onto the stud 48 clamps the posterior guide part 26 to the sleeve 50, as a consequence of which the part 26 is secured against all movement in the socket part 32 of the jacket. The screw 78 being threaded down through the bracket 76 engages the back of the jacket and secures the anterior guide part 28 against movement in the main body part 30 of the jacket.

In adjusting the instrument and effectively locking it in adjusted position, the first step is to move the lower hinge part 12 to the desired position laterally of the instrument. Then the nut 96 is loosened and the upper hinge part 10 moved as a unit laterally of the instrument to bring the abutment 70 into engagement with the inner side of the spherical element 22. With the hinge part in such position and turned as required about the upright axis Y(, the nut 96 is retightened.

The screw 98 now may be turned out slightly to release the subassembly 14 for tilting movement clockwise (as viewed in 'FIG. I) about the horizontal-axis XX. With the subassembly I4 in the desired position, the screw 98 is turned in again until the lower end thereof reengages the back of the jacket.

Now the nut 56 may be loosened slightly to release the sleeve 50 from the jacket, and then the posterior guide part 26 may be turned in the socket part 32 of the jacket about the upright axis Y-Y by swinging the sleeve 50 and the stem 48 to the right or lefi as desired, within the limits of the slot 52;

Thus the part 26 may be shifted back and forth orbitally in a circular path about the spherical element 22. Extreme positions of the part 26 are shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. With the sleeve 50 extending through the desired portion of the slot 52, the nut 56 is retightened. Thereupon the nut 58 is loosened slightly to release the posterior guide part 26 from the flange 54 of the sleeve 50, whereupon the part 26 is turned about the axis of the stud 48 to a desired position and the nut 58 retightened.

The screw 78 now may be turned out slightly to release the anterior guide part 28 from the jacket. Thereupon the part 28 is turned in the jacket about the axis ZZ to the desired position. With the part 28 in the desired position, the screw 78 is retightened.

Suitable scales and index marks (not shown) may be provided to aid in making the aforementioned adjustments.

The upper and lower bow members may be opened and closed and shifted relative to one another fore and aft and laterally with the spherical element 22 always engaged with the condylar guide surface. As indicated hereinabove, when the spherical element 22 is in starting position, one side thereof is engaged with the abutment 70 and the top thereof is nested close under the lip 36. From this starting position, the spherical element 22 may move forth and back along any one of a plurality of diverging paths. It may move forth and back along the abutment 70 in contact therewith. It may move forth and back under the lip 36, being nested all the while in'the rounded surface area 40 of the undercut. While moving forth along the abutment 70, it may at the same time move away from the same before returning to the starting position.

The anterior guide part 28 is only one of a set thereof, preferably made of plastic material, each being provided with an undersurface having a different curvature. The selected part 28 is inserted and removed from the jacket through the open fore end thereof.

Now referring particularly to the embodiment of FIGS. 10-18, the joint for the dental articulator is provided with a modified upper hinge part or assembly, generally designated 200. The assembly 200 includes a subassembly or condyle guide means, generally designated 202, suspended from the upper bow member 16 by means of a second subassembly, generally designated 204. The subassembly 202 is seated upon the spherical element or head 22 of the lower hinge part 12.

The subassembly 202 includes a frame member or jacket part 206 which mounts posterior and

anterior guide parts

208 and 210. The jacket 206 generally is in the form of a round disc disposed upright and extending fore and aft of the joint. The peripheral surface of the disc presenting upwardly and forwardly, designated 212, is arcuate in shape, and the downwardly presenting surface of the disc, designated 214, is straight and flat and disposed below the center of the disc. The lower aft portion of the disc, designated 216, is rounded, the center of curvature being at the center of the disc, midway between the opposite sides thereof. The lower fore portion of the disc is hollowed out as required to accommodate the posterior and

anterior guide parts

208 and 210, as shown.

The posterior guide part 208 is similar in every respect to the posterior guide part 26, and reference may be had to the description of part 26 hereinabove for all necessary details. A stud 218 extends rearwardly from the part 208 on the central axis thereof and freely through a sleeve 220, which in turn extends through an arcuate slot 222 in the lower aft portion or socket part 216 of the jacket. The fore end of the sleeve is provided with a flange 224 accommodated by a recess 226 in the part 208. Threaded on the sleeve is a nut 228 which draws the flange tight against the socket part 216, and threaded on the stud is a nut 230 which draws the posterior guide part 208 tight against the flange 224 of the sleeve 220. The portion 232 of the sleeve 220 between the flange 224 and the nut 228 is rectangular in transverse section and coacts with the edges of slot 222 to secure the sleeve 220 against turning about its longitudinal axis.

In every essential respect, the anterior guide part 210 is similar to the anterior guide part 28, and reference may be had to the description of part 28 hereinabove for required details. It should be noted, however, that part 210 is generally rectangular in transverse section, being provided with a straight, flat upwardly presenting surface area 234 and straight, flat opposite side surface areas 236. Thus part 210 is not arranged for being selectively positioned relative to the jacket 206. A screw 238 serves to releasably hold the part 210 in position. In longitudinal section the fore end of the part 210 is arcuately shaped to merge smoothly with the arcuate surface 212 of the jacket. It will be understood that the anterior guide part 2l0, like the part 28, is only one of a set thereof, preferably made of plastic material, each being provided with an undersurface having a different curvature. The selected part 210 is inserted and removed from the jacket through the open fore end or bottom thereof.

The second subassembly 204 is provided with a yoke part 240 carried by a yoke mounting part 242 the stem of which extends through a sleeve 244. Threaded onto the sleeve is a lock nut 246, and threaded onto the stem of the yoke mounting part 242 is a lock nut 248. Threaded downwardly through the stem is a lock screw 250. The second subassembly 204 is similar to the corresponding second subassembly 18 described in my aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,478,43l, to which reference may be had for a detailed description. It should be noted that the two legs of the yoke 240, designated 252 and 254, mount suitable coaxially

related pivot elements

256 and 258 which extend freely respectively through said legs and are threaded into the opposite sides of the jacket. Threaded through the yoke leg 254 is a lock screw 259 the end of which engages the side of the jacket to hold the jacket in adjusted position.

It will be noted that the axis of the screw 250, designated YY in FlG. 10, the axis of the

pivot elements

256 and 258, designated X-X in FIG. 12, and the axis of the posterior guide part 208, designated Z-Z in FIG. 10, intersect at the center of the spherical element 22, and that each of the axes is disposed at right angles to the others.

The basic difference between the embodiment of FIGS. 1-9 and that of FIGS. -18 is that in the latter embodiment the anterior guide part 210 is fixed against movement relative to the jacket. Accordingly, in the operation of the instrument, to

tilt the part 210 to either side, the lock screw 250 must be threaded out slightly to release the yoke 240, the subassembly 202 tilted as a unit to the desired position and then the lock screw 250 must be retightened. Reference may be had to my aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3,478,431 for a description of the operation of the second subassembly 204. In view of the detailed description of the operation of the embodiment of FIGS. l-9, any further description of the embodiment of FIGS. 10-18 would appear to be unnecessary.

What is claimed is: 1. In a dental articulator, the combination comprising A. a lower bow member, B. an upper bow member, C. a pair of laterally spaced hinge-type joints for mounting said lower bow member each including i l. a hinge part in the form of a spherical element carried by said lower bow member, and 2. a hinge part carried by said upper bow member includa. an anterior guide part,

b. a posterior guide part, said guide parts being provided with condylar guide surface areas conjointly extending over said spherical element and forwardly therefrom, means mounting said posterior guide part for being turned selectively relative to said anterior guide part about a principal axis of said posterior guide part extending fore and aft and/or moved selectively relative to said anterior guide part orbitally in a circular path about said spherical element,

d. means operable for adjustably fixing said posterior guide part in a selected position,

e. an abutment provided with an abutment surface engaging one side of said spherical element and extending forwardly therefrom, and

f. means for mounting said anterior and posterior guide parts and said abutment for movement as a unit about the center of said spherical element.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein the principal axis of the posterior guide part is generally horizontal and extends through the center of the spherical element, and the axis about which the posterior guide part may be moved orbitally in a circular path is generally upright and extends through the center of the spherical element.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein the condylar guide surface area of the posterior guide part extends downwardly as well as rearwardly from the condylar guide surface area of the anterior guide part and remains engaged with the spherical element throughout the full range of both turning and orbital movement of the posterior guide part with respect to the anterior guide part.

4. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the abutment surface is disposed in an upright position, and irrespective of the position of the posterior guide part within the range of its turning and/or orbital movement, the abutment surface and the rearwardly and downwardly extending condylar guide surface area of the posterior guide part remain constantly engaged with the spherical element when the anterior and posterior guide parts and the abutment are moved as a unit about said spherical element.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein the assembly includes a hollow jacket having a main body part, and a socketed part with a forwardly presenting generally semispherical surface area, the posterior guide part is provided with a corresponding rearwardly presenting generally semispherical surface area accommodated by the generally semispherical surface area of said socketed part, said posterior guide part being thereby nested in said socketed part for movement therein, the anterior guide part is mounted in said main body part of the jacket, and the abutment is carried by said anterior guide part in fixed relation thereto.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein the posterior guide part is provided with a pivot element extending rearwardly therefrom through an elongated opening in an arcuate wall area of said socketed jacket part.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein the longitudinal axis of the pivot element and the center of the spherical element are disposed in the generally longitudinal median plane of the elongated opening.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the posterior guide part is undercut to provide the condylar guide surface area thereof and a lipoverhanging the spherical element and extending forwardly across an upright plane extending transversely through the center of the spherical element,

and the aft end portion of the anterior guide part feathers rearwardly to a point disposed in an upright plane extending longitudinally through the center of the spherical element in forward spaced close relation to said lip whereby to provide clearance for orbital movement of said posterior guide part.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein the point to which the anterior guide part feathers abuts the top of the spherical element.

10. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the means for adjustably fixing the posterior guide part against turning movement and against movement orbitally about the spherical elements are operable for effecting said movements each independently of the other.

11. The combination according to claim 7 wherein a flanged sleeve is nonturnably projected through the elongated opening in the socketed jacket part, the flange of the sleeve is releasably clamped to the socketed jacket part by a nut threaded on the sleeve, the pivot element projects freely through the sleeve, and the posterior guide part is releasably clamped to said flange by a nut threaded on .said pivot element.

12. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the anterior guide part is carried by the main body part of the jacket and is mounted therein for being selectively positioned relative thereto about the Central longitudinal axis of said main body part.

Claims

1. In a dental articulator, the combination comprising A. a lower bow member, B. an upper bow member, C. a pair of laterally spaced hinge-type joints for mounting said lower bow member each including 1. a hinge part in the form of a spherical element carried by said lower bow member, and 2. a hinge part carried by said upper bow member including a. an anterior guide part, b. a posterior guide part, said guide parts being provided with condylar guide surface areas conjointly extending over said spherical element and forwardly therefrom, c. means mounting said posterior guide part for being turned selectively relative to said anterior guide part about a principal axis of said posterior guide part extending fore and aft and/or moved selectively relative to said anterior guide part orbitally in a circular path about said spherical element, d. means operable for adjustably fixing said posterior guide part in a selected position, e. an abutment provided with an abutment surface engaging one side of said spherical element and extending forwardly therefrom, and f. means for mounting said anterior and posterior guide parts and said abutment for movement as a unit about the center of said spherical element.

2. a hinge part carried by said upper bow member including a. an anterior guide part, b. a posterior guide part, said guide parts being provided with condylar guide surface areas conjointly extending over said spherical element and forwardly therefrom, c. means mounting said posterior guide part for being turned selectively relative to said anterior guide part about a principal axis of said posterior guide part extending fore and aft and/or moved selectively relative to said anterior guide part orbitally in a circular path about said spherical element, d. means operable for adjustably fixing said posterior guide part in a selected position, e. an abutment provided with an abutment surface engaging one side of said spherical element and extending forwardly therefrom, and f. means for mounting said anterior and posterior guide parts and said abutment for movement as a unit about the center of said spherical element.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein the posterior guide part is undercut to provide the condylar guide surface area thereof and a lip overhanging the spherical element and extending forwardly across an upright plane extending transversely through the center of the spherical element, and the aft end portion of the anterior guide part feathers rearwardly to a point disposed in an upright plane extending longitudinally through the center of the spherical element in forward spaced close relation to said lip whereby to provide clearance for orbital movement of said posterior guide part.

11. The combination according to claim 7 wherein a flanged sleeve is nonturnably projected through the elongated opening in the socketed jacket part, the flange of the sleeve is releasably clamped to the socketed jacket part by a nut threaded on the sleeve, the pivot element projects freely through the sleeve, and the posterior guide part is releasably clamped to said flange by a nut threaded on said pivot element.