US5480304A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for providing quick couplings for dental prostheses
Assignee: Rhein 83 SNC di Nardi Ezio and C
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Filing: 1994-09-14
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Granted: 1996-01-02
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Expires: 2014-09-14
Abstract
Abstract Device for providing quick couplings for dental prostheses including a substantially spherical male element which is meant to be associated with a removable part of the prosthesis and is suitable to couple to a female element which is shaped complementarily with respect to the male element and is correspondingly provided by a fixed part of the prosthesis. The male element extends from a stem which has a spherical head that is suitable to be coupled to a correspondingly spherical seat associated with the removable part of the prosthesis.
Inventors
- 👤 Ezio Nardi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:40
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61C; A61C8/00; A61C8/0048; A61C8/005; A61C8/0053; A61C8/0065; A61C8/0069; A61C8/0054; A61C8/0056; A61C8/0057; A61C8/006
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat and defining a first longitudinal axis; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member, said stem member and said male element defining a second longitudinal axis thereof; a female element being accommodated in a body, said body being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis, said female element accommodated in said body defining a third longitudinal axis, and said male element being rotatably accommodated in said female element for forming a further spherical coupling, said stem member and said pin element being angularly movable with respect to said body between a position in which said first, second and third longitudinal axes are aligned along a same linear direction and a position in which said first, second and third longitudinal axes form a continuous line with angularly offset portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat and defining a first longitudinal axis; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member, said stem member and said male element defining a second longitudinal axis thereof; a female element being accommodated in a body, said body being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis, said female element accommodated in said body defining a third longitudinal axis, and said male element being rotatably accommodated in said female element for forming a further spherical coupling, said stem member and said pin element being angularly movable with respect to said body between a position in which said first, second and third longitudinal axes are aligned along a same linear direction and a position in which said first, second and third longitudinal axes form a continuous line with angularly offset portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Device according to claim 1, wherein said male element has an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of said female element, said female element comprising an inner spherical surface for accommodating only an equatorial region of said male element.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Device according to claim 1, wherein said spherical head is adapted to be retained inside said seat formed in said pin by folding a border edge of said seat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Device according to claim 1, wherein said male element has a flattened region, said flattened region being joined to a cylindrical neck of said stem, said neck being connected to said spherical head by an annular groove.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
61 words
Device according to claim 1, wherein said female element is formed by a cap made of plastic material, the outer surface of said cap being shaped complementarily with respect to a corresponding seat formed in said body, the body being screwable in a tubular prosthodontic element, said prosthodontic element being adapted to become monolithic with said fixed part of the prosthesis.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
77 words
Device according to claim 5, wherein said cap has an axial through hole, said hole comprising: an inlet portion having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said male element; a containment portion constituting said female element; and an end portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said inlet portion, whereby said male element is forcedly insertable through said inlet portion for being accommodated in said female element at said equatorial region thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member; a female element being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis, said female element being enclosed in a cap, said cap having an axial through hole, said hole having an inlet portion with a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said male element, a containment portion defining said female element, and an end portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said inlet portion, whereby said male element is forcedly insertable through said inlet portion for being rotatably accommodated in said female element to form a further spherical coupling.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
188 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member; a female element being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis, said female element being enclosed in a cap, said cap having an axial through hole, said hole having an inlet portion with a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said male element, a containment portion defining said female element, and an end portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said inlet portion, whereby said male element is forcedly insertable through said inlet portion for being rotatably accommodated in said female element to form a further spherical coupling.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
Device according to claim 7, wherein said male element has an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of said female element, said female element comprising an inner spherical surface for accommodating only an equatorial region of said male element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
Device according to claim 7, wherein said spherical head is adapted to be retained inside said seat formed in said pin by folding a border edge of said seat.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
Device according to claim 7, wherein said male element has a flattened region, said flattened region being joined to a cylindrical neck of said stem, said neck being connected to said spherical head by an annular groove.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
56 words
Device according to claim 7, wherein said cap is made of plastic material, the outer surface of said cap being shaped complementarily with respect to a corresponding seat formed in a body, said body being screwable in a tubular prosthodontic element, said prosthodontic element being adapted to become monolithic with said fixed part of the prosthesis.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
157 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member, whereby said stem member and said male element defining a double-male element; a female element being accommodated in a body, said body being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis so that an inlet of said female element opens at a patient's gum region, and said male element being rotatably accommodated in said female element for forming a further spherical coupling.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
157 words
Device for providing quick couplings for a dental prosthesis including a fixed part and a removable part, said device comprising: a pin element being rigidly connectable to said removable part of the prosthesis, said pin element being provided at an end thereof with a spherical seat; a stem member having a first end and a second end, said second end being constituted by a spherical head, said spherical head being rotatably accommodated in said spherical seat for forming a spherical coupling; a male element being rigidly connected to said first end of said stem member, whereby said stem member and said male element defining a double-male element; a female element being accommodated in a body, said body being coupleable to said fixed part of the prosthesis so that an inlet of said female element opens at a patient's gum region, and said male element being rotatably accommodated in said female element for forming a further spherical coupling.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
Device according to claim 12, wherein said male element has an outer diameter corresponding to an inner diameter of said female element, said female element comprising an inner spherical surface for accommodating only an equatorial region of said male element.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
Device according to claim 12, wherein said spherical head is adapted to be retained inside said seat formed in said pin by folding a border edge of said seat.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
Device according to claim 12, wherein said male element has a flattened region, said flattened region being joined to a cylindrical neck of said stem, said neck being connected to said spherical head by an annular groove.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
Device according to claim 12, wherein said female element is formed by a cap made of plastic material, the outer surface of said cap being shaped complementarily with respect to a corresponding seat formed in said body, the body being screwable in a tubular prosthodontic element, said prosthodontic element being adapted to become monolithic with said fixed part of the prosthesis.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
Device according to claim 16, wherein said cap has an axial through bole, said hole comprising: an inlet portion having a diameter which is smaller than the diameter of said male element; a containment portion constituting said female element; and an end portion having a diameter smaller than the diameter of said inlet portion, whereby said male element is forcedly insertable through said inlet portion for being accommodated in said female element at said equatorial region thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-01-01 | 1999-07-03 | 2000-01-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-01-01 | 2003-07-03 | 2004-01-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-01-01 | 2007-07-03 | 2008-01-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |