Orthodontic Bracket Self-Ligating Door with Elastic Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional orthodontic brackets face issues such as bursting under high stress, complex and costly manufacturing, and insecure locking mechanisms that require skilled professionals for arch wire fixation and can lead to slipping or deformation.
Innovation Solution
An orthodontic bracket with a self-ligating mechanism featuring an elastic deformable locking elevation and deepening, allowing for secure and user-friendly opening and closing without losing arch wire fixation, and made from composite or ceramic materials for enhanced fracture resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring-based locking mechanism is used to secure the covering door, then the bracket achieves automatic locking, but the spring becomes inaccessible and unreliable after closing, making opening difficult and risking loss of arch wire fixation
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is extracted from the bracket body and relocated to the covering door itself. This allows the spring to remain accessible and functional throughout the opening/closing cycle, eliminating the reliability and accessibility problems of embedded springs while maintaining automatic locking functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The covering door incorporates its own spring mechanism, making it self-sufficient for the locking function. The spring on the covering door directly engages with the bracket body's locking elevation, eliminating the need for separate, inaccessible spring mechanisms within the bracket.
2Reliability
If high-precision complex geometries are used to achieve secure locking, then locking reliability improves, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into simple, distinct components: a locking elevation on the bracket body and a corresponding locking deepening on the covering door. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently with simple geometries, reducing overall manufacturing complexity while maintaining secure locking through their complementary interaction.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters from complex, high-precision forms to simple, robust forms. The locking elevation and deepening use straightforward shapes that are easier to manufacture with standard tolerances, reducing manufacturing difficulty while maintaining adequate locking security for the application.
3Strength
If conventional materials are used for the bracket, then manufacturing remains simple, but fracture resistance under high stress is insufficient, leading to bracket failure over time
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket incorporates ceramic inlays within a metallic or polymeric matrix, creating a composite structure. The ceramic provides high fracture resistance and wear resistance for critical surfaces, while the base material maintains structural integrity and ease of manufacturing. This composite approach enhances strength without significantly complicating the manufacturing process.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides a secure, easy-to-use, and durable orthodontic bracket with improved fracture resistance and reduced manufacturing complexity, ensuring reliable arch wire confinement and extended lifespan without significant weight or effort increase.
Implementation Method 1
engaging the at least one locking deepening with the at least one locking elevation by elastic deformation of the at least one locking elevation
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic bracket has at least one base configured for attachment to a tooth surface and at least one bracket element arranged at one side of the at least one base, the at least one bracket element comprising—at least one arch wire slot—two wall portions wherein the orthodontic bracket comprises at least one one-piece covering door having at least one first free end which is shaped to fit within at least one indentation of a first wall portion. The at least one indentation comprises at least one locking elevation and the at least one covering door comprises at least one locking deepening. The at least one bracket element and/or the at least one base comprises composite material such as polyurethane material, and/or the at least one covering door comprises composite material such as polyurethane material, and/or comprises ceramic material.