ORTHODONTIC EXPANSION SCREW

Abstract

An orthodontic expansion screw has two bodies, the mutual distance of which can be changed by a spindle. The spindle has an actuating part with a threaded part engaged in a threaded bore of one of the two bodies. A straight-line guiding means engage both bodies and prevent a relative rotation of the bodies and prevent inadvertent rotation of the spindle. The threaded part of the spindle has one recess. The inner surface of the threaded bore of the body in which the threaded part is inserted has a projection, which is directed against the at least one threaded part and, in a position of the spindle in which it faces the flattened portion or recess, touches the threaded part on the flattened portion or in the recess, whereas in positions of the spindle in which it does not face a flattened portion or recess, presses against the threaded part.

Claims

1. An orthodontic expansion screw, comprising: at least two bodies, the mutual distance of which can be changed by means of a spindle, which engages both bodies, wherein the spindle has an actuating part, from which at least one threaded part proceeds, which is engaged in a threaded bore of one of the two bodies; a straight-line guiding means, which engage both bodies and guide them along two mutually parallel guiding axes, avoiding a relative rotation of the bodies given a change in their mutual distance; and a device for preventing or impeding an inadvertent rotation of the spindle relative to the bodies; wherein the at least one threaded part of the spindle has at least one recess that extends in its longitudinal direction and is open in a radial direction, and that the inner surface of the threaded bore of the body in which the at least one threaded part is inserted has a projection, which is directed against the at least one threaded part and, in a position of the spindle in which it faces the at least one recess, protrudes into the recess, whereas it presses against the at least one threaded part in positions of the spindle in which it does not face any recess.

2. An orthodontic expansion screw, comprising: at least two bodies, the mutual distance of which can be changed by means of a spindle, which engages both bodies, wherein the spindle has an actuating part, from which at least one threaded part proceeds, which is engaged in a threaded bore of one of the two bodies; a straight-line guiding means, which engage both bodies and guide them along two mutually parallel guiding axes, avoiding a relative rotation of the bodies given a change in their mutual distance; and a device for preventing or impeding an inadvertent rotation of the spindle relative to the bodies; wherein the at least one threaded part of the spindle has at least one flattened portion extending in its longitudinal direction, and that the inner surface of the threaded bore of the body in which the at least one threaded part is inserted has a projection, which is directed against the at least one threaded part and, in positions of the spindle in which it does not face any flattened portion, presses against the at least one threaded part, whereas in positions of the spindle in which it is directed against a flattened portion, it does not touch the flattened portion, or does so with less pressure than in positions in which it does not face a flattened portion.

3. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the projection touches the threaded portion of the spindle in each of its positions.

4. The expansion screw according to claim 3, wherein the projection abuts against the threaded part of the spindle under a pressure in each of its positions.

5. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the projection is convex in design.

6. The expansion screw according to claim 5, wherein the projection is spherical in design.

7. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the protrusion is greater in the longitudinal direction of the spindle than in the circumferential direction of the spindle.

8. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the extension of the protrusion is greater in the longitudinal direction of the spindle than the pitch of the thread of the spindle.

9. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the at least one recess or flattened portion extends over the entire length of the at least one threaded part.

10. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein two or four recesses or flattened portions are present on the at least one threaded part, which lie diametrically opposite each other in pairs.

11. The expansion screw according to claim 10, wherein at least one threaded part is designed as a square with rounded corners, in which the thread is formed.

12. The expansion screw according to claim 11, wherein the thread of the at least one threaded part also extends with a smaller thread depth at least partially into the at least one recess or flattened portion of the at least one threaded part.

13. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the spindle has two threaded parts, which extend in mutually opposite directions proceeding from the actuating part, and each have two recesses or flattened portions lying diametrically opposite each other, wherein the recesses or flattened portions on the one threaded part are offset to each other by a circumferential angle of 90° relative to the recesses or flattened portions on the other threaded part around the longitudinal axis of the spindle.

14. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the projection is designed as an indentation of at least one of the two bodies.

15. The expansion screw according to claim 1, wherein the device for preventing or impeding rotation acts in both rotational directions of the spindle.

16. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the projection touches the threaded portion of the spindle in each of its positions.

17. The expansion screw according to claim 16, wherein the projection abuts against the threaded part of the spindle under a pressure in each of its positions.

18. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the projection is convex in design.

19. The expansion screw according to claim 18, wherein the projection is spherical in design.

20. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the extension of the protrusion is greater in the longitudinal direction of the spindle than in the circumferential direction of the spindle.

21. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the extension of the protrusion is greater in the longitudinal direction of the spindle than the pitch of the thread of the spindle.

22. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the at least one recess or flattened portion extends over the entire length of the at least one threaded part.

23. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein two or four recesses or flattened portions are present on the at least one threaded part, which lie diametrically opposite each other in pairs.

24. The expansion screw according to claim 23, wherein at least one threaded part is designed as a square with rounded corners, in which the thread is formed.

25. The expansion screw according to claim 24, wherein the thread of the at least one threaded part also extends with a smaller thread depth at least partially into the at least one recess or flattened portion of the at least one threaded part.

26. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the spindle has two threaded parts, which extend in mutually opposite directions proceeding from the actuating part, and each have two recesses or flattened portions lying diametrically opposite each other, wherein the recesses or flattened portions on the one threaded part are offset to each other by a circumferential angle of 90° relative to the recesses or flattened portions on the other threaded part around the longitudinal axis of the spindle.

27. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the projection is designed as an indentation of at least one of the two bodies.

28. The expansion screw according to claim 2, wherein the device for preventing or impeding rotation acts in both rotational directions of the spindle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Three illustrative embodiments of the expansion screw according to the invention are schematically shown in the attached drawings. Similar or mutually corresponding parts of the two expansion screws are designated with matching reference numbers.

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a top view of an expansion screw with a spindle with two threaded parts, of which one is quadruple flattened, with the spindle in a locking position,

[0023] FIG. 2 shows the longitudinal section A-A through the expansion screw,

[0024] FIG. 3 shows the view of the end of the expansion screw at which the end of the flattened threaded part is located,

[0025] FIG. 4 shows the longitudinal section B-B through the expansion screw,

[0026] FIG. 5 shows the cross section C-C through the expansion screw,

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a detailed top view of the spindle,

[0028] FIG. 7 shows the view of the end of the spindle facing away from the flattened threaded part,

[0029] FIG. 8 shows the view of the opposing end of the spindle, where the end of the flattened threaded part is located,

[0030] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the expansion screw with the spindle in a switching position,

[0031] FIG. 10 shows the longitudinal section D-D through the expansion screw,

[0032] FIG. 11 shows a view of the end of the expansion screw at which the end of the flattened threaded part is located,

[0033] FIG. 12 shows the longitudinal section E-E through the expansion screw,

[0034] FIG. 13 shows the cross section F-F through the expansion screw,

[0035] FIG. 14 shows a top view of an expansion screw with a spindle with two threaded parts, of which one has four recesses lying opposite each other in pairs, with the spindle in a locking position,

[0036] FIG. 15 shows the longitudinal section A-A through the expansion screw on FIG. 14,

[0037] FIG. 16 shows the view of the end of the expansion screw at which the end of the threaded part provided with recesses is located,

[0038] FIG. 17 shows the longitudinal section B-B through the expansion screw according to FIG. 16,

[0039] FIG. 18 shows the cross section C-C through the expansion screw according to FIG. 17,

[0040] FIG. 19 shows a detailed top view of the spindle of the expansion screw on FIG. 14,

[0041] FIG. 20 shows the view of the end of the spindle from FIG. 19, which faces away from the threaded part provided with recesses,

[0042] FIG. 21 shows the view of the opposing end of the spindle from FIG. 19, at which the end of the threaded section provided with recesses is located,

[0043] FIG. 22 shows a top view of the expansion screw from FIG. 14 with the spindle in a switching position,

[0044] FIG. 23 shows the longitudinal section D-D through the expansion screw according to FIG. 22,

[0045] FIG. 24 shows a view of the end of the expansion screw according to FIG. 22, at which the end of the threaded part provided with recesses is located,

[0046] FIG. 25 shows the longitudinal section E-E through the expansion screw according to FIG. 24,

[0047] FIG. 26 shows the cross section F-F through the expansion screw according to FIG. 22,

[0048] FIG. 27 shows a top view of an expansion screw, in which the spindle has two threaded parts, each of which has two recesses lying diametrically opposite each other, wherein the recesses in one threaded part are offset by an angle of 90° relative to the recesses in the other threaded part, and the spindle is in a locking position with one of its two threaded parts,

[0049] FIG. 28 shows the longitudinal section A-A through the expansion screw from FIG. 27,

[0050] FIG. 29 shows the view of the end of the expansion screw from FIG. 27, which is located at the bottom in the illustration on FIG. 27,

[0051] FIG. 30 shows the longitudinal section B-B through the expansion screw according to FIG. 29,

[0052] FIG. 31 shows the cross section C-C through the expansion screw according to FIG. 27,

[0053] FIG. 32 shows a detailed top view of the spindle of the expansion screw from FIG. 27, but in a position as on FIG. 35,

[0054] FIG. 33 shows the view of the end of the spindle from FIG. 32, which is located at the top in the illustration on FIG. 32,

[0055] FIG. 34 shows the view of the opposite end of the spindle from FIG. 32,

[0056] FIG. 35 shows a top view of the expansion screw from FIG. 27, in which the spindle is rotated by 90° from the position shown on FIG. 27,

[0057] FIG. 36 shows the longitudinal section D-D through the expansion screw according to FIG. 35,

[0058] FIG. 37 shows a view of the end of the expansion screw from FIG. 35, which is located at the bottom in the illustration on FIG. 35,

[0059] FIG. 38 shows the longitudinal section E-E through the expansion screw according to FIG. 37, and

[0060] FIG. 39 shows the cross section F-F through the expansion screw according to FIG. 35.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0061] The expansion screw shown on FIGS. 1 to 13 has two preferably identically designed bodies 1 and 2, whose mutual distance can be varied by means of a spindle 3, which has a central actuating part 4 from which two threaded parts with an opposite winding sense proceed in a mutually opposite direction. The first threaded part 7 is rotatably mounted in the first body 1, and the second thread part 8 is rotatably mounted in the second body 2. For this purpose, each of the two bodies 1 and 2 incorporates a continuous threaded bore 11, into which a respective one of the two threaded parts 7 and 8 is engaged. Accordingly, the two threaded bores 11 align with each other, and have an opposite winding sense corresponding to the two threaded parts 7 and 8. The pitch of the threads on the two threaded parts 7 and 8 and in the threaded bores 11 matches.

[0062] Provided on both sides of the spindle 3 are two cylindrical guide pins 5 and 6, which are inserted in continuous bores of the two bodies 1 and 2, which are matched thereto and align with each other in pairs. The guide pins 5 and 6 form straight-line guiding means, which guide the two bodies 1 and 2 along two mutually parallel guiding axes, avoiding a relative rotation of the two bodies 1 and 2 given a change in their distance.

[0063] Both guide pins 5 and 6 are not necessarily present. In principle, suitable straight-line guiding means can also be formed by the spindle 3 itself and a single guide pin parallel to the spindle 3, but embodiments with two guide pins are preferred due to a symmetrical introduction of the force emanating from the spindle 3 into the two bodies 1 and 2.

[0064] In principle, it is further also possible to use just a single threaded part in place of a spindle 3 with two threaded parts 7 and 8, and here turn the spindle into a threaded bore in only one of the two bodies and rotatably, but immovably, connect the spindle with the other body of the expansion screw, in particular by rotatably mounting the actuating part of the spindle in a chamber of one of the two bodies of the expansion screw, wherein the single threaded part of the spindle protrudes from said chamber, and is engaged into the threaded bore of the other body of the expansion screw.

[0065] In the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 13, the actuating part 4 has two transverse bores 13 and 14 that intersect each other at a right angle, and are visible in particular on FIGS. 1, 6, 9, 10 and 12. In order to rotate the spindle 3, an adjusting tool, for example a pin, can be introduced, which can be used as a lever for rotating the spindle 3. When the actuating part 4 is turned, the distance between the two bodies 1 and 2 changes, and they slide on the guiding pins 5 and 6, so that the two bodies 1 and 2 are guided along a straight line, and the two bodies 1 and 2 are prevented from twisting relative to each other.

[0066] To prevent the expansion screw from spontaneously adjusting in the mouth of a patient in which it was placed for an orthodontic treatment, the expansion screw incorporates a device that prevents or at least impedes an unintended rotation of the spindle 3 relative to the two bodies 1, 2 in both rotational directions of the spindle 3 while exposed to the effects on the expansion screw arising in the mouth. For this purpose, one of the two threaded parts, specifically the first threaded part 7, is flattened over the entire length in such a way as to give it the shape of a square with rounded corners as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the spindle 3, see in particular FIGS. 3 and 8. This is why the threads of the first threaded part 7 no longer extend completely around the latter, but instead are essentially confined to the area of the still present corners of the shape of a square with rounded “corners” that was created by flattening the first threaded part 7.

[0067] A corresponding depression 15 or 16 is located in the two bodies 1 and 2 over the spindle 3. A trough 17 is formed in the depression 15 over the first threaded part 7 of the spindle 3, and is formed in an embossing process by pushing in the depression 15 at its deepest location over the longitudinal axis of the threaded part 7 via an embossing stamp. This embossing process created a projection 12 in the threaded bore 11 in the first body 1 under the trough 17, see FIGS. 2 to 4, 10, 12 and 13. The trough 17, the projection 12 and the flattened portions 10 are not shown to scale on the figures, but rather only in principle, so as to illustrate their operating principle.

[0068] FIGS. 1 to 5 show the spindle 3 in a position in which the projection 12 having a spherical contour touches the first threaded part 7 of the spindle 3 on a central line 18, which coincides with intersection line A-A on FIG. 1. This position is referred to below as the locking position. If the object is to unscrew the spindle 3 from this locking position, the edge of the flattened portion 10 rises up in front of the projection 12, and opposes the rotation of the spindle 3 with an inhibiting force, which increases until the next rounded portion 19 of the first threaded part 7 reaches the projection 12. This position of the spindle 3 is shown on FIGS. 10 to 13, and will be referred to as the switching position below, because the spindle 3 can be turned from the latter toward the right or left into the next locking position.

[0069] The resistance that must be overcome while rotating the spindle 3 from a locking position into a switching position can prevent an inadvertent rotation of the spindle 3.

[0070] In the first embodiment of an expansion screw according to the invention shown on FIGS. 1 to 13, the spindle proceeds from one locking position into the next locking position by turning by a respective 90°, so that the distance between the two bodies 1 and 2 of the expansion screw can be changed by the orthodontist by turning the spindle by a respective 90°, wherein the resultant change in the distance between the two bodies 1 and 2 depends on the pitch of the thread of the spindle 3.

[0071] The second embodiment of an expansion screw according to the invention shown on FIGS. 14 to 29 only differs from the first embodiment shown on FIGS. 1 to 13 in that concave surfaces are formed in place of flattened portions 10 of the first threaded part 7, which are bordered by a flat surface, so that the first threaded part 7 has four recesses 9 extending in its longitudinal direction, in which a projection 12 formed in the threaded bore 11 of the first body 1 can be higher than in the first embodiment. The resistance that the spindle 3 must overcome while being unscrewed from its locking position (FIG. 16) can thus be greater than in the first embodiment. As a consequence, a stronger inhibition of the spindle 3 can be achieved with an expansion screw according to the second embodiment than with an expansion screw according to the first embodiment.

[0072] Apart from the fact that recesses 9 are provided on the first threaded part 7 instead of flattened portions 10 in the second embodiment, the two embodiments are the same, so that reference can be made back to the description of the first embodiment for details relating to the second embodiment.

[0073] The third embodiment of an expansion screw according to the invention shown on FIGS. 27 to 39 only differs from the second embodiment in that not four recesses 9, but rather only two recesses 9 lying diametrically opposite each other are formed on the first threaded part 7, and that two additional recesses 9 lying diametrically opposite each other are formed on the second threaded part 8 and arranged in such a way as to be offset by 90° in the circumferential direction against the recesses 9 in the first threaded part 7. In addition, a projection 12 is formed not just in the first body 1, but also in the second body 2 at the corresponding location by also embossing a trough 17 in the threaded bore 11 of the second body 2. The advantage to this third embodiment of the expansion screw is that more of the thread has been retained on both threaded parts 7 and 8 than in the first and second embodiment on the first threaded part 7, so that the thread of the first threaded part 7 can absorb larger forces, and both threaded parts 7 and 8 can be exposed to about the same load. The advantage to the first and second embodiment, specifically that the spindle 3 must only be rotated by 90° from locking position to locking position, has been retained.

REFERENCE LIST

[0074] 1 First body [0075] 2 Second body [0076] 3 Spindle [0077] 4 Actuating part [0078] 5 Straight-line guiding means, guide pin [0079] 6 Straight-line guiding means, guide pin [0080] 7 Threaded part [0081] 8 Threaded part [0082] 9 Recess [0083] 10 Flattened portion [0084] 11 Threaded bore [0085] 12 Projection [0086] 13 Transverse bore [0087] 14 Transverse bore [0088] 15 Depression [0089] 16 Depression [0090] 17 Trough [0091] 18 Central line [0092] 19 Rounded portion