Denture matching apparatus
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a dental articulator and more particularly to new and novel denture clamps and new and novel mechanism for mounting the denture clamps for relative movement so that the dentures can be precisely aligned. 
     The proper formation of artificial dentures requires the proper correlation and spacing of teeth in the upper denture relative to the teeth in the lower denture. It sometimes occurs that, when the dentures are initially formed, one of the teeth in the lower denture, for example, will protrude to form a &#34;high spot&#34; and set up localized contact stresses and interference with an abutting tooth in the upper denture. 
     Articulators have been provided heretofore which stationarily mount one of the dentures in a casting and adjustably or articulately mount the other denture on the frame for movement to dispose the upper denture in opposing relation with the lower denture. A sheet of carbon paper is placed between the teeth and as the teeth are brought together, those teeth having &#34;high spots&#34; will be appropriately marked with the carbon paper. When the user separates the teeth, he can then grind or otherwise relieve the interferring tooth portions. In the prior art device, substantial energy, money and materials is required to form the casting material and the denture forming process is delayed while the casting material, which mounts the one denture, sets. Since only one of the denture mounts is articulately movable in the prior art device, the manipulation and the adjustments heretofore have required a high degree of skill and considerable experience. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus which will precisely align opposing dentures. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide denture mounting apparatus which articulately mounts each of the dentures. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide denture mounting apparatus which will selectively permit movement of each of the dentures in any plane relative to the other denture so that the dentures can be precisely aligned. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide denture mounting apparatus which permits each of the denture mounting clamps to bodily move relative to the other denture mounting clamps. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide a dental articulator including denture mounts which can be oriented in any plane to align the dentures, clamp members for clamping the dentures in the adjusted aligned position, and apparatus permitting swinging movement of the dentures after being clamped in the adjusted position so that carbon paper or the like can be disposed between the dentures. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to minimize the time required to process dentures. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel dental articulator including new and novel universal mounting joints and clamps for clamping the joints in any of a plurality of adjusted positions. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and novel denture mounts which can securely but releasably grip a denture. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a denture mount of the type described having relatively movable clamp members which will clamp opposite surfaces of a denture to releasably grip the denture. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art as the description thereof proceeds. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A dental articulator comprising first and second longitudinally spaced denture gripping members for releasably gripping a pair of dentures; adjustable coupling means coupling the denture gripping members together to permit, in one position of adjustment, bodily movement of the denture gripping members toward and away from each other and to permit relative swinging movement of each denture gripping member in any plane relative to the other denture gripping member such that the dentures mounted on the denture gripping members may be moved between remote positions to abutting positions in which the dentures are precisely oriented and aligned as they would be oriented and aligned in a persons mouth, and mechanism for slectively clamping the adjustable coupling mechanism to the denture gripping members to inhibit movement of the denture gripping members and secure the dentures in the abutting positions. dr 
     The present invention may more readily be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus constructed according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a sectional end view taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 illustrating one of the denture gripping mount members. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Apparatus constructed according to the present invention is particularly adapted for use in matching or aligning an upper denture, generally designated 4, and a lower denture, generally designated 5. The lower denture 5 includes a base plate 6 mounting a plurality of teeth 7. The upper denture 4 includes a base 6a mounting a plurality of teeth 7a. The lower base plate 6a differs from the upper base plate 6 in that it includes a central recess 8 along the rear side thereof (FIG. 2), as usual. 
     Apparatus constructed according to the present invention comprises a set of identical, upstanding, opposed denture gripping or denture clamping members, generally designated 10. Each of the denture clamp members 10 includes a pair of vertically spaced, laterally extending cross bars 12 and 14 spanning a pair of upstanding guide bars 16. The upper lateral cross bar 14, threadedly mounts via lock nuts 22, a pair of laterally spaced apart denture gripping projections or pins 20. 
     A slide, generally designated 26, is slidably mounted on the guide rods 16 and includes a central, threaded aperture 27 which threadedly receives a screw 28 that is freely received in a central aperture 30 provided in the upper cross bar 14. A manually graspable bolt head 32 is fixed to the upper end of the screw 28 for turning the screw 28 about its axis. 
     The slides 26 each mounts via nuts 22a, a denture gripping projection or pin 34 which bears against the inside edge of the respective bases 6 or 6a. The projection 34 on the slide for the lower base plate is received in the denture recess 8 for gripping the inside surface of the denture bases 6 and 6a. The denture gripping pins 20 and 34 may be suitably coated with a covering 24 which will not marr the base plates 6 and 6a of the dentures 4 and 5. 
     As is readily apparent, the screws 32 can be adjusted to selectively clamp and unclamp the denture bases 6 and 6a between the upper laterally spaced pins 20 and the lower pin 34. The lower pin 34 lies in a vertical plane 36 which is between vertical planes 37 and 38 intersecting the axes of the denture gripping pins 22. As will become more readily apparent hereinafter, the mounting of the dentures 4 and 5 on the denture mounting members 10 need not be precise. The dentures 4 and 5 can be initially canted or disoriented relative to each other. It is generally advisable, however, that the dentures 4 and 5 be initially mounted in the positions illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     The lower, laterally extending cross bars 12 are each mounted on a pair of universal joints comprising spherical balls 40 via pins 42 snuggly received with a slip or interference fit in an opening 44 provided in the balls 40. The inner ends of the pins 42 are threaded into the transverse bars 12 as illustrated at 45. Locknuts 46 (FIG. 2) releasably lock the pins 42 to the mounting blocks 44. A spacer washer 48 is freely received on the pin 42 between the nut 46 and the inside of the ball 40. 
     Apparatus for selectively clamping the denture mounts 10 in any of a plurality of adjusted positions, such as that in which the dentures are aligned illustrated in FIG. 1, the clamping apparatus comprises a frame including first and second sets of clamps, generally designated 50. Each of the clamps 50 comprise upper and lower, longitudinally extending, opposed V-shaped clamps which span the spherical mounting balls 40 on the opposed clamps 50. The clamp bars 52 and 54 are vertically movable between removed positions in which the balls 40 are free to move in any plane and clamping positions, illustrated in FIG. 2, via clamping screws 56 received in the upper and lower bars 52,54 and clamping nuts 58 disposed on the upper side of the upper bar 52. When the nuts 58 are turned on the screws 56 the bars 52 and 54 will be forced into intimate engagement with the spherical mounting members 40 to hold the spherical mounting members 40 in the adjusted positions. The bars 52 and 54 engage the spherical mounting members with point contact. 
     The horizontal mounting pins 42 are snugly received in the balls 40 with such a fit that the balls 40 will move with the pins 42 when the clamp bars 52 and 54 are in the unclamped position but will permit the pins 42 and denture mounts 50 and bars 12 to swing about the axis of the pins 42 when the clamp bars 54 and 52 are in the clamping position. When the clamping bars 52 and 54 are in the removed or inoperative positions, the entire mount 10 may be bodily moved toward and away from the other mount 10 and can be concurrently moved in any plane relative to the other mount 10 such that the dentures 4 and 5 may be moved into positions in which they are precisely oriented and aligned as they would be oriented and aligned in a persons mouth. 
     The clamp bars 52 and 54, when clamped, will prevent all movement of the mounts 10 except about the axes of the pivot pins 42. This new and novel mount eliminates play and thus the dentures may be more accurately formed. 
     THE OPERATION 
     The lower frame or clamping bars 54 are initially supported on the horizontal surface such as a table or the like. The wing nuts 58 are unturned to release the clamps 52 and 54 and the mounts 10 are swung downwardly to the horizontal positions supported on the table. The mounts 10 are swung apart and the screws 28 are turned about their axes to vertically move the slides 26 downwardly a sufficient distance as to receive the bases 6 and 6a. The screws 28 are then turned in the opposite direction to clamp the bases 6 and 6a between the denture gripping projections 34 and 20. 
     After the dentures 4 and 5 are releasably clamped on the mounts 10, the operator grasps the mount 10 in his hands and adjusts them relative to each other in any plane while bodily moving the spherical joints 40 toward and away from each other as necessary and appropriate between the unclamped bars 52 and 54. The denture teeth 7 and 7a may be quickly and immediately oriented and adjusted to precisely match the dentures in the positions in which they would be in a persons mouth. When the dentures are aligned, the operator can hold the dentures in the asjusted position with one hand while turning the nuts 58 with the other hand to clamp the clamping bars 52 and 54 tightly against the spherical balls 40. 
     When the clamping screws 56 are in their clamping positions, the clamp bars 52 and 54 on opposite sides of the frame may well be oppositely inclined and not lying in the same plane. Accordingly, the denture plates 4 and 5 may be initially mounted on the pins 20 and 34 in a variety of relative positions and yet by manipulating the relative positions of the balls 40 between the clamps bars 52 and 54, the teeth may quickly be brought into alignment. The bars 52 and 54 permit relative vertical movement, to and fro movement and sidewise movement of the mounts 10 to permit the user to quickly align the dentures. 
     Once the dentures are aligned in abutting relation and the clamp bars 52 and 54 tightly grip the spherical balls 40, the operator will then swing only one of the denture plates 4 and 5 about the axis of the appropriate pin 42 to a removed position so that carbon paper (not shown) can be inserted between the teeth. The teeth which are then returned to the closed position. If the free space clearance between the dentures is not proper, any high spots on the dentures will occlude the paper and be marked with the carbon on the carbon paper. The operator then will swing the denture plate 4 or 5 about the axes 42 to a horizontal position, remove the carbon paper, and then relieve the &#34;raised&#34; portion marked with the carbon. As soon as the raised portion is filed, the operator will replace the carbon paper and return the denture plate to the position illustrated in FIG. 1 about the axis 42 and the properly aligned position of the denture plates 4 and 5 will immediately reestablish without any further manipulation on the part of the user. 
     One of the dentures is again swung to a removed position. If any &#34;high spots&#34; are identified, they are relieved as previously described. The operation will be repeated until all &#34;high spots&#34; are removed. The dentures 4 and 5 are thereafter quickly removed from the denture gripping clamp pins by turning the screw 32 in an appropriate direction. 
     It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than as limiting the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.