US 11,723,752 B2
Packaged orthodontic appliances
Bruce R. Broyles, Oakdale, MN (US); Travis L. Schwalbach, Minneapolis, MN (US); Robert T. McKevett, St. Paul, MN (US); and Steven J. Maxa, Lakeville, MN (US)
Assigned to 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
Appl. No. 16/970,677
Filed by 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY, St. Paul, MN (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/051898
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 18, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2019/175726, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 19, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/641,788, filed on Mar. 12, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0375701 A1, Dec. 3, 2020
Int. Cl. A61C 7/28 (2006.01)
CPC A61C 7/287 (2013.01) [A61C 2202/01 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A packaged orthodontic appliance, comprising:
a base having a bonding surface;
a body extending from the base, wherein the body includes a mesial-distally extending arch wire slot having a bottom wall;
a door coupled to the body, wherein the door is movable between an open position and a closed position; and
a first tie-wing including a first undercut and a second tie-wing including a second undercut; and
a packaging base including a planar surface and a first, a second, and a third tie-wing support arm, wherein the first, second, and third support arms are independent from one another and extend from the planar surface of the packaging base at a fixed, acute angle relative to the planar surface, wherein the first tie-wing support arm supports the first tie-wing, and the second and third tie-wing support arms support the second tie-wing, wherein the second and third support arms are disposed near an opposite side of the base from the first support arm, and wherein the second and third arms are entirely separate between the base and the second tie-wing.