Dispensing system and method

• US 10,357,300 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2017
• Issued: 07/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Holding Company Sarl (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Holding Company Sarl (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sasaki, Neil, Arthur, Amy L., Bolosan, Samuel V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sevilla, Christian A
• Application Number:
  US15/612,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20170348036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8816 characterised by the conduit, e.g. tube, along which fluid flows into the body or by conduit connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8822 characterised by means facilitating expulsion of fluid from the introducer, e.g. a screw pump plunger, hydraulic force transmissions, application of vibrations or a vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8825 characterised by syringe details A61B17/8822, A61B17/8827 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/8833 Osteosynthesis tools specially adapted for handling bone cement or fluid fillers; Means for supplying bone cement or fluid fillers to introducing tools, e.g. cartridge handling means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/8838 for mixing bone cement or fluid fillers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3966 Radiopaque markers visible in an X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/20 Mixing of ingredients for bone cement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/45 using flow mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 23/47 involving high-viscosity liquids, e.g. asphalt
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/4314 with helical baffles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 25/43141 composed of consecutive sections of helical formed elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7161 the containers being connected coaxially before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/831 using one or more pump or other dispensing mechanisms for feeding the flows in predetermined proportion, e.g. one of the pumps being driven by one of the flows B01F35/832 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00559 the different components being stored in coaxial chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/015 with pneumatically or hydraulically actuated piston or the like B05C17/00543 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/325 Containers having parallel or coaxial compartments, provided with a piston or a movable bottom for discharging contents

Abstract

A delivery system is provided that includes a device having a body extending along a longitudinal axis between proximal and distal ends. The body includes a proximal chamber, a distal chamber and a wall between the chambers. The body includes a first port in communication with the proximal chamber and a second port in communication with the distal chamber. A shaft is movably positioned within the body. The shaft extends through the wall and includes a proximal plunger positioned within the proximal chamber and a distal plunger positioned within the distal chamber. Pressure introduced through an opening in the proximal end moves the shaft such that the proximal plunger moves a fluid within the proximal chamber out of the first port and the distal plunger moves a fluid within the distal chamber out of the second port to simultaneously actuate a bone filler dispenser. Systems and methods are also provided.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends, the body comprising a proximal chamber, a distal chamber and a wall between the chambers, the body including a first port in communication with the proximal chamber and a second port in communication with the distal chamber; and

a shaft movably positioned within the body, the shaft extending through the wall and comprising a proximal plunger positioned within the proximal chamber and a distal plunger positioned within the distal chamber,

wherein pressure introduced through an opening in the proximal end moves the shaft such that the proximal plunger moves a fluid within the proximal chamber out of the first port and the distal plunger moves a fluid within the distal chamber out of the second port to simultaneously actuate a bone filler dispenser.

2. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the chambers are coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

3. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the proximal plunger and the distal plunger actuate plungers of the bone filler dispenser at an equal rate to expel bone filler material from the bone filler dispenser.

4. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the fluid actuates a first material and a second material from the bone filler dispenser at a 1:

1 ratio.

5. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plungers are fixed to the shaft.

6. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the first port and the second port extend transverse to the longitudinal axis.

7. A device as recited in claim 1, wherein the second port is coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

8. A system comprising:

a dispenser comprising;

a body extending along a longitudinal axis between opposite proximal and distal ends, the body comprising a proximal chamber, a distal chamber and a wall between the chambers, the body including a first port in communication with the proximal chamber and a second port in communication with the distal chamber, and

a shaft movably positioned within the body, the shaft extending through the wall and comprising a proximal plunger positioned within the proximal chamber and a distal plunger positioned within the distal chamber;

a delivery device coupled to the proximal end;

a bone filler dispenser coupled to the dispenser; and

a mixing device coupled to the bone filler dispenser,

wherein pressure from the delivery device is introduced through an opening in the proximal end to move the shaft such that the proximal plunger moves a fluid within the proximal chamber out of the first port and the distal plunger moves a fluid within the distal chamber out of the second port to simultaneously actuate the bone filler dispenser such that materials within the bone filler dispenser move into the mixing device.

9. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the bone filler dispenser comprises a third port that is connected to the first port by tubing and a fourth port that is connected to the second port by tubing, the third port being in communication with a first barrel of the bone filler dispenser, the fourth port being in communication with a second barrel of the bone filler dispenser, the first barrel comprising a first plunger movably disposed therein and the second barrel comprising a second plunger movably disposed therein; and

the fluids move out of the first and second ports and into the barrels to move the first and second plungers relative to a body of the bone filler dispenser such that the first plunger moves a first material out of the first barrel and into the mixing device and the second plunger moves a second material out of the second barrel and into the mixing device.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first material is a first component of a bone cement and the second material is a second component of the bone cement.

11. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first barrel is spaced apart from the second barrel by a wall of the bone filler dispenser such that the first and second materials do not come into contact with one another until the first and second materials are disposed in the mixing device.

12. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the fluids move out of the first and second ports and into the barrels at a 1:

1 ratio.

13. A system as recited in claim 9, wherein the first and second plungers create pressure that moves the first and second materials through the mixing device to mix the first and second materials within the mixing device and expel the mixed first and second materials from an opening in the mixing device.

14. A system as recited in claim 10, wherein the mixing device is a static mixer comprising a helical blade that mixes the first and second materials as the first and second materials move along a length of the helical blade.

15. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the delivery device is an inflation syringe.

16. A system as recited in claim 8, wherein the fluids are pastes.

17. A method of mixing cement, comprising:

introducing pressure from a delivery device through an opening in a proximal end of a body of a dispenser such that the pressure moves a shaft of the dispenser along a longitudinal axis defined by the dispenser,

the shaft comprising a proximal plunger positioned in a proximal chamber of the body and a distal plunger positioned in a distal chamber of the body,

translation of the shaft moves the proximal plunger to push a fluid within the proximal chamber out of a first port of the body and moves the distal plunger to push a fluid within the distal chamber out of a second port of the body to simultaneously actuate a bone filler dispenser.

18. A method of mixing cement as recited in claim 17, wherein the bone filler dispenser includes first and second plungers that are actuated at an equal rate by the proximal and distal plungers.

19. A method of mixing cement as recited in claim 18, wherein the first plunger is disposed in a first barrel of the bone filler dispenser and the second plunger is disposed in a second barrel of the bone filler dispenser, the first plunger moving a first component of a bone cement in the first barrel from the first barrel and into a mixing device and the second plunger moving a second component of the bone cement in the second barrel from the second barrel and into the mixing device.

20. A method of mixing cement as recited in claim 17, wherein the fluids are pneumatic fluids.