Apparatus for mixing and dispensing components

• US 20040196735A1
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Published: 10/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Globus Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Advanced Biomaterial Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Trebing, Linda M., Nelson, James W., Bogert, Roy B., Gleason, Kenneth R., Barker, Donald, Carr, John P., Bianchi, Damian
• Granted Patent: US 7,029,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 366/139
• 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 2050/0064 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30561 breakable or frangible
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4685 by means of vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0071 breakable or frangible
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/20 Mixing of ingredients for bone cement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 27/1142 of the corkscrew type
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5014 movable by human force, e.g. kitchen or table devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/70 Mixers specially adapted for working at sub- or super-atmospheric pressure, e.g. combined with de-foaming
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/30 Driving arrangements; Transmissions; Couplings; Brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/32 Driving arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/3202 Hand driven
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/713 comprising breaking packages or parts thereof, e.g. piercing or opening sealing elements between compartments or cartridges containers or packages per se B65D
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7131 Breaking or perforating packages, containers or vials
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7137 Piercing, perforating or melting membranes or closures which seal the compartments
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/714 for feeding predetermined amounts B01F35/88 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7163 the containers being connected in a mouth-to-mouth, end-to-end disposition, i.e. the openings are juxtaposed before contacting the contents
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/7174 using pistons, plungers or syringes
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/718 : using vacuum, under pressure in a closed receptacle or circuit system
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/751 : Discharging by opening a gate, e.g. using discharge paddles
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/752 : with arrangements for converting the mechanism from mixing to discharging, e.g. by either guiding a mixture back into a receptacle or discharging it
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/75425 : using pistons or plungers
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754251 : reciprocating in the mixing receptacle

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for mixing and dispensing components. The methods and apparatus of the invention are particularly advantageous to manually mix the components of radiopaque bone cement and inject the resulting radiopaque bone cement into skeletal structures. The manually actuated apparatus of the invention comprises: (1) a sealed mixing chamber for mixing components; (2) a dispensing chamber isolated from the sealed mixing chamber; (3) a controllable portal to open a flow path between the sealed mixing chamber and the dispensing chamber so that the dispensing chamber can receive the mixed components after they are mixed; and (4) a drive mechanism associated with the dispensing chamber to force the mixed contents from the dispensing chamber.

Claims

1. An apparatus for manually mixing and dispensing components comprising:

(a) a sealed mixing chamber having an access portal and a vacuum portal;

(b) a mixing unit in the mixing chamber to mix the components;

(c) a first manually actuable drive mechanism associated with the mixing unit to actuate mixing;

(d) a dispensing chamber connected to the sealed mixing chamber, wherein the dispensing chamber is isolated from the mixing chamber;

(e) a controllable portal for opening a flow path between the sealed mixing chamber and the dispensing chamber after the components are mixed; and

(f) a second manually actuable drive mechanism associated with the dispensing chamber to drive the mixture from the dispensing chamber.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mixing chamber contains bone cement powder.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first drive mechanism comprises a rotationally movable handle or knob.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second drive mechanism comprises a rotationally movable handle or knob.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second drive mechanisms both comprise a common rotationally movable handle or knob.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a mechanical switch whereby the handle or knob actuating the first drive mechanism can be disengaged from the first drive after mixing and engaged to the second drive mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mixing unit comprises a mixing paddle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the second drive mechanism comprises a plunger shaft.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mixing chamber comprises a powder component to be mixed with a liquid component and further comprising a transfer housing to facilitate transfer of the liquid component into the mixing chamber.