TIME-INDICATING SYRINGE MIXING DEVICES AND RELATED METHODS FOR STORING AND DISPENSING TWO-PART DENTAL COMPOSITIONS

• US 20070255201A1
• Filed: 10/02/2006
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Fischer, Dan E., McLean, Bruce S.
• Application Number:
  US11/537,883
• Publication Number:
  US 20070255201A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/82
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/68 Mixing dental material components for immediate application to a site to be restored, e.g. a tooth cavity
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 9/0026 Syringes or guns for injecting impression material; Mixing impression material for immediate use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/3125 specific display means, e.g. to indicate dose setting
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/31598 having multiple telescopically sliding coaxial pistons encompassing volumes for components to be mixed
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/286 upon internal pressure increase, e.g. pierced or burst A61M5/283 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31511 Piston or piston-rod constructions, e.g. connection of piston with piston-rod A61M5/5066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 25/082 the partition being in the form of a plug or the like which is removed by increasing or decreasing the pressure within the container B65D81/3211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 77/0486 the inner container being coaxially disposed within the outer container B65D81/3876 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0005 Containers or packages provided with a piston or with a movable bottom or partition having approximately the same section as the container B65D83/0072 takes precedence

Abstract

Time-indicating syringe mixing systems for mixing, storing, and dispensing a two-part dental composition that becomes less stable upon mixing including a first plunger comprising an elongate stem and a plug at a distal end of the elongate stem, a hollow first chamber configured to contain a first component, a hollow second chamber configured to contain a second component, means for providing a region of increased space between an outside surface of the elongate stem of the first plunger and an interior surface of a wall defining the hollow first chamber, and means for protecting a recorded mixing and/or expiration date from damage or alteration. The inventive syringe mixing systems may be configured as syringe-in-syringe systems and/or syringe-to-syringe systems.

Claims

1. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system for use with a two-part dental composition that, when mixed together, yields a time-sensitive dental composition, the system comprising:

a first plunger comprising an elongate stem and a plug at a distal end of the elongate stem;

a hollow first chamber for containing a first component;

the first chamber being defined by an interior surface of a wall, the hollow first chamber being adapted to receive the first plunger therein in slidable engagement

a hollow second chamber for containing a second component, the second chamber being adjacent to and initially separated from the first chamber such that first and second components are initially separate from each other;

means for providing a region of increased space between an outside surface of the elongate stem and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow first chamber, the region of increased space being sufficient to receive a label on which is recorded a mixing date and/or an expiration date of a mixed two-part dental composition; and

means for protecting the recorded date from damage or alteration.

2. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for providing a region of increased space comprises the elongate stem of the first plunger having a recessed portion such that a region of increased space exists between the elongate stem of the first plunger and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow second chamber when the first plunger is received within the hollow second chamber such that a recorded date written on an outer surface of the elongate stem or written on a label inserted into the space is protected from damage or alteration once the first plunger is received within the hollow second chamber.

3. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 2, wherein the recessed portion comprises an indented label surface formed into a portion of the elongate stem on which can be recorded a date.

4. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the indented label surface comprises a thermoplastic elastomer material.

5. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer material is overmolded over at least a portion of the first plunger.

6. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 2, wherein the recessed portion extends around a circumference of the elongate stem such that the recessed portion has a cross-sectional diameter that is less than a cross-sectional diameter of an adjacent portion of the elongate stem.

7. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 6, wherein the recessed portion is formed near a distal end of the first plunger.

8. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 2, wherein the recessed portion extends around a circumference of the elongate stem such that the recessed portion has a cross-sectional diameter that is less than a cross-sectional diameter of an adjacent portion of the elongate stem, further comprising a hollow tube formed of a thermoplastic elastomer material that engages within the recessed portion having a reduced cross-sectional diameter, a region of increased space being defined between an outside surface of the hollow tube and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow first chamber.

9. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a label on which the mixing and/or expiration date may be written by the user.

10. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 9, wherein the label includes an adhesive for adhering the label to an outside surface of the first plunger.

11. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 9, wherein the label comprises at least one of paper or a thermoplastic elastomer.

12. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hollow first chamber comprises a hollow second plunger that is adapted to receive the first plunger therein in slidable engagement and the hollow second chamber comprises a syringe barrel, the syringe barrel being adapted to receive the hollow second plunger therein in slidable engagement so as to allow syringe-in-syringe mixing of a first component with a second component.

13. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the hollow first chamber comprises a first syringe barrel that is adapted to receive the first plunger therein in slidable engagement and the hollow second chamber comprises a second syringe barrel, the second syringe barrel being coupleable to the first syringe barrel so as to allow syringe-to-syringe mixing of a first component with a second component.

14. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for providing a region of increased space comprises the hollow first chamber having a recessed portion of increased inside diameter such that a region of increased space exists between the elongate stem of the first plunger and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow second chamber when the first plunger is received within the hollow second chamber such that a recorded date written on an outer surface of the elongate stem or written on a label inserted into the space is protected from damage or alteration once the first plunger is received within the hollow second chamber.

15. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising separation means for initially separating a first component within the hollow first chamber from a second component within the hollow second chamber.

16. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 15, wherein the separation means comprises a rupturable membrane.

17. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 16, wherein the rupturable membrane comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

18. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 15, wherein the separation means comprises a valve.

19. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the region of increased space measures at least about 0.0005 inch between an outside surface of the elongate stem and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow first chamber.

20. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 19, wherein the region of increased space measures between about 0.005 inch and about 0.15 inch.

21. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 19, wherein the region of increased space measures between about 0.01 inch and about 0.08 inch.

23. A method of mixing, storing and dispensing a time-sensitive composition formed by mixing together a two-part dental composition, the method comprising:

providing a time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1;

recording a mixing and/or expiration date on an outer surface of the elongate stem of the first plunger or on a label which is disposable within the region of increased space between the outside surface of the elongate stem and the interior surface of the wall of the hollow first chamber; and

pressing the elongate stem of the first plunger into the hollow first chamber so as to cause the first component within the hollow first chamber to be mixed with the second component within the hollow second chamber.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the mixing and/or expiration date is written directly onto the outer surface of the elongate stem of the first plunger.

25. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the mixing and/or expiration date is written on an adhesive label, the method further comprising adhering the adhesive label to an outside surface of the elongate stem.

26. A method as recited in claim 23, wherein the mixing and/or expiration date is written on a label without any adhesive, the method further comprising inserting the label into the region of increased space between the elongate stem of the first plunger and the interior surface of the wall defining the hollow first chamber such that the label is free-floating and confined within the region of increased space, the step of inserting the label being performed prior to fully pressing the elongate stem of the first plunger into the hollow first chamber so as to cause the first component within the hollow first chamber to be mixed with the second component within the hollow second chamber.

22. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system for use with a two-part dental composition that, when mixed together, yield a time-sensitive dental composition, the system comprising:

a first plunger comprising an elongate stem and a sealing plug at a distal end of the elongate stem;

a hollow second plunger configured to contain therein a first component, the first plunger being slidably disposed within the hollow second plunger during use, the second plunger including a transparent or translucent window portion;

a syringe barrel configured to contain therein a second component, the hollow second plunger being slidably disposed within the syringe barrel during use; and

an indented label surface formed into a portion of the elongate stem on which can be recorded a mixing and/or an expiration date, an outer writing surface of the indented label surface comprising a thermoplastic elastomer,

wherein the mixing and/or expiration date recorded on the outer writing surface of the indented label surface can be viewed through the transparent or translucent window portion of the hollow second plunger once the first plunger is fully inserted into the hollow second plunger.