Time-Indicating Syringe Mixing Devices And Related Methods For Storing and Dispensing Two-Part Dental Compositions

• US 20090024082A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 01/22/2009
• 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., Jessop, Neil
• Application Number:
  US12/242,555
• Publication Number:
  US 20090024082A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/85
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/62 Applicators, e.g. syringes or guns
• 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 2205/6063 Optical identification systems
• 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, and means for indicating a recorded date when a first component initially contained within the hollow first chamber is mixed with a second component initially contained within the hollow second chamber. 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 syringe-in-syringe system for use with a two-part dental composition, that when mixed together, yields a time-sensitive dental composition having a shelf-life significantly less than the shelf-life of first and second components before they are mixed, the system comprising:

a first pre-dosed composition pre-packaged so as to be contained in a first syringe having a barrel with a first plunger slidable within the first barrel;

a second pre-dosed composition pre-packaged so as to be contained in a second syringe having a barrel, with a second plunger slidable within the second barrel, wherein the first syringe barrel fits within the second syringe barrel so that the first syringe barrel also functions as the plunger for the second syringe barrel;

the first and second plungers being operable so that by first sliding the first plunger into the first syringe barrel the first pre-dosed composition is introduced into the second syringe barrel so that it contacts the second pre-dosed composition, the two compositions thereafter being either further mixed within the second syringe barrel, or else applied in a dental procedure by expressing the mixed contents from the second syringe barrel; and

a substantially flat indented label surface on which can be recorded a mixing date, the label surface being formed at a location on the first plunger such that once the first plunger is inserted, the first plunger is enclosed within a transparent or translucent portion of the first barrel upon insertion such that the recorded date is protected from damage or alteration.

2. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the label surface is disposed near a proximal end of the first plunger.

3. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the label surface comprises a roughened surface on which can be recorded a date.

4. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the label surface comprises a laminated writing label surface on which can be recorded a date.

5. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the label surface comprises a thermoplastic elastomer material on which can be recorded a date.

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

7. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing, or at least inhibiting, the first plunger from being withdrawn from the first syringe barrel once fully inserted.

8. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a plurality of interlock ribs formed near a proximal end of the first plunger, the plurality of interlock ribs being configured for insertion into the first syringe barrel so as to prevent the first plunger from being withdrawn once the plurality of interlock ribs have been inserted into the first syringe barrel.

9. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 7, wherein the locking mechanism comprises an annular interlock ring formed near a proximal end of the first plunger, the annular interlock ring being configured for insertion into the first syringe barrel so as to prevent the first plunger from being withdrawn once the annular interlock ring has been inserted into the first syringe barrel.

10. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a separate label on which the mixing date may be recorded by the user, in which the label may be inserted into a region of increased space defined between the substantially flat indented label surface on the first plunger and the first syringe barrel.

11. A time-indicating mixing, storing, and dispensing syringe system for use with a two-part dental composition, that when mixed together, yields a time-sensitive dental composition having a shelf-life significantly less than the shelf-life of first and second components before they are mixed, the system comprising:

a first pre-dosed composition pre-packaged so as to be contained in a first syringe having a barrel with a first plunger slidable within the first barrel;

a second pre-dosed composition pre-packaged so as to be contained in a second syringe having a barrel, with a second plunger slidable within the second barrel;

the first and second plungers being operable so that by first sliding the first plunger into the first syringe barrel the first pre-dosed composition is introduced into the second syringe barrel so that it contacts the second pre-dosed composition, the two compositions thereafter being either further mixed using one or both syringe barrels, or else applied in a dental procedure by expressing the mixed contents from the second syringe barrel; and

a plurality of selectively removable plugs disposed on at least one of;

i) a proximally disposed head of the first plunger;

ii) a proximally disposed head of the second plunger;

iii) a proximally disposed flange of the first syringe barrel;

or

iv) a proximally disposed flange of the second syringe barrel;

such that a practitioner can selectively remove one or more of the plurality of plugs, the removed plugs designating at least;

a month; and

a day or a week;

so as to thereby provide an irreversible indicator of the mixing date by reference to the removed plugs.

12. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first plunger comprises a proximally disposed head on which is disposed a first plurality of removable plugs and the first syringe barrel comprises a flange disposed at a proximal end, the flange having disposed thereon a second plurality of removable plugs.

13. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first syringe barrel is connected end-to-end with the second syringe barrel so as to form a syringe-to-syringe mixing system.

14. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 11, wherein the first syringe barrel fits within the second syringe barrel so that the first syringe barrel also functions as the plunger for the second syringe barrel, thus forming a syringe-in-syringe mixing system.

15. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 14, further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing, or at least inhibiting, the first plunger from being withdrawn from the first syringe barrel once fully inserted.

16. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a plurality of interlock ribs formed near a proximal end of the first plunger, the plurality of interlock ribs being configured for insertion into the first syringe barrel so as to prevent the first plunger from being withdrawn once the plurality of interlock ribs have been inserted into the first syringe barrel.

17. A time-indicating mixing, storing and dispensing system as recited in claim 15, wherein the locking mechanism comprises an annular interlock ring formed near a proximal end of the first plunger, the annular interlock ring being configured for insertion into the first syringe barrel so as to prevent the first plunger from being withdrawn once the annular interlock ring has been inserted into the first syringe barrel.