SYRINGE-IN-SYRINGE HOLLOW INNER BARREL/PLUNGER WITH INTEGRAL SEAL AND RUPTURABLE MEMBRANE AND RELATED KITS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

• US 20100307935A1
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: MCLEAN, BRUCE S., SHEETZ, JARED, JESSOP, NEIL
• Granted Patent: US 8,394,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/50 Implements for filling root canals; Methods or instruments for medication of tooth nerve channels
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/62 Applicators, e.g. syringes or guns
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/2448 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31596 comprising means for injection of two or more media, e.g. by mixing
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 3/006 Related operations, e.g. scoring ampoules
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A plunger-barrel apparatus is adapted for use within a syringe-in-syringe mixing system for mixing a two-part composition (e.g., a dental composition). A hollow plunger-barrel body has a continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component. The body includes a plunger receiving end and a dispensing end. An integral sealing plug and rupturable membrane is disposed at the dispensing end of the body and include a sealing plug portion and a rupturable membrane portion that are integrally formed together as a single piece (e.g., formed of a single piece of elastomeric material). An associated syringe-in-syringe mixing system includes a first plunger, the hollow plunger-barrel body as described above adapted to contain a first component, and a syringe barrel configured to contain a second component. When assembled, the first plunger is slidably disposed within the hollow plunger-barrel body, and the plunger-barrel body is slidably disposed within the syringe barrel. The two components are initially separated by the rupturable membrane.

Claims

1. A plunger-barrel apparatus for use in a syringe-in-syringe mixing system adapted for mixing a two-part composition, the plunger-barrel apparatus comprising:

a hollow plunger-barrel body sized and configured for insertion into a syringe barrel and having a continuous wall defining an internal chamber for containing a composition therein, the hollow plunger-barrel body having a plunger receiving end and a dispensing end, the plunger receiving end having an opening sized and configured for receiving therethrough a sealing plug of an auxiliary plunger; and

an integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane disposed over the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body, the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane including;

a sealing plug portion laterally disposed around the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and having a distal end that terminates at or near an opening through the dispensing end and an outer surface that is adapted to sealingly engage against an inner surface of a syringe barrel; and

a rupturable membrane portion integrally joined with the sealing plug portion and forming an uninterrupted surface across the distal end of the sealing plug portion so as to seal the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and prevent passage of a composition through the dispensing end in the absence of irreversibly rupturing the rupturable membrane portion through application of pressure to a composition contained within the internal chamber.

2. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is less than a diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end.

3. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is not more than about 75% of the diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end.

4. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is not more than about 50% of the diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end.

5. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is not more than about 35% of the diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end.

6. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane comprise an elastomeric material.

7. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane comprise a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoset elastomer.

8. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane portion has a thickness between about 0.0005 inch and about 0.04 inch.

9. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane portion has a thickness between about 0.002 inch and about 0.025 inch

10. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane portion has a thickness between about 0.005 inch and about 0.015 inch.

11. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a finger-engaging flange disposed at the plunger receiving end of the hollow plunger-barrel body.

12. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the hollow plunger-barrel body further includes an outwardly extending annular ridge disposed at or near the dispensing end and the sealing plug portion further includes a corresponding annular groove configured to matingly engage the annular ridge so as to attach the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane over the dispending end of the hollow plunger-barrel body.

13. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary plunger that is receivable within the interior chamber and including a sealing plug that is adapted to sealingly engage against an inner surface of the continuous wall of the hollow plunger-barrel body.

14. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising a composition within the interior chamber and wherein the sealing plug of the auxiliary plunger is received within the interior chamber, wherein the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane prevents passage of the composition through the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body in the absence of irreversibly non-resealably rupturing the rupturable membrane member by applying pressure to the composition by the auxiliary plunger.

15. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 14, further comprising a syringe barrel containing a second composition, wherein the sealing plug member sealingly engages against in inner surface of the syringe barrel, the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane.

16. A plunger-barrel apparatus for use in a syringe-in-syringe mixing system adapted for mixing a two-part composition, the plunger-barrel apparatus comprising:

a first plunger having a plunger stem, a finger engaging flange at a proximal end of the stem, and a sealing plug at a distal end of the stem;

a hollow plunger-barrel body sized and configured for insertion into a syringe barrel and having a continuous wall defining an internal chamber for containing a composition therein, the hollow plunger-barrel body having a plunger receiving end and a dispensing end, the plunger receiving end having an opening sized and configured for receiving therethrough the sealing plug of the first plunger, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is less than a diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end; and

an integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane disposed over the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body, the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane including;

a sealing plug portion laterally disposed around the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and having a distal end that terminates at or near an opening through the dispensing end and an outer surface that is adapted to sealingly engage against an inner surface of a syringe barrel; and

a rupturable membrane portion integrally joined with the sealing plug portion and forming an uninterrupted surface across the distal end of the sealing plug portion so as to seal the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and prevent passage of a composition through the dispensing end in the absence of irreversibly rupturing the rupturable membrane portion through application of pressure to a composition contained within the internal chamber.

17. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 16, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body that is not more than about 75% of the diameter of the internal chamber at the plunger receiving end.

18. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising a composition within the interior chamber and wherein the sealing plug of the first plunger is received within the interior chamber, wherein the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane prevents passage of the composition through the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body in the absence of irreversibly non-resealably rupturing the rupturable membrane member by applying pressure to the composition by the first plunger.

19. A plunger-barrel apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising a syringe barrel containing a second composition, wherein the sealing plug member sealingly engages against in inner surface of the syringe barrel, the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane.

20. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system for use in mixing a two-part composition comprising:

a first plunger having a plunger stem and a sealing plug at a distal end;

a hollow plunger-barrel body sized and configured for insertion into a syringe barrel and having a continuous wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first composition therein, the hollow plunger-barrel body having a plunger receiving end and a dispensing end, the plunger receiving end having an opening sized and configured for receiving therethrough the sealing plug of the first plunger; and

an integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane disposed over the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body, the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane including;

a sealing plug portion laterally disposed around the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and having a distal end that terminates at or near an opening through the dispensing end and an outer surface that is adapted to sealingly engage against an inner surface of a syringe barrel; and

a rupturable membrane portion integrally joined with the sealing plug portion and forming an uninterrupted surface across the distal end of the sealing plug portion so as to seal the dispensing end of the hollow plunger-barrel body and prevent passage of a composition through the dispensing end in the absence of irreversibly rupturing the rupturable membrane portion through application of pressure to a composition contained within the internal chamber; and

a syringe barrel configured to contain therein a second component, the syringe barrel being configured to slidably receive the hollow plunger-barrel body therein in sealing engagement and having a proximal opening configured to receive the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane therethrough.

21. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system as recited in claim 20, further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing, or at least inhibiting, the first plunger from being withdrawn from the hollow plunger-barrel body once fully inserted therein.

22. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system as recited in claim 21, 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 hollow plunger-barrel body so as to prevent or at least inhibit the first plunger from being withdrawn once the plurality of interlock ribs have been inserted into the hollow plunger-barrel body.

23. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system as recited in claim 21, 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 hollow plunger-barrel body so as to prevent or at least inhibit the first plunger from being withdrawn once the annular interlock ring has been inserted into the hollow plunger-barrel body.