Method of preparing and extruding a chemical agent using a kneader and chemical-agent extrusion assisting tool

• US 6,431,743 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 08/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: NGK Spark PLUG Company Limited (Niterra Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sawamura, Takenori, Okuyama, Masahiko, Mizutani, Yoichiro, Hattori, Masateru
• Primary Examiner(s): Cooley, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US09/678,399
• Time in Patent Office: 679 Days
• Field of Search: 366/130, 366/139, 366/189, 366/194-196, 366/244-247, 366/348, 222/325-327, 222/386, 222/390, 606/92-94
• US Class Current: 366/189
• 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 2050/0066 with additional sealing means, e.g. O-ring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/3015 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30617 Visible markings for adjusting, locating or measuring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0097 Visible markings, e.g. indicia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31551 including axial movement of dose setting member
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31561 using freely adjustable volume steps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31571 Means preventing accidental administration for automatic syringes A61M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/3158 performed by axially moving actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection button
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31586 performed by rotationally moving or pivoted actuator, e.g. an injection lever or handle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/31591 Single dose, i.e. individually set dose administered only once from the same medicament reservoir, e.g. including single stroke limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/20 Mixing of ingredients for bone cement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 31/441 performing a rectilinear reciprocating movement
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5011 portable during use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/754251 reciprocating in the mixing receptacle

Abstract

An assisting tool for pressing a piston while fixing in place a syringe or a similar instrument which contains a highly viscous chemical agent, so as to extrude the chemical agent, as well as a method for extruding a chemical agent using the same. The chemical-agent extrusion assisting-tool includes a tool body in the form of a cylindrical body having a space formed therein for accommodating a tubular container, such as a syringe, which contains a highly viscous chemical, such as calcium-phosphate-based cement formed by kneading a calcium phosphate powder and a kneading liquid composed of a polysaccharide-containing aqueous solution, and an outlet formed at its bottom end. The cylindrical body has a cylindrical space formed therein so as to open at an upper end surface thereof. The assisting-tool further has a pusher including a handle portion for pressing a piston to be inserted into the tubular container, and a tubular body screw-threadedly engaged with the tool body and disposed on a side of the handle portion which presses the piston. The handle portion of the chemical-agent extrusion assisting-tool is rotated so as to press the tubular body into the cylindrical space and so as to press the piston into the tubular container, thereby extruding the chemical agent from the tubular container.

Claims

1. A method for preparing and extruding a chemical agent using a kneader and a chemical-agent extrusion assisting-tool,

said chemical-agent extrusion assisting-tool comprising:

a tool body in the form of a cylindrical body having a space formed therein for accommodating a tubular container which contains a chemical agent and which has an outlet formed at its bottom end, the cylindrical body having an annular cylindrical space formed therein so as to open at an upper end surface thereof; and

a pusher comprising a handle portion for pressing a piston to be inserted into the tubular container, and a tubular body disposed on a side of the handle portion which presses the piston;

wherein a circumferential surface of the tubular body and a circumferential surface of the cylindrical body which defines the annular cylindrical space are screw-threadedly engaged,

said kneader comprising;

a cylinder to be accommodated in said space formed in the tool body and having a cylindrical portion and a nozzle portion formed at one end of the cylindrical portion;

a plug disposed slidably within the cylindrical portion;

a piston which includes a shaft portion extending through the plug for rotation relative thereto so as to cause movement of the piston axially of the cylinder, a kneading portion located at an end of the shaft between the plug and the nozzle portion, and a handle portion location at the other end of the shaft for engagement by the pusher;

a stopper for releasably holding the plug at the other end of the cylindrical portion; and

a cover removably attached to the nozzle portion, and

the method comprising;

introducing constituents to be mixed and kneaded to form the chemical agent into the cylinder of the kneader;

turning the handle portion of the piston with the plug fixed by means of the stopper and the cover attached to the nozzle portion so as to rotate and axially move to the kneading portion within the cylindrical portion, to thereby knead the constituents and form the chemical agent;

fitting the cylinder into the space formed in the tool body with the kneading portion returned to said other end of the cylindrical portion adjacent to the plug and removing the cover from the nozzle portion;

releasing the stopper; and

rotating the handle portion of the pusher so as to screw-engage the circumferential surface of the tubular body and the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body which defines the annular cylindrical space so as to cause the pusher to press the piston and the released plug into the tubular container, thereby extruding the previously kneaded chemical agent from the kneader.

2. The method for preparing and extruding a chemical agent according to claim 1, wherein the chemical agent comprises bone cement.

3. The method for preparing and extruding a chemical agent according to claim 2, wherein the bone cement comprises a calcium-phosphate-based cement.