Spray applicator

• US 7,077,339 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 07/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Incorporated (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leach, Michael D
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dinh Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/357,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• Field of Search: 239/409, 239/417, 239/418, 239/416.3, 239/417.5, 222/129, 222/137, 222/145, 222/327, 604/83, 604/191
• US Class Current: 239/417
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2472 comprising several containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/003 with means for filling or refilling the hand tool container
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00553 with means allowing the stock of material to consist of at least two different components

Abstract

An applicator for applying a multi-component bio-material including at least two containers. Both containers are held in a structure or oriented in a structure such that material contained in the containers can be expressed from oriented outlets simultaneously. The applicator includes a graspable member which allows the material to be expressed from all containers of the applicator substantially simultaneously. The applicator may be constructed such that a pre-selected and substantially different volume is expressed from each of the containers substantially simultaneously.

Claims

1. An applicator for applying a multi-component bio-material, comprising:

a first container extending along a first axis to selectively contain and disburse a first component;

a second container extending along a second axis to selectively contain and disburse a second component;

a container holder operable to hold and orient said first container and said second container and a pistol grip handle graspable by a user;

a first conduit extending along said first axis and immediately from said first container; and

a second conduit extending along said second axis and immediately from said second container;

wherein the first component disposed in said first container is expressed through said first conduit; and

wherein the second component disposed in said second container is expressed through said second conduit.

2. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising:

a first activation member associated with said first container; and

a second activation member associated with said second container.

3. The applicator of claim 2, wherein:

said first activation member includes a piston and a piston rod extending along said first axis; and

said second activation member includes a second piston and a second piston rod extending along said second axis.

4. The applicator of claim 2, wherein a single manual depression member operably interconnects said first activation member and said second activation member.

5. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said container holder includes:

a first engaging portion to engage said first container;

a second engaging portion to engage said second container; and

a member extending between said first container engagement portion and said second container engagement portion.

6. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising:

a reinforcement member extending between said container holder and said conduits;

wherein said reinforcement member stabilizes and maintains said first conduit end said second conduit in a selected orientation.

7. The applicator of claim 1,

wherein the pistol grip handle extends at an angle from said container holder.

8. The applicator of claim 7, wherein said handle is formed as a portion of and extending from said container holder in a selected orientation to assist in use of the applicator.

9. The applicator of claim 7, further comprising:

a depression system;

wherein said graspable member allows the applicator to be operated by a single hand of a user such that the user is able to grasp the graspable member and directly depress the depression system at a selected time with a single hand.

10. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising:

a first outlet extending from said first conduit; and

a second outlet extending from said second conduit.

11. The applicator of claim 10, further comprising:

an attachment to be selectively attached to said first outlet and said second outlet;

wherein the first component contained in said first container and the second component contained in said second container is expressed through said attachment at a selected time.

12. The applicator of claim 11, wherein said attachment includes an atomizer so that when material is expressed from said first container and said second container the material is substantially atomized after passing therethrough.

13. The applicator of claim 1, further comprising:

an expressing system including a first piston and a first piston rod operably associated with said first container;

a second piston and a second piston rod operably associated with said second container; and

a graspable member operably extending from said container holder;

wherein said first piston and first piston rod and said second piston and second piston rod are oriented such that a user may grasp the graspable member and directly depress said first piston rod and said second piston rod substantially simultaneously.

14. The applicator of claim 1, wherein:

said first container defines a first volume;

said second container defines a second volume that differs from said first volume.

15. The applicator of claim 1, wherein:

said first container includes a conduit engaging portion defining internal threads;

said second container defines a second conduit engaging portion defining internal threads;

said first conduit defines a container engaging portion defining exterior threads, wherein the interior threads of the first conduit engaging portion operably engages said threads of said first container engaging portion;

said second conduit defines a second container engaging portion defining exterior threads, wherein the interior threads of the second conduit engaging portion operably engages said threads of said second container engaging portion;

wherein said first container is selectively affixed to said first conduit and said second container is selectively affixed to said second conduit.

16. The applicator of claim 1, wherein said first container selectively defines a first volume and selectively engages said container holder;

said second container selectively defines a second volume and selectively engages said second conduit.

17. An applicator for applying at least one component of a multi-component bio material, comprising:

a single member comprising a first container extending along a first axis and a second container extending along a second axis;

a first conduit integrally formed with said first container and extending along said first axis; and

a second conduit formed substantially integrally with said second container and extending along said second axis;

a graspable member operably associated with said first container, said second container; and

an expressing member to express material from said first container, said second container, or both;

wherein said first container contains a first biological material and said second container containing a second material may each simultaneously express the respective materials at a selected time;

wherein the first material contained within said first container is expressed through said first conduit and the second material contained within said second container is expressed through said second conduit;

wherein said graspable member and said expressing member are associated with said first container and said second container such that material disposed within said first container and said second container is selectively expressed substantially simultaneously.

18. The applicator of claim 17, further comprising:

a first outlet extending distally from said first conduit; and

;

a second outlet extending distally from said second conduit;

wherein material expressed from said first container is expressed through said first outlet and material expressed from said second container is expressed through said second outlet.

19. The applicator of claim 17, further comprising:

a graspable member operably associated with said first container and said second container;

wherein material within said first container and said second container may be expressed using only a single hand.

20. The applicator of claim 17, further comprising:

a first expressing member operably associated with said first container such that said first expressing member allows for selected expressing of the first material disposed in said first container; and

a second expressing member operably associated with said second container such that the second material disposed in said second container is selectively expressible from said second container.

21. The applicator of claim 20, further comprising:

a third expressing member operably interconnecting said first expressing member and said second expressing member such that said first expressing member and said second expressing member are operable to express material from said first container and said second container substantially simultaneously.

22. The applicator of claim 21, wherein said first expressing member, said second expressing member, and said third expressing member are integrally formed as a single member.

23. The applicator of claim 17, wherein:

said first container defines a first volume and said second container defines a second volume;

said first volume differs from said second volume.

24. A method of applying a multi-component bio-material to a selected area and at a selected volume with an applicator including a containing area for each of the components of the multi-component material, wherein the applicator includes a conduit acting as an outlet and an inlet for the respective containers, the method comprising:

supplying at least a first material to a first container and a second material to a second container, wherein supplying the material includes;

interconnecting a first supply with said first container through a first conduit;

interconnecting a second supply with said second container through a second conduit;

filling said first and second container with material from said first and second supply;

interconnecting said first supply with said first container by providing a first connector operable to connect to said first conduit, and providing a supply line a between the said first supply and said first connector; and

interconnecting said second supply with said second container by providing a second connector operable to connect to said second conduit, and providing a supply line between the said second supply and said second connector;

supplying a graspable member operably associated with said first container and said second container to allow easy expressing of the first material from said first container and the second material from said second container, wherein the graspable member is a pistol grip; and

selectively expressing the material from the first and second containers substantially simultaneously to a selected area;

wherein the material may be selectively supplied at a selected rate from each of said first and second containers.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

disposing a first piston in said first container and disposing a second piston in said second container;

wherein filling said first and second containers includes;

forming a vacuum in said first container by moving said first piston and forming a vacuum in said second container by moving said second piston to evacuate a selected volume of said first and second containers.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein filling said first and second containers includes pressurizing said first and second supplies such that material is forced from said first and second supplies into said first and second containers.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein filling said first and second containers includes:

disposing a first pump operable to move material disposed in said first supply to said first container;

disposing a second pump operable to move material disposed in said second supply to said second container; and

operating said first and second pumps to pump material within said first and second supplies to the respective first and second containers.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein expressing the material from said first container and said second container includes:

expressing the material through said first conduit from said first container and expressing the material from said second container through said second conduit.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein expressing the material from said first container and said second container includes:

depressing a first piston disposed in said first container and a second piston disposed in said second container substantially simultaneously such that materials contained within said first container and said second container are expressed substantially simultaneously.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

grasping the applicator with a first hand of a user; and

depressing a first piston disposed in said first container and depressing a second piston disposed in a second container with the first hand of the user.

31. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

selecting said first container to have a first volume; and

selecting said second container to have a second volume.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein said first volume and said second volume differ.

33. An applicator for applying a multi-component bio-material, comprising:

a first container extending along a first axis operable to selectively contain and express a first component;

a second container extending along a second axis operable to selectively contain and express a second component;

a container holder operable to hold and orient said first container and said second container;

a direct expressing system operable to allow the substantially simultaneous expression of the first component and the second component upon receiving direct engagement from a user; and

a graspable member extending a distance along a third axis that is different than the first axis or the second axis and from said container holder;

wherein a user is able to grasp said graspable member with a first hand and engage said expressing system with the first hand.