Syringe-in-syringe hollow inner barrel/plunger with integral seal and rupturable membrane and related kits, systems and methods

• US 8,454,558 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2007
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Ultradent Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Jessop, Neil, McLean, Bruce S., Sheetz, Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Application Number:
  US12/525,961
• Publication Number:
  US 20100323322A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,231 Days
• Field of Search: 604/82, 604/83, 604/84, 604/85, 604/87, 604/88, 604/89, 604/91, 604/92, 604/184, 604/187, 604/231, 604/90, 206/219
• US Class Current: 604/87
• CPC Class Codes: A61C 5/62 Applicators, e.g. syringes or guns
• 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 hollow inner plunger for use within a syringe-in-syringe mixing system for mixing a two-part dental composition. The hollow inner plunger includes a body having a continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component. The body includes a proximal end and a distal end. A sealing plug and rupturable membrane are disposed at the distal end of the body, and the sealing plug and rupturable membrane 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 inner plunger, and a syringe barrel configured to contain a second component. When assembled, the first plunger is slidably disposed within the hollow inner plunger, and the hollow inner plunger is slidably disposed within the syringe barrel. The two components are initially separated by the rupturable membrane.

Claims

1. A hollow syringe barrel for use within a syringe mixing system for mixing a two-part dental composition, the hollow syringe barrel comprising:

a hollow body including a continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component, the hollow body having a proximal end and a distal dispensing end;

a single dispensing orifice at the distal dispensing end of the hollow body through which a first component contained in the internal chamber can be dispensed; and

a sealing plug and a rupturable membrane integrally formed together as a single piece,

wherein the sealing plug is laterally disposed around the distal dispensing end of the hollow body, has an outer diameter so as to seal against an inner wall of a syringe barrel and has a distal end that terminates at or near the single orifice at the distal dispensing end of the hollow body,

wherein the rupturable membrane caps and seals off the single orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on a first component contained in the internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane.

wherein the rupturable membrane has a cross-sectional thickness that is substantially less than a cross-sectional thickness of the sealing plug to facilitate rupture of the rupturable membrane during use.

2. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the distal end of the body that is less than a diameter of the internal chamber at the proximal end of the body.

3. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the distal end of the body that is not more than about 75% of a diameter of the chamber at the proximal end.

4. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the distal end of the body that is not more than about 50% of a diameter of the chamber at the proximal end.

5. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal chamber has a diameter at the distal end of the body that is not more than about 35% of a diameter of the chamber at the proximal end.

6. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane and sealing plug comprise an elastomeric material.

7. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane and sealing plug comprise a thermoplastic elastomer or a thermoset elastomer.

8. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane has a thickness between about 0.0005 inch and about 0.04 inch.

9. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane has a thickness between about 0.002 inch and about 0.025 inch.

10. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the rupturable membrane has a thickness between about 0.005 inch and about 0.015 inch.

11. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, further comprising a flange disposed at the proximal end of the body.

12. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, wherein the hollow body further includes an outwardly extending annular ridge disposed near the distal end of the hollow body and the sealing plug further includes a corresponding annular groove configured to matingly engage the annular ridge so as to attach the sealing plug and rupturable membrane to the hollow body of the hollow syringe barrel.

13. A hollow syringe barrel as recited in claim 1, further comprising coupling means disposed at the distal dispensing end of the body for coupling the syringe barrel to another syringe barrel so as to allow for syringe-to-syringe mixing.

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

a first plunger;

a hollow inner plunger configured to slidably receive the first plunger therein in sealing engagement, the hollow inner plunger comprising;

a body including a continuous cylindrical wall defining a first internal chamber for containing a first component, the body having a proximal end and a distal end terminating with a single dispensing orifice through which a first component can be dispensed; and

a sealing plug and a rupturable membrane disposed at the distal end of the body, the rupturable membrane capping and sealing off the single orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on a first component contained in the first internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane;

wherein the sealing plug and the rupturable membrane are integrally formed together as a single piece,

wherein the sealing plug includes at least one outwardly protruding circumferential sealing ridge for sealing against an inner wall of a hollow syringe barrel; and

a syringe barrel including a second interior chamber configured to contain therein a second component, the syringe barrel being configured to slidably receive the hollow inner plunger therein in sealing engagement with the at least one circumferential sealing ridge of the sealing plug sealing against an inner wall of the syringe barrel defining the second interior chamber.

15. A syringe-in-syringe mixing 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 hollow inner plunger once fully inserted into the hollow inner plunger.

16. A syringe-in-syringe mixing 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 hollow inner plunger 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 inner plunger.

17. A syringe-in-syringe mixing 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 hollow inner plunger 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 inner plunger.

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

a first plunger;

a hollow inner plunger configured to slidably receive the first plunger therein in sealing engagement, the hollow inner plunger comprising;

a body including a continuous cylindrical wall defining a first internal chamber for containing a first component, the body having a proximal end and a distal end terminating with a single dispensing orifice through which a first component can be dispensed; and

a sealing plug and a rupturable membrane disposed at the distal end of the body, wherein the sealing plug and the rupturable membrane are integrally formed together as a single piece and wherein the rupturable membrane has a cross-sectional thickness between about 0.0005 inch and about 0.04 inch and which is substantially less than a cross-sectional thickness of the sealing plug, the rupturable membrane capping and sealing off the single orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on a first component contained in the first internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane;

wherein the first internal chamber has a diameter at the distal end of the body that is not more than about 75% of a largest diameter of the first internal chamber; and

a syringe barrel including a second interior chamber configured to contain therein a second component, the syringe barrel being configured to slidably receive the hollow inner plunger therein in sealing engagement with the sealing plug sealing against an inner wall of the syringe barrel defining the second interior chamber.

19. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system as recited in claim 18, wherein the rupturable membrane has a thickness between about 0.005 inch and about 0.010 inch.

20. A syringe-in-syringe mixing system as recited in claim 18, wherein the diameter of the first internal chamber at the distal end of the body is not more than about one-third of the largest diameter of the first internal chamber.

21. A method of manufacturing a hollow syringe barrel comprising:

providing a body including a continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component, the body having a proximal end and a distal end terminating with a single dispensing orifice through which a first component can be dispensed;

providing a sealing plug and a rupturable membrane comprised of an elastomeric material, the sealing plug and rupturable membrane being integrally formed together as a single piece, the rupturable membrane having a cross-sectional thickness that is substantially less than a cross-sectional thickness of the sealing plug to facilitate rupture of the rupturable membrane during use; and

placing the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane over the distal end of the body in order for the sealing plug to be laterally disposed around the distal end of the body and in order for the rupturable membrane to cap and seal off the single orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on a first component contained in the internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane.

22. A method as recited in claim 21, further comprising introducing a first component into the internal chamber of the hollow syringe barrel prior to placing the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane over the distal end of the body.

23. A method of manufacturing a syringe-in-syringe mixing system comprising:

inserting a first plunger into a proximal end of a hollow inner plunger having a single dispensing orifice at a distal end such that the first plunger is slidably received within the hollow inner plunger in sealing engagement;

introducing a first component into a first internal chamber of the hollow inner plunger;

placing an integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane over a distal end of the hollow inner plunger in order for the sealing plug to be laterally disposed around the distal end of the hollow inner plunger and in order for the rupturable membrane to cap and seal off the single dispensing orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on the first component contained in the first internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane wherein the sealing plug includes at least one outwardly protruding circumferential sealing ridge for sealing against an inner wall of a syringe barrel;

inserting the distal end hollow inner plunger and the integrally formed sealing plug and rupturable membrane into a proximal end of the syringe barrel such that the hollow inner plunger is slidably received within the syringe barrel and such that the at least one outwardly protruding circumferential sealing ridge of the sealing plug is in sealing engagement with an inner wall of the syringe barrel;

introducing a second component into a second internal chamber of the syringe barrel; and

sealing a distal end of the syringe barrel with a cap or plug.

24. A syringe barrel for use within a syringe-to-syringe mixing system for mixing a two-part dental composition, the syringe barrel comprising:

a hollow body including a continuous cylindrical wall defining an internal chamber for containing a first component, the body having a proximal end and a distal dispensing end terminating with a single orifice through which a first component in the internal chamber can be dispensed;

a sealing plug and a rupturable membrane disposed at the distal end of the body, the sealing plug and rupturable membrane being integrally formed together as a single piece

wherein the sealing plug is laterally disposed around the distal dispensing end of the hollow body, has an outer diameter so as to seal against an inner wall of another syringe barrel and has a distal end that terminates at or near the single orifice at the distal dispensing end of the hollow body,

wherein the rupturable membrane continuously seals the single orifice until irreversible rupture of the rupturable membrane by application of sufficient pressure on a first component contained in the internal chamber so as to irreversibly rupture the rupturable membrane, wherein the rupturable membrane has a cross-sectional thickness that is substantially less than a cross-sectional thickness of the sealing plug to facilitate rupture of the rupturable membrane during use; and

coupling means disposed at the distal end of the hollow body for coupling the syringe barrel to another syringe barrel so as to allow for syringe-to-syringe mixing.