U.S. patent application number 11/158199 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-29 for cartridge for pasty materials.
This patent application is currently assigned to Heraeus Kulzer GmbH. Invention is credited to Klaus-Dieter Nehren, Norbert Weber.
Application Number | 20060138166 11/158199 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34937388 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060138166 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nehren; Klaus-Dieter ; et
al. |
June 29, 2006 |
Cartridge for pasty materials
Abstract
A cartridge for pasty materials with two chambers for
accommodating two components of a pasty material, wherein each
chamber is provided with an outlet duct and a means for releasing
the pasty material into an attachable mixing top part. A swivelable
plate that is firmly mounted on the cartridge is closed in order to
lock the plugs and the mixer and opened by using a swiveling action
in order to insert and remove the plugs, replace the mixer and also
for cleaning purposes.
Inventors: |
Nehren; Klaus-Dieter;
(Dormagen, DE) ; Weber; Norbert; (Koln,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Kurt G. Briscoe;Norris, McLaughlin & Marcus P.A.
875 Third Avenue - 18th Floor
New York
NY
10022
US
|
Assignee: |
Heraeus Kulzer GmbH
Hanau
DE
|
Family ID: |
34937388 |
Appl. No.: |
11/158199 |
Filed: |
June 21, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 81/325 20130101;
A61C 5/64 20170201; B05C 17/00553 20130101; A61M 5/19 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/094 |
International
Class: |
B65D 35/22 20060101
B65D035/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 23, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 030 407.6 |
Claims
1. A cartridge for pasty materials comprising two cylindrical
chambers arranged next to one another, each of said chambers having
a foot end comprising an opening and a piston that can be displaced
in a direction of a cylinder axis in the respective chamber for the
purpose of discharging a material contained in the chamber, the
chambers each having a top end that lies opposite to the foot end
and has at least one outlet opening, wherein each of the outlet
openings has either a sealing plug or is connected to one another
by a common mixing chamber arranged on top of them, the mixing
chamber having a flange on its end turned toward the outlet
openings, wherein at the top end of one of the chambers, a fixing
plate is arranged that can swivel between two stop positions, the
fixing plate in a first stop position is arranged on a surface of
both the sealing plugs and/or the surface of a collar of the mixing
chamber that is turned away from the chambers in order to prevent a
detachment of the sealing plugs and/or the mixing chamber from the
outlet openings, and the fixing plate in a second stop position is
not arranged above the surface of the sealing plugs and/or the
flange.
2. Cartridge pursuant to claim 1, wherein the outlet openings are
designed as outlet ducts.
3. Cartridge pursuant to claim 1, wherein the top ends of the
chambers are designed as top plates that are arranged at the same
level.
4. Cartridge pursuant to claim 3, wherein surfaces of the sealing
plugs and a surface of the flange of the mixing chamber turned away
from the chambers are located at the same distance from the top
plates.
5. Cartridge pursuant to claim 3, wherein reinforcing bars are
arranged on the top plates outside a swiveling range of the fixing
plate.
6. Cartridge pursuant to claim 4, wherein reinforcing bars are
arranged on the top plates outside a swiveling range of the fixing
plate.
7. Cartridge pursuant to claim 5, wherein a height of the
reinforcing bars above the top plates is equal to a distance of the
surface of the fixing plate turned away from the chambers from the
top plates.
8. Cartridge pursuant to claim 6, wherein a height of the
reinforcing bars above the top plates is equal to a distance of the
surface of the fixing plate turned away from the chambers from the
top plates.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge for pasty
materials.
[0002] Cartridges of such type are used not only as packaging
containers for storing and transporting pastes, but also as a
constituent of a system comprising dischargers, dispensing
cartridges, dosing cartridges and mixers.
[0003] Dental elastic impression compounds in paste form are
usually supplied in tubular foil bags or cartridges. The silicone
oils, curing agents and catalysts contained in these pastes have
high creep and diffusion properties. Therefore, the problem of
sealing the cartridges exists particularly in case of dental
elastic impression compounds made from vinyl polysiloxanes.
[0004] In double cartridges with a common opening for both
components, as described in EP 0 232 733, EP 0 261 466, EP 0 294
672, one of the component outlet ducts got clogged frequently
because constituents of the second component could creep over due
to the direct contact of these ducts.
[0005] Also, the use of plugs on the sealings, as described in EP 0
431 347 or EP 0578 897, could not prevent the silicones from
creeping in all cases.
[0006] The use of round outlet ducts that are separated for the
individual components (e.g. EP 0 730 913, EP 0 733 022, EP 1 125
641 and WO 00/21653) could clearly suppress this tendency of
creeping over. However, as a result of the bayonet locks used here
for attaching the plug and the mixer statically or dynamically, the
silicon oil could use the common sealing and/or the bayonet ring as
a bridge and again creep over.
[0007] An additional disadvantage of these structures is that they
were difficult to clean. Usually, in these systems, the user brings
both components on the same discharge level before the first mixing
by discharging one of the somewhat congested product chambers. In
doing so, and also due to slight leakiness during the mixing
process or in the mixer replacement between two uses, frequently
some product gets smeared. Due to the outlet ducts located close to
one another and the shapes of the bayonet holders, it is not
possible to remove these smudges and stains. Thus, one of the ducts
can get clogged by contaminants until the next application.
[0008] It is thus necessary to provide an improved and simplified
cartridge.
[0009] This task is solved as specified herein by a cartridge for
pasty materials comprising two cylindrical chambers arranged next
to one another, each of which has a foot end with an opening and a
piston that can be displaced in the direction of the cylinder axis
in the respective chamber for the purpose of discharging the
material contained in the chamber. The chambers each have a top end
that lies opposite to the foot end and has at least one outlet
opening, wherein each of the outlet openings has either a sealing
plug or are connected to one another by a common mixing chamber
arranged on top of them. The mixing chamber has a flange on its end
turned toward the outlet openings. The cartridge in accordance with
the invention is characterized in that a fixing plate is arranged
at the top end of one of the chambers that can swivel between two
stop positions. The fixing plate in the first stop position is
arranged on a surface of both the sealing plugs and/or the surface
of the flange of the mixing chamber that is turned away from the
chambers in order to prevent a detachment of the sealing plug
and/or the mixing chamber from the outlet openings, wherein the
fixing plate in its second stop position is not arranged above the
surface of the sealing plugs and/or the flange. In its first stop
position, the fixing plate overlaps the sealing plug and/or the
mixing chamber at least partly to the extent that is necessary for
the purpose of avoiding these parts from getting detached from the
chambers whereas in its second stop position the fixing plate
releases the sealing plug and/or the mixing chamber for detachment
purposes. Therefore, the fixing plate does not necessarily have to
lie directly on the surface as long as the sealing plug and/or the
mixing chamber automatically hold tight to the outlet openings. In
case of pressure on the piston, however, the pressure on the mixing
chamber placed on the outlet openings for dispensing the materials
usually becomes so great that the mixing plate leans against the
fixing plate.
[0010] The outlet openings are preferably designed as outlet ducts.
The top ends of the chambers are designed as top plates that are
arranged at the same level. It is advantageous if the surfaces of
the sealing plugs and the surface of the flange of the mixing
chamber turned away from the chambers are located at the same
distance from the top plates. Furthermore, it is advantageous if
reinforcing bars are arranged on the top plates outside the
swiveling range of the fixing plate. In particular, the height of
the reinforcing bars above the top plates is equal to the distance
of the surface of the fixing plate turned away from the chambers
from the top plates in order to achieve an even and stable support
during its application in a discharger. The reinforcing bars extend
axially around the periphery and/or perpendicular to the chambers.
The outlet ducts of both chambers are sealed with separate plugs
that, however, are locked in common by the swiveling plate.
[0011] The shape and size of the cartridges is determined by the
application. The cartridges are particularly used for storing and
discharging dental elastic impression compounds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The invention is explained in more detail on the basis of
the drawings of which:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the cartridge with closed plug in the
storage and transportation state,
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates the cartridge with locked mixer (mixing
chamber) for the application,
[0015] FIG. 3 illustrates the side view of the cartridge with
fixing plate, and
[0016] FIGS. 4, 5 illustrate the top view of the cartridge in
accordance with FIG. 3 with closed and opened fixing plate
respectively.
[0017] The illustrated cartridge chambers have varying sizes and
represent containers for the widespread application in the dental
field in which the volume of a catalyst paste amounts to 1/5 of the
volume of a base paste so that during use, there is a mixture, for
example, of elastic impression compounds in predetermined
ratio.
[0018] FIG. 1 illustrates the cartridge with two chambers 1,2 with
outlet ducts 3,4 closed by plugs 5,6 in the storage and
transportation state. The plugs are retained by means of the fixing
plate 10 on the outlet ducts 3,4. The upper end of the chambers 1,2
is formed by top plates 16,17 that are arranged at the same level.
The top plates 16,17 are stiffened by reinforcing bars 11,12,13,14.
In the lower part of the chambers 1,2, displaceable pistons 7,8 are
arranged that serve as means for dispensing the pasty material.
[0019] FIG. 2 illustrates the cartridge with locked mixing chamber
9, ready for use. The mixing chamber 9 attached on top releases the
outlet ducts 3,4. It is retained on the cartridge by means of the
fixing plate 10. FIG. 3 illustrates the side view of the cartridge
with fixing plate 10 without plugs or the mixing chamber.
[0020] FIGS. 4, 5 illustrate the top view of the cartridge with
closed and opened fixing plate 10, respectively, in the closed and
opened state, respectively. Plugs or the mixing chamber are not
illustrated in these figures for purpose of simplifying the
description. Both the stop positions of the fixing plate 10 are
formed by reinforcing bars. The upper edge of the reinforcing bars
and the fixing plate 10 are at the same level. The fixing plate 10
has on its lower side turned toward the chambers 1,2 a projection
15 for attachment to the lateral edge of the plugs or the flange of
the mixing chamber. Consequently, this ensures a reliable mounting
of the fixing plate if the plug/mixing chamber is correctly
attached on top.
* * * * *