Dispensing device for a dental substance and method of making such a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9265594-B2
Application number	US-201113885172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 12, 2011
Priority date	Dec 22, 2010
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

This disclosure is directed, inter alia, a method of making a dispensing device for dispensing a substance comprising a step of providing a mold having a mold space for receiving a solidifyable material. The method further comprises steps of providing a valve member having a first portion formed between first and second areas of an outer surface of the valve member; placing the valve member into the mold space such that at the first area is isolated from the mold space and at least part of the second area is within the mold space; displacing the first portion at least partially relative to another portion of the valve member; and solidifying the material in the mold space and thereby fixing the displaced first portion in place. In one embodiment, the method helps minimizing manufacturing costs and maximizing shelf life of a device filled with substance.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making a dispensing device for dispensing a substance, comprising:
providing a mold adapted to form a mold space for receiving a solidifyable material;
providing a valve member having a first portion formed between first and second areas of an outer surface of the valve member;
placing the valve member into the mold space such that the first area is isolated from the mold space and at least part of the second area is within the mold space;
displacing the first portion of the valve member at least partially relative to another portion of the valve member;
providing the solidifyable material in the mold space; and
solidifying the material in the mold space and thereby fixing the displaced first portion in place.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pressing the solidifyable material in the mold space and thereby causing the first portion to displace.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising urging at least one of the valve member and a mold component toward the other one of the valve member and the mold component and thereby causing the first portion to displace.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising supporting the valve member in the mold and suspending support at the first area.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the valve member has a blind hole defined by an interior wall and an end wall forming the first area, and further comprising inserting a mold core in the blind hole to support the valve member while leaving a space between the first area and the mold core.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displacing a second portion of the valve member relative to another portion of the valve member, wherein the second portion is formed between third and fourth areas of the outer valve surface.

7. A method of making a dispensing device for dispensing a substance, comprising:
providing a mold adapted to form a mold space for receiving a solidifyable material;
providing a valve member having a first portion formed between first and second areas of an outer surface of the valve member;
placing the valve member into the mold space such that a first area is isolated from the mold space and at least part of the second area is within the mold space;
displacing the first portion of the valve member at least partially relative to another portion of the valve member;
solidifying the material in the mold space and thereby fixing the displaced first portion in place; and
pressing the solidifyable material in the mold space and thereby causing the first portion to displace.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising supporting the valve member in the mold and suspending support at the first area.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the valve member has a blind hole defined by an interior wall and an end wall forming the first area, and further comprising inserting a mold core in the blind hole to support the valve member while leaving a space between the first area and the mold core.

10. The method of claim 7 , further comprising displacing a second portion of the valve member relative to another portion of the valve member, wherein the second portion is formed between third and fourth areas of the outer valve surface.

11. A method of making a dispensing device for dispensing a substance, comprising:
providing a mold adapted to form a mold space for receiving a solidifyable material;
providing a valve member having a first portion formed between first and second areas of an outer surface of the valve member;
placing the valve member into the mold space such that a first area is isolated from the mold space and at least part of the second area is within the mold space;
displacing the first portion of the valve member at least partially relative to another portion of the valve member;
solidifying the material in the mold space and thereby fixing the displaced first portion in place; and
urging at least one of the valve member and a mold component toward the other one of the valve member and the mold component and thereby causing the first portion to displace.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising supporting the valve member in the mold and suspending support at the first area.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve member has a blind hole defined by an interior wall and an end wall forming the first area, and further comprising inserting a mold core in the blind hole to support the valve member while leaving a space between the first area and the mold core.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising displacing a second portion of the valve member relative to another portion of the valve member, wherein the second portion is formed between third and fourth areas of the outer valve surface.

Assignees

• Peuker Marc
• Boehm Andreas
• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Peuker Marc
• Boehm Andreas

Classifications

• B29C45/14221 Primary

  by tools, e.g. cutting means · CPC title

• B29C45/14065

  Positioning or centering articles in the mould · CPC title

• B29L2031/7506

  Valves · CPC title

• A61C19/063 Primary

  Medicament applicators for teeth or gums, e.g. treatment with fluorides · CPC title

• B29C45/14336

  Coating a portion of the article, e.g. the edge of the article (B29C45/14573 and B29C45/14598 take precedence) · CPC title