Dispensing device for a dental substance

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9427290-B2
Application number	US-201013264809-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 19, 2010
Priority date	Apr 23, 2009
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A dispensing device for a dental substance is provided which has an outlet for the dental substance, and a valve for opening and closing the outlet. The device is switchable between a storage mode and an operative mode. In the storage mode a cannula is locked in the device and the valve opens the outlet, and in the storage mode the cannula can be released from the device and the valve closes the outlet. The device may facilitate handling and may be relatively inexpensive.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A dispensing device for a dental substance, comprising:
a chamber having a longitudinal axis that opens into an outlet;
a piston, where the piston can move along the longitudinal axis through the chamber to urge the dental substance toward the outlet;
a valve having a valve body and a valve element that move relative to each other for opening and closing the outlet, and wherein the valve element defines a conduit being adapted for receiving a cannula for connection with the outlet,
the device being operable between a storage mode and an operative mode,
wherein the device is further adapted such that activating the operative mode causes locking the cannula, when it is present, in the device, and rotating the cannula causes the valve to open the outlet wherein the cannula, when present, extends entirely through the conduit of the valve element to form a seal around the outlet; and
wherein the device is adapted such that activating the storage mode causes
the valve to close the outlet, and releasing the cannula, when it is present, from the device.

2. The dispensing device of claim 1 , wherein the valve body comprises the outlet and the valve element comprises a sealing surface and the valve body and the valve element are movable relative to one another to a closed position in which the sealing surface seals the outlet so that the outlet is closed.

3. The dispensing device of claim 2 , wherein the valve element has a generally cylindrical outer surface, and the valve body has a generally cylindrical inner surface, with the outer surface of the valve element and the inner surface of the valve body being mated with one another, such that the valve body and the valve element are rotatable relative to one another around a rotation axis.

4. The dispensing device of claim 3 , wherein the rotation axis is generally parallel to or aligned with the longitudinal axis of the device.

5. The dispensing device of claim 3 , wherein the sealing surface is arranged on a face side of the valve element which is generally transverse to the rotation axis.

6. The dispensing device of claim 1 , comprising the cannula.

7. The dispensing device of claim 6 , comprising a container, wherein the container has a retainer, and wherein the cannula has a retention element which is adapted to cooperate with the retainer for locking the cannula in the device.

8. The dispensing device of claim 7 , wherein the retention element of the cannula is formed by an annular rim adjacent the backend of the cannula or by at least one wing projecting sideward from the cannula.

9. The dispensing device of claim 6 , wherein the cannula comprises a static mixer.

10. The dispensing device of claim 7 , wherein the container has two chambers, each for receiving at least a component of a dental substance, and wherein the dispensing device has a plunger that comprises two pistons being receivable in the chambers, respectively, for extruding the dental substance from the chamber.

11. The dispensing device of claim 6 , wherein the cannula has a socket for receiving a front end of the container.

12. The dispensing device of claim 1 , containing a dental substance selected from among a dental filling material, a dental impression material, a dental sealant, and a dental adhesive.

13. A dispensing device, comprising:
a chamber having a longitudinal axis that opens into an outlet;
a piston, where the piston can move along the longitudinal axis through the chamber to urge a dental substance toward the outlet;
a valve having a valve body and a valve element that move relative to each other for opening and closing the outlet, the valve comprising a conduit, wherein the conduit has a widened portion; and
a cannula for connection with the outlet, wherein the device is further adapted such that activating the operative mode causes locking the cannula, when it is present, in the device, and rotating the cannula causes the valve to open the outlet, wherein the cannula, when present, extends entirely through the conduit of the valve element to form a seal around the outlet;

wherein the device is adapted such that activating the storage mode causes the valve to close the outlet, and releasing the cannula, when it is present, from the device.

14. The dispensing device of claim 13 , wherein the cannula further comprises a seal between the outlet and the cannula.

15. The dispensing device of claim 13 , wherein the conduit further comprises a step provided by a transition between the conduit and the widened portion, wherein the step acts as a retainer to lock the cannula.

16. The dispensing device of claim 13 , wherein the dispensing device comprises a container for receiving the dental substance and wherein the container further comprises a retainer, and wherein the cannula includes a retention element to cooperate with the retainer for locking the cannula in the device.

Assignees

• Boehm Andreas Johannes
• Peuker Marc
• Walter Alexander
• Müller Peter
• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Boehm Andreas Johannes
• Peuker Marc
• Walter Alexander
• Müller Peter

Classifications

• A61C5/062 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A61C5/62 Primary

  Applicators, e.g. syringes or guns · CPC title