System and device for dispensing a dental material and a cartridge for use with the system or device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9775691-B2
Application number	US-201314411655-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2013
Priority date	Jul 3, 2012
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A system for dispensing a dental material comprises a cartridge from which the dental material is extrudable. The cartridge comprises a operating means and an interface for transmitting a cartridge output based on a user input. The system further has a dental dispensing device having a receptacle for receiving the cartridge and an interface for receiving the cartridge output. The system helps maximizing reliability and maximizing safety in operation for dispensing dental material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for dispensing a dental material, comprising:
a cartridge from which the dental material is extrudable;
the cartridge comprising a contact based sensor for sensing a user input and for providing a cartridge output that is based on the user input sensed through the contact based sensor, wherein the cartridge output comprises a contactless signal;

and a dental dispensing device comprising:
a receptacle for receiving the cartridge and at least one piston for extruding the dental material from the cartridge; and
wherein the device includes a contactless sensor for detecting the contactless signal from the cartridge, and the device is configured to start the extruding of the dental material upon detecting via the contactless signal an activated position of the contact based sensor and to stop the extruding of the dental material upon detecting via the contactless signal an inactivated position of the contact based sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the contactless signal is encoded and the contactless sensor is configured to recognize the encoding.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least one plunger and a drive for driving the plunger by motor power, the drive comprising a mechanical clutch which can be switched for selectively establishing or suspending a transmission between the motor and the plunger, and wherein the system is adapted such that the cartridge output can be further used to switch the clutch.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is removable from the receptacle.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mixer, and wherein the cartridge includes separate containers for providing separate components and the components are extruded into the mixer for mixing the components.

6. The system of claim 1 , in which the contact based sensor is a movable actuator.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the movable actuator comprises a button.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the movable actuator comprises a button and a lever, wherein movement of the lever causes movement of the button.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the movable actuator comprises a pivotable lever.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the movable actuator comprises a button with a push rod.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the movable actuator comprises a pivotable lever having a first lever arm for receiving the user input and a second lever arm having a window.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Gramann Jens
• Schepke-Gerlach Korbinian
• Harre Manfred
• Jelovac Emir
• Kelz Ralf
• Dönmez Özcan
• Richter Christian A

Classifications

• A61C5/64

  for multi-component compositions · CPC title

• A61C9/0026 Primary

  Syringes or guns for injecting impression material; Mixing impression material for immediate use · CPC title

• B05C17/00596

  The liquid or other fluent material being supplied from a rigid removable cartridge having no active dispensing means, i.e. the cartridge requiring cooperation with means of the handtool to expel the material · CPC title

• B05C11/1002

  Means for controlling supply, i.e. flow or pressure, of liquid or other fluent material to the applying apparatus, e.g. valves · CPC title

• B05C17/0116

  characterised by the piston driving means (B05C17/0103, B05C17/0109, B05C17/0113, B05C17/015 take precedence) · CPC title