MICRO APPLICATOR FOR USE WITH DENTAL ADHESIVES

Abstract

The invention relates to a dental micro-applicator (1) for applying a liquid or paste in a cavity of a natural tooth, having a hollow sleeve-like application head (2) with a distal (2.2) and a proximal region (2.1) and with an application region (5.1) at the front face of the proximal region (2.1) of the application head (2), a punching spike (4), the tip of which is oriented toward distal, being arranged in the hollow sleeve-like application head (2) in the proximal region (2.1), and an opening (7) being formed at the front face of the proximal region (2.1) for passage of a liquid or paste to be applied, a micro-container (3) being inserted, in particular slid in or turned in, from distal into the hollow sleeve-like application head (2), the outer shape of which being formed in fit to the inner shape of the application head (2), and the micro-container (3) having an internal space (10) to receive the liquid or paste to be applied. Moreover, the micro-container is closed at its distal side (9) and at its proximal front face (6).

Claims

1. A dental micro-applicator (1) having a hollow sleeve-like application head (2) with a distal (2.2) and a proximal (2.1) region and with an application region (5.1) at the front face of the proximal region (2.1) of the application head (2), wherein at least one punching spike (4), the tip (11) of which is oriented toward distal, is arranged in the hollow sleeve-like application head (2) in the proximal region (2.1), and an opening (7) is formed at the front face of the proximal region (2.1) for passage of a liquid or paste to be applied, a micro-container (3), the outer shape of which corresponds to the positive of the inner shape of the application head (2) being formed as the negative, being inserted, in particular slid in or turned in, from distal into the hollow sleeve-like application head (2), and the micro-container (3) having an internal space (10) to receive the liquid or paste to be applied, and the micro container (3) being closed at its distal side (9) and at its proximal front face (6), wherein the punching spike (4) with tip (11) has a proximal base (8), by which the punching spike (4) is fixed in the inner shape of the sleeve-like application head (2) in the proximal region of the application head (2) by means of a fit with transition fit or press fit of the outer shape of the base (8), wherein the punching spike (4) has a conduit (13), being continuous from distal to proximal, with cross section (d.sub.4), wherein the cross section amounts from 0.2 mm.sup.2 to 4 mm.sup.2, wherein the punching spike (4) with base (8) also has a respective continuous conduit.

2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the micro-container (3) is inserted, in particular slid in or turned in, inside the hollow application head (2) in transition fit or press fit by distance (I.sub.0).

3. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein a) the micro-container (3) is slidable in inside the hollow application head (2) in transition fit or press fit by distance (I.sub.1) additionally to distance (I.sub.0), or b) a tubular micro-container is turnable in by a turning movement inside the hollow application head (2) in transition fit or press fit by distance (I.sub.1) additionally to distance (I.sub.0).

4. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the micro-container (3) is closed by a film (6a) or a fragile layer (6b) at its proximal front face (6).

5. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the length (b) of the outer side wall (17) of the application head (2) to the length (c) of the outer side wall (12) of the micro-container (3) amount to 1 to 1.2 to 1 to 25.

6. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the inner shape of the hollow sleeve-like application head (2) is formed in fit to the outer shape of the micro-container (3) so that the micro-container (3) is slidable in or turnable in into the application head (2) until the proximal front face (6) of the micro container (3) abuts in the inside against the base (8) of the at least one punching spike (4) or against the proximal inside wall (19) of the application head (2).

7. The applicator according to claim 4, wherein the film (6a), or fragile layer (6b) at the proximal side of the micro-container (3), in particular of a tubular micro-container, is destroyed or cut off by at least one punching spike (4) when sliding in or turning in the micro-container into the application head (2).

8. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein a multitude of filaments (5), in particular having a minimal length (f) of 2 mm to 8 mm, in particular 3 mm to 7 mm, preferably 4 mm to 6 mm is formed in the application region (5.1) at the front face in the proximal region of the application head (2) to form a paintbrush (5.2).

9. The applicator according to claim 8, wherein the micro-container is a hollow section closed at the proximal and distal front face.

10. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein a) the micro-container is inserted from distal into the hollow sleeve-like application head (2), the outer shape of the micro-container (3) being formed in fit to the outer shape of the application head (2), or b) the micro-container is inserted from distal into the hollow sleeve-like application head (2), the outer shape of the micro-container (3) being spaced by a seal from the inner shape of the application head (2).

11. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the inner shape of the hollow sleeve-like application head (2) is formed in fit to the outer shape of the micro-container (2) so that the micro-container (3) is slidable in or turnable in into the application head (2) until the proximal front face (6) of the micro-container (3) abuts in the inside against the base (8) of the at least one punching spike or against the proximal inside wall of the application head (2), wherein a) the angle alpha () between the central axis (15) in the distal plane (14) at the distal region (2.2) of the hollow sleeve-like application head (2) and the longitudinal central axis (16) in the proximal region (2.1) of the application head amounts to alpha less than or equal to 180, in particular the angle alpha amounts from 175 to 110, or b) the micro-container (3) has a predetermined kink point.

12. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein i) the film or the fragile layer is selected from one of the following materials, comprising metals, such as aluminum, alloys, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), COC (cyclic olefin copolymer), COP (cyclic olefin polymer), acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, ethylene vinyl alcohol polymer (EVOH, EVAL), halogenated polymers, chloroprene rubber, perfluorinated rubber, PA (polyamide), HDPE, LDPE, porous expanded polypropylene (PEPP) and/or expanded polypropylene (EPP), glass, hybrid material or a composite material of the afore-mentioned materials, in particular the film or the layer is a welded or laminated aluminum film, COC, COP or PET film, and/or ii) the application head is selected from one of the following materials, comprising thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), silicone, polyamide, polyethylene, polypropylene, rubber, or a composite material of the afore-mentioned materials, in particular the application head and the filaments are made of the same material, and/or iii) the material of the micro-container (3) is selected from polyethylene, polypropylene, ethyl vinyl alcohol polymers, cyclic olefin polymers (COP) and/or cyclic olefin copolymers (COC), particularly preferably copolymers of ethane with cyclic olefins, such as norbornene, norbornene derivative, tetracyclododecene, or polymers of cyclooctene, halogenated polymers, HDPE, LDPE, porous expanded polypropylene (PEPP) and/or expanded polypropylene (EPP) and/or metallic films, and/or iv) the material of the at least one punching spike (4) and optionally of the base (8), each independently, is selected from one of the following materials, from plastic having an elastic modulus of greater than or equal to 1700 MPa according to ISO 527 or greater than or equal to 1300 MPa according to ISO 178, metal, alloy, glass, ceramic, hybrid material.

13. A kit comprising a micro-applicator according to claim 1, a liquid being contained in the micro-applicator (3), in particular a liquid containing at least one organic solvent, preferably a liquid dental composition comprising at least one volatile organic solvent and optionally at least one monomer, and optionally water, and/or optionally an organic acid.

14. The kit according to claim 13, comprising an outer packaging as well as a multitude of micro-applicators.

15. Use of a micro-applicator according to claim 1, or of a kit according to claims 13 for application of liquid dental compositions.

Description

[0057] In the following, the invention is clarified by means of examples without being limited to these examples:

[0058] FIGS. 1a and 1b show a dental micro-applicator 1 having a hollow sleeve like application head 2 which has a distal 2.2 and a proximal region 2.1 as well as an application region 5.1 at the front face at the proximal region of the application head 2. A punching spike 4, the tip 11 of which is oriented toward distal, is arranged in the proximal region 2.1 in the application head 2. The punching spike may be fixed in place by a fit or may be formed integrally with the application head. An opening 7 having a diameter d1 is formed in the front face for passage of a dental, liquid composition. The punching spike 4 has a conduit having a diameter d4. The micro-container 3 is slid in from distal into the application head 2 and seals the two components against each other. The dental composition is tightly sealed in the internal space 10 against the atmosphere by a film 6a at the proximal front face 6. The micro-container 3 is slid in inside the hollow tubular application head 2 in transition fit or press fit by distance I.sub.0 and may additionally be slid in inside the hollow tubular application head 2 in transition fit or press fit by distance I.sub.1. The punching spike 4 with tip 11, and cutting edge preferably, has a proximal base 8. The punching spike 4 shown has a conduit 13 with cross section d.sub.4, being continuous from distal to proximal. In FIG. 1b, the film 6a is opened and the liquid can escape as drops 17 through the opening 7 into the filaments. The micro-applicator may alternatively have a punching spike with several conduits or several punching spikes each having at least one conduit.

[0059] The micro applicator is formed as handhold at its distal side 9. Furthermore, FIG. 1a shows the length a of the cross section of the application head, the length b of the outer side wall 18 of the application head 2 as well as the length c of the outer side wall 12 of the micro-container 3 and also the averaged length e of the punching spike.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows a micro-applicator, the inner shape of the hollow sleeve-like application head 2 is formed in fit to the outer shape of the tubular micro-container 3 so that the micro-container 3 can be slid in into the application head 2 until the proximal front face 6 of the tubular container 3 abuts in the inside against the base 8 of the punching spike or against the proximal inside wall 19 of the application head 2, wherein a) the angle alpha () between the central axis 15 in the distal plane 14 at the distal region 2.2 of the hollow sleeve-like application head 2 and the longitudinal central axis 16 in the proximal region 2.1 amounts to alpha less than or equal to 180, particularly less than than 180, preferably the angle alpha mounts from 175 to 110.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0061] 1 micro-applicator [0062] 2 application head, in particular hollow sleeve-like application head [0063] 2.1 proximal region [0064] 2.2. distal region [0065] 3 micro-container, in particular tubular micro-container [0066] 4 punching spike [0067] 5 filament [0068] 5.1 application region [0069] 5.2. paintbrush [0070] 6 proximal front face [0071] 6a film [0072] 6b layer, in particular fragile layer [0073] 7 opening [0074] 8 base [0075] 9 distal side [0076] 10 internal space [0077] 11 tip [0078] 12 side wall of the micro-container [0079] 13 conduit [0080] 14 distal plane [0081] 15 central axis [0082] 16 longitudinal central axis [0083] 17 drop of the liquid [0084] 18 side wall of the application head [0085] 19 proximal inside wall, in particular wall, of the application head [0086] a length of the cross section of the application head [0087] b length of the outer side wall 17 of the application head 2 [0088] c length of the outer side wall 12 of the micro-container 3 [0089] e averaged length of the punching spike [0090] d1 cross section of the opening 7 [0091] d4 cross section d.sub.4 of the conduit in the punching spike [0092] or I.sub.0 distance in the inside by which the micro-container is inserted, in particular slid in or turned in, into the hollow sleeve-like application head 2 in transition fit or press fit in storage position [0093] or I.sub.1 distance by which the micro-container is inserted, in particular slidable in or turned in, inside the hollow sleeve-like application head 2 in transition fit or press fit additionally to distance I.sub.0