Dental Cartridge And Method For Producing A Dental Cartridge

Abstract

A dental cartridge, in particular for insertion into an injector, is configured with a cylinder body with a gripping shoulder at a first end face and with a cylinder chamber into which dental material can be filled, with a dispensing nozzle which is arranged on a second end face of the cylinder body opposite the gripping shoulder, wherein the cylinder body and the dispensing nozzle are connected via a joint. The joint is formed with a joint head in the form of a ball as part of the dispensing nozzle and with a complementary joint socket as part of the cylinder body at the second end face. The dispensing nozzle is swiveled in relation to the cylinder body in a swivel range about three axes x-y-z.

Claims

1. A dental cartridge (1) comprising a cylinder body (2) with a gripping shoulder (3) at one end face (4) and a cylinder chamber (5) configured for filling with dental material, a dispensing nozzle (6) which is arranged at a second end face (7) of the cylinder body (2) opposite the gripping shoulder (3), where the cylinder body (2) and the dispensing nozzle (6) are connected via a joint (8), wherein the joint (8) is formed with a joint head (9) in the form of a ball as an integral part of the dispensing nozzle (6) and with a joint socket (10) complementary to the joint head (9) as an integral part of the cylinder body (2) at the end face (7) opposite the gripping shoulder (3), wherein the dispensing nozzle (6) can be swiveled relative to the cylinder body in a three-dimensional swivel range, and wherein the diameter (18) of the joint head (9) is larger than the diameter (15) of the cylinder chamber (5).

2. The dental cartridge (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge is insertable into an injector.

3. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the joint (8) is designed as a mechanism for closing and opening a dispensing path (11) of dental material from the cylinder chamber (5) with a swivel axis (12) and with a swivel angle (13) of at least approximately 110°.

4. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a recess (16) which extends outside the cylinder axis (12) of the cylinder chamber (5) is formed on the joint socket (10) of the cylinder body, and wherein the dispensing nozzle (6) is configured for pivoting into the recess (16) by a projection (14) adjoining the joint ball and is configured to be brought into a closed position of the dental cartridge.

5. The dental cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the recess (16) is substantially U-shaped and is open towards the front and the second end face opposite the gripping shoulder.

6. The dental cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the dispensing nozzle (6) is designed for locking to the recess (16), and wherein a geometric chord of the recess (16), which forms a passage opening for the neck ring to the swivel range within the joint socket, is designed smaller than the diameter of the projection (14).

7. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing nozzle (6) can be swiveled in all directions in the swivel range in an open state of the dental cartridge, wherein a swivel angle of the swivel range, viewed from the cylinder axis, is at least 45°.

8. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a channel (21) for the joint head extends through the joint head (9), which end can be closed by swiveling the dispensing nozzle (6).

9. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing nozzle comprises a spout (18) with a spout axis (19) and a channel (21) with a channel axis is formed in the joint head, where the spout axis is formed at an angle of between 0° and 70° to the channel axis, where the channel is formed so as to taper into the neck ring of the dispensing nozzle.

10. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the joint socket (10) is formed as a bead projecting relative to the rest of the cylinder body at the second end face (7) opposite the gripping shoulder (3).

11. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the material used for the cylinder body (2) differs from the material used for the dispensing nozzle (6), wherein a material pairing of the cylinder body material and the dispensing nozzle material is such that a coefficient of sliding friction .Math.slide between the materials of less than 0.8, is used in the joint.

12. The dental cartridge according to claim 11, wherein the materials of the cylinder body and the dispensing nozzle are selected from material pairs suitable for material injection molding and have different coefficients of thermal expansion.

13. The dental cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cylinder body and the dispensing nozzle are produced by means of assembly injection molding.

14. A method for producing a dental cartridge of claim 1, having a cylinder body and a dispensing nozzle which are connected via a joint, comprising producing the cylinder body and the dispensing nozzle by assembly injection molding, producing the joint (8) with a joint head (9) in the form of a ball as part of the dispensing nozzle (6) and with a joint socket (9) complementary to the joint head as part of the cylinder body (2), and producing the dispensing nozzle (6) configured to be mounted so as to be pivotable in three dimensions relative to the cylinder body.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] Further advantages, details and features result from the following description of several embodiments of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a dental cartridge in perspective cross-section with closed dispensing nozzle;

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a complete dental cartridge in perspective according to FIG. 1;

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a dental cartridge in perspective cross-section with closed dispensing nozzle;

[0074] FIG. 4 shows a complete dental cartridge in perspective according to FIG. 3,

[0075] FIG. 5 shows a dental cartridge in perspective cross-section with a spout extending substantially in the direction of the cylinder body;

[0076] FIG. 6 shows a complete dental cartridge in perspective according to FIG. 5;

[0077] FIG. 7 shows a dental cartridge in perspective cross-section with the spout in the direction perpendicular to the cylinder axis of the cylinder body;

[0078] FIG. 8 shows a complete dental cartridge in perspective according to FIG. 7;

[0079] FIG. 9 shows a dental cartridge in perspective cross-section with closed dispensing nozzle with an insert in a circumferential section of the cylinder body; and

[0080] FIG. 10 shows a complete dental cartridge in perspective according to FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0081] FIG. 1 shows a dental cartridge 1 for insertion into an injector not shown. The dental cartridge 1 has a cylinder body 2 and a dispensing nozzle 6. The cylinder body 2 has a gripping shoulder 3 at a first end face 4 and a cylinder chamber 5 into which dental material can be filled. The dispensing nozzle 6 is arranged at a second end face 7 of the cylinder body 2, which is opposite the gripping shoulder 3. A dental material for filling cavities during dental treatment is stored in the cylinder chamber 5. The cylinder chamber 5 is closed at both end faces, at the end face 4 by a foil as packaging material or a piston of the injector, which is not shown, and at the second end face 7 by the ball joint, which is special according to the invention, in its closed position.

[0082] The cylinder body 2 and the dispensing nozzle 6 are connected by a joint 8. The joint 8 is formed with a joint head 9 in the form of a ball as part of the dispensing nozzle 6 and with a complementary joint socket 10 as part of the cylinder body 2 at the second end face 7, opposite the gripping shoulder 3. The dispensing nozzle 6 can be pivoted about the two axes x and z and rotated about the y-axis in a swivel range 20 relative to the cylinder body 2.

[0083] FIG. 1 shows the dental cartridge 1 in a cross-sectional view with a closed cylinder chamber 5 at the second end face 7. The dental material is filled into cylinder chamber 5 from the first end face 4. After the filling process, the first end face 4 is also completely closed until use, e.g. with a foil not shown.

[0084] As soon as the dental cartridge 1 is inserted into an injector, a piston of the injector is inserted into the cylinder chamber 5 from the end face 4 in the application process. The dental material is pressed out of the cylinder chamber 5 in the direction of the second end face 7 into the dispensing nozzle 6.

[0085] The dispensing nozzle 6 is formed on the joint head 9 with a projecting elongated neck ring 14, which is designed to lock in a complementary circular recess 16 with a circular axis 15 perpendicular to the cylinder axis 12 of the cylinder chamber 2 and perpendicular to the swivel axis 24 on the circumference of the joint socket 10. The circular axis 15 coincides with the Y pivot axis 22 of the joint 8, i.e., is congruent to it.

[0086] In order to realize the locking function, a geometric chord 17 of the recess 16, which forms a passage opening for the neck ring 14 to the swivel range 20 within the joint socket 10, is slightly smaller than the diameter 34 of the neck ring 14.

[0087] The joint 8 of the dental cartridge 1 has a dual function. It serves to close and open the dispensing path 11 for the dental material from the cylinder chamber 5. For opening, the dispensing nozzle 6 is swiveled out of the recess 16 and then extends further forwards, i.e. away from the gripping shoulder. A swivel axis 24 of the joint socket 10 is formed obliquely to or even perpendicular to the cylinder axis 12 and perpendicular to a circular axis 15 and congruent with the Z-axis of the dispensing nozzle 6. In the open position, the dispensing nozzle 6 can be swiveled freely, with a swivel angle 13 of at least 45° to approximately 135°, relative to the cylinder axis 12.

[0088] A free swivel range 20 of the dental cartridge comprises swivel angles for the dispensing nozzle 6 about its three axes x-y-z. The free swivel range 20 possible for the application is at least 45° in both directions, i.e., at least 90° in total, around the x-y-axis from the cylinder axis 12. The dispensing nozzle can be rotated through 360° around the Z-axis.

[0089] The dispensing nozzle 6 comprises a spout 18 with a spout axis 19. The spout 18 has a spout channel 26 with the same inner diameter over the entire length of the spout. Thus, a dosage of the dental material can be precisely controlled manually. A channel 21, in particular, a conically tapering channel, with a channel axis 22 is formed in the joint head 9, which opens into the beveled spout channel 26. In the closed position of the dispensing nozzle 6 shown in FIG. 1, the channel axis 22 coincides with the Y-axis for rotation through 360° and the circular axis 15.

[0090] The spout axis 19 preferably forms an angle of approx. 45° to the channel axis 22. The channel 21 is formed into the neck ring 14 of the dispensing nozzle 6. The spout 18 forms a tapering funnel shape from the neck ring 14, at least in the outer contour.

[0091] The diameter 25 of the joint head 9 is larger than the diameter 23 of the cylinder chamber 5. Thus the joint socket 10 forms a bead at the second end adjacent to the second end face 7 with respect to the rest of the cylinder body 2. The joint head 9 is thus mounted in a stable and secure manner. The channel 21 of the dispensing nozzle 6 in the joint head 9 is thus as large as possible, which leads to a reduced force during ejection.

[0092] The cylinder body 2 and the dispensing nozzle 6 are preferably produced in an integrated injection mold not shown, preferably by means of a two-component assembly injection molding. A suitable material pairing is selected so that moderate or no adhesion occurs between the cylinder body 2 and the dispensing nozzle 6. Possible material pairings are known to the skilled person, for example, from the prior art mentioned at the beginning.

[0093] FIG. 2 shows the body of the dental cartridge 1 from FIG. 1 in perspective view, but in the closed position. The three degrees of freedom of the swivel range 20, the rotation about the y-axis and the swivel about the x-z-axes, as well as the locking of the neck 14 in the recess 16 with the aid of the chord 17 as an interference fit 16 are shown.

[0094] FIG. 3 shows a perspective cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 1, with the difference that the recess 16 in the joint socket 10 is not rotated upwards with the y-axis, but around the cylinder axis 12 by 180° and thus directed downwards. The spout 18 is shown rotated by 180° about the Y-axis in relation to the first end face 4 as shown in FIG. 1. This is, for example, a storage state in which the length of the dental cartridge 1 is minimized. The height and the width/depth of the dental cartridge 1 are identical in both storage states, i.e. according to FIG. 1 and FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, the Y-axis of the dispensing nozzle is congruent with the circular axis 15 of the recess 16, which are both at right angles to the cylinder axis 12.

[0095] FIG. 4 shows the dental cartridge 1 according to FIG. 3 as a complete body.

[0096] FIG. 5 shows the dental cartridge 1 in longitudinal cross-section, whereby the dispensing nozzle 6 is swiveled upwards by an angle 30 of more than 90°, i.e. for example approx. 120°, compared to the view in FIG. 3. The dispensing nozzle 6 can be swiveled in the swivel range 20 despite the recess 16 to such an extent that the dispensing path 11 for applying the dental material from the cylinder chamber 5 through the dispensing channel 21 and through the spout channel 26 of the spout 18 remains closed. The spout axis 19 is swiveled downwards by approx. 15° with respect to the cylinder axis 12. The spout 18 is thus a longitudinal extension of the cylinder body 2 in essence.

[0097] FIG. 6 shows the completely closed body of the dental cartridge 1 in the state according to FIG. 5.

[0098] FIG. 7 shows the longitudinal cross-sectional half of the dental cartridge 1 as in FIGS. 3 and 5, with the difference that, in contrast to FIG. 3, the dispensing nozzle 6 is swiveled by approx. 45°, so that the spout axis 19 is swiveled essentially perpendicular to the cylinder axis 12. Cavities can thus be reached at an angle of 90° from a horizontal position of the cylinder body 2 for filling.

[0099] FIG. 8 shows the dental cartridge 1 as a complete body in a swiveled state of the dispensing nozzle 6 according to FIG. 7.

[0100] FIG. 9 essentially shows the embodiment according to FIG. 1. In an area of the cylinder body 2 shown above, a window 28 is formed which extends flush with the inside and outside of the cylinder body 2. This makes the filling state of the cylinder body 2 in the cylinder chamber 5 with dental material directly visible to the user. Furthermore, the color and at least approximately the consistency of the dental material is also visible to the user.

[0101] In an embodiment not shown, a slot extends through the joint socket on both sides parallel to the axis of the cylinder body 2. Slots increase the elasticity of the joint socket 10 so that the adhesion between the joint head 9 and the joint socket 10 is reduced.

[0102] The terms “about” and “substantially” are intended to include the degree of error or uncertainty associated with measurement of the particular quantity or shape as one of ordinary skill in the art would understand.