DISCHARGE DEVICE FOR SEMI-SOLID MATERIALS

Abstract

This invention relates to a discharge device of the dispenser gun type, which is suitable in particular for discharging semi-solid materials such as e.g. bone replacement materials. The discharge device comprises an adapter (400) which is removably attached to a main body (110) of the discharge device. A fastening structure for attachment of a container (300) is formed on the adapter substantially along a proximal direction (C) contrary to the feed direction (A). As a result various types of containers can be fastened to the machine without the need to change the mechanism of the device. The container can be provided on both ends with identical external threads and can be closed by closure caps in order to enable intuitive handling. In order to improve access to points which are difficult to reach, the container may be in the form of a curved pipe or may be formed flexibly. The piston rod (200) of the discharge device is then also formed flexibly.

Claims

1. A discharge device comprising: a base body; an operating lever that is manually movable relative to the base body; and a piston rod that is slidable relative to the base body, the piston rod being coupled to the operating lever in such a manner that operation of the operating lever causes the piston rod to advance in a distal feed direction; and an adapter that is formed separately from the base body and is attached to the base body, the adapter comprising a fastening structure configured for attachment of a container such that attachment of the container to the adapter takes place substantially along a proximal direction contrary to the feed direction.

2. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is configured to be inserted into the base body along a direction of insertion that extends across the feed direction.

3. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the operating lever is manually pivotable relative to the base body.

4. The discharge device according to claim 3, wherein the adapter comprises: a main section with a passage opening for the piston rod; a fastening structure on the main section for the container; and two opposing retaining wings extending in opposite lateral directions, and wherein the base body comprises an insertion opening, which is complementary to the adapter, with two opposite slits that extend across the feed direction and across the direction of insertion, for accommodating the retaining wings.

5. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the base body comprises a housing and a separately manufactured retaining element connected to the housing, and wherein the adapter is removably attached to the retaining element.

6. The discharge device according to claim 5, wherein the retaining element is configured to be slid into the housing along a fastening direction that extends across the feed direction.

7. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter is removable from the base body while the piston rod is held on the base body.

8. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the adapter comprises a screw connection or bayonet connection, which is open in the feed direction, for the container.

9. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the piston rod is flexible such that its distal end is pivotable along at least one bending direction by an angle of at least 45 relative to its proximal end.

10. The discharge device according to claim 9, wherein the piston rod comprises a first side on which there is a plurality of teeth, wherein the operating lever when operated exerts a feed force directly or indirectly on the teeth in order to cause advancing of the piston rod, and wherein the piston rod at least on a second side, which is opposite to the first side, comprises a plurality of incisions in order to increase flexibility of the piston rod.

11. The discharge device according to claim 1, further comprising a container in the form of a cylindrical pipe with a proximal end and a distal end, the container comprising, at at least one of its ends, an external connecting structure for connection to the adapter, the connecting structure being complementary to the fastening structure of the adapter.

12. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container comprises identical connection structures at the proximal end and the distal end.

13. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the connecting structure is an external thread.

14. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container has a constant cross-sectional area along its entire length.

15. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container contains a viscous material.

16. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container has a length of at least 100 mm and an interior diameter between 3 and 10 mm.

17. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container has a length and an interior diameter, the length being at least ten times the interior diameter.

18. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container has the shape of a curved pipe.

19. The discharge device according to claim 11, wherein the container is flexible to such an extent that its distal end is pivotable by at least 45 relative to the proximal end.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0029] Preferred embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the drawings that are only provided for illustrative purposes and are not to be interpreted as being limiting. The drawings show the following:

[0030] FIG. 1 an isometric view of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a discharge device according to the invention with a connected container;

[0031] FIG. 2 a partial view of the discharge device of FIG. 1 without a container, without an adapter, without a retaining element, and without a cover;

[0032] FIG. 3 an exploded view of the discharge device of FIG. 1 without a container;

[0033] FIG. 4 a view of the discharge device of FIG. 1 with a connected container in which the container is shown so as to be partially transparent;

[0034] FIG. 5 a kit comprising the discharge device of FIG. 1 and several associated containers;

[0035] FIG. 6 the discharge device of FIG. 1 together with variously shaped containers; and

[0036] FIG. 7 the discharge device of FIG. 1 together with various types of containers.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0037] FIGS. 1-4 illustrate different views of a discharge device 100 in the form of a dispenser gun. The device comprises a base body 110 on which a rigid handgrip 120 is formed in a single piece. An operating lever 130 is pivotably connected to the base body 110. By way of a mechanism (not shown in detail) the operating lever 130 is coupled to a piston rod 200 that extends through the base body 110. By way of operation of the operating lever 130 the piston rod 200 is slidable along a distal feed direction A relative to the base body 110. To this effect the underside of the piston rod comprises a multitude of teeth 211 (see FIG. 2). The mechanism in question can, for example, be designed according to U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,694. A backstop prevents any unintended withdrawal of the piston rod contrary to the feed direction A. This backstop can be deactivated by operating a release lever 150.

[0038] A retaining element 140 is laterally slid, along a fastening direction D, into a fastening opening 111 in the housing of the base body 110 (see FIG. 2) where it is fixed by a cover 112 (see FIG. 1). The retaining element 140 is designed as a separate replacement part and, depending on the concrete requirements, can easily be replaced during production or, if the retaining element is removably attached, subsequently by a retaining element shaped in some other manner, without the mechanism of the device needing to be changed. The retaining element defines a laterally open insertion opening 141. Said insertion opening 141 comprises two opposite slits 142, 143 that extend downwards or upwards, i.e. across the feed direction A and across the fastening direction D. In a central region between these slits the insertion opening is also open in the distal direction.

[0039] In this respect the design of the discharge device largely corresponds to the design of the discharge apparatus of US 2007/0289998 whose content is incorporated in this document by reference, to the extent that in that document the basic design of the discharge apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-4 is disclosed.

[0040] The distal end of the piston rod 200 comprises a piston 230; the proximal end comprises a flat handgrip 220. In between, the also flat main section 210 of the piston rod extends. The proximal end of the piston rod 200 can be inserted, axially contrary to the feed direction A, into the device through the insertion opening 141 while the release lever 150 is pushed. When the piston rod 200 is withdrawn, the piston 230 forms an end stop beyond which it is not possible to pull back the piston rod any further.

[0041] Along a direction of insertion B laterally an adapter 400 is inserted into the insertion opening 141, which adapter 400 is particularly clearly shown in FIG. 3. The direction of insertion B extends along a direction that extends across the plane defined by the handgrip 120 and the lever 130, and which plane also intersects the piston rod 200 along its entire length. In the present example the direction of insertion at the same time corresponds to the direction of fastening D, along which the retaining element 140 is slid into the housing of the base body 110; however, in other embodiments of the retaining element 140 said direction of insertion can also be selected so as to differ from the above.

[0042] In its outer shape the adapter 400 approximately corresponds to the rear end of the dual syringe of US 2007/0289998. Said adapter 400 comprises a substantially cuboid main section 401 through which a passage opening for insertion of the piston rod 200 leads. In the axial distal direction a ring-shaped fastening structure 402 follows on from the main section, which fastening structure 402 radially encompasses the passage opening, and on whose interior an internal thread is formed. From the main section two retaining wings 403, 404 extend downwards and upwards, respectively, in other words laterally, i.e. across the axial direction.

[0043] The shape of the adapter 400 has been selected so as to be complementary to the shape of the insertion opening 141. Consequently the adapter 400 can easily be inserted laterally in the insertion opening 141 instead of a dual syringe. In this arrangement the piston rod 200 can remain in the device; it merely needs to be withdrawn in the proximal direction to its end stop. Mounting or replacing the adapter can thus take place very easily.

[0044] A container 300 is screwed into the fastening structure 402 of the adapter 400, which container 300 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. The container has the shape of a straight cylindrical pipe 310. In the interior the pipe has a cylindrical cross section that does not substantially change along its entire length and that, in particular, also does not taper off at the ends of the pipe. The pipe 310 comprises a viscous implantable material, e.g. a synthetic bone graft substitute material or a cement. On both ends the pipe comprises identical external threads 311, 312. Prior to the pipe being inserted into the discharge device both ends of the pipe are closed by means of identical closure caps 313, 314 that comprise an internal thread and by means of it are screwed onto the external threads 311, 312. In this arrangement no separate displaceable piston is accommodated in the container 300.

[0045] The device is operated as follows: prior to insertion of the pipe 310 into the device, the closure caps 313, 314 are removed by the surgeon. The pipe 310 is then inserted into the fastening structure 402 along a proximal direction C that is contrary to the feed direction A, and by means of its external thread 311 or 312 said pipe 310 is screwed into said fastening structure 402. In this process the orientation of the pipe is unimportant, in other words it does not matter whether the pipe is screwed in by the end on which the thread 311 is located or by the end on which the thread 312 is located. This makes it easy for the surgeon to handle the container. Subsequently the surgeon takes the device by its handgrip 120 and pulls the operating lever 130 with the fingers of the same hand towards the handgrip 120. Consequently the piston rod 200 is advanced along the feed direction A, and the piston 230 moves into the interior of the pipe 310. In this arrangement the dimensions of the piston 230 are selected such that the piston 230 rests on the inside against the wall of the pipe 310 so as to provide a tight seal. Consequently the piston presses the material located in the pipe in the distal direction and discharges it. FIG. 4 illustrates the device in a position in which the piston has been advanced by nearly half the length of the pipe.

[0046] The device together with one or several containers 300 can be sold as a set. FIG. 5 illustrates such a set 500 with two identical containers 300.

[0047] FIG. 6 illustrates containers of different shapes. While one of the containers has the shape of a straight pipe 310 as was the case previously, the other containers have the shape of a curved pipe 320, 330. In this arrangement the directions defined by the ends of the pipe encompass an angle that can easily be 45 or more; in the present example the angle of the pipe 330 is approximately 90. With such curved pipes it is possible to reach positions that would not otherwise be easily accessible. Instead of being rigidly curved the pipe can be flexible. To make it possible for the piston rod 200 to follow the curvature of the pipes 320, 330, the piston rod is designed so as to be particularly flexible. To this effect it comprises a multitude of incisions 212 at its top, opposite to the teeth 211, on which incisions 212 the thickness of the material is correspondingly reduced.

[0048] FIG. 7 illustrates different types of container connections and corresponding adapters. Instead of providing a screw connection as is the case with pipe 310 and adapter 400 it is also possible to provide a pure plug-type connection (pipe 340 with adapter 410) or a bayonet connection (pipe 350 with adapter 420). An axial snap-lock connection is also possible. Because an adapter can easily be exchanged for another adapter such different types of fastening arrangements can easily be implemented without there being a need to alter the mechanism of the delivery device. Consequently the base body 110 with the entire mechanism can always be produced so as to be identical, independently of the type of the container to be connected, which keeps production costs to a minimum.

[0049] While, above, the invention has been described primarily with reference to a particular medical example of use, the invention is in no way limited to this. It is imaginable to use the invention also in completely other areas of application, among them also non-medical areas of application, in which a viscous material is to be discharged.