Coating implements with material supply – Supply container and independent applicator – Tool supported out of communication with supply
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-24
2002-09-17
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Supply container and independent applicator
Tool supported out of communication with supply
C206S063500, C401S129000, C401S130000, C433S089000, C433S226000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06450717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an applicator kit, as well as to a method of applying a substance for dental purposes. The applicator kit includes an application element having a grip area and a working end. An application member is disposed at the working end and is provided with at least one reaction substance, especially with at least one catalyst.
An applicator of this type is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,128. With this applicator, an application member is accommodated in a case having holes on the side via which a fluid can enter that serves for wetting the application member.
This approach is intended to prevent the fluid from escaping if the applicator is, for example, tipped over. For this purpose, sealing surfaces are provided between the case and the application element.
Such an approach may work with cosmetic products. However, in the dental area a precise introduction of an application element is critical. Even if with U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,128 relatively small holes are provided in the case, with which a certain amount of protection is intended, this cannot preclude the fluid from accidentally penetrating and hence wetting the application element already prior to the actual process of using the same.
Numerous other applicators are also know. For example, it has been proposed to maintain an application element immersed in a liquid, and by pressing down the container for this liquid to allow a further liquid to flow in the manner of an overflow in order to prepare the mixture that is to be applied. Since this approach requires two separate sealing systems, a considerable expense is required. In addition a number of sealing bands or the like means a correspondingly great susceptibility and storage instability.
In this connection, is as furthermore known to accommodate the liquids in two chambers that are separated by a membrane that is precisely destroyed by a spike that can be activated by pressing an inner housing in. This approach, however, requires a special configuration of the spike to reliably prevent the spike from colliding with the application element.
It is furthermore known to mix reactive substances, such as a composite for tooth fillings, on a base that is coated with a peroxide, or to mix the composite with a peroxide-coated spatula. This mixing has the drawback that a homogeneous mixing is not possible since it cannot be recognized when the peroxide has been completely consumed by the relatively viscous material.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an applicator kit of the aforementioned general type that is economical to produce and that enables an improved handling relative to the state of the art yet provides a good storage stability, whereby in particular a homogeneous mixing of a fluid should be possible and an ease of operation together with a saving in time should be achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The applicator kit of the present invention is characterized primarily in that the application element is comprised of a deformable material, especially an elastically deformable material, wherein the application member serves for receiving the reaction substance in solid, liquid or semisolid form, with which a low viscosity fluid can be activated.
Pursuant to the present invention, the application member, in other words, for example, one end of the application element, is first provided with one or more reaction substances. For example, a double catalyst system as a salt can be applied.
The inventive application element is then immersed in a liquid, for example a dental adhesive, that accompanied by the formation of a drop surrounds the application member. The application element is then introduced into the mouth of the patient, and during the actual application process the adhesive is mixed into a cavity or upon a dentine or enamel surface with the catalyst. The catalysts that might be present in the adhesive react with the catalysts of the application member, and the entire mass hardens or sets. It is also conceivable to place only a single catalyst on the application member that, for example, increases or reduces the viscosity of the adhesive.
It is particularly expedient pursuant to the present invention that the application of the adhesive to the application surface particularly promotes even obviously chemical reactions. Due to the distribution of the adhesive, even the salt present on the application member as reaction substance is well released, so that the self hardening process is enhanced. In this connection, pursuant to the present invention it is particularly expedient that the applicator kit eliminates the necessity for light hardening of the applied adhesive. Thus an entire process step, for example during introduction of an inlay or during fastening of a crown, is eliminated.
Pursuant to the present invention, the application element comprises a deformable material. In this context, “deformable” means a material hardness that is suitable for the application.
Thus, for example, the applicator can comprise a polymeric material, with the application member extending essentially in the form of a small rod to a working end. At this end, the inventive application member is provided, which is either monolithic, in other words comprises the same material as the rest of the application element, or is comprised of some other material. For example, the material for the application member can be a textile, brush hairs, a sponge, fibers, polymeric material, hard or laminated paper, or wood, with the configuration of a micro-brush being preferred. In addition, it is preferable that the material of the application member be significantly softer than dentine and tooth enamel in order during application not to have to worry about any damage to the tooth.
Pursuant to the present invention it is particularly important to have the viscosity of the liquid or fluid in the range of 10 to 500,000 mPa, especially 1,000 to 100,000 mPa, and preferably 10,000 to 50,000 mPa. The low viscosity ensures that the reaction substance will be released entirely to the application member, as has shown to be the case in tests conducted with an inventive applicator kit. The small brush hairs of a micro-brush used pursuant to one advantageous specific embodiment of the present invention evidently produce capillary effects so that with an appropriate viscosity the liquid creeps along the hairs and can directly release the reaction substance. In addition, as a liquid adhesive it enables a laminar spreading on the application surface, to which contributes the very low surface tension of the liquid.
Pursuant to the present invention, it is particularly expedient that the application member itself be provided with the reaction substance that can be activated by the liquid. The reaction can be activated by pushing in a housing that contains the fluid, or by immersion into an otherwise suitable container.
If a housing is used, it is merely necessary to provide a circumferential sealing of the sealing mechanism in order to maintain storage stability. The inventive application member is preferably provided with one or more catalysts. For this purpose, it is immersed into a benzene sulfinic acid solution and/or into an amine solution, for example diethanol-p-toluidine, and allowed to dry. The reaction substance is stored as a dry substance and is hence particularly stable. Therefore, as a reaction substance a double coating by two catalysts can also be applied, so that with the activation upon introduction of the sealing mechanism and overcoming of the sealing function by the fluid, in practice three components are brought together and react appropriately, whereby the fluid is used as adhesive for the adhesion of composite materials upon tooth enamel or dentine.
In this embodiment, the inventive applicator kit can be made available as a single-dose unit. However, in other embodiments it is also possible to separately prefabricate and package the application member, for example as an individual brush or brush comb, and to imme
Gianasmidis Alexandros
Muller Frank
Rheinberger Volker
Rumphorst André
Salz Ulrich
Ivoclar AG.
Korman Alan S.
Prunner Kathleen J.
Thompson John C.
Walczak David J.
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