Frangible Mixing Container With Stepped Compression Zone
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dental mixing and dispensing containers face challenges in ensuring complete mixing of dental materials and preventing contamination by residual powder during the dispensing process, particularly with low viscosity materials, due to uncontrolled extrusion and incomplete mixing.
Innovation Solution
A dental container design featuring a frangible main chamber, a liquid receptacle with a weakened inner transverse wall, and a plunger that builds hydraulic pressure to mix and dispense dental materials, incorporating a compression zone with a stepped region to control the dispensing of mixed paste through a nozzle, minimizing resistance and preventing residual powder contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional liquid receptacle design is used without a weakened inner transverse wall, then the structure is simpler and more robust, but complete mixing of dental materials cannot be achieved and residual powder contamination occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid receptacle is segmented into two parts: a stationary rear portion and a movable front portion separated by a weakened inner transverse wall. This segmentation allows the front portion to move forward during dispensing, pushing mixed material toward the nozzle while preventing residual powder from contaminating the mixed material, thus achieving complete mixing and preventing contamination.
Solution Approach 2:
The weakened inner transverse wall is pre-positioned to break away at a predetermined location during the dispensing process. This preliminary arrangement ensures that when hydraulic pressure is applied, the wall breaks at the correct position to allow the front portion to move forward and push the mixed material completely toward the nozzle, achieving complete mixing and preventing residual powder contamination.
2Productivity
If hydraulic pressure is applied to the plunger to break the weakened portion, then the liquid can enter the main chamber for mixing, but uncontrolled extrusion of low viscosity materials may occur
Solution Approach 1:
A compression zone with a stepped region of reduced cross-sectional dimension is provided in the main chamber. This local structural feature creates controlled resistance in specific areas, slowing down the movement of the front portion of the liquid receptacle and controlling the extrusion rate of low viscosity materials, thus preventing uncontrolled extrusion while maintaining dispensing efficiency.
3Productivity
If the front part of the liquid receptacle traverses the entire length of the main chamber, then complete dispensation of mixed material is achieved, but resistance to movement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The compression zone with stepped region provides localized resistance only in specific areas where needed, rather than throughout the entire main chamber. This allows the front portion of the liquid receptacle to move freely in most areas while experiencing controlled resistance in the stepped region, enabling complete traversing of the main chamber to dispense all mixed material while minimizing overall movement resistance.
Data Source
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AI summary
A container (10) for mixing and dispensing material comprises a body (12) having a main chamber (17), a dispensing nozzle (26), a liquid receptacle (14) and a plunger (18). The liquid receptacle (14) has a front portion arranged to break away upon hydraulic pressure being applied by the plunger (18) so that the plunger (18) can traverse the entire length of the body (12). This enables a charge of material in the main chamber (17) to be entirely dispensed through a frangible wall (22) into the nozzle (26). The container (10) has a compression zone with a stepped region (50) to provide limited resistance to movement for use with low viscosity material. This reduces the risk of uncontrolled extrusion of the low viscosity material.