Plunger Assembly with Segmented Screw Thread for Dental Dispensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dispensing devices for dental composite filling materials require high forces due to their high viscosity, are often expensive, and do not adequately address hygiene concerns, making them difficult to use and handle effectively.
Innovation Solution
A plunger assembly with a unique continuous screw thread and nut thread design that allows for precise, controlled dispensation of dental materials, minimizing afterflow and contamination, and featuring a retention structure for easy assembly and handling, including a seal and handle for reduced contamination and ergonomic handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional dispensing devices are used for high viscosity dental materials, then dispensing force is sufficient, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous screw thread is segmented into distinct first and second thread portions with different shapes, allowing the plunger assembly to function as a self-contained unit that integrates both high-force generation and precise positioning capabilities without requiring complex external mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger assembly merges multiple functions into a single integrated component: the first thread portion engages with the container for material advancement, the second thread portion engages with the plunger body for force transmission, and the retention structure combines assembly retention with dispensation control, eliminating the need for separate instruments
2Productivity
If conventional dispensing devices are used, then material can be dispensed, but hygiene and contamination control are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The retention structure extracts the dispensation control function from external instruments and integrates it into the plunger assembly itself, allowing the second thread portion to engage with the plunger body in a controlled manner that minimizes contamination risk during both assembly and dispensation operations
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated plunger assembly design allows for disposable or single-use configurations where the entire assembly can be discarded after use, eliminating cross-contamination risks between patients while maintaining cost-effectiveness through simplified manufacturing
3Ease of operation
If conventional dispensing devices are used, then material dispensing is possible, but precise dosage control is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the screw thread by creating two distinct thread portions with different shapes, where the first thread portion provides coarse advancement and the second thread portion provides fine control, enabling precise dosage measurement through the differential thread geometry
Solution Approach 2:
The retention structure replaces complex mechanical dosing mechanisms with a simplified thread engagement system where the interaction between the second thread portion and plunger body automatically provides precise dosage control through controlled displacement
4Manufacturing precision
If separate instruments are used for material separation, then dispensing can be controlled, but device complexity and hygiene risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the dosing control function into the plunger assembly by integrating the retention structure with the second thread portion, allowing dosage control to be achieved through the same component that advances the material, eliminating the need for separate dosing instruments
Solution Approach 2:
The plunger assembly achieves multi-functionality where the first thread portion handles container engagement and material advancement, the second thread portion handles plunger body engagement and force transmission, and the retention structure handles both assembly retention and dispensation control, making the single component universally functional
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient, precise, and hygienic dispensation of dental materials with reduced afterflow and contamination, facilitating convenient handling and storage, while minimizing the need for additional instruments, thus addressing the challenges of high viscosity and hygiene in existing devices.
Implementation Method 1
a screw (11) which comprises a first thread portion (111) and a second thread portion (112), the first and second thread portion (111, 112) differ in shape, the first and second thread portion (111, 112), in combination, form one continuous screw thread
Data Source
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AI summary
A device for dispensing a material, being provided with a plunger assembly which has a screw with a first thread portion and a second thread portion. The first and second thread portion differ in shape and, in combination, form one continuous screw thread. The plunger assembly further has a nut which engages the screw thread by a nut thread. The nut thread corresponds in shape to a negative shape of the first thread portion. The invention help minimizing efforts in the assembly of a device using the plunger assembly.