US3735900A - Dual ingredient storage, intermixing and dispensing storage - Google Patents

Abstract

The cartridge, according to this invention, has a main container storing a first ingredient; an auxiliary container storing a second ingredient, and extending into the main container; a movable piston in the auxiliary container with a plunger secured thereto for exuding the second ingredient into the main container upon forward movement of the piston and plunger; a dasher threaded onto the inner end of the auxiliary container for intermixing the two ingredients upon manual movement of the auxiliary container relative to the main container after which rearward movement of the plunger pulls the piston rearwardly to return a portion of the mixture to the auxiliary container, with the auxiliary container then being removable from the main container; and has a nozzle securable to the auxiliary container for dispensing the mixture therefrom upon subsequent forward movement of the plunger and piston therein.

Description

States Patent 91 I llnite 1:1 [111 eagan 66m [451 May 29, 1973 DUAL IINGREDIENT STORAGE, 3,416,657 12/1968 Sorensen, Jr. et a1. ..128/272 INTERMIXING AND DISPENSING STURA'GE Kenneth W. Gores, Bellevue, Wash.

Products Research 8: Chemical Corporation, Burbank, Calif.

Filed: May 13, 1971 Appl. No.: 142,926

Inventor:

Assignee:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Cook ..222/145 X Higgins et a1 ..222/386 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner.lames M. Slattery Attorney-Miketta, Glenny, Poms & Smith 5 7 ABSTRACT The cartridge, according to this invention, has a main container storing a first ingredient; an auxiliary container storing a second ingredient, and extending into the main container; a movable piston in the auxiliary container with a plunger secured thereto for exuding the second ingredient into the main container upon forward movement of the piston and plunger; a dasher threaded onto the inner end of the auxiliary container for intermixing the two ingredients upon manual movement of the auxiliary container relative to the main container after which rearward movement of the plunger pulls the piston rearwardly to return a portion of the mixture to the auxiliary container, with the auxiliary container then being removable from the main container; and has a nozzle securable to the auxiliary container for dispensing the mixture therefrom upon subsequent forward movement of the plunger and piston therein.

1 Claim, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTED MAY 2 7SHEET 1 BF 2 fir ra n/40- PATENTED MAY 2 9 I973 SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTOQ KEN/V5 77/ W M 0355- 5km hm DUAL INGREDIENT STORAGE, INTERMIXING AND DISPENSING STORAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a dual compartment dispensing cartridge, the ingredients of which are stored separately and which must be mixed for use, and more particularly to such a cartridge with a separable container for receiving the mixture, and for dispensing the mixture after separation from the cartridge.

This application is an improvement in the mixing and dispensing cartridge of US. Pat. No. 3,144,966 entitled Cartridge For Mixing and Dispensing Sealant Compounds, issued Aug. 18, 1964. In the prior art dual ingredient storage, intermixing, and dispensing cartridges such as exemplified by US. Pat. No. 3,144,966, a main cartridge is provided for storing one of the ingredients. This main cartridge is necessarilyas large as is practical, since it is used not only to store one of the ingredients, but also to receive the second ingredient and hold the two ingredients for intermixing. The main cartridge is thus often times too large and too awkward to easily dispense the mixture into confined or recessed areas where the mixture is to be applied. An example of such a situation is in the field of dentistry when dental impressions are made. These cartridges may provide a quick setting plastic mixture which is used for taking impressions of the patients teeth and for such a use should be dispensed from the cartridge directly onto the tooth or teeth being inspected. However, with a large cartridge this is very difficult to do, not only because of the size thereof, but because it is difficulet to control the volume of mix dispensed from the large plunger-cartridge combination.

In such a use, it would be desirable to provide a means for dispensing the mixture which allows more exact control over the volume of mix dispensed, which is smaller than the main cartridge to fit easily into the patents mouth and yet is provided or part of the original mixing dispensing unit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a storage, mixing and dispensing cartridge means which provides for mixing two ingredients in a large main cartridge orbody and have a smaller diameter mix dispenser adapted to receive the mixture of ingredients easily from the main cartridge and be easily manipulated to dispense controlled amounts of said mixture into confined, small, recessed or tight places.

Other and additional objects of this invention, are to provide such a cartridge means with a dispenser which is also part of the cartridge means used to store one of the ingredients prior to the mixing thereof, which is easily separable from the main cartridge, which can be filled with a portion only of the mixture at one time which is smaller than the main cartrige and therefore easily able to dispense the mixture into tight places and to provide such a storage mixing and dispensing means which may be sold which is economical to manufacture, convenient to store, and simple to use.

Generally the mixing and dispensing cartrige of the present invention includes a main open ended container for holding a first ingredient; and open ended auxiliary container for holding a second ingredientand extending into the main container through the open one end; and exuding means in the auxiliary container for exuding the second ingredient from the auxiliary container into the main container; means for intermixing the two ingredients in the main container to produce a mixture; means for returning a portion of the mixture to the auxiliary container for holding therein during withdrawal of the auxiliary container from the open end of the main container and subsequent dispensing from said auxiliary container.

Nozzle means may be provided for directing the flow of mixture from the open end of the auxiliary container in response to operation of the exuding means. Removable closure means may be mounted in the open end of the main container after withdrawal of the auxiliary container to close the open end thereof. The auxiliary container may be a tubular member with a piston located therein for exuding the second ingredient from the tubular member and for drawing or returning a portion of the mixture to the tubular member for later dispensing. The mixture return means may include a plunger having a threaded stud for threadably attaching to the piston of the tubular container or the plunger and piston may be integral.

Generally the method, according to this invention, of dispensing a mixture of two ingredients, stored separately in a main container and in an auxiliary container and mixed in the main container to provide a mixture includes the steps of displacing a portion of the mixture into the auxiliary container, releasing and withdrawing the auxiliary container from the main container and exuding the mixture from the auxiliary container. The steps may include mounting a nozzle to the auxiliary container after withdrawing the auxiliary container and prior to the exuding step. The method may include the steps of removing the nozzle from the auxiliary container, reinserting the auxiliary container into the main container, and displacing another portion of mixture into the auxiliary container. The exuding step may include the step of drawing a piston rearwardly in the auxiliary container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of the storage, intermixing and dispensing means, according to this invention, showing the assembled containers, the plunger, and the nozzle thereof. I

FIG. 2 is a partially-broken-away,. side elevational view showing the intermixing and dispensing means of FIG. 1, with the auxiliary container holding the second ingredient telescoped into the main container, holding the first ingredient, and located in the contracted position.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, similar to FIG. 2 but showing the auxiliary container in the extended position, with the plunger in the extended position, and releasably secured to the piston in the auxiliary container.

FIG. 4 is a partially-broken-away, side elevational view similar to FIG. 3, but showing the plunger in the contracted position after exuding the second ingredient from the auxiliary container into the main container.

FIG. 5 is a partially-broken-away, side elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but showing the plunger and the auxiliary container positioned for moving a dasher to intermix the two ingredients to provide a mixture thereof.

FIG. 6 is an end cross-sectional view taken along the plane VIVI of FIG. 5, showing the dasher in the main container.

FIG. 7 is a side cross sectional view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the auxiliary container in the extended position and the plunger extended therefrom after a portion of the mixture has been drawn into the auxiliary container, and alternatively and in phantom lines, the rear wall of the main container being drivingly slid by the plunger to a position forward of the end of the main container to force the mixture into the auxiliary container.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the auxiliary container containing a portion only of the mixture and having a nozzle mounted thereon for dispensing the portion.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the main container with a plug closing the open end thereof.

FIG. 10 is a partially-broken-away, side elevational view similar to FIG. 3, but showing as an alternative embodiment, an integral piston and plunger for use with the storage, intermixing, and dispensing means, according to this invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged end cross-sectional view taken along the plane XIXI of FIG. 10, showing the ribbed shank of the integral piston and plunger.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary, partially-brokenaway, side elevational view of a portion of FIG. 10, showing the piston end of the integral piston and plunger of the alternative embodiment of the storage, intermixing, and dispensing means of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT:

Referring now to the Figures and particularly to FIG. 1, the storing, intermixing and dispensing means, according to this invention, is generally denoted by thenumber 10. Themeans 10 is for separately holding or storing a first ingredient l l and a second ingredient 12, for intermixing the ingredients 11 and 12 to produce a mixture 13, and for dispensing the mixture 13 as desired.

Generally themeans 10 includes a main container for holding the first ingredient 11, andauxiliary container 30 located in themain container 20 through its open end and for holding the second ingredient 12, rod or plunger means 40 for exuding the second ingredient 11 from theauxiliary container 30 into themain container 20, dasher or intermixing means 45 for dashing or intermixing the two ingredients 11 ad 12 into a mixture 13, and piston means 50 for drawing and returning a portion of the mixture 13 to theauxiliary container 30, for subsequent dispensing from theauxiliary container 30.

Nozzle means 55 may be provided for attachment to theauxiliary container 30 after it is removed from themain container 20, to direct the flow of the mixture from theauxiliary container 30. Additionally, removable closure means 60 may be provided for closing the open end of themain container 20 after removal of theauxiliary container 30.

Themain container 20 for holding or storing the first ingredient 11 of the preferred embodiment is best seen in FIGS. 3, 7 and 9 and includes a thin walledcylindrical shell 21, formed with an openended neck 22 in one end. Theneck 22 has an internally threadedcentral opening 23 which merges smoothly to a smooth opening 24 extending into the interior of theshell 21. A cup or semi-hemispherial shaped movablerear end wall 25 closes and slidably seals the rear end ofshell 21. Theend wall 25 has a centrally located rearwardly facingseat 26 and a rearwardly extending skirt as seen in FIG. 3. Acap 27 with a central aperature 28 may be secured over theshell 21 at the rear end to keep theend wall 25 within theshell 21.Shell 21 and movablerear end wall 25 define acavity 29 in which the first ingredient 11 is located. I

Theauxiliary container 30 for holding the second ingredient 12 is best seen in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, theauxiliary container 30 includes atubular member 31 which is preferrably made of a suitable plastic material such as polyethylene as in container orshell 21. Thetubular member 31 has an inner, externally threadedend 32 and ahandle end 33 with an elongated cylindrical body therebetween. The body is sized to be slidable, yet sealingly, received in the opening 24 of themain container 20. Thetubular member 31 has apiston 34 located in the handle end thereof, to' define a cavity 35 therein in which the second ingredient 12 is located. The inner end of thetubular member 31 also has adischarge passage 36 extending from the cavity 35 outwardly to theoutlet 37 located at the threadedend 32.

Theauxiliary container 30 is initially positioned through the open end orcartridge 20 in a contracted position, as shown in FIG. 3, extending into themain container 20 through theopenings 23 and 24 to bottom against thewall 25. The bottoming of theauxiliary container 30 againstwall 25outlet 37, as seen in FIG. 2, is to retain the second ingredient 12 within theauxiliary container 30. As long as theauxiliary container 30 is maintained in the contracted position against thewall 25, as in FIG. 2, the first and second ingredients 1 l, and 12 will remain separated, and may be stored. When the mixture 13 is needed, theauxiliary container 30 is manually moved from the contracted position shown in FIG. 2, to the extended position shown in FIG. 3 leaving a cylindrical cavity in the first ingredient 11, for receiving the second ingredient 12, as it is exuded from theauxiliary container 30 by manual operation of the exuding means 40.

The exuding means 40 for exuding the second ingredient 12 from theauxiliary container 30 is best seen in FIG. 3. The exuding means according to the preferred embodiment is aplunger 41 which has apiston seating end 42 and an enlargedgrasping end 43. Thegrasping end 43 is manually engaged and pressed to drive thepiston 34 along thetubular member 31 reducing the size of the cavity 35 and thereby exuding the second ingredient 12 through thedischarge passage 36 through theoutlet 37 and into themain container 20, as is shown in FIG. 4. The two ingredients 11 and 12 are now both located in thecavity 29 for mixing together by the dashing or intermixing means 45.

The intermixing or dashingmeans 45 is best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The intermixing means 45 includes adasher 46 having twoopposed blades 47 and an internally threadedhole 48.

Thedasher 46 is threaded onto the externally threadedend 32 of theauxiliary container 30 to move therewith.

When the two ingredients 11 and 12 are both located in thecavity 29, theauxiliary container 30 is randomly slid and rotated relative to themain container 20 to enable theblades 47 of thedasher 46 to traverse the volume of thecavity 29 and intermix the ingredients 11 and 12 into the mixture 13. After the mixture 13 is uniform thedasher 46 may be moved to a position adjacent theneck 22 of the main container by extending thetubular member 31 to theextended position of FIG. 7. The mixture 13 is now ready to be drawn or forced into theauxiliary container 30.

The piston means 50, for drawing the mixture 13 into theauxiliary container 30 according to the improvement of this invention, is best seen in FIG. 3. In the preferred embodiment, thepiston 34 has an untaped hole 56 for receiving a self-threading stud 52 provided at thepiston seating end 42 of theplunger 41 to secure theplunger 41 to thepiston 34 as a unit. With thepiston 34 andplunger 41 secured together, theplunger 41 can be manually extended to pull thepiston 34 therewith to draw a portion ofthe mixture 13 (as seen in FIG. 7) from thecavity 29 of themain container 20 into the cavity 35 of theauxiliary container 30. Theend wall 25 may slide or be pulled along theshell 21 to follow the mixture 13.

If the mixture 13 should be thick, theplunger 41 may be inserted through the central opening 28 incap 27 to engageseat 26 on theend wall 25. Manual pressure on thepiston seating end 42 of theplunger 41 will slide theend wall 25 forwardly to decrease the size of thecavity 29 and force the mixture 13 fromcavity 29 into the cavity 35. Such additional force should be required only when the mixture'13 has thickenedand should not be needed as long as. the mixture 13 remains generally liquid. When a portion of the mixture 13 fills the cavity 35 of theauxiliary container 30, the tubular member 31 (unthreaded from the dasher 46) is pulled from themain container 20 and is ready for receiving the nozzle means 55.

The nozzle means 55, best seen in FIG. 8, includes nose 56, atip end 57, an internally threadedend 58 for threading onto the externally threadedend 32 of thetubular member 31, and acylindrical shield 59 for covering the wetted half of thetubular member 31. With the nozzle attached to the auxiliary container as shown in FIG. 8, thecontainer 30 may be carried to the location where the mixture 13 is to be applied and theplunger 41 pressed to move thepiston 34 and exude the mixture 13 through thetip end 57 of thenozzle 55. Once the mixture 13 is exhausted from the cavity 35, the nozzle means 55 is removed, and thetubular member 31 is reinserted in theneck 22 of themain container 20 to receive another supply of mixture 13. This process is repeated until the supply of mixture 13 in themain container 20 is exhausted.

It may be possible to make the nozzle means 55 as an integral part of theauxiliary container 30 or utilize theoutlet 37 of the auxiliary container as the nozzle means 55 if great accuracy is not required in the placement of the mixture 13. However, such accuracy is highly desirable and so a separable nozzle means 55 is provided in the preferred embodiment.

If the auxiliary 30 is to be separated from themain container 20 for any appreciable length of time, it may be desirable to provide removable closure means 60 for closing the open end of themain container 20. As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 9, the removable closure means includes an externally threadedplug 61 which will thread into the central operature 28 of thecap 27 for the convenience of storage. Theplug 61 is easily removable from thecap 27 of themain container 20 for threading into the internally threadedopening 23 of theneck 22 to close thecavity 29 in themain container 20 to thereby prevent the mixture 13 from setting up or hardening. Theplug 61 must of course be removed each time theauxiliary container 30 is reinserted into theneck 22 of the main container 311.

' An alternative form of the invention is shown in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12. In the alternative form, thepiston 34 andplunger 41 are integrally manufactured as an integral piston and plunger means 65 for being received in thehandle end 33 of thetubular member 31. As best seen in FIG. 10, the integral piston and plunger means 65 has apiston end 66 with two spaced integrally formed, annular sealing ridges 67, aribbed shank 68 and agrasping end 69. As best seen in FIG. 11 the ribbedshank 68 has four ribs.

When the means 10 is supplied with the integral pistonand plunger means 65, the plunger can never be separated from the piston and so must remain in the extended position as shown in FIG. 10, even when themeans 10 is merely being stored. This fact will, or course, add length to themeans 10, but the advantages and convenience of the integral piston and plunger 65 A may offset the disadvantage of the added length, for

some uses.

Thus the dual ingredient storage, intermixing and dispensing means 10 according to this invention provides a mixing main cartridge which has a small dispensing cartridge which can be filled with mixture for dispensing into small, confined or tight places.

I claim:

1. In a means for separately storing two ingredients, subsequently intermixing the two ingredients, and then dispensing'the mixture, including,

a main container for holding the first ingredient, said main container being open at one end, an auxiliary container for holding the second ingredient, said auxiliary container extending into the main container through the open end, said auxiliary container having an open inner end in communication with the interior of the main container, an exuding means associated with the auxiliary container for exuding the second ingredient from the auxiliary container through the open inner end thereof, into the main container; and intermixing means for intermixing the two ingredients in the main container to produce a mixture, the improvement comprising;

means for displacing a portion of the mixture from said main container into said auxiliary container for withdrawal from said main container on removal of said auxiliary container from the open end of the main container and subsequent dispensing from said auxiliary container and nozzle means for directing the flow of mixture from the open end of the auxiliary container in response to operation of the exuding means in said auxiliary container, said nozzle means including a shield extending around a portion of the auxiliary container.

Claims (1)

1. In a means for separately storing two ingredients, subsequently intermixing the two ingredients, and then dispensing the mixture, including, a main container for holding the first ingredient, said main container being open at one end, an auxiliary container for holding the second ingredient, said auxiliary container extending into the main container through the open end, said auxiliary container having an open inner end in communication with the interior of the main container, an exuding means associated with the auxiliary container for exuding the second ingredient from the auxiliary container through the open inner end thereof, into the main container; and intermixing means for intermixing the two ingredients in the main container to produce a mixture, the improvement comprising; means for displacing a portion of the mixture from said main container into said auxiliary container for withdrawal from said main container on removal of said auxiliary container from the open end of the main container and subsequent dispensing from said auxiliary container and nozzle means for directing the flow of mixture from the open end of the auxiliary container in response to operation of the exuding means in said auxiliary container, said nozzle means including a shield extending around a portion of the auxiliary container.

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