Cartridge from which bone cement is discharged, the cartridge having a removable couple nozzle

A cartridge for dispensing bone cement, said cartridge including:

• a cylinder having first and second opposed ends with a void space between the ends in which bone cement is disposed, the cylinder first end being open, the cylinder second end being closed wherein an outer surface extends over the cylinder second end;
• a boss that extends outwardly from cylinder second so as to extend away from the outer surface over the cylinder second end, wherein said boss is formed to have an opening that extends through said boss and the cylinder second end surface into the cylinder void space, the opening being the opening through which cement is discharged from said cylinder;
• a plurality of primary tabs that extend radially outwardly from said boss, said tabs being arcuately spaced apart from each other and being spaced away from the cap outer surface;
• and at least one secondary tab, said secondary tab being integral with and extending downwardly from one of said primary tabs;
• a piston, said piston being disposed in the cylinder void space adjacent the first end of said cylinder, said piston being slidably mounted in the cylinder void space so as to move towards the first end of said cylinder so as to push bone cement out through the boss opening;
• and
• a nozzle, said nozzle having:
• a tubular base, said base being dimensioned to seat in the boss opening and having a open end located adjacent the second end of said cylinder, wherein when said base is seated in the boss opening, said nozzle including said base, is able to rotate around an axis that extends through the opening;
• a skirt that is mounted to said base so as to extend circumferentially around said base and so as to be spaced radially outwardly of said base, wherein said skirt is further dimensioned so that when said nozzle base is seated in the boss opening, said skirt extends over said primary tabs of said boss;
• and a plurality of ribs, said primary ribs extending inwardly from an inner surface of said skirt towards said base, said ribs arcuately spaced apart from each other so that, when said nozzle base is seated in said base opening, said ribs are located between said primary tabs and said ribs being further positioned so that upon the rotation of said nozzle base, each said rib moves into registration below one of said boss primary ribs and so that the further rotation of said nozzle is inhibited by the abutment of one of said ribs against said at least one secondary tab.

A cartridge for dispensing bone cement, said cartridge including:

• a cylinder having first and second opposed ends with a void space between the ends in which bone cement is disposed, the cylinder first end being open;
• a cap, said cap having:
• an outer surface that extends over the second end of said cylinder;
• a boss that extends outwardly from the outer surface of said cap, said boss being formed to have an opening that extends through said boss into the cylinder void space, the opening being the opening through which cement is discharged from said cylinder;
• a plurality of primary tabs that extend radially outwardly from said boss, said tabs being arcuately spaced apart from each other and being spaced away from the cap outer surface;
• at least one secondary tab, said secondary tab being integral with and extending downwardly from one of said boss primary tabs;
• a nozzle, said nozzle having:
• a tubular base, said base being dimensioned to seat in the boss opening and having a open end located adjacent the second end of said cylinder, wherein when said base is seated in the boss opening, said nozzle including said base, is able to rotate around an axis that extends through the opening;
• a skirt that is mounted to said base so as to extend circumferentially around said base and so as to be spaced radially outwardly of said base, wherein said skirt is further dimensioned so that when said nozzle base is seated in the boss opening, said skirt extends over said primary tabs of said boss;
• and
• a plurality of ribs, said primary ribs extending inwardly from an inner surface of said skirt towards said base, said ribs arcuately spaced apart from each other so that, when said nozzle base is seated in said base opening, said ribs are located between said primary tabs and said ribs being further positioned so that upon the rotation of said nozzle base, each said rib moves into registration between said cap outer surface and one of said boss primary ribs and so that the further rotation of said nozzle is inhibited by the abutment of one of said ribs against said at least one secondary tab;
• complementary interlocking features formed on said cap outer surface and said nozzle skirt, said interlocking features positioned and shaped so that, when said nozzle is rotated to place said skit ribs in registration with said boss tabs, said interlocking features abut to releasably prevent counter rotation of said nozzle;
• and
• a piston, said piston being disposed in the cylinder void space adjacent the first end of said cylinder, said piston being slidably mounted in the cylinder void space so as to move towards the first end of said cylinder so as to push bone cement out through the boss opening and into said nozzle.

A cartridge for dispensing bone cement, said cartridge including:

• a cylinder having first and second opposed ends with a void space between the ends in which bone cement is disposed, the cylinder first end being open;
• a cap, said cap having:
• an outer surface that extends over the second end of said cylinder;
• a boss that extends outwardly from the outer surface of said cap, said boss being formed to have an opening that extends through said boss into the cylinder void space, the opening being the opening through which cement is discharged from said cylinder;
• a plurality of primary tabs that extend radially outwardly from said boss, said tabs being arcuately spaced apart from each other and being spaced away from the cap outer surface;
• at least one secondary tab, said secondary tab being integral with and extending downwardly from one of said boss primary tabs;
• a blade disposed in the cylinder void space;
• a shaft, said shaft having a first end that is attached to said blade, said shaft extends through the boss opening so as to extend out of said cylinder and wherein:
• said shaft is moveable relative to said cylinder so that movement of said shaft results in the movement of said blade within the cylinder void space;
• and said shaft can be detached from said blade so that said shaft can be removed from the boss opening;
• a nozzle, said nozzle having:
• a tubular base, said base being dimensioned to seat in the boss opening upon the removal of said shaft from the opening and having a open end located adjacent the second end of said cylinder, wherein when said base is seated in the boss opening, said nozzle including said base, is able to rotate around an axis that extends through the opening;
• a skirt that is mounted to said base so as to extend circumferentially around said base and so as to be spaced radially outwardly of said base, wherein said skirt is further dimensioned so that when said nozzle base is seated in the boss opening, said skirt extends over said primary tabs of said boss;
• and
• a plurality of ribs, said primary ribs extending inwardly from an inner surface of said skirt towards said base, said ribs arcuately spaced apart from each other so that, when said nozzle base is seated in said base opening, said ribs are located between said primary tabs and said ribs being further positioned so that upon the rotation of said nozzle base, each said rib moves into registration between said cap outer surface and one of said boss primary ribs and so that the further rotation of said nozzle is inhibited by the abutment of one of said ribs against said at least one secondary tab;
• complementary interlocking features formed on said cap outer surface and said nozzle skirt, said interlocking features positioned and shaped so that, when said nozzle is rotated to place said skit ribs in registration with said boss tabs, said interlocking features abut to releasably prevent counter rotation of said nozzle;
• and
• a piston, said piston being disposed in the cylinder void space adjacent the first end of said cylinder, said piston being slidably mounted in the cylinder void space so as to move towards the first end of said cylinder so as to push bone cement out through the boss opening and into said nozzle.