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US 4,362,242 AGranted
Multi-compartment container for storing and mixing dental amalgam ingredients, and method of using such a container
OwnerJeffery J. Cheethaminventor
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OwnerJeffery J. Cheethaminventor
Estimating the term…
The present invention provides a self activating multicompartment container comprising an outer wall defining a chamber, a partition dividing the chamber into first and second compartments, a first, high specific gravity liquid component of a composition contained in the first compartment and a second component of the composition contained in the second compartment, wherein the container may be subjected to rapid oscillatory motion so as to cause the high specific gravity liquid component to rupture the partition so that admixture of the components takes place. The container of the invention is useful for storage, transportation and admixture of the components of compositions in which one component is a high specific gravity liquid such as mercury, an example of such compositions being dental amalgams. The container may be activated by being inserted in a vibratory mixture and does not require the use of a plunger.
A method of using a self activating multi-compartment container comprising a chamber, a thin, taut, rupturable partition dividing the chamber into first and second compartments, the first compartment containing a globule of liquid mercury and the second compartment containing a quantity of dental metallic alloy powder, both compartments being otherwise devoid of any actuating or rupturing means for rupturing or dislodging the partition, wherein the container is subjected to a rapid oscillatory motion in a direction substantially at right angles to the partition so as to cause the globule of mercury to acquire kinetic energy until the acquired kinetic energy is sufficient for the globule of mercury to rupture the partition and thus allow the mercury to contact the alloy powder, said rapid oscillatory motion being continued for a time sufficient to enable the mercury and alloy powder to become admixed to form a dental amalgam.
A self activating multi-compartment container comprising an outer wall defining a chamber, a thin, taut, rupturable partition dividing the chamber into first and second compartments, the first compartment containing a globule of liquid mercury and the second compartment containing a quantity of dental metallic alloy powder, both compartments being of fixed volume and being otherwise devoid of any actuating or rupturing means for rupturing or dislodging the partition, the partition being tautly mounted such that when the container is subjected to a sufficient rapid oscillatory motion in a direction substantially at right angles to the partition the globule of mercury acquires sufficient kinetic energy to rupture the partition so that admixture of the components can take place.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.