Pressurized medicant applicator

#FIG. 1 is an elevational view in a section of the present applicator device showing the use of a tip for insertion into periodontal pockets.

#FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a cartridge showing means for attaching the cartridge to the body housing of the device.

#FIG. 2(a) is a view showing the projections on the cartridge.

#As has been noted, the present pressurized applicator device is a hand held unit which can easily be used by a person in their personal dental hygiene program. This pressurized applicator is lightweight, compact and easy to handle. Since the medicant or other substance that is to be dispensed is under pressure in a cartridge, there is not the problem of having to include a pumping mechanism, or with regard to the problem of manually pumping and trying to maintain the unit in a particular position. Further, due to the simplicity of the pressurized applicator and the ease with which pressurized cartridges can be inserted and removed from parts of the mouth, more than one medicant or other substance can be utilized in a person's oral hygiene program. It is only necessary when there is to be a change of medicant or other substance to quickly remove one pressurized cartridge and to insert another pressurized cartridge. Consequently, one type of medicant of other substance can be utilized to flush and to apply a medicant to the deep and shallow periodontal pockets, while a second medicant or substance can be utilized to treat the exterior surfaces of the gums as well as to treat any other problem within the oral cavity. There are yet other advantages. This pressurized applicator will be described in more detail with specific reference to the drawings.

#FIG. 1 is an elevational view partially in section of the present pressurized applicator device. The pressurized applicator device 10 consists of body housing portion 12, pressurized cartridge 11 and delivery section 13. In this embodiment, delivery section 13 is shown as terminating in rubber tip 14 which can be utilized for flushing periodontal pockets as well as for providing medicants to periodontal pockets. The housing 12 at its lower end accepts the pressurized cartridge 11 and maintains this pressurized cartridge within the body housing. In this embodiment, the pressurized cartridge is shown as maintained within the body housing by means of a bayonet type of connection. This bayonet type of connection consists of projections 16 on the pressurized cartridge which fits into indents 17 on the body housing. The upper part of the pressurized cartridge fits into valve actuator 19. The valve which dispenses the pressurized medicant or other substance is preferably an integral part of the pressurized cartridge. This reduces the weight and complexity of the applicator. Extending upwardly from the pressurized cartridge is a dispensing conduit 31 which also functions as part of the valving system of the pressurized cartridge. The upper part of the valve actuator 19 is connected by flexible tubing 18 to the conduit 24 which extends through delivery section 13. The trigger 15 pivots on pin 20 and by being depressed causes the valve actuator 19 to move downwardly and to thus activate the valve in the pressurized cartridge. The trigger causes the valve actuator to move downwardly by contacting projecting arm 21 on the valve actuator. The pressure on the medicant or other substance contained in the pressurized cartridge will provide the force to return valve actuator 19 to its original position.

#The valve actuator consists of a fitment which has a channel therethrough. On its lower end, there is an opening of a diameter to accept the dispensing conduit 31 of the pressurized cartridge. The channel is thus of a larger diameter in the lower end. Within the fitment, the channel decreases in diameter. The dispensing conduit abuts the ledge in the region of the diameter decrease. In this way, when the valve actuator is depressed downwardly, the ledge contacts the dispensing conduit to push the dispensing conduit downwardly and thus actuate the valve.