Compartmentalized dental amalgam mixing capsule

Abstract

A compartmentalized dental amalgam mixing capsule including an upstanding elongated receptacle having a cylindrical interior chamber for receipt of an alloy therein. The receptacle is formed with an annular flange in the upper portion of the chamber including a central opening and formed with at least one lock pin projecting laterally outwardly from the receptacle. A rupturable pillow containing mercury therein is configured to overlie the flange. An elongated cylindrical cap formed with a closed top end, an open bottom end, and includes a piston device carried from the top end projecting axially downwardly therefrom to terminate in a hammer end configured to overlie the pillow. The cap is further formed with an elongated groove slidably receiving the lock pin and angling axially upwardly in one circumferential direction. The cap is telescopically received over the open end of the receptacle so that rotation of the cap in the direction opposite the one direction will draw the cap axially from a first position to a second position. As the cap is rotated, it is shifted from the first to the second position to drive the hammer end thereof downwardly toward the flange a distance sufficient to rupture the pillow and introduce the mercury through the central opening in the flange into the chamber for mixing with the alloy.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.