Bone cement mixing apparatus having improved mixing blade configuration
AssigneeDePuy Orthopaedics, Inc.
InventorsTimothy G. Vendrely, Sam Sackett
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A bone cement mixing device has a canister which is modular in design and constructed from a transparent material. The mixing device further has a mixing head assembly having a crank that is operatively coupled to a mixing blade via a gear train. The gear train is configured to drive the mixing blade in a reciprocating manner including the varying of the angular velocity, direction of travel, and angular distance of travel of the blade while the crank is rotated at a constant velocity and direction. The mixing blade has a fluid passage defined therein which allows the liquid cement component to be delivered at various locations within the mixing chamber of the canister. A method of mixing bone cement is also disclosed.
Claims25
A bone cement mixing apparatus, comprising:
- a handle;
- a canister defining a mixing chamber;
- and
- a mixing blade which is caused to rotate in response to movement of said handle, said mixing blade being positioned within said mixing chamber,
- wherein said mixing blade includes a shaft and at least one vane supported by said shaft, and
- wherein said shaft has defined therein (i) an inlet orifice, (ii) a plurality of outlet orifices, and (iii) a passageway which places said inlet orifice in fluid communication with each of said plurality of outlet orifices.
A method of mixing bone cement, comprising the steps of:
- placing a powder bone cement component within a canister;
- sealing the canister after the placing step;
- advancing a liquid bone cement component through a mixing blade located within the canister after the sealing step;
- and
- rotating the mixing blade after the liquid bone cement component is advanced through the mixing blade,
- wherein the mixing blade includes (i) an inlet orifice, (ii) a plurality of outlet orifices, and (iii) a passageway which places the inlet orifice in fluid communication with each of the plurality of outlet orifices, and
- wherein the advancing step includes the step of advancing the liquid bone cement component (i) into the mixing blade through the inlet orifice, (ii) through the passageway, and (iii) out of the mixing blade through the plurality of outlet orifices.
A bone cement mixing apparatus, comprising:
- a container defining a mixing chamber;
- and
- a mixing blade positioned within said mixing chamber, said mixing blade defining (i) an inlet orifice, (ii) a plurality of outlet orifices, and (iii) a passageway which places said inlet orifice in fluid communication with each of said plurality of outlet orifices.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.