Dispensing assembly having mixing and plunging assembly, and related methods

A method of dispensing material using a dispensing assembly having a syringe body and a mixing and plunging assembly, the method comprising:

• moving a plunger of the mixing and plunging assembly relative to the syringe body to advance material from a barrel of the syringe body through a dispensing tip of the syringe body;
• detaching a mixing element from a rod of the mixing and plunging assembly attached via a snap-fit attachment by pulling a protrusion of the rod out of a groove defined by the mixing element, wherein at least one of the mixing element and the rod defines a groove to prevent the material from the barrel from being trapped between the mixing element and the rod;
• detaching the rod from the plunger of the mixing and plunging assembly;
• and
• moving the rod into the dispensing tip to advance remaining material in the dispensing tip through the dispensing tip.

A dispensing assembly, comprising:

• a syringe body comprising a barrel and a dispensing tip;
• and
• a mixing and plunging assembly configured to be removably coupled to the syringe body, the mixing and plunging assembly comprising a mixer and a plunger,
• the mixer being configured to mix material in the barrel, the mixer comprising a rod and a mixing element removably attached to the rod,
• the plunger being configured to be depressed relative to the barrel to dispense material from the barrel through the dispensing tip,
• the rod being configured to be detached from the mixing element and be used to push remaining material from the barrel through the dispensing tip, and
• the rod comprising an auger tip configured to engage the material in the barrel.

A dispensing assembly, comprising:

• a syringe body comprising a barrel and a dispensing tip;
• and
• a mixing and plunging assembly configured to be removably coupled to the syringe body, the mixing and plunging assembly comprising a mixer and a plunger,
• the mixer being configured to mix material in the barrel, the mixer comprising a rod and a mixing element removably attached to the rod,
• the plunger being configured to be depressed relative to the barrel to dispense material from the barrel through the dispensing tip,
• the rod being configured to be detached from the mixing element and be used to push remaining material from the barrel through the dispensing tip, and
• the mixing element comprising a cutting surface configured to engage material in the barrel.

A dispensing assembly, comprising:

• a syringe body comprising a barrel and a dispensing tip;
• a mixing and plunging assembly configured to be removably coupled to the syringe body, the mixing and plunging assembly comprising a mixer and a plunger, the mixer comprising a rod and a mixing element removably attached to the rod;
• and
• a connector assembly located outside of the syringe body and configured to be selectively actuated to attach and detach the rod and the mixing element,
• the mixer being configured to mix material in the barrel,
• the plunger being configured to be depressed relative to the barrel to dispense the material from the barrel through the dispensing tip,
• the rod being configured to be detached from the mixing element and be used to push remaining material from the barrel through the dispensing tip, and
• the connector assembly comprising a first connecting element and a second connecting element, the first and second connecting elements being movable relative to each other between first and second positions, the rod configured to rotate and translate the mixing element when the first and second connecting elements are in the first position, and to translate relative to the mixing element to thereby push the remaining material through the dispensing tip when the first and second connecting elements are in the second position.