Automatic mixing syringe for dental materials

Abstract

A dental syringe system including a gun element, for association with a tip element, to mix and dispense respective dental materials of and while the materials yet have plastic or flowable consistency. The gun has a chamber in which to load cartridges of respective such materials, a motor, two plungers, a ram to move relative to the gun, and a trigger-and-gears mechanism to operate the plungers in association with the motor, and separately to operate the ram. The trigger is mounted to move to and between several positions. At one such position, the trigger operates the motor to advance the plungers into respective sites where such cartridges may be loaded and, when cartridges are so loaded, to express materials from the cartridges and the gun. At a subsequent such position, the trigger extends the ram from the gun, and the motor and the plungers disengage. The tip element has a trans-tip passage with a cavity, vanes within the cavity, and a channel from the cavity. When the gun is so loaded and carries the tip element so that the chamber is in communication with the cavity, the trigger is operable in two respects: first, to advance the plungers and to express material from each cartridge into the cavity, and, second, to extend the ram into the cavity, to mix the materials on the vanes, and to urge mixed materials from the tip element via the channel. Two trigger-and-gear mechanisms for the gun are disclosed.