GB2361963A

GB2361963A - Applicator Needle

Info

Publication number: GB2361963A
Application number: GB0010642A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gareth Peter Thomas
Original assignee: PLASTECH FORMULA Ltd
Current assignee: PLASTECH FORMULA Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-04
Filing date: 2000-05-04
Publication date: 2001-11-07
Also published as: GB0010642D0

Abstract

An applicator needle for dispensing a liquid comprising an elongate member having a channel 14 along only a portion of its length, an inlet 16 for introducing a liquid into the channel and an outlet 18 for the liquid at or adjacent to the end of the channel. The remaining portion 20 of the elongate member is substantially inaccessible to the liquid. The applicator may have a connector piece 12 and a removable protector sheath 42. In use a compressible bottle 46 or syringe containing the liquid 48 is inserted into the connector 12.

Description

2361963 A.PDlicator This invention relates to an applicator for dispensing

one or more drops of liquid to, for example, a body of powder material, and in particular to an applicator for applying one or more drops of liquid to a body of powder material in a repair kit suitable for use in the repair of plastic artefacts.

It is often required, in many different fields, to add a small amount of liquid to a body of powder material for the purpose of mixing a small amount of a combined substance for use. British patent application number 0007843.6 describes a repair kit comprising a quantity of powdered polymethyl methacrylate and a volume of a polymerisable liquid medium. In use, a small drop of the liquid medium is added to the powdered polymethyl methacrylate to produce a small amount of malleable repair mixture which can be used to repair plastic artefacts and the like.

Applicators and the like for the general purpose of application or dispensing of polymerisable material are known in the art. Such applicators (typically in the nature of syringes) consist of an elongate tube having a nozzle outlet at a distal end, and either a reservoir of the material to be dispensed or means for connecting the proximal end of the tube to such a reservoir.

F:\ANITA\SPECS\P46747 In use, liquid is introduced into the tube through the inlet; the nozzle outlet is in contact with the body of powder, so that liquid can be applied from the applicator to the powder via the nozzle outlet. However conventional applicators of this type often suffer from clogging at the nozzle outlet with powder; the resultant mix of powder and liquid hardens, so that the applicator ends (typically in the form of needles) need to be replaced on a regular basis.

We have now devised an arrangement which alleviates the problems outlined above.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided an applicator for dispensing liquid, comprising an elongate member having a channel along only a portion of its length, an inlet for introducing liquid into said channel, and an outlet for said liquid at or adjacent the end of said channel, the remaining portion of said elongate member being substantially inaccessible to said liquid.

The liquid outlet is therefore spaced from the end of the elongate member; this enables the elongate member to be placed in the substance to which the liquid is to be applied, and the liquid applied to the substance, without the outlet becoming clogged or blocked. The portion of the elongate member which is inaccessible to the liquid is preferably substantially solid.

F:\ANITA\SPECS\P46747 The elongate member is preferably provided with a reservoir for the liquid, arranged to be attached to the inlet of the elongate member for dispensing of the liquid through the inlet and into the channel.

The elongate member is beneficially arranged to be connected to the reservoir via a connector member which co-operates with the inlet of the channel. One end of the connector member is preferably adapted to be attached to the reservoir in use for dispensing of the liquid therefrom.

The present invention therefore further comprises a method of applying polymerisable liquid material to a powder, which comprises providing an applicator according to the invention and a reservoir of polymerisable liquid, introducing said liquid from the reservoir into the tube, and dispensing the same through the nozzle outlet to said powder.

The elongate member and/or the funnel member may beneficially be of metal.

The applicator is preferably provided with a removable tubular sheath, beneficially of a substantially transparent material, preferably of plastics material, for covering and protecting the length of the elongate member.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

F:\ANITA\SPECS\P46747 Figure 1 is a side view of an applicator according to an embodiment of the present invention in the form of a needle and connector piece; Figure 2 is a crosssectional view through line A-A of the applicator of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a side view of the applicator of Figure 1, when in use and connected to a liquid reservoir.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, an exemplary embodiment of an applicator according to the present invention comprises an elongate needle shaft 10 mounted to a connector piece 12.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the connector piece 12 is a generally tubular metal member having a bore 34 passing therethrough with a wider end 30 and a narrower end 32. The end of the connector piece 12 having end 30 has a circumferential flange 35. The bore 34 runs generally centrally through the connector piece 12 between the wider end 30 and the narrower end 32; the bore becomes significantly narrower at the narrower end 32.

The needle shaft 10 comprises an elongate metal pin having a blind bore 14 along part only of its length. The blind bore 14 has an inlet 16 which co-operates with the-narrower end 32 of the connector piece 34. The circumference of the bore at the narrower end 32 is substantially the same F:\ANITA\SPECS\P46747 as the internal circumference of blind bore 14 in the needle shaft 10. An aperture 18 is provided in a wall of the needle shaft 10 at or adjacent the end of the bore 14 remote from the inlet 16, the aperture 18 being an outlet from the blind bore 14. The remaining portion 20 beyond the blind bore 14 is of substantially solid metal, the end 22 of which may be rounded, as shown, or narrowed to a point.

The connector piece 12 has an external cuff 36 adjacent the narrower end 32, the cuff 36 having an inner recess 38 for receiving and retaining the end of the needle shaft 10. The connector piece 12 narrows via a frustoconical portion 40 towards cuff 36. There is a constriction adjacent flange 35.

The applicator also has an elongate plastics sheath 42 which is removably retained on the cuff 36 of the connector piece 12 and substantially surrounds the needle shaft 10 for protection of the latter when not in use.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, when in use, the sheath 42 is removed from the applicator, and the mouth 44 of a compressible bottle 46 containing liquid 46 is inserted into the wider end 30 of the connector piece 12 so as to be removably retained therein. The end of the needle shaft is close to a body of powder 50 in a tub 52. The bottle 46 is compressed, forcing some of the liquid 48 F:\ANITA\SPECS\P46747 through the mouth 44, into the bore 34 and then into the blind bore 14. A drop of liquid 54 is applied to the body of powder 50 through the aperture 18.

The liquid 48 may be a polymerisable liquid medium and the body of powder 50 may be polymethyl methacrylate or the like, in which case, when a drop of the liquid comes into contact with the powder, it generally forms a sphere of mouldable repair mixture which can be used to repair plastic artefacts and the like. The sphere can be picked up and applied to the area of repair using the free end 22 of the needle shaft 10.

It will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the invention has been described in the foregoing by way of example only, and variations and modifications are envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

1 An applicator for dispensing liquid, comprising an elongate member having a channel along only a portion of its length, an inlet for introducing liquid into said channel, and an outlet for said liquid at or adjacent the end of said channel, the remaining portion of said elongate member being substantially inaccessible to said liquid.

2. An applicator according to claim 1, wherein said portion of the elongate member which is inaccessible to the liquid is substantially solid.

3. An applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said elongate member is provided with a reservoir for the liquid, said reservoir is arranged to be attached to said inlet of the elongate member for dispensing of the liquid through said inlet and into said channel.

4. An applicator according to claim 3, wherein said elongate member is arranged to be connected to said reservoir via a connector member which co-operates with the inlet of said channel.

5. An applicator according to claim 4, wherein one end of said connector member is adapted to be attached to said reservoir in use for dispensing of the liquid therefrom.

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6. An applicator according to any preceding claim, wherein said elongate member is of metal.

7. An applicator according to any preceding claim, including a removable tubular sheath.

8. An applicator according to claim 7, wherein said tubular sheath is of a substantially transparent material.

9. An applicator according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said tubular sheath is of plastics Material.

10. A method of applying polymerisable liquid material to a powder, which comprises providing an applicator according to any of claims 1 to 9 and a reservoir of polymerisable liquid, introducing said liquid from said reservoir into said channel and dispensing the same through said outlet to said powder.

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