Dental wax extruder

Claim 2

An instrument for softening and extruding dental impression wax or compound and other thermoplastic materials which are normally in relatively solid, nonflowable state at room temperature, said instrument comprising: a. a housing having a hydraulic fluid chamber and a diScharge nozzle connected with said housing and communicating with said chamber, b. a collapsible container with thermoplastic material contents supported within said chamber in external contact with said hydraulic fluid and connected with said discharge nozzle, said thermoplastic material contents being relatively solid and nonflowable at room temperature, c. heating means for heating the hydraulic fluid and thereby applying heat to the collapsible container to heat and soften the thermoplastic material contained therein to fluid state, and d. pressurizing means for applying pressure to said heated hydraulic fluid and thereby compressing the collapsible container to extrude its heated and softened thermoplastic material through the discharge nozzle.

Claim 3

An instrument in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said collapsible container is removably and replaceably supported within the hydraulic fluid chamber.

Claim 4

An instrument in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said discharge nozzle is removably and replaceably connected to said housing.

Claim 5

An instrument in accordance with claim 1, wherein: a. the housing is formed with an orifice at one end thereof which provides communication between said hydraulic fluid chamber and said discharge nozzle, b. said orifice being internally threaded, and c. said collapsible container having an externally threaded neck which is engageable with said threaded orifice to provide communication between said collapsible container and said discharge nozzle.

Claim 6

An instrument in accordance with claim 1, wherein: a. the housing is formed with an orifice at one end thereof which provides communication between said hydraulic fluid chamber and said discharge nozzle, b. said housing being also provided with a chuck adjacent said orifice, c. said discharge nozzle being detachably secured by said chuck to said housing in communication with said orifice.

Claim 7

An instrument in accordance with claim 1, wherein: a. the hydraulic fluid pressurizing means comprises a hydraulic cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, and piston actuating means, b. said hydraulic cylinder being hydraulically connected with the hydraulic fluid chamber in the housing.

Claim 8

An instrument in accordance with claim 6, wherein: a. a hydraulic line connects the hydraulic cylinder with the hydraulic fluid chamber in the housing, b. a check valve being provided to prevent a return flow of hydraulic fluid from said chamber and through said hydraulic line to said hydraulic cylinder, while allowing a forward flow of hydraulic fluid from said hydraulic cylinder, through said hydraulic line, to said chamber.

Claim 9

An instrument in accordance with claim 7, wherein: a. a hydraulic fluid reservoir is provided for said hydraulic cylinder, and b. a second check valve is connected between said hydraulic cylinder and said hydraulic fluid reservoir, c. whereby a flow of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic fluid reservoir is prevented while a flow of fluid in reverse direction from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the hydraulic cylinder is permitted, d. the flow of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir to the hydraulic cylinder replacing the hydraulic fluid caused to flow from the hydraulic cylinder to the hydraulic fluid chamber in the housing.

Claim 10

An instrument in accordance with claim 8, wherein: a. a spring-biased plunger is connected to the piston, and b. a trigger is connected to the spring-biased plunger, c. whereby manually actuating the trigger against the spring bias causes the piston to force hydraulic fluid out of the hydraulic cylinder and through the first check valve and hydraulic line into the hydraulic fluid chamber in the housing, and d. manual release of the trigger results in the spring bias retracting the trigger and piston and causing a flow of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic fluid reservoir and inTo the hydraulic cylinder to replace the hydraulic fluid forced into the hydraulic fluid chamber in the housing.

Claim 11

An instrument for softening and extruding dental impression wax or compound and other thermoplastic materials which are normally in relatively solid, nonflowable state at room temperature, said instrument comprising: a. a housing having a hydraulic fluid chamber and a discharge nozzle connected with said housing and communicating with said chamber, b. a collapsible container with thermoplastic material contents supported within said chamber in external contact with said hydraulic fluid and connected with said discharge nozzle, said thermoplastic material contents being relatively solid and nonflowable at room temperature, c. heating means for heating the hydraulic fluid and thereby applying heat to the collapsible container to heat and soften the thermoplastic material contained therein to fluid state, d. pressurizing means for applying pressure to said heated hydraulic fluid and thereby compressing the collapsible container to extrude its heated and softened theremoplastic material through the discharge nozzle, e. the housing comprises a tubular barrel, a first cap removably secured to the front end of the barrel and a second cap removably secured to the back end of the barrel, f. said barrel and said first and second caps defining said hydraulic fluid chamber, g. said first cap being provided with an orifice which communicates with said hydraulic fluid chamber, h. said collapsible tube being supported by said first cap, its discharge nozzle projecting through said orifice, and i. said heating means comprising an electric heating element which is mounted in said second cap and extends into said hydraulic fluid chamber, j. whereby the hydraulic fluid in said chamber is heated by said electric heating element and the thermoplastic material in said collapsible tube is heated by said hydraulic fluid.

Claim 12

An instrument for softening and extruding dental impression wax or compound and other thermoplastic materials which are normally in relatively solid, nonflowable state at room temperature, said instrument comprising: a. a housing having a hydraulic fluid chamber and a discharge nozzle connected with said housing and communicating with said chamber, b. a collapsible container with thermoplastic material contents supported within said chamber in external contact with said hydraulic fluid and connected with said discharge nozzle, said thermoplastic material contents being relatively solid and nonflowable at room temperature, c. heating means for heating the hydraulic fluid and thereby applying heat to the collapsible container to heat and soften the thermoplastic material contained therein to fluid state, d. pressurizing means for applying pressure to said heated hydraulic fluid and thereby compressing the collapsible container to extrude its heated and softened theremoplastic material through the discharge nozzle, e. the housing comprises a tubular barrel, a first cap removably secured to the front end of the barrel and a second cap removably secured to the back end of the barrel, f. said barrel and said first and second caps defining said hydraulic fluid chamber, g. said first cap being provided with an orifice which communicates with said hydraulic fluid chamber, h. said collapsible tube being supported by said first cap, its discharge nozzle projecting through said orifice, and i. said heating means comprising an electric heating element which is mounted in said second cap and extends into said hydraulic fluid chamber, j. whereby the hydraulic fluid in said chamber is heated by said electric heating element and the thermoplastic material in said collapsible tube is heated by said hydraulic fluid.

Claim 13

An instrument in accordance with claim 10, wherein: the two caps are detachably secured to the tubular barrel by means of screw-threaded connections.