Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for manually mixing bone cement comprising means defining a hermetically sealable mixing chamber, said chamber defining means including a wall and a base, means for evacuating said chamber, said evacuating means including a port in said wall of said chamber for connection to a vacuum source to enable a vacuum to be created in said chamber, a mixing paddle extending into said chamber, said paddle defining a paddle axis of rotation, and drive means for said paddle, said drive means including a rotatable handle and gear means for coupling said handle to said paddle, rotation of said handle causing said paddle to rotate about said paddle axis and also causing simultaneous displacement of said paddle axis within said chamber whereby said paddle is moved around substantially the entire region of the interior of said chamber where the constituents of a bone cement will be located.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
146 words
Apparatus for manually mixing bone cement comprising means defining a hermetically sealable mixing chamber, said chamber defining means including a wall and a base, means for evacuating said chamber, said evacuating means including a port in said wall of said chamber for connection to a vacuum source to enable a vacuum to be created in said chamber, a mixing paddle extending into said chamber, said paddle defining a paddle axis of rotation, and drive means for said paddle, said drive means including a rotatable handle and gear means for coupling said handle to said paddle, rotation of said handle causing said paddle to rotate about said paddle axis and also causing simultaneous displacement of said paddle axis within said chamber whereby said paddle is moved around substantially the entire region of the interior of said chamber where the constituents of a bone cement will be located.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber is in the form of a bowl.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said gear means comprises step-up gears such that a single rotation of said handle produces a plurality of rotations of said paddle about said paddle axis.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the number of rotations of said paddle about said paddle axis produced by a single rotation of said handle is not a whole number whereby said paddle ends up in a different orientation after each single rotation of said handle.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said handle defines a handle axis of rotation and wherein said gear means caused displacement comprises a single planetary rotation of said paddle axis about said handle axis of rotation during each complete rotation of said handle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber defining means further comprises a lid which fits over said chamber, said lid being disposed at the opposite side of said chamber from said base.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising locking means for securely holding said lid in place during mixing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said handle is rotatably mounted in said lid and extends outwardly therefrom.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
30 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said paddle includes an axle, and wherein said drive means includes means for eccentrically coupling said handle to said paddle axle.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said gear means comprises a circular rack fixed to the underside of said lid, and a cog wheel affixed to said paddle axle whereby said paddle axle is caused to rotate said paddle as said handle rotates.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
56 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said mixing paddle comprises a shaft and at least one vane extending outwardly from said shaft, said vane being sized and shaped to sweep substantially the entire area of the interior of said chamber during the simultaneous rotation of said paddle and displacement of said paddle axis.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive means further comprises a guide groove in said chamber base and means on said paddle for engaging said guide groove.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The mixing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said chamber defining means is at least partly transparent.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
89 words
A mixing system for bone cement comprising means defining an enclosed mixing chamber, a vacuum pump, said vacuum pump communicating with said chamber for removing air from the chamber, and means for mixing the constituents of a bone cement which are delivered into said chamber, said mixing means comprising a mixing paddle, said mixing paddle defining a paddle axis of rotation, said mixing means also comprising means for manually causing rotation of said paddle about said paddle axis and simultaneously causing movement of said paddle axis within said chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
89 words
A mixing system for bone cement comprising means defining an enclosed mixing chamber, a vacuum pump, said vacuum pump communicating with said chamber for removing air from the chamber, and means for mixing the constituents of a bone cement which are delivered into said chamber, said mixing means comprising a mixing paddle, said mixing paddle defining a paddle axis of rotation, said mixing means also comprising means for manually causing rotation of said paddle about said paddle axis and simultaneously causing movement of said paddle axis within said chamber.