DOSING FEEDER FOR LIQUIDS

Abstract: Dosing feeder for a liquid that is in a container (6), comprising a dosing arm (2) that shows at least one dosing cup (2.1) that is open at the top. The dosing arm (2) is arranged in a dosing head (3) that in its turn shows a first duct (4.1) being in connection with the container (6). The dosing head (3) is movable or turnable in relation to the dosing arm (2) so that the dosing cup (2.1) alternately may be brought in connection with the first duct (4.1) for feed of liquid or may release the dosing cup (2.1) so that it gets accessible for the liquid. The dosing arm (2) may be cylinder-shaped, the dosing head (3) being turnable around the dosing arm (2). On filling with liquid into the dosing cup (2.1) the container (6) is above the dosing arm (2), the first duct (4.1) being connected with the dosing cup (2.1.). In position of rest the container (6) is under the dosing arm (2), the second duct (3.2) being connected with the dosing cup (2.1).

Description: DOSING FEEDER FOR LIQUIDS TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a dosing feeder for preferably small amounts of liquid that in contact with skin or eyes may cause injuries, e.g. in medical treatment and dental care, particularly bonding liquid for mending or filling of cavities with UV-light hardening plastic materials. BACKGROUND TECHNICS In dosing preferably small amounts of liquid that in contact with skin or eyes may cause injuries, e.g. in medical treatment and dental care, protective equipment is required that often is difficult to use, e.g. plastic gloves and safety goggles, in order to prevent that the aggressive liquid might splash, above all in connection with the dosing itself but also to prevent skin contact with dosing equipment such as pipettes and dropping- bottles that are wetted on the outside by the liquid concerned. A typical liquid of that sort is the liquid used in dental care as bonding liquid when mending or filling cavities with UV-light hardening plastic materials. It is very restraining for the treating dentist to protect himself from skin contact with the bonding liquid as a number of treatment steps are going on simultaneously and can not be interrupted e.g. in order to put on or to change protective gloves. It leads up to heavy expenses having personnel with protective equipment handle the dosing and serve the attending dentist, which is desirable to avoid. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to achieve a dosing feeder for injurious liquids that admits to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages with special protective equipment. The object is achieved with a dosing feeder that comprises a dosing arm that shows at least one dosing cup open at the top and arranged in a corresponding opening in a dosing head that in its turn shows a first duct being in connection with the container. The dosing head is movable or turnable in relation to the dosing arm so that the dosing cup alternately may be brought in connection with the first duct for the feed of liquid or may release the dosing cup so that it gets accessible for the liquid. The dosing head may alternately be constructed to show two or more dosing cups of different sizes and on filling, the wished for cup is chosen by a linear movement of the dosing head and that cup is made accessible by either a further linear movement or a rotation of the dosing head. In a practical embodiment a linearly movable dosing head may then have the liquid container fixed on the upper side, but also a liquid container that is stationary fixed, e.g. on a stand and that is connected with the first duct via a flexible hose. Preferably also a second duct is arranged in the dosing head and accessible from above and admits accessibility to the dosing cup when the first duct to the liquid container is brought out of connection with the same. In a preferred embodiment the dosing arm is cylinder-shaped, the dosing head being turnable around the dosing arm. The first duct is on one side of the dosing arm and the second duct is on the other side of the dosing arm, both ducts showing mainly the same direction of extension. When filling liquid into the dosing cup, the container is above the dosing arm and the first duct is connected with the dosing cup. The container is in position of rest under the dosing arm, the second duct being connected with the dosing cup. Also in this embodiment the dosing arm may show two or more dosing cups, where the desired dosing cup is chosen by a linear movement of the dosing head. Further features and characteristics concerning the present invention are evident from the description to the drawings below and from the claims. DESCRIPTION TO THE DRAWINGS The invention is described below as an example of an embodiment in connection with the enclosed drawings. Figure 1 A-D shows in the shape of a disassembled view a dosing feeder according to the invention also including a container containing bonding liquid. Figure 2 shows the dosing feeder according to figure 1 in assembled state. Figure 3 shows a detail of the dosing feeder according to figure 2, partly in a longitudinal section, through the direction of its longitudinal axis. The dosing feeder shown in the figures comprises a stand 1 showing a base plate 1.1 and, vertically projecting from it, a rod 1.2 at the upper end of which a dosing arm 2 is fixedly arranged. The dosing arm 2 is cylinder-shaped and shows an open dosing cup 2.1 in the form of a cut-in portion in its upper surface. The dosing arm 2 carries in its turn a dosing head 3, in which the dosing arm 2 is introduced in a corresponding cylinder- shaped hole 3.1. The dosing head 3 is turnable around the dosing arm 2 and shows on one of its sides a fitting 4 for an adapter 5 to which a container 6, containing bonding liquid, is intended to be connected. The container 6 connected to the adapter 5 is shown in figure 3. The adapter 5 shows partly a thread cutting that corresponds with the screw threading of the fitting 4 of the dosing head and partly a thread cutting corresponding the screw threading of the container and a third duct 5.1 through which bonding liquid can flow in filling the dosing cup 2.1. The fitting 4 shows a first through duct 4.1 for liquid that extends to the dosing arm 2. The dosing head 3 shows further a second duct 3.2 with the same direction of axis as the first duct 4.1 on the other side of the dosing arm 2 and that has a somewhat larger diameter corresponding the diameter of the dosing cup 2.1. A packing 2.2 in the form of an 0- ring, as it is called, is arranged in different notches of the dosing arm 2 on each side of the dosing cup 2.1 and prevents that bonding liquid flows out from the slot between the dosing arm 2 and the opening 3.1 in the dosing head 3. The dosing feeder shown in the figures is used in the following way. When the dosing head 3 is turned so that the container 6 with the bonding liquid is vertically above the dosing arm 2, the first duct 4.1 is brought into the fitting 4 and the third duct 5.1 in the adapter 5 into connection with the dosing cup 2.1 that then is filled with bonding liquid. This position is shown with broken lines in figure 2. When the dosing head 3 is turned back into its initial position vertical under the dosing arm 2, the bonding liquid that is left in the first duct 4.1 and in the third duct 5.1 flows back into the container 6. A dose of bonding liquid now is left in the dosing cup 2.1 and is accessible with e.g. a brush 7 that can be introduced through the second duct 3.2 and be brought to pick up bonding liquid, which then can be applied to the tooth to be mended. Dosing cups 2.1 of different sizes may be arranged along the dosing arm 2, not shown in the figures, the dosing head 3 may being moved axially along the dosing arm 2 to a wished for size of the dosing cup 2.1. It also lies within the scope of the invention to let the dosing head 3 be only linear movable along the dosing arm 2 between partly a first position, where the first duct that is connected with the container 6 is in connection with the dosing cup 2.1, partly a second position, where the container 6 is secluded from the connection with the dosing cup 2.1, which in its turn is accessible and admits to pick up bonding liquid either directly in the cup or e.g. through a second duct 3.2 in the dosing head 3. Instead of the dosing arm 2 being fixedly arranged on a stand, the dosing head 3 may be fixed and the dosing arm 2 linear movable. It is of course even possible to exclude the stand 2 entirely in the two latter embodiments, which however calls for the dosing arm 2 being held in such a position that the dosing cup 2.1 is directed upward.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Dosing feeder for a bonding liquid in a container (β), characterized in that it comprises a dosing arm (2) that shows at least one dosing cup (2.1) open at the top, the dosing arm (2) being arranged in a corresponding opening (3.1) in a dosing head (3) that in its turn shows a first duct (4.1) being in connection with the container (6), that the dosing head (3) is movable or turnable in relation to the dosing arm (2) so that the dosing cup (2.1) alternately may be brought in connection with the first duct (4.1) for feed of liquid or may release the dosing cup (2.1) so that it gets accessible for the liquid. 2. Dosing feeder according to claim 1, characterized in that a second duct (3.2) is arranged in the dosing head (3) that is accessible from above and admits accessibility to the dosing cup (2.1) when the container (6) is brought out of connection with the same. 3. Dosing feeder according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the dosing arm (2) is cylinder- shaped and that the dosing head (3) is turnable around the dosing arm (2), the first duct (4.1) being on one side of the dosing arm and the second duct (3.2) on the other side of the dosing arm (2), both ducts (3.2, 4.1) showing mainly the same direction of extension, that the container (6) on filling with liquid into the dosing cup (2.1) is above the dosing arm (2), the first duct (4.1) being connected with the dosing cup (2.1) and that the container (6) in position of rest is under the dosing arm (2), the second duct (3.2) being connected with the dosing cup (2.1) . 4. Dosing feeder according any of claims 1-3, characterized in that the dosing head (3) shows a fitting (4) into which the first duct (4.1) extends and that an adapter (5) with different kinds of threads is arranged between the fitting (4) and the container (6). 5. Dosing feeder according to any of claims 1-4, characterized in that the dosing arm (2) is fixedly arranged on a stand (1) .

Inventors: EKSTROEM STEN, EKSTROEM, STEN
Applicants: EKSTROEM STEN, EKSTROEM, STEN
Application year: 1999
Main classification: A61C19
IPC codes: A61C19, G01F11