Patent ID: 8075176

Claim:
A hand held manually operated mixer assembly configured to mix an additive with a compound contained in an open ended tube comprising: an open ended tube containing a compound and into which an additive has been introduced, wherein the open ended tube comprises an open end proximate the proximal end and a tapered dispenser tip proximate the distal end; and a rigid cylinder, a plunger assembly, and fastening means, wherein the rigid cylinder comprises a proximal end and a distal end, wherein further the rigid cylinder is configured to receive the open ended tube, wherein further the rigid cylinder comprises a diameter greater than the diameter of the open ended tube, wherein further the distal end of the rigid cylinder comprises stop means for abutting the distal end of the open ended tube, wherein further the distal end of the rigid cylinder comprises a circular opening larger than required to accommodate the tapered dispenser tip of the open ended tube; wherein the plunger assembly comprises a rigid shaft having a first end and a second end, a cap, a mixer blade, a handle, and a gasket, wherein the gasket is slidably and rotatably disposed on the shaft between the cap and the mixer blade, wherein further the gasket is further sized and configured for cooperating with the fastening means to seal the proximal end of the open ended tube inside the rigid cylinder, wherein the cap is slidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft; wherein the mixer blade is mounted proximate to the first end of the shaft, wherein the diameter of the mixer blade is selected to closely match the inside diameter of the open ended tube; and wherein the handle is provided proximate to the second end of the shaft; wherein the fastening means are configured to connect the cap to the proximal end of the rigid cylinder in releasable interlocking engagement, such that the mixer blade and gasket are disposed inside the rigid cylinder and the handle is disposed outside the rigid cylinder; whereby the rigid cylinder is configured to receive the open ended tube, whereby upon reception inside the rigid cylinder the open ended tube abuts the stop means and presents the open end of the open ended tube at the proximal end of the rigid cylinder and the tapered dispenser tip at the distal end of the rigid cylinder such that the tapered dispenser tip extends to the exterior of the rigid cylinder through the circular opening, and whereby the cap is configured to connect to the cylinder such that the gasket seals the open end of the open ended tube within the rigid cylinder and the mixer blade is positioned in the interior of the open ended tube; wherein the handle is configured to be manually rotated and reciprocated to mix the additive and the compound inside the open ended tube.