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Time indicating containers for dental compositionsRelated Patent Categories: Drug, Bio-affecting And Body Treating Compositions, Identification Or Warning FeatureTime indicating containers for dental compositions description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070092451, Time indicating containers for dental compositions. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. The Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention is directed to devices for holding and dispensing dental compositions. More particularly, the invention is directed to containers for holding and dispensing dental compositions having a given shelf-life after which the composition should either be used up or discarded. For example, many multi-part dental compositions require mixing of two separate components, the mixed composition having a particular shelf-life, after which time the mixed composition should be used up or discarded. [0003] 2. The Relevant Technology [0004] Many modem formulations are packaged in two initially separate parts, often known as A and B components. Upon mixing, the A and B components form a mixed composition having a particular viable shelf-life, after which the composition should be used up or discarded. In the dental field, for example, several such formulations include two-part dental primers, peroxide and other two-part bleaching compositions, and disinfecting solutions. [0005] It can be difficult for a dental practitioner to determine whether the shelf-life of a formulation has expired, or how much of the formulation's shelf-life remains. This difficulty can be further complicated in some instances where the shelf-life of a given formulation may depend on the environment in which the formulation is stored. For example, many formulations may have an extended shelf-life if stored in a refrigerated environment as compared to the shelf-life when stored at room temperature. [0006] It would be an advantage to provide a container system for use with such a formulation that would allow the user to quickly and easily determine how much time remains of the shelf-life of a given formulation. It would be a further advantage if such a system could account for variability in shelf-life due to changes in the formulation storage environment. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0007] The present invention is directed to a storage system for a dental composition having a given shelf-life. The storage system includes a container (e.g., a syringe), and activatable time sensitive marking means disposed on or within the container, wherein upon activation, the time sensitive marking means identifies time lapsed since activation of the time sensitive marking means. The dental practitioner may activate the time sensitive marking means at an appropriate time to monitor the shelf-life of the dental composition (e.g., immediately after preparing the composition by mixing together initially separate components). The time sensitive marking means allows a dental practitioner to determine whether a dental composition within the container has expired, or how much time remains before the composition expires and should either be used up or discarded. [0008] In one example, the activatable time sensitive marking means comprises an activatable label disposed on or within the container. One such label includes a length of a microporous material and a tinted liquid that migrates along the microporous material by capillary action so as to have a migration length that increases as a function of time. The label is activated by causing the tinted liquid to contact the microporous material. In one example, the tinted liquid may initially be contained within a blister or similar packaging adjacent to the microporous material. Upon pressing (i.e., activating) the blister packaging, the tinted liquid contacts the microporous material and begins to wick up along the microporous material due to capillary action. The progress of the tinted liquid is a function of time, such that the migration length of the tinted liquid indicates how much time has lapsed since activation (and thus also the time remaining until the shelf-life of the composition expires). [0009] In another example, the activatable time sensitive marking means may comprise a label including two adjacent blister packets, each blister packet containing a composition such that the compositions are initially separate from each other. The user presses one or both of the blisters so as to cause a thin membrane between the blister packets to break, which allows the two compositions to mix together, activating the label. The mixed composition begins as characterized by having a first color, and progressively changes to a second color as a function of time. Once the mixed composition has changed to the second color, this indicates to the user that the given shelf-life of a dental composition within the container has expired and should be discarded. [0010] Another activatable time sensitive marking means may comprise a tape formed of a material that begins to change color from a first color to a second color as a function of time. Once the tape has changed to the second color, this indicates to the user that the given shelf- life of a dental composition within the container has expired. [0011] Another activatable time sensitive marking means may comprise a label including a microchip configured to measure lapsed time. The microchip is readable by an associated microchip reader so as to indicate to a user how much time remains of a given shelf-life of a composition within the container. [0012] The activatable time sensitive marking means may be temperature sensitive in addition to being time sensitive. Temperature sensitivity of the marking means allows the system to account for variability in shelf-life due to temperature changes in the storage environment of the dental composition stored within the container. [0013] A dental composition within the container may have a given shelf-life ranging from less than about a week to 2 years or more. Because of relative instability, many mixed two-part dental compositions have a relatively short shelf-life (e.g., 30 days or less). For example some two-part peroxide bleaching compositions may have a shelf-life of about 10-14 days after mixing, some disinfecting solutions may have a shelf-life of about a week or less, and some two-part dental primers may have a shelf life of about 30 days. Relatively stable single part dental compositions may have a longer shelf-life (e.g., from 6 months up to 2 years or more). Such compositions often include an expiration date stamped or printed on the container, which can be difficult to identify. The time sensitive marking means of the present invention provides a more easily identifiable label, eliminating the need for the user to search for a difficult to find date stamp. [0014] These and other benefits, advantages and features of the present invention will become more full apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] In order that the manner in which the above recited and other benefits, advantages and features of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which: [0016] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of an exemplary time indicating system for containing a dental composition including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label disposed on the syringe plunger stem; [0017] FIG. 1B is a perspective view of another exemplary time indicating container system including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label disposed on the syringe barrel; [0018] FIG. 1C is a perspective view of another exemplary time indicating container system including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label disposed on the syringe barrel flange; [0019] FIG. 1D is a perspective view of another exemplary time indicating container system including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label disposed on the head of the plunger stem; [0020] FIG. 1E is a perspective view of another exemplary time indicating container system including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label disposed at least partially within the plunger stem of the syringe; [0021] FIG. 2 illustrates a time indicating container system including a syringe and an activatable time sensitive label having two blister packets for forming a color changing composition; Continue reading about Time indicating containers for dental compositions... Full patent description for Time indicating containers for dental compositions Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Time indicating containers for dental compositions patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Time indicating containers for dental compositions or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Tissue-specific exogenous optical agents Next Patent Application: Methods for fabrication, uses, compositions of inhalable spherical particles Industry Class: Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Time indicating containers for dental compositions patent info. 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