Patent Application
20160356049
The present invention relates to drywall installation tools. More specifically, the present invention relates to drywall installation tools that are adapted for the application and smoothing of drywall mud and drywall tape in corners.
Finishing nonstandard, i.e. not right-angled, corners between sections of drywall or a section of drywall and another surface can be a time-consuming and frustrating process because conventional drywall installation tools are not configured for use with nonstandard corners. Therefore, individuals are forced to manually apply drywall mud and tape and then manually smooth out the material. In addition to being laborious, manually performed drywall work is also rarely as clean and aesthetically pleasing as drywall work performed with a tool. Therefore, there is a need in the prior art for a drywall installation tool that is adapted for finishing corners wherein the adjoining sections of drywall are joined at nonstandard angles.
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of drywall installation tools now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an adjustable drywall corner finishing tool wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when finishing drywall corners that are nonstandard, i.e. not right-angled. The present system comprises a pair of hingedly connected blades that each have a scraping member for smoothing drywall mud or drywall tape as the tool is drawn over the sections of drywall and one or more rollers. The tool further includes an adjustment mechanism configured to adjust the angle between the blades, thereby allowing the present tool to accommodate corners of any angle. The tool further includes a receptacle into which drywall mud or other tape can be placed that is in fluid communication with the exterior surface of the head of the tool, thereby dispensing any material therein as the head is drawn over a surface. Furthermore, a handle is pivotably connectable to the present tool.
Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the drywall mud and tape finisher for corners. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for applying drywall mud and tape to the corners between sections of drywall. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
Referring now to
The head 101 of the drywall finishing tool is adapted smooth out drywall tape and drywall mud as the head 101 is drawn across a pair of adjacent sections of drywall, or other such surfaces, that are joined at a corner. The exterior portion of the head 101, as shown in
In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the scraping members 110 are disposed at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the blades 102A, 102B. This allows the scraping members 110 to redirect material from the midline of the head 101 towards the distal lateral edges 116, thereby ensuring that the material is evenly spread across the adjacent surfaces and is not accumulated in the corner as the head 101 is drawn thereacross. The head 101 further comprises a shoulder 103 extending perpendicularly from a distal lateral edge 116 of the exterior surface 113 of each of the blades 102A, 102B. The shoulder 103 is adapted to prevent material from leaking from the lateral sides of the head 101 as the head 101 is drawn across a surface. In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the height of the shoulder 103 is variable along its length, tapering from the second longitudinal edge 119 to the first longitudinal edge 118.
The head 101 further comprises a receptacle 111 disposed between the blades 102A, 102B having an interior volume into which drywall mud, mastic material, and other such materials can be placed for distribution. The receptacle 111 comprises a first open end disposed on the exterior portion of the head 101, a second open end disposed on the interior portion of the head 101, and a channel extending therebetween. In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the receptacle 111 extends through a central member 104 that is connected to the interior surfaces 122 of the blades 102A, 102B. The receptacle 111 is in fluid communication with the exterior portion of the head 101, thereby allowing material placed within the receptacle 111 to be dispensed therefrom as the head 101 is drawn across a surface. The receptacle 111 is disposed at a position between the scraping members 110 and the second longitudinal edge 119, thereby allowing the scraping members 110 to smooth material as it is dispensed from the receptacle 111.
The adjustment mechanism 107 is adapted to allow the angle between the blades 102A, 102B to be adjusted so that users can customize the shape of the head 101 to accommodate corners wherein the adjoining surfaces, i.e. a pair of walls or a wall and a ceiling, are not joined at a right angle. In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism 107 comprises a knob 106 operatively connected to a pinion 114, which is in turn engaged with a first rack 115A extending from the first blade 102A and a second rack 115B extending from the second blade 102B. The racks 115A, 115B are gear bars that are arcuate in shape and comprise a plurality of teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the pinion 114. Rotation of the pinion 114, via actuation of the knob 106, causes the racks 115A, 115B to move in relation thereto, moving the blades 102A, 102B. In one embodiment of the present invention, the angle between the blades 102A, 102B is adjustable from approximately 45 degrees to 160 degrees. The first and second racks 115A, 115B comprise the same size and distribution of teeth, thereby ensuring that the rate at wish the first and second blades 102A, 102B move with respect to each other is the same. The depicted embodiment of the present invention comprises two sets of adjustment mechanisms 107 disposed at each of the opposing ends of the head 101; however, no claim is made as to the precise number or arrangement of the adjustment mechanism 107.
The head 101 further comprises a central member 104 disposed on the interior portion of the head 101. The central member 104 supports the connector 105 to which a handle is connectable. In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, the central member 104 comprises a first end 121 connected a first adjustment mechanism 107 and a second end 122 connected to a second adjustment mechanism. The pinion 114 is rotatably connected to central member 104 and rotation of the pinion 114 causes the first and second racks 115A, 115B to move in relation thereto.
The connector 105 comprises any type of rotatable or pivotable connection known in the prior art. In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, the connector 105 comprises a socket adapted to retain a ball bearing therein, i.e. a ball joint connection. The socket of the connector 105 comprises a semi-spherical shape having a diameter in closer tolerance to the diameter of the ball with which it is adapted to engage, such that the ball is freely pivotable and yet securely retained therein.
In an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the connector 105 overlays the material receptacle 111 such that the ball of the handle blocks the second open end of the receptacle 111 when the handle is secured to the head 101 via the connector 105. This allows users to place material, e.g. drywall mud, within the receptacle 111, connect the handle to the head 101, and then have material distributed from the receptacle 111 to the exterior surfaces 113 of the blades 102A, 102B as the head 101 is drawn across a surface, without the material leaking onto the inter portion of the head 101.
An alternative embodiment of the present invention further comprises one or more guide wheels 108 adapted to assist in steadying the head 101 as it is drawn across a surface. In the depicted embodiment of the present invention, the guide wheel 108 extends from the second end 122 of the central member 104. The guide wheel 108 is positioned such that it bisects the first and second blades 102A, 102B so that it rests within a corner when the head 101 is placed thereagainst, helping to prevent lateral movement of the head 101 as it is drawn through the corner between the adjoining surfaces. In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the guide wheel 108 comprises a tapered shape that allows it to fit tightly within a corner.
Referring now to
It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
