CORNER MUD APPLICATOR PAN

Abstract

A corner mud applicator pan is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

Mud applicator hoppers are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,908 to Weldy discloses a hopper apparatus for applying joint compound to corner beads having a hopper for holding a quantity of joint compound and a feeder apparatus secured across the lower end of the hopper. The feeder apparatus has a channel and a series of elongate feeder inserts for selectively securing in the channel. A first set of outside feeder inserts each have a generally V-shaped indented groove extending along their length for guiding an outside corner bead through the feeder apparatus, while a second set of inside feeder inserts each have a generally V-shaped ridge extending along their length for guiding an inside corner bead through the feeder. The feeder inserts in each set have grooves and ridges of different angles and corner shapes matching those of a plurality of different inside and outside corner beads, and are releasably secured in the channel.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,913 to Smythe discloses a drywall hopper assembly that contains a double blade that can apply drywall mud to both interior and exterior drywall corners with no blade change. A zigzag blade can contain two grooves, one for interior corners and one for exterior corners. With this blade arrangement, an operator can quickly move from one type of corner to another without using multiple tools, multiple blades or hand application methods to apply mud. The present invention can contain a pliable release port to present mud equally to an interior or an exterior corner. There can be such a port on both the top and bottom of the blade so that mud is smoothly applied as trim moves through the hopper or the hopper is moved along the trim.

Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,042,591 to Rosso discloses a paper beading hopper having a body defining a chamber for holding a quantity of joint compound, and having an open upper end, an upper rim, and a lower end; a lid pivotally secured to the body for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the lid engages the open upper rim, the lid having a releasably sealable air port; and a base configured for and accommodating the hopper lower end, for receiving joint compound, and for applying the joint compound to a corner paper bead.

However, these patents fail to describe a corner mud applicator pan which is easy to use. Further, these patents fail to provide for a corner mud applicator pan which allows a user to easily insert a corner unit into a pan for easy creation of mud beads for construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

An advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan has lead guards which allow for easy insertion of the corner unit into the pan.

And another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan has horizontal lines for an increased grip by a user.

Yet another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan may have support lines for increased durability.

Another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present pan may accept both standard and big nose corner units.

For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the corner mud applicator pan reference should be made to the detailed description and the drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the first side of the pan.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of the second side of the pan.

FIG. 3 illustrates a plan view of the front of the pan.

FIG. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the bottom of the pan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

Referring first to FIG. 1, in an embodiment a corner mud applicator pan 1 (also called a “hopper”) is provided. The pan 1 is preferably made of a durable plastic, but may instead be made of other suitable materials. The pan 1 may have a top 10, a bottom 20, a first side 30, a second side 40 (FIG. 2), a front 50, a back 60 and a generally hollow interior 70. The top 10 of the pan 1 may be open, allowing access to the interior 70 of the pan 1 (which therein receives drywall mud).

In an embodiment, the first side 30 and the second side 40 of the bottom 20 of the pan 1 maybe generally flat so as to allow the pan 1 to rest secured on the ground or other surface, while the main portion of the bottom 20 of the front 50 and the back 60 may be tapered inward, forming a v-shaped bottom 20 of the interior 70. The v-shaped bottom 20 of the interior 70 of the pan 1 may allow mud (not shown) which is inserted into the interior 70 of the pan 1 to be directed downward toward the bottom of the pan 1 in a v-shaped manner so as to receive a v-shaped corner unit 100 (or 101) of a wall for construction. The v-shaped corner units 100 are actually secured to and become part of the wall (at the corner) during construction. As the corner unit 100 passes through the pan 1, mud comes into contact with and attaches to the corner unit 100.

Located on the first side 30 of the pan 1 may be a v-shaped opening slit 125 and on the second side 40 of the pan 1 may be a second v-shaped opening slit 135. The v-shaped slit 125 of the first side and the v-shaped slit 135 of the second side may be similar, while not identical. In particular, the v-shaped opening slit 125 of the first side 30 may have a first elongated opening 140 connected to a second elongated opening 141 wherein both elongated openings 140, 141 have a length 142 which is at least as long as a length of a side 188 of the corner unit 100, 101.

In an embodiment, the v-shaped opening slit 125 of the first side 30 may have a width 164 which is less than a width 165 of the v-shaped opening slit 135 of the second side 40 (the exit side) of the pan 1. Both the v-shaped opening slit 125 of the first side 30 and the v-shaped opening slit 135 of the second side 40 may both have a downward extended u-shaped indentation 144 having a width 143 wherein the opening 144 forms a channel 450 along the entire length of the pan 1. In an embodiment, the first elongated opening 140 and second elongated opening 141 are identical, being mirror images of each other. In an embodiment, the first elongated opening 140 and second elongated opening 141 are approximately eighty to ninety degrees with respect to each other, but preferable eighty-five degrees precisely. As a result, this increases the application of mud onto the corner unit 100 in the optimal manner.

Located on the second side 40 of the pan 1 may be the second v-shaped opening 135 having similar lengths 142 as the v-shaped opening of the first side 30 of the pan 1; however, the v-shaped opening of the second side 40 of the pan 1, unlike the v-shaped opening of the first side 30 of the pan 1, may have a plurality of additional groves 175 forming semi-circular shaped indentations 160. The plurality of groves 175 may allow mud located in the interior 70 of the pan 1 to form beads on the corner unit 100, 101 as the corner unit 100, 101 exits the pan 1 from the second side 40 of the pan 1. In particular, the corner unit 100, 101 is inserted into the pan 1 through the v-shaped opening 125 of the first side 30, then passes through the interior 70 of the pan 1 and out the second v-shaped opening 135 of the second side 40 of the pan 1. As the corner unit 100, 101 passes through the pan 1, mud is applied to the corner unit 100, 101.

In an embodiment, located on the second side 40 of the pan 1 may be a plurality of support beams (or “deflection rib supports”) 200. The images show two triangle-shaped support beams 200; however, a greater or fewer numbers of support beams 200 may be used. The support beams 200 may provide extra support to the second side 40 of the pan 1 during use so that the second side 40 of the pan 1 does not break or substantially bend during use. Prior pans (or “hoppers”) often have rubber second sides of their pans/hoppers whereas the present pan 1 uses a plastic or other generally inflexible material for the entire pan 1. The support beams 200 maintain the rigidity of the second side 40 of the pan 1 as the corner unit 100, 101 passes through the pan 1. As a result, a proper amount of mud is applied to the corner unit 100, 101.

In an embodiment, the front 50 or back 60 (or even bottom 20) of the v-shaped portion of the pan 1 may have at least one (preferably a plurality) of horizontal beams 225. The plurality of the horizontal beams 225 of the front 50 and the back 60 of the pan 1 may allow a user to more easily grasp the pan 1 with his/her hand to secure the pan 1 while using his/her other hand to feed the corner unit 100, 101 through the pan 1. The plurality of horizontal beams 225 may therein increase friction and make it easier for the user to secure the pan 1 in one hand during use.

Referring now to FIG. 4, in an embodiment, first v-shaped opening 125 of the first side 30 of the pan 1 may have a plurality of guide leads 300. The precise number of guide leads 300 may vary, but the figures illustrate four guide leads located above and below each side of the opening 125. The guide leads 300 may be outward extensions of the pan 1 which partially surround the v-shaped opening slits 125 of the first side 30. The guide leads 300 may be angled outward (directed toward the opening) and may make insertion of the coroner unit 100 into the interior 70 of the pan 1 easy by directing the corner unit 100 into the opening 125 as a result of their angled surfaces. As a result, a user may quickly insert the corner unit 100 into the opening 125 of the first side 30 quickly without needing to precisely align the corner unit 100 to the opening 125. This is especially suitable when mud may become splattered on the opening 125 and therefore, making the opening 125 difficult to locate.

In one embodiment, the device 1 may have optional extended recessed portions or holes 185 (FIG. 2) so that the device 1 may be optionally screwed, nailed or otherwise secured to a table or other surface. The drawings illustrate four recessed portions 185 located on the bottom of the device 1, however, a greater or fewer number of recessed portions or holes 185 may be used.

In an embodiment, the bottom of the device 1 may have an elongated u-shaped channel 450. The elongated u-shaped channel 450 may have a hollow interior which extends into the interior 70 of the device 1. The elongated u-shaped channel 450 may allow for a “big nose” corner unit 101 to be used with the device 1. The big nose corner units are the v-shaped corner units which have an additional exterior corner extended ridge 189. Because big nose v-shaped corner units with exterior corner extended ridges would not fit through a standard v-shaped opening slit 125 as a result of the extended ridge 189, the present u-shaped channel 450 allows for not only standard corner units 100, but also big nose corner units 101 to be used with the present device 1. The u-shaped channel 450 extends the entire length of the device 1, from the first side 30 through to the second side 40.

Although embodiments of the invention are shown and described therein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.

Claims

1) A corner mud applicator pan comprising: a housing having a first side, a second side, a front, a back, a top, a bottom, and a hollow interior;an opening slit on the first side of the housing and an opening slit on the second side of the housing;wherein the opening slit on the first side of the housing and the opening slit on the second side of the housing each have an elongated first opening and an elongated second opening;wherein the opening slit on the first side of the housing is capable of receiving a corner unit of a wall; andwherein the interior of the housing receives drywall mud and wherein the drywall mud contacts and attaches to the corner unit as the corner unit passes through the housing.

2) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 further comprising: at least one guide located above or below the opening slit of the first side of the housing wherein the guide is capable of directing the corner unit into the opening slit of the first side of the housing.

3) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 further comprising: at least one support beam located on the second side of the housing wherein the support beam receives force applied to the second side of the housing and wherein the support beam is capable of maintaining the rigidity of the second side of the housing as the corner unit passes through the housing.

4) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 wherein the housing is made of plastic.

5) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 further comprising: at least one extended recessed portion on the first side or the second side of the housing wherein the extended recessed portion is capable of receiving a securing device to secure the housing to a surface.

6) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 wherein the bottom of the housing is v-shaped.

7) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 further comprising: at least one horizontal beam located on the front or back of the housing wherein the horizontal beam acts as a grasping mechanism for the pan.

8) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 further comprising: an elongated channel extending from the bottom of the housing wherein the elongated channel is u-shaped and wherein the u-shaped elongated channel receives a big nose corner unit.

9) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 wherein the first side and the second side of the housing have a flat bottom surface and wherein the remainder of the bottom of the housing is generally v-shaped.

10) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 wherein the opening slit of the first side of the housing has an angle between eighty and ninety degrees.

11) The corner mud applicator pan of claim 1 wherein the opening slit of the second side of the housing has an angle between eighty and ninety degrees.