The present invention is based on a device for the delivery of materials to be used, more particularly viscous or pasty materials such as sealants and agglutinants in accordance with the preamble of the first claim.
The present invention relates furthermore to a method for delivering said materials to be used in accordance with the independent method claims.
Devices of this type, which are known by the names of injection pistol, Caulk Gun or Sealant Gun, and which have been disclosed, for example, in JP 11036571, JP 2003213926, JP 7041021, serve in the measured delivery of a sealant. Devices of this type are typically fitted with either a manual, an electric or a pneumatic actuation apparatus. Electrically-powered devices are manufactured, for example, by the MILWAUKEE ELECTRIC TOOL CORPORATION, e.g. production series 6560-2x.
The device disclosed in JP 11036571 permits the delivery of sealant from a sausage-shaped bag that can be inserted into a cylinder of the device, which cylinder, being a component of the device, can be recharged with bags an unlimited number of times.
The device disclosed in JP 2003213926 permits the delivery of sealant contained in a single-use cartridge that can be inserted into a suitable holding element of said device and, following use, be removed therefrom.
JP 7041021 discloses that even multiple-use cartridges can be employed, whereby such cartridges can be recharged and re-used following insertion of a sausage-shaped bag.
The use of bags containing sealant instead of single-use cartridges has the advantage that such bags on the one hand are easier to insert and, on the other hand, following use, generate little waste. However, use of bags requires employment of a suitably-adapted apparatus.
The device disclosed in JP 11036571, which can be charged with bags, features a cylinder which, serving to accommodate one bag, is non-permanently connected at one end by means of a first assembly ring to a conical covering piece and at the other end by means of a second assembly ring to an actuation apparatus inside which a guide rod is borne so as to be able to slide. Aided by the manually-powered actuation apparatus, the guide rod, which is fitted at its forward end with a piston, can be introduced into the cylinder, wherein the piston is brought to bear upon the inserted bag in such a way that sealant is caused to flow out of the bag, which is snipped open at its forward end, and through the conical covering piece. In JP11036571, the design of the piston through which the threaded end piece of the guide rod is axially introduced prevents the bag casing from catching between piston and cylinder and ripping open, whereby on the one hand the piston acts to block and on the other hand sealant is permitted to flow out into the cylinder inside the piston region. In addition, the piston is manufactured from a single elastic piece at whose periphery an annulus presses wedge-like against the inner wall of the cylinder so as to cause the bag casing, which folds as it empties, to be forced inwardly. The solution to the same problem is also disclosed in JP 7041021.
Application of the devices disclosed in JP 11036571 and JP 7041021 has revealed that, once the bag has been emptied, a not-insignificant quantity of sealant always remains therein.
It was also discovered that, after a bag had been emptied, the piston could, if the cylinder were disengaged from the second assembly ring, become detached from the guide rod, which would then have to be grasped by hand and reassembled, which would permit unwanted contact with the sealant. In the device described in JP 11036571, in which the piston is held between two screw nuts, it was discovered that one of these nuts could work loose were the cylinder and the piston, which presses against the inner wall thereof, to be rotated relative to the guide rod.
Due to the various demands made on the device, which become evident when bags or cartridges are being worked, the prior art devices have not enabled optimal employment of bags and cartridges in the same device.
The objective of the present invention is, therefore, the creation of an improved device and method of the type first mentioned, serving the delivery of material to be used, especially viscous or pasty material, such as sealant or agglutinant.
It is particularly important that both device and method for the optimal working of bags and cartridges containing material to be processed be well matched. Such matching of device and method should permit the more effective emptying of a bag inserted into a cylinder to be worked, and the bag, once emptied, should be capable of removal without difficulty. A further objective of the proposed device is to ensure that operating interruptions will be avoided even following multiple reloadings with bags. Another objective of the proposed device and method is to obviate both any damage to the bags and cartridges being worked and thus also any unwanted leakage of sealant. In addition, it is proposed that the unwanted loosening of device parts, even following multiple bag reloads, be obviated by means of the novel apparatus and method. The proposed device should, additionally, be suitable for use with different types of actuation apparatus.
It is proposed that these objectives be satisfied by means of the distinguishing features of the first claim. Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in the subsidiary claims.
The device serving to dispense material to be processed features an actuation apparatus, by means of which a guide rod, provided at its forward end with a threaded bolt that permits said guide rod to attach to a piston, is borne so as to be able to slide axially and to be introduced into a cylinder in such a way that the piston is caused to act upon and expel from the cylinder the material to be processed.
The core of the present invention resides in a piston that features two sides that face away from each other, of which the first serves to act upon the material to be processed that is held in a bag inserted in the cylinder, and the second serves to act upon material to be processed that is held in a cartridge that has been loaded into the cylinder.
It will be appreciated that a number of advantages will be provided by a piston that can be arranged for the working both of bags that are inserted into the cylinder and of cartridges which, featuring a cylinder in which the material to be processed is stored, can be inserted into the device. The design of the first side of the piston, which serves to bear upon the bag, ensures that the bags will, while being worked, not sustain damage and will empty optimally. The second side of the piston permits the actuation, with uniformly distributed pressing force, of a part that is borne so as to slide inside an inserted cartridge, thus obviating damage thereto.
It is of particular advantage if the piston feature a threaded bore that runs the integral length of thereof and along the longitudinal axis thereof, so that the piston, having either its first or second side oriented toward the guide rod, can be screwed onto the threaded bolt of the guide rod.
It is particularly advantageous, for the purpose of more effectively emptying the bag, that the first side of the piston have a shape that at least approximates that of the inner wall of a covering piece, which, being secured to the forward end of the cylinder by means of a first assembly ring, is transited by the expelled material to be processed. The outside of the piston, once having reached its terminal position, is brought up against the inner wall of the covering piece, so that only the empty casing of the bag remains interposed therebetween.
It is consequently proposed in this respect that the folded casing of the bag not hinder the progress of the piston as it moves toward its terminal position. The outside diameter of the piston is smaller than the inside diameter of the cylinder, an arrangement that allows for the creation of a lateral storage space for the folded bag casing between the piston and the inner wall of the cylinder.
Provided on the second side of the piston is a plate whose elastic rim presses against the inner wall of the cylinder, thus allowing the now-emptied casing to be carried along, folded, and without being torn open. Such plate can either be attached as a separate part to the piston or form a unit together with the latter. Should the piston and plate constitute an integral unit, this should be preferably made from a synthetic material. Otherwise, it is preferable that the piston be manufactured from metal.
Should a separate plate be employed, it is preferable that a sealing ring be provided between the piston and the plate so as to prevent pieces of casing from becoming caught between piston and plate. Should the separate plate not possess sufficient rigidity, it is preferable that a support element be interposed between such separate plate and the guide rod in order to prevent deformation of the plate.
Provided so as to allow the separate plate to remain centred is an annular rib which, being arranged concentrically relative to the centre of such plate, is capable of fitting into a corresponding annular recess provided in the second side of the piston.
The cylinder, which serves to accommodate the bag, is preferably connected detachably to a second assembly ring held by the actuation apparatus. The cylinder can be opened if the first assembly ring and the covering piece are detached from the cylinder or if the cylinder is disengaged from the second assembly ring by being rotated, either operation being employed by many users as required. Rotation of the cylinder, however, exerts a torque moment both on the plate that rests against the inner wall of the cylinder and on the piston that also comes into contact with such cylinder, and so causes the piston to detach with little from the guide rod. The piston must then be reattached to the guide rod, which involves physically reaching into the dirty insides of the device. It is proposed that, in order to obviate this problem, the piston in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention feature at least on its first side and concentrically relative to the outlet opening of the threaded bore, a preferably cylindrical recess that serves at least to partially accommodate the head of a counter screw, which can be threaded into the threaded bore in the direction of the guide rod, which is introduced from the second side, until both meet, whereby the piston is fixed in position and cannot be work loose from the guide rod unless the counter screw is removed.
The present invention can be employed in devices whose actuation apparatus are either manually, electrically, pneumatically or hydraulically powered.
Embodiment examples of the present invention will next be described in greater detail with the aid of drawings. Shown are:
In order to depict only the most essential parts of the invention, some elements have been omitted, for example, the housing of the invention.
Also illustrated are a support element 2, a plate 3 and a sealing ring 4, each of which features a passage opening 21; 31 or 41 for the insertion of threaded bolt 12.
Also shown is a piston 5 that features a threaded bore 51, which, extending along the longitudinal axis xK thereof, is accessible from sides 5A and 5B of piston 5 and is suitable for the insertion of threaded bolt 12 of guide rod 1 as well as of threaded shaft 61 of a counter screw 6.
Threaded bolt 12 of guide rod 1 was inserted through the outlet openings 21; 31 or 41 in support element 2, in plate 3 and in sealing ring 4, all of which were bolted together with piston 5. In order to obviate any unintentional detachment of piston 5, counter screw 6 was introduced from first side 5A into threaded bore 51 and tightened.
Elastic plate 3 features an external rim which, being provided preferably with a slot, is pressed by inner wall 95 of cylinder 9 in the direction of cylinder axis xz that runs coaxially relative to piston axis xk, so as to prevent casing 201 of bag 200 while being worked from catching between the rim of plate 3 and inner wall 95 of cylinder 9. Employment of sealing ring 4 prevents casing 201 of bag 200 while being worked from catching between plate 3 and piston 5. Support element 2, which sits against stop 13 of guide rod 1, holds plate 3 securely in position, so that plate 3 is unable to deform as bag 200 is being worked.
In order to secure plate 3, which comprises preferably synthetic material, concentrically relative to axis xk of piston 5, the latter features on second side 5B an annular recess 52 which, being disposed concentrically relative to the outlet opening of threaded bore 51, accommodates an annular rib 32 that is arranged in plate 3 concentrically to the centre thereof.
Also shown in
Emptied bag 200 can be quickly removed in a few simple steps, since the invention ensures that bag casing 201 will be properly folded and not become jammed between parts of device 10. Since piston 5 is secured by means of counter screw 6, it is also proposed that such piston will not come loose and require subsequent reattachment. The smooth surfaces of the device parts ensure furthermore that bag casing 201 will not sustain damage while bag 200 is being worked and therefore will not cause soiling due to leakage of material to be processed 202.
Cartridge 300, which, after being worked, is either disposed of or refilled, features a cylinder 309 that is provided at its forward end with a covering piece 307 that has an outlet opening and an outer thread onto which a nozzle 370 is screwed.
Piston 5 can, therefore, be shifted with a minimum of effort from a first position serving to work bags 200, into a second position serving the working of cartridges, whereby each active side 5A or 5B of piston 5 is optimally adapted to the object to be worked 200, 300.
It will doubtless be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the configuration examples illustrated and described. It is therefore proposed that a variety of different materials be suitable for use in the manufacture of the various parts of the device. The proposed device can, moreover, be manufactured in a variety of size formats, according to user requirements. Individual functional parts of the device can be modified while retaining their functionality, should a given function not be essential, the part in question can be omitted. For example, sealing ring 4 can be omitted if there is no danger of bag casing 201 becoming jammed. Furthermore, different parts can be consolidated and integrated into more streamlined modules. For example,
Piston 5, which is illustrated in
As has been described above, device 10 permits the working of bags 200 that are inserted into cylinder 9 of device 10, or of cartridges 300 that are inserted into either a suitable holding device 801 or into cylinder 9 of device 10. If the employment of cartridges 300 is not contemplated, the proposed device 10 can with particular advantage be used uniquely for the working of bags 200. For example, device 10 can be employed in the configuration shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
04102700.4 | Jun 2004 | EP | regional |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 11629480 | US | |
Child | 11984963 | US |