FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
None
SEQUENCE LISTING
None
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tool and method for applying foil tape on seams of adjoining duct work in heating ventilation air conditioning (hereinafter “HVAC) systems whereby the foil tape can be applied with relative ease in cramped and tight spaces.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many HVAC systems rely on ductwork to deliver cool or warm air to various exit ports or vents throughout a home or building structure from a central HVAC unit. The duct work is comprised of segments of rectangular ductwork that fit within each other to create a uniform duct of a desired length. Individual segments have a male end and a female end and are connected male to female or female to male on the segment ends. To provide the proper seal, foil duct tape is applied to provide a virtually airtight seal and to prevent against the leakage of cool or hot air into an attic space or crawl space. Often times, depending on construction characteristics unique to a building or home, ductwork must be situated in very tight spaces. It often takes more than one person to install the foil duct tape to duct segments because the ductwork is in very close position to either other ductwork, the furnace or an air handler or other items such as rafters and walls that are located in an attic space or crawl space. Application of the foil duct tape is performed by having one person take a tag end of foil duct tape and advancing it to another person around the duct work. What is needed in the art is a tool and method that would allow a single person to properly seal duct segments with foil duct tape without the need for more than one technician. As shown below, there has been invented and developed a tool and method for proper application of foil duct tape to duct segments that can be completed with a single person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention herein disclosed is a foil duct tape applicator tool and method of applying foil duct tape to seam where two duct segments join. The tape applicator tool is comprised of an elongated bar having on one end a head whereby the head has a flexible plate attached to its rear portion such that a slot is formed in between the flexible plate and the elongated bar. The slot is purposed for receiving foil duct tape whereby an adhesive side of the tape faces the flexible plate and once the tape is inserted into the slot, a user presses downward on the flexible plate to engage the tape whereby the tape becomes temporarily adhered to the flexible plate and a user can then extend the tool via the elongated bar into a narrow opening to properly apply the tape to the air duct seam. The head also has an applicator blade that is used to slide along the tape to press the tape into smooth and flush position on the air duct seam. The tape applicator tool also has a handle used for advancing tape into position and also doubles as a tape smoother for air duct seams that are perpendicular due to the perpendicular junction of two air duct segments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the head of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 3 is a side plan view of the head of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the handle of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 5 is an alternate perspective view of the handle of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the handle.
FIG. 7. is rear side elevation of the handle.
FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the handle of the tape applicator tool.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the tape applicator tool in use applying tape to an air duct seam.
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the tape applicator tool uniformly smoothing the tape onto air duct seam.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the proper loading of tape in preparation for installation onto a perpendicular junction of two air duct segments.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the tape applicator tool applying tape to a perpendicular air duct seam.
FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the handle of the tape applicator tool seating tape in at a junction at a perpendicular air duct stream.
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the head.
FIG. 15 is a side elevation of an alternate embodiment of the head.
It should be understood that the present drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments disclosed herein are sometimes illustrated by fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should also be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein. Like numbers utilized though-out the various figures designate like or similar parts or structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to FIG. 1-3 there is shown the tape applicator tool 8 having an elongated bar 10 having a head 12 joined onto one end of the elongated bar 10. The head 12 has a flexible plate 14 that extends off the rear portion of the head 12 and a slot 16 that is formed between the flexible plate 14 and the elongated bar 10. In one embodiment, there is a distance of 1/16th of an inch between the elongated bar 10 and the flexible plate 14. The slot 16 is purposed for receiving the end of a piece of foil duct tape whereby the tape's adhesive side is facing upwards to the flexible plate 14 such that when a piece of tape is inserted a user will press down on the flexible plate to temporarily engage the tape 17. The tool 8 via the elongated bar 10 and the attachment of the tape 17 to the flexible plate 14 gives the tape the rigidity it needs to span a distance that a user would not normally be able to insert their hand and arm into. This is very typical in many air conditioning units where the interior air handler unit is located in very tight proximity to an air duct return. The tool is also very useful in tight attic and crawl space scenarios often found in homes and buildings. The tool in one embodiment would be 36 inches long, however it could be in varying lengths or it could be adjustable such that depending on the size of the ductwork a user could adjust the elongated bar 10 to a desired length. Other embodiments of the tool 8 would have a 24-25 inch long elongated bar 10 or a 12-14 inch long elongated bar 10. The elongated bar 10 could made out of any rigid material such as metal, plastic, wood, carbon fiber and other lightweight rigid materials. In one embodiment, the tool is 2 inches wide which allows it to adequately accept common foil duct tape widths of 2 inches, 2.5 inches and 3 inches. In use, a user would unroll a desired length of foil duct tape suitable to seal the seam of two adjoining pieces of ductwork. The user would insert one end a portion of said foil duct tape into the slot 16 located between the elongated bar 10 and the head's flexible plate 14 such that the adhesive side is oriented towards the flexible plate 14 and placing the tape along the elongated bar and in the elongated bar's footprint. The user would press the flexible plate 14 downwards so that it comes into contact with the adhesive side of the foil duct tape such that the tape is temporarily adhered to the flexible plate 14. A user would then extend the tape applicator tool into a tight space adjacent the seam of two segments of duct work such that the head is in the vicinity of the end of a seam of two adjoining pieces of ductwork and would press the exposed adhesive surface of the foil duct tape near the head onto the ductwork seam from one end to the other. The user would then orient an applicator blade 18 located on the end of the head 12 against the applied foil duct tape and slide the applicator blade 18 along the entire length of the section of foil duct tape such that the foil duct tape is uniformly adhered on the seam of said ductwork segments.
As described above, located on the head is an applicator blade 18 that is generally in a 45 degree orientation to the head. The applicator blade 18 is purposed to slide along a piece of tape 17 that has been placed on air duct seam to flatten and smooth the tape onto the air duct seam for an airtight seal. In one embodiment the applicator blade is made of semi-flexible plastic. The head 12 would be formed in one embodiment using injection molding. The elongated bar 10 would in one embodiment be formed out of aluminum. The choice of aluminum is advantageous because it allows the elongated bar 10 to flex which helps with the task of sticking exposed foil duct tape onto a duct surface by flexing the elongated bar 10 inward so that the tape comes into contact with the duct work.
Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIGS. 4-8 there is shown on the opposite end of the elongated bar 10 from the head 12 a handle 22 that serves a dual purpose. It functions as handle for a user to grip the tool 8. It also functions as a tape smoother in situations where two segments of duct work are perpendicular to each other. The handle 22 either attaches atop the elongated bar 10 or a sleeve 24 formed as part of the handle 22 can be inserted over the end of the elongated bar 10. The handle 22 has a base 26 that is semi-pyramidal in shape having a top face 34, two side faces 36, a bottom face 38 and a rear face 40. At the junction where the side faces 36 meet the top face 34 are ridges 32. There also shown two side applicator blades 30 and a central applicator blade 28. The two side applicator blades 30 are used in conjunction with the central applicator blade 28 dependent upon which direction a perpendicular junction of duct segments face. The side applicator blades 30 are adjacent to the central applicator blade 28 at a right angle or perpendicular. The side applicator blade 28 and central applicator blade 30 conform to a perpendicular air duct joint and are purposed to slide along a piece of newly installed foil duct tape 17 to smooth and flatten the tape 17 on the ductwork junction. This is aided by the angled orientation of the central application blade 30 and the side elevation blades 28 that are generally in an obtuse angle with respect to the handle 22 and promote a gradual angled edge against the foil tape to avoid ripping or puncturing the tape. The ridges 32 are angled with respect to the seam it encounters by a generally 45 degree angle and help promote even and gentle smoothing of tape and adherence in a perpendicular joint.
Referring now to FIG. 11 there is shown orientation of tape 17 onto the tool 8 purposed for installation of tape 17 onto a perpendicular junction. To install duct tape in a perpendicular junction of two duct segments, a user would insert half the width of an end of a portion foil duct tape 17 into the slot 16 located between the elongated bar 10 and the head's flexible plate 14 such that the adhesive side is oriented towards the flexible plate 14 and placing half of the width of the tape 17 on top of the elongated bar's 10 footprint. A user would then press the flexible plate 14 downwards so that it comes into contact with the adhesive side of the foil duct tape 17 such that the tape is temporarily adhered to the flexible plate 14. The user would then bend the remaining half width of foil duct tape 17 in a position generally perpendicular to that of the elongated bar as shown in FIG. 11 such that it is floating with respect to the portion of tape 17 occupying the are inside the slot 16 and along the elongated bar 10. This allows half the tape 17 to be applied with the tool 8 extended in to one air duct segment surface, and the floating tape 17 will adhere to the other perpendicular air duct segment. The tape 17 would then be flattened and smoothed using the handle 22 as described above dependent on what orientation the perpendicular angle is presented to the user such that the user can choose the proper side applicator blade 30 of the base 26 of the handle 22.
Referring now to FIGS. 13 and 14 there is disclosed an alternate embodiment of the head 12 whereby there is a sleeve 13 formed on the bottom of the head 12 whereby the end of the elongated bar 10 can slide into the sleeve 13 for attachment to the elongated bar 10. The sleeve can be formed of tolerances such that the elongated bar 10 wedges into the sleeve 13 for a tight frictional fit or an adhesive can be placed in the sleeve 13 or on the elongated bar 10 such that the elongated bar 10 is permanently attached to the head 12.
The principles, embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing specification. The embodiments disclosed herein should be interpreted as illustrating the present invention and not as restricting it. The foregoing disclosure is not intended to limit the range of equivalent structure available to a person of ordinary skill in the art in any way, but rather to expand the range of equivalent structures in ways not previously contemplated. Numerous variations and changes can be made to the foregoing illustrative embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention.
ELEMENTS
8 tape applicator tool
10 elongated bar
12 head
13 sleeve
14 flexible plate
16 slot
17 tape
18 applicator blade
22 handle
24 sleeve
26 base
28 central applicator blade
30 side applicator blade
32 ridge
34 Top face
36 Side face
38 bottom face
40 rear face
Patent Application
20200377327
