Patent Application
20080017323
The present invention relates generally to pressure-sensitive adhesives and their application to desired surfaces, and more specifically to a handheld adhesive segment application apparatus.
One of the most significant adhesive technical breakthroughs of the past century has been the introduction of pressure-sensitive thermoplastic adhesives. Thermoplastic adhesives have excellent adhering qualities; they can be softened by heating and firmed by cooling. These characteristics help thermoplastic adhesives produce waterproof, resilient, and long-lasting flexible bonds. Thermoplastic adhesives have what is known as a “plastic memory,” meaning that each time a thermoplastic adhesive is heated, it can be molded into any desired form.
Thermoplastic adhesives have significant applications in today's industry. For example, in the preparation of mass mailings, marketers often desire to attach a card, such as a credit card or the like, to a carrier document so that a consumer can peel the card easily from the carrier document. One method of making such an attachment involves the use of a pressure-sensitive, thermoplastic adhesive.
In addition to the uses for thermoplastic adhesives described above, industry is now finding additional uses for them. For example, thermoplastic adhesives are routinely used and applied as small bond points to eliminate the use of mechanical fasteners, such as staples, screws, rivets, clips, snaps, nails, and stitching. Thermoplastic adhesives are also extensively used in the packaging and manufacture of cartons, boxes and corrugated boards, bags, envelopes, disposable products (diapers and other paper products), cigarettes, labels, and stamps. In fact, today's demand for thermoplastic adhesives extends to very broad fields of use and is not limited to assembly line-like settings.
Increasingly, industry demands thermoplastic adhesive application at on-site locations from portable, simple-to-use, efficient, inexpensive, and safe dispensing apparatuses. Additionally, such dispensing apparatuses must be able to adhere thermoplastic adhesives to non-planar, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces. Previously known apparatuses and methods have failed to provide an adequate portable, simple-to-use, efficient, inexpensive, and safe dispensing device and a thermoplastic adhesive carrying medium capable of applying thermoplastic adhesives to non-planar, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
In recent years, thermoplastic adhesive applications have expanded from industrial use to home or school use, such as in art projects or crafting. Scrapbooking, rubber stamping, sewing, gift basket making, and candlemaking are just a few examples of these newer arts and crafts, pressure-sensitive, thermoplastic adhesive uses. As these hobbies have developed over time, the need for a simple, portable apparatus for dispensing thermoplastic adhesives has become increasingly important.
Several different types of devices are available for applying thermoplastic adhesives. For example, hot glue guns dispense heated thermoplastic adhesive to an item or surface, however, there are safety concerns when using this type of applicator, especially in schools. Additionally, such devices are inconvenient to use where an electrical source is not readily available and they are not readily portable, as a hot glue gun device must be cooled before it can be transported and used in another location.
Many adhesive applicator devices do not require the use of heat or electricity, however, they can be bulky and cumbersome to use when application of an adhesive segment to a discrete location is required. Further, conventional thermoplastic adhesive applicators are based on the industrial designs, and as such, they can be expensive to purchase, difficult to operate and heavy to transport for regular or routine use.
With this invention, an adhesive segment applicator apparatus is provided having an adhesive dispensing wheel and a take-up core system within a hosing. The configuration of the adhesive applicator of the present invention allows the adhesive segments to be dispensed from the tape using a single hand, and using a single motion simultaneously dispense an adhesive segment and advance the next adhesive segment to a dispensing position.
The carrier release tape may be made from plain stock carrier release tape, which can be cut into individual tape strips either before or after the adhesive segment application processes. The transverse width of the preferred embodiment is approximately one inch although the dimensions of the carrier release tape strips may vary in accordance with the advancement mechanism associated with the adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention with which it is used.
The second surface of the carrier release tape has a coefficient of friction different from that of the first so that adhesive segments do not adhere to the second surface as strongly as they do to the first surface. When the carrier release tape is wound into rolls, the first surface, and thus, the adhesive segments applied thereto, will be the external surface of the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape.
In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the adhesive segment applicator apparatus includes a carrier tape dispensing system comprising a supply wheel, a spent-tape take-up wheel and a roller are each rotatably mounted inside the housing of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus. A roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is inserted onto the supply wheel and engages the supply wheel in a secure fashion, permitting the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to rotate when the supply wheel rotates. The supply wheel includes a gear system or another mechanism for engaging the take-up wheel.
The take-up wheel is also rotatably mounted inside the housing of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus. The take-up wheel is operatively engaged to at least a portion of the gear teeth or gear system of supply wheel, permitting rotation of the supply wheel (and the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape) to drive rotation of the spent carrier tape take-up wheel. An adhesive dispensing roller is also rotatably mounted to the housing of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus but is positioned so that a portion of the roller is located outside the housing to provide an area of contact for the roller to contact a surface or workpiece. The adhesive segment applicator apparatus also may include a cap mounted to or removable from the housing of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus.
Preferably, the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape and adhesive dispensing system (including the supply wheel and the take-up wheel) are substantially permanently enclosed within the housing of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus, rendering the applicator disposable. In particular, the housing components are not separable once assembled so that once the adhesive on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is used, the roll is not replaceable. In these embodiments, the applicator housing and each of the components, including the supply wheel, take-up wheel and roller are constructed of an easily disposable, and most preferably recyclable, material.
The path of the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape within the applicator provides the applicator with an automatic advancement function. Indeed, once mounted the roll is mounted on to the supply wheel, the carrier tape travels, with adhesive segments facing outwardly, from the supply wheel, out of the housing and over the roller at the point where an adhesive segment or segments are dispensed to the desired object or surface. The spent carrier tape then reenters the housing and passes over the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape where it is held in place within the housing by the exposed adhesive on the remaining roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape on the supply wheel. The free end of the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is mounted to the take-up wheel, and spent carrier tape is wound thereon.
The adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention can be used to dispense adhesive to a workpiece and automatically advance the carrier tape to expose another adhesive segment to the workpiece. To operate the adhesive segment applicator, the roller containing an exposed adhesive segment, is placed in contact with the intended workpiece or application surface. The exposed adhesive segment is then applied to the intended surface by contacting the adhesive segment to the surface.
The carrier release tape is advanced by motion of the application process. In particular, the adhesive segment is applied to the surface by moving the adhesive segment applicator apparatus across it in the operational direction. This action causes the roller to rotate, and simultaneous advancement of the adhesive segments on the roll of carrier tape and winding of the spent carrier tape. More specifically, by virtue of the second surface of the spent carrier tape being held in place by the adhesive segments on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape on the supply wheel, rotation of the roller, drives the supply wheel, causing the spent carrier tape to be drawn into the housing, thereby automatically advancing the adhesive laden carrier tape. By nature of the externally exposed adhesive segments on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, the second surface of the spent carrier release tape adheres to the adhesive segments on the wound roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape on the supply wheel and is held in place. However, because the second surface of the carrier release tape has a release property different from that of the first surface the adhesive segments do not adhere to it as strongly as they do to the first surface, the carrier tape can be advanced across the wound roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape without pulling off adhesive segments from the roll.
In turn, the supply wheel drives the take-up wheel, thereby winding the spent carrier tape on to the take-up spool. Thus, an adhesive segment applicator in accordance with the present invention can be used easily to deposit a series or row of adhesive segments along a work piece surface and also wind spent carrier tape with a single motion, and using a single hand.
It may seen that the compact, handheld adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention includes a self-advancing adhesive dispensing system including an adhesive supply wheel, take-up wheel and roller that are each operatively engaged with each other to permits automatic advancement of the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape during application of an adhesive segment to a surface. In addition, it may be seen that the present invention provides a adhesive segment applicator apparatus that automatically winds the spent carrier release tape onto a roll—thereby reducing the problem of scrap carrier tape interfering with the adhesive application process.
It may also be seen that the adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention may also be configured to be compact and handheld—therefore, rendering it easy to accurately dispense adhesive using a single hand, allowing the user to stabilize the surface or workpiece with another hand (if necessary) The present invention can be disposable, such that the user may dispose of or recycle the device, rather then take the device apart for difficult or cumbersome reloading thereof.
Each implementation of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is of a construction which is both durable and long lasting, and will require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The adhesive segment applicator apparatuses of the present invention are also of inexpensive construction to enhance their market appeal and to thereby afford them the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives are achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
These and other advantages of the present invention are best understood with reference to the drawings, in which:
A preferred embodiment of an adhesive segment applicator 50 of the present invention is illustrated generally in
It will be further appreciated that any type of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape can be used in the applicator 50 of the present invention and is not limited to those shown in the figures. Carrier tapes of different widths and sizes can be used. In addition, the adhesive segments may be of any size, shape or color (including transparent), depending on the desired end-use of the applicator product. Further, it will be appreciated that the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape can be configured to dispense a single, or multiple adhesive segments at a given time, also depending on the end-use application of the applicator 50.
Preferably, however, the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape will be of the type that includes two surfaces, a first surface 51 and a second surface 53, wherein the second surface 53 of the carrier release tape has a coefficient of friction different from that of the first surface 51 so that adhesive segments do not adhere to the second surface as strongly as they do to the first surface 51. When the carrier release tape is wound into rolls, the first surface, and thus, the adhesive segments applied thereto, will be on the external surface of the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52.
Referring first to
As best illustrated in
The interior surface 70 of the rear housing portion 66 includes a plurality of outwardly projecting teeth 74 and a supply wheel mounting shaft 76 for operatively engaging the supply wheel 56. The interior surface 70 also includes a take-up wheel mounting shaft 78 for operatively engaging the take-up wheel 58, and a roller mounting shaft 80 for operatively engaging the roller 60. When the applicator 50 is assembled, each of the mounting shafts 76, 78 and 80 are configured to extend from the rear housing portion 66 to the front housing portion 64.
A plurality of locking pins 82 also project from the interior surface 70 of the side wall 68 of the rear housing portion 66. The locking pins 82 are configured to engage corresponding locking pins within the front housing portion 64 of the applicator 50 in order to retain the front and rear applicator housing portions 64 and 66, respectively, together.
Preferably, the teeth 70, each of the mounting shafts 76, 78 and 80 and the locking pins 82 are integrally formed within the interior surface 70 of the side wall 68 of the rear housing portion 66. However, the rear housing portion 66 may be constructed so that the mounting shafts 76, 78 and 80 and the locking pins 82 are secured to the inside surface 70 after it is formed. It will also be appreciated that the outside surface 72 of the rear housing portion 66 can be texturized or include gripping portions to facilitate a user's ability to grasp the applicator 50 with a single hand.
Turning now to
The interior surface 86 includes a first tubular projection or prong 90 configured to interfit and/or engage the mounting shaft 76, permitting the supply wheel 56 to be rotatably secured within the housing 62. A second tubular projection or prong 92 extending from the inside surface 86 of the front housing portion 64 is configured to interfit and/or engage take-up wheel mounting shaft 78, permitting the take-up wheel 58 to be rotatably secured within the housing 62. Likewise, a third tubular projection or prong 94 extending from the inside surface 86 is configured to interfit and/or engage the roller mounting shaft 80, permitting the roller 60 to be rotatably secured within the housing 62.
A plurality of locking pins 98 also project from the interior surface 86 of the front housing portion 64. The locking pins 98 are located within the side wall 84 so that they are aligned with and engage the locking pins 82 in the rear housing portion 66. In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the locking pins 98 and 82, respectively, are tubular and are configured so that they interfit with each other and lock together, so that the front and rear housing portions 64 and 66 cannot be easily separated once assembled.
The front and rear applicator housing portions 64 and 66 can be held together by any means known to those skilled in the art; however, it is preferable that once the front and rear housing portions 64 and 66 are assembled, the housing 62 will be difficult, if not impossible to separate, preventing the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52 from becoming unthreaded within or removed from the applicator 50. In certain other preferred embodiments, the locking pins 98 and 82 are configured so that they interfit with each other but are easily separated as well, permitting the front and rear housing portions 64 and 66 to be separated from each other for re-loading the applicator 50 with adhesive tape 52 and reassembling it.
Preferably, each of prongs 90, 92 and 94 and the locking pins 98 are integrally formed within the interior surface 86 of the side wall 84 of the front housing portion 64. However, the front housing portion 64 may be constructed so that the prongs 90, 92 and 94 and the locking pins 98 are secured to the inside surface 86 after it is formed.
As best illustrated in
Turning next to
Accordingly, the supply gear 104 includes a circular base 108 having several openings or cut-outs 116 formed therein. In between each opening 116, extension arms 117 are included, adding rigidity to the base portion 108 of the supply gear 104. The supply gear 104 further includes front and back surfaces 108 and 110, respectively, and a plurality of gear teeth 112 formed around an edge 114 thereof. The front surface 108 of the supply gear 104 includes a tubular shaft 118 with a plurality of elongated ribs 120 formed therein for securely receiving the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the tubular shaft 118 can be configured in any manner that permits the supply roll of adhesive tape to be received thereon, e.g. depending on the size and shape of the core onto which the adhesive laden carrier tape 52 is wound.
As best illustrated in
As best illustrated in
Preferably, each of the supply gear 104 and the advancement cap 106 are constructed of a single piece of material; however, they may be constructed of multiple pieces and assembled together, as will be well known to those skilled in the art.
Turning, next to
The front surface 148 of the take-up gear 140 includes a tubular shaft 156 with a plurality of elongated, space-apart ribs 158 extending radially therefrom. The take-up gear 140 also includes a plurality of fingers 160 extending outwardly from the front surface 148 of the base 144. Each finger 160 is formed between two of the ribs located on the tubular shaft 156, and are sized to provide a friction fit with the take-up spool 142. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the tubular shaft 156, ribs 158 and fingers 160 can be configured in any manner the permits the take-up spool 142 to be securely but removably secured to the take-up gear 140.
The take-up spool 142 is substantially circular including a base 164 having front and back surfaces 166 and 168, respectively. The base 164 includes an opening 170 formed therein for accommodating the take-up wheel mounting shaft 78. A tubular shaft 174 having ribs 176 formed therein extends from front surface 166 of the base 164. The diameter of the tubular shaft 174 is sized to fit around the tubular shaft 156 and ribs 158 on the take-up gear 140 thereby securing the take-up spool 142 to the take-up gear 140. The take-up spool 142 further includes at least one slot 178, located between at least one of the ribs 176 on the tubular shaft 174 for securing a free end of the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52.
Preferably, each of the take-up gear 140 and the take-up spool are constructed of a single piece of material; however, they may be constructed of multiple pieces and assembled together, as will be well known to those skilled in the art.
As best illustrated in
The roller 60 may be constructed of a silicone or rubber material to provide the appropriate coefficient of friction between the roller 60 and the carrier tape to prevent slipping or unwanted movement of the carrier tape with respect to the roller 60. Preferably, the roller 60 may be formed of or contain a soft overmolded cushion or resilient cushion around its external circumference to permit the roller 60 of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus 50 to engage non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
The adhesive segment applicator apparatus 50 may also include a cover or cap 190 that is hingedly attached to the housing 62 with a fastener 192 and/or a cap can be removably mounted or snapped on to the applicator housing 62 in order to cover the adhesive segments on the carrier tape and also to protect the roller 60.
Turning next to
Likewise, the take-up wheel 58 is rotatably mounted within the rear housing portion 66 by inserting the take-up gear 140 on to the take-up wheel mounting shaft 78, securely mounting the free end of the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52 within one of the slots 178 on the take-up spool 142 and securing it into place on the take-up gear 140.
As illustrated in
Accordingly,
Finally, after the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52 is properly threaded, the housing 62 is secured together by aligning the locking pins 82 and side edge opening 75 in the rear housing portion 66 with the locking pins 98 and side edge opening 91 in the front housing portion 64. In this way, each of the mounting shafts 76, 78 and 80 in the rear housing portion 66 will be aligned and engaged with each of the first, second and third prongs 90, 92 and 94 in the front housing portion 64. The front and rear housing portions 64 and 66 are then secured together and locked into position by pushing the housing components together. Once assembled, it can be seen that a portion of the roller 60 is outside of the housing 62 to facilitate application of the adhesive to a work-piece or surface.
In certain preferred embodiments of the present invention, the applicator 50 is configured to be disposable, i.e. the housing components are not separable once assembled so that once the adhesive on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is used, the roll is not replaceable. In these embodiments, the applicator housing 62 and each of the components, including the supply wheel, take-up wheel and roller are constructed of an easily disposable, and most preferably recyclable, material.
However, consistent with the broader aspects of the invention, and as well known to those skilled in the art, the adhesive applicator 50 can be designed to be reusable, including the ability to easily separate the housing components 64 and 66 and replace an empty roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape with a new roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape.
As illustrated in
The carrier release tape is advanced by motion of the application process. In particular, as the adhesive segment 54 is applied to a surface 200, e.g., by moving the adhesive segment applicator apparatus 50 across the surface 200 in the direction 210, the roller 60 rotates in the direction 212.
By virtue of the second surface 53 of the spent carrier tape being held in place by the adhesive segments 54 on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52 on the supply wheel 56, rotation of the roller 60, drives the supply wheel 56 in direction 216, causing the spent carrier tape to be drawn into the housing 62 in the direction 214 and advances the adhesive laden carrier tape in the direction 220. By nature of the externally exposed adhesive segments 54 on the roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52, the second surface 53 of the spent carrier release tape adheres to the adhesive segments 54 on the wound roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 54 on the supply wheel 56 and is held in place. However, because the second surface 53 of the carrier release tape has a release property different from that of the first surface 51 the adhesive segments 54 do not adhere to it as strongly as they do to the first surface 51, the carrier tape can be advanced across the wound roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 52 without pulling off adhesive segments 54 from the roll.
In turn, the supply wheel 56 drives the take-up wheel 58 in the direction 218, thereby winding the spent carrier tape on to the take-up spool 142. Thus, an adhesive segment applicator apparatus 50 in accordance with the present invention and can be used easily to deposit a series or row of adhesive segments 53 along a work piece surface 200 and also wind spent carrier tape with a single motion, and using a single hand.
Turning for the moment to
Although an exemplary embodiment of the adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention has been shown and described with reference to particular embodiments and applications thereof, it will be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that a number of changes, modifications, or alterations to the invention as described herein may be made, none of which depart from the spirit or scope of the present invention. All such changes, modifications, and alterations should therefore be seen as being within the scope of the present invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of and claims priority benefit from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/944,535, entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADVANCING THERMOPLASTIC ADHESIVE SEGMENT DISPENSING TAPE AND APPLYING ADHESIVE SEGMENTS THEREBY” filed on Sep. 17, 2004, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60528243 | Dec 2003 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10944535 | Sep 2004 | US |
| Child | 11780034 | Jul 2007 | US |
