Patent Grant
7195049
Field of the Invention—The present invention relates generally to pressure-sensitive adhesives and their application to desired surfaces, and more specifically to a mechanical handheld adhesive segment applicator apparatus for use in combination with rolls of indexed carrier release tape having pressure-sensitive adhesive segments attached thereto which may be individually dispensed using the mechanical handheld adhesive segment applicator apparatus.
Adhesives are more than just substances serving to hold materials together by surface attachment. The term “adhesive” is simplistic and explains little, but generically describes a class of “sticky” materials. Adhesives and adhesive applicators owe their innovation to the Industrial Revolution, which resulted in an explosion of technical and scientific breakthroughs. The breakthroughs of the Industrial Revolution included the introduction of new materials and ingredients for use in formulating market-specific and industry-specific adhesives. In creating novel adhesives, companies have diligently considered desirable qualities such as adhesive flexibility, toughness, minimum curing or setting time, and temperature and chemical resistance. Today, the technology and underlying science of adhesives and apparatuses for their application is the foundation for a multi-billion dollar industry with over 700 companies competing for market share. More importantly, these companies strive to create and introduce novel adhesives as well as apparatuses and methods for the simple, efficient, inexpensive, and safe application of adhesives.
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. For example, by using a heating container to melt thermoplastic adhesive and a metering pump to dispense it during the printing or collating process, a portion of thermoplastic adhesive can be metered onto the carrier document and the credit card pressed against it.
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 providing thermoplastic adhesives for application to a surface, the previously known embodiments have contemplated all of the following thermoplastic adhesive carrying media and application methods: hot-melt “glue-gun” adhesive dispensers; adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape for “by hand” adhesive application; use of a plunger-like dispensing system in combination with adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, which proves to be cumbersome and which has a limited utility of application to planar surfaces; use of a cardboard box applicator system for use in combination with adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, which is also limited in application to planar, non-recessed surfaces; and an electric automated dispensing system for use with adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, which is activated by the pressing of a palm-sized push button, and which also only allows for application of thermoplastic adhesives to unobstructed planar surfaces.
Using a “glue gun” device is an inefficient, difficult, and at times unsafe method of applying thermoplastic adhesives to a desired surface. First, the cost of using this equipment is relatively high. The apparatus and method are also inefficient consumers of both energy and glue. Specifically, the costs of the activation of such a dispenser (electrical usage, wasted glue from droppings) for only short periods of time outweigh any other potential advantages which may be realized.
Safety is also an issue. Glue-gun devices are potentially unsafe because they include a heat source to heat a quantifiable supply of adhesive material to its melting point. A major drawback of using such an instrument is that the hot, molten thermoplastic adhesive can burn untrained users, and can also melt the substrate the user is applying the glue to. Finally, application of thermoplastic adhesives from a glue-gun does not enable the thermoplastic adhesive to withstand cold temperatures or to cool to a smooth surface, but instead will typically leave “spider webs” in the dried adhesive. In short, glue-gun applicators of the prior art are inefficient, difficult, and unsafe.
Many of the shortcomings of the glue-gun instruments of the prior art were solved by U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,670 to Downs (the “'670 Patent”), which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference. However, upon further use of the technology of the '670 Patent, several shortcomings have become apparent. Specifically, while the '670 Patent discloses a method for presenting cooled adhesive segments for application to a desired surface, the application of the segments to the surface proves to be very inefficient.
The technology of the '670 Patent focuses mainly on the manufacture of a clean, unaltered carrier release tape having first and second release surfaces with different coefficients of friction, and the application thereto of adhesive segments at periodic intervals. The adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is then wound into a roll. This embodiment allows a user to apply the adhesive segments from the carrier release tape by hand. Although such an embodiment provides a highly innovative and commercially successful product, application of the adhesive segments remains inefficient and cumbersome.
Specifically, the coiled adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape must be unrolled to present a adhesive segment for application. After the adhesive segment has been applied to the desired surface, the tape must be unrolled an additional distance to ready the next adhesive segment for application. Such a method is time-consuming, and the “spent” carrier release tape must be either torn off and disposed of or left intact and in the way. Finally, dropping or uncoiling the unused roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape has also been a problem.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,442 to Downs (the “'442 Patent”), which patent is hereby incorporated herein by reference, further evolved the previously known adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape of the '670 Patent. Like the '670 Patent, the '442 Patent also contemplates a carrier release tape, which has first and second release surfaces with different coefficients of friction, and the application thereto of adhesive segments at periodic intervals. But unlike the '670 Patent, the '442 Patent contemplates a thermoplastic adhesive carrier release tape having a transverse line of slits or perforations precut across its transverse width and between the adhesive segments.
The precut tape of the '670 Patent thus allows individual portions of the carrier release tape and associated thermoplastic adhesive to be removed from the roll for manual application to a desired surface. While such an embodiment remedies the '670 Patent's problem of having a length of uncut spent carrier release tape, the carrier release tape of the '442 Patent (as well as of the '670 Patent) does not lend itself to use in combination with a more efficient dispenser for application of the adhesive segments to non-planar, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
While the '670 and '442 Patents focus primarily on the creation of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, they also contemplate use of the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape in combination with numerous dispenser apparatuses. First, a plunger-like applicator, as detailed within both the '670 and '442 Patents, proves manageable, but is limited in the type of surfaces that the thermoplastic adhesive may be applied to. Specifically, because the plunger mechanism has an attached planar foot portion, which is used to guide the placement of the adhesive segments, application of the thermoplastic adhesive segments is essentially confined to an unobstructed flat surface. Such a limitation can pose significant problems when attempting to apply thermoplastic adhesives to non-flat surfaces. It may be more practical to use the above “by hand” manual method of thermoplastic adhesive application.
Another previously known thermoplastic adhesive applicator that presents some apparent problems is the so-called box applicator. This applicator is also limited in thermoplastic adhesive application to planar surfaces. The box applicator encases a roll of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape as disclosed within the '670 and '442 Patents. When the carrier release tape is advanced from the box applicator by hand, the thermoplastic adhesive can only be applied to surfaces that are of a generally planar nature.
The adhesive segments must be pressed between the surface to be glued and the top of the cardboard box applicator to ensure adherence. This application process exposes unspent adhesive segments to dust and other debris, which may cause the adhesive segments to lose their adhesive tack and damage or soil the desired surface. Additionally, because the cardboard box thermoplastic adhesive applicator must be of a certain size to house a spool of carrier release tape, application of adhesive segments to areas that are non-flat or recessed proves to be difficult, if not impossible.
While not all previously known thermoplastic adhesive applicators are manual, even applicators that are automated present problems. For example, while automated thermoplastic adhesive applicators are more efficient than the box applicator described above, they are also more expensive. The previously known automated methods dispose of the need to manually advance the carrier release tape, but are one-of-a-kind units and thus represent a very expensive option for both the adhesive manufacturer and the end user. Automated thermoplastic adhesive applicators are also limited to thermoplastic adhesive application to generally planar surfaces. In short, their limitations are similar to those of the previously known embodiments presented above because, due to their size, they may not be positioned for the application of thermoplastic adhesive into recessed areas or onto generally non-flat surfaces.
Thus, it will be appreciated that previously known apparatuses and methods have only contemplated use of the thermoplastic adhesive laden carrier release tape taught in the '670 Patent and the '442 Patent. The drawbacks of the previously known adhesive segments and methods of applying the same have been used in the industry without any marked improvement to date. In short, the application of adhesive segments from the carrier release tape remains inefficient, overly expensive, and generally inadequate for the application of adhesive segments to non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
It is accordingly the primary objective of the present invention that it provide a handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus capable of dispensing adhesive segments from an adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape. It is a related objective of the present invention that the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus have a drive mechanism for engaging an indexing instrumentality on the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to allow it to dispense adhesive segments.
It is another objective of the present invention that the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus be adaptable to apply adhesive segments to non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces. It is a further objective of the present invention that it provide for the application of adhesive segments in a simple, efficient, safe, and automatic manner.
The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention must also be of construction which is both durable and long lasting, and it should also require little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. In order to enhance the market appeal of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention, it should also be of inexpensive construction to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, it is also an objective that all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention be achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
The disadvantages and limitations of the background art discussed above are overcome by the present invention. While the present invention takes full advantage of previously known basic technology, it also addresses all known shortcomings of the basic technology. The present invention provides a handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus which utilizes a unique, indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape.
The indexing instrumentality consists of a plurality of patterned scores, cuts, or indentations located in the surface of the carrier release tape, thereby allowing for an advancement mechanism to protrude therethrough. Adhesive segments may be pre-metered onto the carrier release tape before indexing occurs, or the indexing may occur first and the adhesive may be applied thereafter. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention provides a manner of using the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to apply adhesive segments to non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
The carrier release tape is flexible, extends longitudinally, and in the preferred embodiment can have a transverse width of approximately one inch. Additionally, it has opposed first and second release surfaces, each having a different coefficient of friction than the other. Adhesive segments are arrayed generally longitudinally along the first release surface of the carrier release tape (although they instead may be staggered if desired). While the adhesive segments are preferably circular, they may instead be of other different shapes and configurations including, but not limited to, squares, triangles, ovals, dots, other geometric figures, caricature shapes, and the like.
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 indexing and 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 handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention with which it is used, and the advancement mechanism associated therewith.
The carrier release tape has first and second sides with different coefficients of friction. The second surface has a coefficient of friction different from that of the first so that adhesive segments do not adhere to it as strongly as they do to the first surface. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention and the carrier release tape also present a number of key advantages through their use of indexing therein.
First, the indexing is used by the present invention in the carrier release tape to allow for accurate and specific placement of adhesive segments on the carrier release tape. In the preferred embodiment, the indexing is uniformly located in the carrier release tape with regard to the position of adhesive segments at specific distances between each index. Second, the indexing plays an integral role in the application of the adhesive segments from the carrier release tape. The indices are engageable by the advancement mechanism of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention, thereby facilitating advancement of the carrier release tape to present the adhesive segments to a desired surface.
The formation of the indices in the carrier release tape may occur either before or during the actual production of the individual strips of adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape. Regardless of when the carrier release tape is indexed, the indexing may be accomplished by using and one of various methods. For example, the indices may be created by the striking of a steel rule die against the carrier release tape, or, alternatively, by use of a rotary die which turns against the carrier release tape in relation to its linearly displaced cutting surface. While the above methods of cutting are already generally known, their relation to the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape and adaptation for use in the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention are novel.
The indexed patterns and embodiments of the carrier release tape may vary. One embodiment includes the creation of notches in the carrier release tape. Specifically, it is contemplated that each indexed notch consists of two angled cuts forming a wide “V” shape in the carrier release tape surface. Such angled, V-shaped cuts may be positioned near opposite sides of the carrier release tape with the points of each V facing away from each other. Thus, the open portions of each pair of indexed notches face one another across the transverse width of the carrier release tape Indexed patterns other than the notching embodiments discussed above may also be used. For example, the indexed patterns may vary in accordance with the shape and positioning of the advancement mechanism used by the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention.
Thus, the indexed patterns of the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape allows for its use with the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus is used in conjunction with the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape, which has an advancement mechanism which engages the indexed pattern of the indexed carrier release tape to advance the tape along a desired path. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus thus uses the indexed patterns of the carrier release tape to facilitate the simple, efficient, inexpensive, and safe application of adhesive segments to non-planar, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces.
A roll of the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape is inserted into the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus, which has a spool-type tape holder. The holder, and the design of the apparatus in general, ensures that the adhesive segments are protected from dust and debris until ready for application to a desired surface. The advancement mechanism of handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus interacts with the indexed notches of the carrier release tape, thereby advancing the adhesive segments on the carrier release tape to an application point from which the adhesive segments may be applied to a desired surface.
It may therefore be seen that the present invention teaches a handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus capable of dispensing adhesive segments from an adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus has a drive mechanism for engaging an indexing instrumentality on the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to allow it to dispense adhesive segments. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus is adaptable to apply adhesive segments to non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces in a simple, efficient, safe, and automatic manner.
The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is of construction which is both durable and long lasting, and which requires little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is also of inexpensive construction to enhance its market appeal and to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention 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:
The preferred embodiment of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is illustrated generally in
Referring first to
As shown in
The rotary die 60 is typically drum-shaped, with a plurality of die blades 64 attached to the rotary die 60 around its outer circumference. In an assembly-line sequence, the rotary die 60 can easily be configured to cut a continuous and uniform stream of the indexing notches 58 in the carrier release strip 52, thereby resulting in an indexed carrier release strip which is identified by the reference numeral 66. The anvil member 62 used to support the carrier release strip 52 may be made of a hard material with recesses (not shown) located therein to receive the die blades 64 on the rotary die 60, or it may be a rotating member made either of hard material with such recesses or a resilient material which will absorb the die blades 64 of the rotary die 60.
A device called a “steel rule die” may be used instead of the rotary die 60 with the die blades 64 to create indexing notches 58 in the carrier release strip 52. A steel rule die normally consists of a member of a given length to which sharpened steel blades or dies of a given shape and location are affixed. Rubber pads are cemented along the die, allowing the entire assembly to be placed on top of the stock 50 and struck to produce indexing notches 58 in the carrier release strip 52. It will be appreciated that the construction and operation of the rotary die 60 with the die blades 64 and the anvil member 62 as well as alternate mechanisms for cutting the indexing notches 58 are well known to those skilled in the art.
Note that two laterally adjacent pairs of indexing notches 58 are placed in the carrier release strip 52. This is because the operation illustrated in
After having the indexing notches 58 cut into the carrier release strip 52, the indexed carrier release strip 66 passes through, and is tensioned by, a pair of opposing rollers 68 and 70. The opposing rollers 68 and 70 ensure that the indexed carrier release strip 66 remains taut during the metering of molten adhesive material thereupon. Once the indexed carrier release strip 66 enters the adhesive metering stage, a very precise servo-driven motor (not shown) signals two dispensing nozzles 72 to administer molten adhesive segments 74 of adhesive material upon the first surface 54 of the indexed carrier release strip 66 at locations which are precisely located and spaced at precise intervals, thereby creating an indexed, adhesive segment-laden carrier release strip which is identified by the reference numeral 76. The adhesive material used is preferably a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive material, although other types of adhesive and methods of applying it could instead be used. In the embodiment illustrated herein, two laterally adjacent rows of molten adhesive segments 74 have been placed upon the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release strip 76, since two rolls of indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape are being made in the manufacturing operation illustrated herein.
The molten adhesive segments 74 are dispensed at extremely accurate intervals, thereby ensuring precise placement with respect to each lateral pair of indexing notches 58 on the indexed carrier release strip 66. Alternatively, although not illustrated in
After metering the molten adhesive segments 74 onto the indexed carrier release strip 66, the indexed, adhesive segment-laden carrier release strip 76 advances to the individual tape strip formation stage. Here, a cutter 78 is used to slit the indexed, adhesive segment-laden carrier release strip 76 into two individual strips of indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape which are each identified by the reference numeral 80. It will, of course be appreciated by those skilled in the art that a single individual strip or more than two strips could instead be made with
In addition to applying the molten adhesive segments 74 to the indexed carrier release strip 66 and using the cutter 78 to separate the indexed, adhesive segment-laden carrier release strip 76 into the two indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tapes 80, the molten adhesive segments 74 on the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tapes 80 must be formed into dispensable adhesive segments, typically by flattening the molten adhesive segments 74 before they cool. The molten adhesive segments 74 may be flattened into dispensable adhesive segments in a variety of ways.
First, as illustrated in
While not illustrated in
Referring now to
Referring now to
It may be seen that the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80 is wound onto a hollow cylindrical core 90, which may be, for example, made of cardboard or the like. The inside of the core 90 has two identically-shaped orientation facilitating segments 92 and 94 mounted therein. The orientation facilitating segments 92 and 94 will be used to facilitate the installation of the tape roll 82 onto a supply spool (to be discussed below in conjunction with
While a notch design as taught by the present invention is preferred, other patterns may instead be used so long as they are capable of providing a mechanism to allow the carrier release strip 52 to mate with an advancement mechanism of a desired adhesive segment applicator apparatus (not shown in
The dispensable adhesive segments 84 are in the preferred embodiment a hot melt thermoplastic adhesive. They may come in various “tack” levels, or degrees of stickiness, such as low tack, medium tack, high tack, and super high tack. In addition, the dispensable adhesive segments 84 may also come in various thicknesses, such as, for example, low (approximately one-sixty-fourth of an inch thick), medium (approximately one-sixteenth of an inch thick), and high (approximately one-eighth of an inch thick). They may also come in various shapes, such as the circular shape illustrated in
Referring next to
Referring first to the central portion of the right housing member 100, a cylindrical mounting post 102 (which will support a circular feed member to be discussed below in conjunction with
Located in front of the pivot post 106 is a tape guide 108 which also extends orthogonally from the interior of the right housing member 100. The tape guide 108 is slightly curved and communicates with the edge rear of a notch 110 in the bottom of the central area of the right housing member 100. The notch 110 is where waste carrier release tape (not shown in
Located near the rear of the central portion of the right housing member 100 above and to the rear of where the circular feed member mounted on the mounting post 102 will be installed is a tape guide surface 114 which will support carrier release tape (not shown in
Located in the central and forward portions of the right housing member 100 intermediate the tape guide surface 114 and the C-shaped tape guide surface 116 are two spaced-apart guide members 118 and 120 which extend orthogonally from the interior of the right housing member 100. The guide member 118 is located above the guide member 120, with the guide members 118 and 120 defining a channel for an edge of the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80 (not shown in
Located intermediate the front and central portions of the right housing member 100 above and to the rear of where the circular feed member mounted on the mounting post 102 will be installed is a U-shaped tape guide surface 122. The U-shaped tape guide surface 122 extends orthogonally from the interior of the right housing member 100. Located intermediate the bottom surfaces of the C-shaped tape guide surface 116 and the U-shaped tape guide surface 122 is a support post 124 which extends orthogonally from the interior of the right housing member 100. The support post 124 will be used to mount another element of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus which will be discussed below in conjunction with
Mounted on the C-shaped tape guide surface 116 at the front thereof is a thin foam strip 126 which will act as a cushion on the nose of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus. The foam strip 126 is made of a foam strip with a nonstick surface. In the preferred embodiment, this foam strip 126 can be between one-sixteenth of an inch thick and one-half of an inch thick, with a one-eighth inch thickness being preferred. Also in the preferred embodiment, the nonstick surface is provided by a thin (10 mil thick) strip of tape made of a durable material having a very low coefficient of friction such as, for example, a fluoropolymer such as polytetrafluoroethylene (“PTFE”), such as the material marketed by DuPont under the trademark TEFLON, the strip of tape being adhesively secured to the outwardly facing surface of the foam strip 126. Alternatively, ultra-high molecular weight (“UHMW”) polyethylene could be used instead of PTFE. This nonstick surface minimizes the drag that is created when the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80 (not shown in
Located in the center of the circular rearward portion of the right housing member 100 is a square aperture 128 which will be used to mount the tape roll 82 (not shown in
The lower portion of the right housing member 100 includes a right handle half 134 at the rear of the lower portion of the right housing member 100. An L-shaped right trigger guard half 136 extends from the bottom of the right handle half 134 and forwardly, and then upwardly to a location intermediate the central and forward portions of the right housing member 100 at the bottoms thereof. Located in the interior of the right trigger guard half 136 at the intersection of the base of the “L” and the leg of the “L” is a screw hole 138. Located in the interior of the right handle half 134 near the bottom and rear thereof is a screw hole 140.
Located in the interior of the right handle half 134 and extending orthogonally therefrom is a pivot post 142, which will be used to mount an actuator (which will be discussed below in conjunction with
Turning now to
The housing door member 150 has a large aperture 154 located in the center of the circular rearward portion thereof which large aperture 154 will be aligned with the square aperture 128 in the right housing member 100 when the housing door member 150 is closed. The large aperture 154 will be used to access a mechanism (which will be discussed below in conjunction with
Located near the top of the housing door member 150 intermediate the central and rearward portions thereof is an aperture 158 which may be used to allow the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus to be hung on a hook or the like for storage purposes, or to allow the weight of the device to be supported by a tool balancer. When the housing door member 150 is closed, the aperture 158 in the housing door member 150 will be aligned with the aperture 130 in the right housing member 100. Located on the bottom of the central portion of the housing door member 150 is a latching member 160. When the housing door member 150 is closed on the right housing member 100, the latching member 160 will cooperate with the latching member 146 on the right housing member 100 (best shown in
Located in the central and forward portions of the housing door member 150 are two spaced-apart guide members 162 and 164 which extend orthogonally from the interior of the housing door member 150. The guide member 162 is located above the guide member 164, with the guide members 162 and 164 being aligned with the guide members 118 and 120, respectively, in the right housing member 100 (shown in
Referring next to
Located in the handle housing member 170 at the intersection of the base of the “L” and the leg of the “L” is a screw hole 178. Located in the handle housing member 170 near the bottom and rear thereof is a screw hole 180. When the handle housing member 170 is mounted onto the lower portion of the right housing member 100 (shown in
Extending upwardly from the arcuate segment 176 above the front of the left handle half 172 is a retaining flange 182. The retaining flange 182 will retain a circular feed member (to be discussed below in conjunction with
Located at the distal end of the retaining flange 182 is a retaining latch 188 which will be used to retain a feed mechanism member (which will be discussed below in conjunction with
Referring now to
Mounted on the outer diameter of the cylindrical drive wheel 206 in a spaced-apart relationship are two annular ridges 208 and 210 which extend radially outwardly from the outer surface of the cylindrical drive wheel 206. The annular ridges 208 and 210 are each spaced away from an edge of the cylindrical drive wheel 206. Extending radially outwardly from the respective edges of the cylindrical drive wheel 206 are annular flanges 212 and 214. The annular flanges 212 and 214 extend outwardly further from the outer surface of the cylindrical drive wheel 206 than do the annular ridges 208 and 210.
Mounted on each of the annular ridges 208 and 210 are a plurality of angled teeth 216 arranged in laterally adjacent pairs around the periphery of annular ridges 208 and 210. The teeth 216 extend outwardly from the annular ridges 208 and 210. The spacing between annular ridges 208 and 210 and each laterally adjacent pair of teeth 216 is identical to the spacing between laterally adjacent pairs of the indexing notches 58 on the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80 (shown in
The size and configuration of the teeth 216 are designed to fit into the indexing notches 58 in the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 380 to allow the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 380 to be moved by using the tape feed wheel 200. The annular flanges 212 and 214 are spaced apart sufficiently to comfortable accommodate the width of the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 380. In addition, the annular ridges 208 and 210 are spaced intermediate the annular flanges 212 and 214 to allow the tape feed weel 200 to fully engage a portion of the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 380 which is partially wrapped around the tape feed wheel 200.
Extending from the side of the tape feed wheel 200 from which the annular flange 212 extends is an annular series of drive teeth 218. The drive teeth 218 are designed to turn the tape feed wheel 200 in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the side of the tape feed wheel 200 upon which the drive teeth 218 are mounted). The drive teeth 218 are indexed to the adjacent pairs of the teeth 216, meaning that there are the same number of drive teeth 218 as there are adjacent pairs of teeth 216. The drive teeth 218 include a series of ramps therebetween, extending from the base of the previous tooth 216 to the top of the next tooth 216. Thus, the teeth 216 each extend in a radially outwardly direction, with ramps therebetween.
Turning next to
Located on the back side of the pawl gear 220 is a drive pawl 228 which is mounted on the inside of the disc 222. The drive pawl 228 has one end thereof mounted on an arcuate flange 230, which extends orthogonally from the inside of the disc 222 at the outer edge thereof, adjacent several of the teeth 226. The drive pawl 228 extends at an angle approximately orthogonal to a radius of the pawl gear 220, and is sufficiently thin to allow it to flex. The disc 222 has an aperture 232 located therein surrounding the drive pawl 228 (as best shown in
Turning now to
Moving next to
The side walls of the trigger housing 252 have corresponding apertures 256 and 258 located near the bottom thereof which apertures 256 and 258 will be used to pivotally mount the trigger member 250 (as will become evident below in conjunction with a discussion of
The teeth 264 on the trigger member 250 will engage the teeth 226 on the pawl gear 220 (best shown in
Turning now to
The cylindrical housing 274 has a longitudinally oriented slot 282 located therein which communicates with the bottom end of the cylindrical housing 274. Located on the outside surface of the cylindrical housing 278 near the top end thereof is an outwardly extending projection 284 which will fit into the slot 282 in the cylindrical housing 274 in a sliding relationship. The projection 284 in the upper spring housing member 270 and the slot 282 in the lower spring housing member 272 ensure that the rounded bearing end 276 on the upper spring housing member 270 and the rounded bearing end 280 on the lower spring housing member 272 will be aligned with respect to each other. A spring (not shown in
Moving next to
Located on the opposite sides of the arcuate surface 294 are inwardly-extending flanges 296 and 298. The width of the arcuate surface 294 is sufficient to accommodate the tape feed wheel 200, with the flanges 296 and 298 outlying the annular flanges 212 and 214 on the annular ridge 210 (best shown in
Moving now to
Extending from the topmost edge of the curved surface 312 are three scrapping blades which are spaced slightly apart. A wider scraping blade 316 is located in the middle, and is flanked by two narrower scraping blades 318 and 320. The scraping blades 316, 318, and 320 will contact the cylindrical drive wheel 206 of the tape feed wheel 200 (best shown in
Turning next to
Moving now to
Turning next to
The geared spacer 240 is installed onto the right side of the tape feed wheel 200 (the side opposite the drive teeth 218), with the geared spacer 240 being mounted on the cylindrical hub 202. The cylindrical segment 244 on the geared spacer 240 (shown in
The pawl cuff member 290 is then installed by mounting it on the pivot post 106 in the right housing member 100 (the pivot post 106 extends through the cylindrical mounting segment 292 in the pawl cuff member 290). It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the pawl cuff member 290 can pivot such that the arcuate surface 294 of the pawl cuff member 290 (best shown in
The trigger member 250 is mounted on the pivot post 142 in the right housing member 100 with the pivot post 142 extending through the aperture 258 and the aperture 256 in the trigger member 250. The teeth 266 of the trigger member 250 (best shown in
One end of a trigger spring 360 is inserted into the cylindrical housing 278 of the lower spring housing member 272 (shown in
The handle housing member 170 is installed onto the right housing member 100, with the mounting post 184 extending into the cylindrical hub 202 of the tape feed wheel 200 (best shown in
Three screws 362 are used to retain the handle housing member 170 on the right housing member 100: a first screw 362 extending through the screw hole 186 in the handle housing member 170 (best shown in
Referring for the moment to
Referring again to
The housing door member 150 is mounted onto the right housing member 100 by attaching the left hinge half 152 on the housing door member 150 to the right hinge half 132 on the right housing member 100. It will be appreciated that the housing door member 150 will open on the right housing member 100 by swinging upwardly. The latching member 160 on the bottom of the housing door member 150 (best shown in
A tape roll 82 can be installed on the supply spool 330, with the orientation facilitating segments 92 and 94 on the core 90 (shown in
Referring next to
The dispensable adhesive segments 84 are dispensed from the forwardmost portion of the C-shaped tape guide surface 116, with the foam strip 126 facilitating the dispensing of the dispensable adhesive segments 84. Following removal of the dispensable adhesive segments 84 from the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80, it will be referred to herein as spent carrier release tape 380. The spent carrier release tape 380 moves over the adhesive segment collecting roller 350, and under the U-shaped tape guide surface 122. If any dispensable adhesive segments 84 remain on the spent carrier release tape 380, they will be collected by the adhesive segment collecting roller 350, which has a higher adhesion to the dispensable adhesive segments 84 than does the spent carrier release tape 380.
The spent carrier release tape 380 moves up the back side of the U-shaped tape guide surface 122 and onto the tape feed wheel 200, where the teeth 216 of the tape feed wheel 200 (best shown in
Referring now to
Referring next to
Referring now to
The functions of the pawl 228 (on the pawl gear 220) and the pawl 300 (on the pawl cuff member 290) are readily apparent as they both interact with the drive teeth 218 on the tape feed wheel 200 as it rotates. The retaining pawl 300 acts to prevent rotation of the tape feed wheel 200 in a counterclockwise direction (again when viewed from the left side). The drive pawl 228 acts to rotate the tape feed wheel 200 in a clockwise direction.
Thus, when the trigger member 250 moves from the first position to the second position, it cannot cause the pawl gear 220 to move counterclockwise (again as viewed from the left side), since the retaining pawl 300 is in contact with a tooth 218 and will not permit counterclockwise rotation of the tape feed wheel 200 (again as viewed from the left side) Instead, the drive pawl 228 will move from one drive tooth 218 on the tape feed wheel 200 to the next drive tooth 218.
However, as the trigger member 250 returns from its second position to its first position, the drive pawl 228 will cause the tape feed wheel 200 to rotate in a clockwise direction (again as viewed from the left side). As the tape feed wheel 200 turns clockwise (again as viewed from the left side), the retaining pawl 300 will allow it to do so, with the retaining pawl 300 slipping from one tooth 218 to the next tooth 218.
Each time the trigger member 250 is squeezed and then released, the tape feed wheel 200 will be advanced by one tooth 218. This pulls the indexed adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape 80 (best shown in
This operation of the feed mechanism is shown in detail in
Referring next to
Moving now to
Turning next to
It may therefore be seen that the present invention teaches a handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus capable of dispensing adhesive segments from an adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus has a drive mechanism for engaging an indexing instrumentality on the adhesive segment-laden carrier release tape to allow it to dispense adhesive segments. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus is adaptable to apply adhesive segments to non-flat, recessed, difficult to reach, or unstable surfaces in a simple, efficient, safe, and automatic manner.
The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is of construction which is both durable and long lasting, and which requires little or no maintenance to be provided by the user throughout its operating lifetime. The handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention is also of inexpensive construction to enhance its market appeal and to thereby afford it the broadest possible market. Finally, all of the aforesaid advantages and objectives of the handheld mechanical adhesive segment applicator apparatus of the present invention are achieved without incurring any substantial relative disadvantage.
This patent application is a continuation in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/125,012, filed on Apr. 18, 2002 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,686,016, entitled “Thermoplastic Adhesive Dispensing Method and Apparatus,” and is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/998,950, filed on Nov. 15, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,640,864, entitled “Thermoplastic Adhesive Dispensing Method and Apparatus,” both of which are continuations of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/363,200, filed on Jul. 29, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,319,442, entitled Process of Making a Thermoplastic Adhesive Dispensing Tape, which is in turn a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/909,189, filed on Aug. 11, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,935,670, entitled “Thermoplastic Adhesive Dispensing Method and Apparatus,” which is in turn based upon U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/036,896, filed on Feb. 6, 1997, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present invention, and all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to concurrently filed, commonly assigned, copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/360,457, entitled “Roll of Adhesive Segments for Use in an Adhesive Segment Applicator Apparatus and Method of Making the Same,” which patent application is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2276297 | Flood | Mar 1942 | A |
| 2373092 | Avery | Apr 1945 | A |
| 2754994 | Cole | Jul 1956 | A |
| 2838171 | Kaspar | Jun 1958 | A |
| 2912140 | Cole | Nov 1959 | A |
| 3066881 | Krueger | Dec 1962 | A |
| 3225916 | Field et al. | Dec 1965 | A |
| 3239403 | Williams et al. | Mar 1966 | A |
| 3267623 | Block | Aug 1966 | A |
| 3308002 | Bremer et al. | Mar 1967 | A |
| 3464883 | Moline et al. | Sep 1969 | A |
| 3567148 | Ottavan | Mar 1971 | A |
| 3582438 | Harbour | Jun 1971 | A |
| 3595204 | McIntyre et al. | Jul 1971 | A |
| 3619324 | Sato et al. | Nov 1971 | A |
| 3736281 | Russell | May 1973 | A |
| 3741786 | Torrey | Jun 1973 | A |
| 3881041 | Glienke | Apr 1975 | A |
| 3969181 | Seabold | Jul 1976 | A |
| 3997702 | Schurb et al. | Dec 1976 | A |
| 4002794 | Schwarcz | Jan 1977 | A |
| 4100852 | Hamisch, Jr. | Jul 1978 | A |
| 4116746 | Hamisch, Jr. | Sep 1978 | A |
| 4211805 | Chamberlin | Jul 1980 | A |
| 4272311 | D'Angelo et al. | Jun 1981 | A |
| 4294357 | Stevens et al. | Oct 1981 | A |
| 4387831 | McNally | Jun 1983 | A |
| 4440830 | Wempe | Apr 1984 | A |
| 4452667 | Chang | Jun 1984 | A |
| 4508588 | Parrish | Apr 1985 | A |
| 4537934 | Fock et al. | Aug 1985 | A |
| 4560087 | Sato et al. | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4562102 | Rabuse et al. | Dec 1985 | A |
| 4699685 | Sato | Oct 1987 | A |
| 4718971 | Summers | Jan 1988 | A |
| 4804437 | Tirtoprodjo et al. | Feb 1989 | A |
| 4820446 | Prud'Homme | Apr 1989 | A |
| 4822687 | Kessel et al. | Apr 1989 | A |
| 4959008 | Wasulko | Sep 1990 | A |
| 4961804 | Aurichio | Oct 1990 | A |
| 4965113 | Jones et al. | Oct 1990 | A |
| 4977006 | Smith et al. | Dec 1990 | A |
| 5045145 | Becker | Sep 1991 | A |
| 5049434 | Wasulko | Sep 1991 | A |
| 5202169 | Spendlove | Apr 1993 | A |
| 5254206 | Wing | Oct 1993 | A |
| 5316613 | Samuelson et al. | May 1994 | A |
| 5344681 | Calhoun et al. | Sep 1994 | A |
| 5456792 | Rodriguez et al. | Oct 1995 | A |
| 5489453 | Friesch | Feb 1996 | A |
| 5683545 | Goodwin et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
| 5685944 | Nose et al. | Nov 1997 | A |
| 5779852 | Haney et al. | Jul 1998 | A |
| 5875715 | Hamisch, Jr. et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
| 5906443 | Goodwin et al. | May 1999 | A |
| 5910227 | Mistyurik et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
| 5934189 | Mistyurik et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
| 5935670 | Downs | Aug 1999 | A |
| 5988249 | Mistyurik et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
| 6102098 | Randazzo | Aug 2000 | A |
| 6171439 | Groeneweg | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| 6206072 | Orihara et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
| 6230780 | Rietheimer | May 2001 | B1 |
| 6280565 | Underwood | Aug 2001 | B1 |
| 6319442 | Downs | Nov 2001 | B1 |
| 6363990 | Kozaki | Apr 2002 | B1 |
| 6433055 | Kleyer et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
| 6439289 | Schlotthauer | Aug 2002 | B1 |
| 6640864 | Downs | Nov 2003 | B2 |
| 6686016 | Downs | Feb 2004 | B2 |
| 20020059984 | Goodwin et al. | May 2002 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 4319023 | Sep 1994 | DE |
| 20210691 | Sep 2002 | DE |
| 0609826 | Aug 1994 | EP |
| 0619189 | Oct 1994 | EP |
| 0619189 | Oct 1994 | EP |
| 1233046 | Aug 2002 | EP |
| 1445226 | Sep 2004 | EP |
| 2361442 | Oct 2001 | GB |
| 2397258 | Jul 2004 | GB |
| 2011684 | Jan 1990 | JP |
| 2001 018586 | Jan 2001 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20030116284 A1 | Jun 2003 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60036896 | Feb 1997 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 09363200 | Jul 1999 | US |
| Child | 09998950 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10125012 | Apr 2002 | US |
| Child | 10360395 | US | |
| Parent | 09998950 | Nov 2001 | US |
| Child | 10125012 | US | |
| Parent | 08909189 | Aug 1997 | US |
| Child | 09363200 | US |
