Patent Application
20250033078
The present disclosure relates generally to the field of viscous material applicators and, more specifically, to an applicator configured to engage with an opening in a workpiece and is configured to rotate to spread the viscous material along the surface of the workpiece.
There are many manufacturing and assembly procedures that include applying a viscous material to a surface of a workpiece in proximity to an opening.
During the application, the viscous material 110 should be applied in proximity to the opening 101 without being applied into the opening 101. One current method uses masks that extend over the opening 101 and are attached to the surface of the workpiece 100. However, masks are difficult to properly size as they may be too small and allow for adhesive to enter into the opening 101, or too large and prevent the adhesive from being applied in close proximity to the opening 101. Another issue with masks is the difficulty in securely attaching the masks to the surface such that the adhesive does not migrate underneath the mask and into the opening 101. If the mask is securely attached to prevent adhesive migration, it can be difficult to remove from the surface after application of the viscous material 110.
Another issue with existing processes is applying a consistent amount of viscous material 110 around the opening 101. Uneven application can result in voids without an adequate amount of viscous material 110 or an excess of viscous material that can make subsequent steps in the process difficult.
One aspect is directed to an applicator to spread a viscous material around an opening in a workpiece. The applicator comprises: a body comprising a first end, a second end that opposes the first end, and a flange positioned between the first end and the second end; and an arm that is connected to and extends radially outward from the body with the arm comprising a bottom side, a top side, a front side wall and a back side wall that each extend between the bottom side and the top side, a first corner with a first radius that extends between the bottom side and the front side wall, and a second corner with a second radius that extends between the bottom side and the back side wall.
In another aspect, the flange comprises a bottom side configured to contact against the workpiece when the first end is inserted into the opening and wherein the bottom side of the arm is spaced upward from the bottom side of the flange along a centerline of the body.
In another aspect, a top side of the flange is aligned with the top side of the arm and both of the top side of the flange and the top side of the arm are flat.
In another aspect, the bottom side of the arm is flat.
In another aspect, the body comprises a cylindrical shape with a central opening that extends through the body from the first end to the second end.
In another aspect, the arm is a first arm and further comprising one or more additional arms that are connected to and extend radially outward from the body with the additional arms comprising a bottom side, a top side, a front side wall, and a back side wall.
In another aspect, the body comprises: a retainer at the first end; a core at the second end; and with the flange positioned between the retainer and the core and with the flange comprising a larger outer diameter than the retainer and the core.
In another aspect, one or more wings extends outward from the core between the flange and the second end with the one or more wings forming a handle and having a smaller length than the arm.
One aspect is directed to an applicator to spread a viscous material around an opening in a workpiece. The applicator comprises a retainer configured to be inserted into the opening; a core comprising one or more wings that form a handle; a flange positioned between the retainer and the core with the flange extending radially outward beyond the retainer and the core. The flange comprises a bottom side that faces towards the retainer and is configured to contact against the workpiece when the retainer is inserted into the opening. One or more arms extend radially outward from the flange with the one or more arms comprising a bottom side that faces towards the retainer. The bottom side of the one or more arms is spaced axially upward from the bottom side of the flange to be spaced away from the workpiece when the retainer is inserted into the opening and the bottom side of the flange contacts against the workpiece.
In another aspect, the one or more arms further comprise: a front side wall; a back side wall; a first corner with a first radius that extends between the bottom side and the front side wall; and a second corner with a second radius that extends between the bottom side and the back side wall.
In another aspect, the first radius and the second radius are equal.
In another aspect, one or more wings extend radially outward from the core and form a handle with the one or more wings having a length that is less than the one or more arms.
In another aspect, the retainer, the core, the flange, and the arm are solid and have a unitary one-piece construction.
In another aspect, a central opening extends through each of the flange, the core, and the retainer.
In another aspect, the bottom side of the one or more arms is flat.
One aspect is directed to a method of spreading a viscous material around an opening in a workpiece. The method comprises: inserting a first end of a body into the opening; contacting a bottom side of a flange on the body against a surface of the workpiece; spacing a bottom side of an arm that extends from the body above the surface of the workpiece; rotating the body and moving the arm around a centerline of the body; and contacting the viscous material with the arm and moving the viscous material into a gap formed between the bottom side of the arm and the surface of the workpiece.
In another aspect, the method further comprises contacting the viscous material against a flat side wall of the arm and then along a radiused corner of the arm and then into the gap.
In another aspect, the method further comprises contacting the bottom side of the flange that is flat against the surface of the workpiece and preventing the viscous material from migrating under the flange while rotating the body.
In another aspect, the method further comprises rotating the body in an opposing direction and spreading the viscous material and contacting the viscous material with an second side wall of the arm and into the gap formed between the bottom side of the arm and the surface of the workpiece.
In another aspect, the method further comprises spreading the viscous material in a circle around the opening.
The features, functions and advantages that have been discussed can be achieved independently in various aspects or may be combined in yet other aspects, further details of which can be seen with reference to the following description and the drawings.
The applicator 10 can be used on a variety of different viscous materials 110. The viscous materials 110 are characterized by having a high resistance to flow. Examples include but are not limited to adhesives, lubricants, and caulks.
As more specifically shown in
In some examples, the body 11 has a cylindrical shape with a central opening 16. A centerline C extends through the central opening 16. Each of the flange 20, core 30, and retainer 40 are colinear and aligned along the centerline C. In some examples, the applicator 10 does not include a central opening 16 as one or more of the flange 20, core, 30, and retainer 40 are solid.
The flange 20 includes a bottom side 21 and a top side 22. A side wall 23 extends between the bottom side 21 and the top side 22. The flange 20 can include a variety of different sectional shapes, including but not limited to circular, polygonal, and oval. In one example as illustrated in
One or more arms 50 extend radially outward from the body 11. In one example as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The radiused corners 55, 56 facilitate distributing the viscous material 110. When the applicator 10 is rotated in a first direction indicated by arrow A, the viscous material 110 contacts against the side wall 53. The radiused corner 55 provides for the viscous material 110 to move underneath the arm 50 and along the bottom side 51. Likewise when the applicator 10 is rotated in a second direction indicated by arrow B, the viscous material 110 contacts against the side wall 54. The radiused corner 56 facilitates movement of the viscous material 110 underneath the arm 50 and along the bottom side 51. The gap G formed between the bottom side 51 and the surface of the workpiece 100 provides for a uniform amount of the viscous material 110 to be deposited on the surface of the workpiece 100. In some examples, the bottom side 51 is flat providing for a uniform distribution of the viscous material.
The core 30 extends axially upward from the flange 20. The core 30 is configured to be contacted by a user to apply a rotating force to the applicator 10. In some examples, the core 30 includes one or more wings 31 that extend radially outward from a central section. The wings 31 form a handle for grasping by a user. The wings 31 include a length that is less than the length of the arm 50.
In some examples, the rotation of the body 11 and contact of the arm 50 evenly spreads the viscous material 110 along the surface of the workpiece 100 and around the opening 101. The flange 20 contacts against the surface of the workpiece 100 and prevents the viscous material 110 from migrating inward towards the opening 101 during rotation. This provides for the viscous material 110 to be evenly spread around the opening and a predetermined distance radially away from the opening 101.
In some examples, the viscous material 110 is placed on the workpiece 100 prior to inserting the applicator 10 into the opening 101. In other examples, the viscous material 110 is placed on the workpiece 100 after insertion.
The present invention may be carried out in other ways than those specifically set forth herein without departing from essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.
