Coating implements with material supply – Including tool with blade-like – pad-like – or apertured... – Apertured tool
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-01-30
Walczak, David J. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Including tool with blade-like, pad-like, or apertured...
Apertured tool
C401S265000, C222S567000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179506
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a caulking accessory for use with a caulking cartridge and caulking gun, the accessory being particularly adapted for sealing cracks in concrete or other surfaces.
A caulking cartridge for use with a conventional caulking gun comprises a cylindrical tube containing a plastic sealant material, and a nozzle or spout extending axially from an end face of the tube. For normal use the caulking cartridge is inserted into the caulking gun, and the nozzle is cut obliquely at an appropriate location to provide an obliquely cut tip of a size sufficient to produce a sealant bead of a desired size for the crack or cavity to be filled. This simple approach has many limitations and there are many patents disclosing devices which cooperate with the conventional caulking cartridge nozzle to simplify application of the sealant, and/or to improve the resulting application of sealant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,017,113 (Heaton et al.) discloses a filleting attachment for a conventional caulking gun for use in corners. The nozzle of the conventional cartridge is cut and then inserted in a complementary tapered nozzle of the attachment to discharge sealant into the attachment. The attachment has an integrally moulded triangular shaped plate as a distal end thereof which engages walls of a 90 degree corner so as to guide the nozzle and simultaneously to shape the bead of sealant discharged from the nozzle. The attachment has a simple annular end flange for fitting between a generally annular end flange of the conventional caulking gun and an end face of the caulking cartridge.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,081 (Jacobson) discloses an applicator for a sealant cartridge having a discharge nozzle with a semi-cylindrical tubular portion disposed perpendicularly to a distal end of the nozzle. The tubular portion has an open end to discharge excess sealant therethrough to provide a flow indicator ensuring adequate filling of the crack. The applicator is screw-threaded onto a sleeve extending from the outer face of the cartridge, and thus is specifically adapted for use with a cartridge having complementary threads or an interference fit, or other means of securing the applicator to the opening of the sealant cartridge.
The nozzles of common, conventional sealant cartridges are generally similar in size and taper, and thus many of the applicators or accessories designed to be used with such cartridges tend to rely on an interference fit between the applicator or accessory and the cartridge nozzle. It is often difficult to maintain an adequate seal using an interference fit, and thus inadvertent sealant leakage can occur between the nozzle and the applicator, especially if higher sealant pressure than normal is attained. Also, to attain adequate penetration of sealant into deep cracks, is advantageous to generate high sealing pressures, but these higher pressures cannot be attained if excessive leakage occurs between the nozzle and the applicator. Also, some prior art caulking accessories are attached to the caulking gun and cartridge in a relatively loose manner which can result in inadvertent displacement between the accessory and nozzle, further aggravating sealant loss. Also, sealant can inadvertently leak between a rough surface with the crack and the applicator
Thus there is a need for a caulking applicator or accessory which can be used with conventional caulking guns and cartridges, and that provides an adequate seal with the cartridge nozzle to permit attainment of relatively high pressures for injecting sealant into relatively deep cracks.
In contrast with the two patents disclosed above which disclose devices for conventional, relatively small size caulking cartridges, U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,862 (Matsufuru) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,949 (Lai) both disclose sealant applicators for use with larger, industrial-sized sealant containers which commonly use an injector to discharge sealant under relatively high pressure into the applicator for subsequent injection into a crack. A distal portion of the application in both these devices has a flat flange adapted to contact the surface containing the crack, the flange enclosing the crack so as to limit discharge of sealant from the crack until the crack has been substantially filled. Both these devices are relatively complex and require specialized equipment and would not be appropriate for use with conventional caulking guns and cartridges.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention reduces the difficulties and disadvantages of the prior art by providing a simple, caulking device which can be manufactured using conventional plastic injection die technology for a relatively low cost and is easily adaptable to the conventional caulking gun and cartridge. The device provides a secure and simple means for attachment to the caulking gun and cartridge, thus reducing relative movement therebetween. In addition, the device has a novel seal which cooperates with the caulking cartridge nozzle in such a way that as sealant pressure increases, the seal engages the nozzle more tightly, thus enhancing sealing. The device cooperates with most commercially available caulking guns and cartridges and can generate relatively high pressures for injection into relatively large cracks, particularly those found in concrete, building surfaces, etc. The previously described inadvertent loss of sealant between the nozzle and many prior art devices is thus reduced considerably, or essentially eliminated, thus reducing waste and permitting improved penetration of the sealant into the crack in view of the relatively high delivery pressure. In addition, there are two embodiments of the device that are for use on flat surfaces, or surfaces which intersect at a corner. The present device can also accommodate relatively rough surfaces so that the prior art inadvertent leakage of sealant between the device and the rough surface is also reduced.
A caulking device according to the invention is for use with a caulking gun and comprises a body, a blocking portion and a connecting portion. In a first embodiment of the device, the body has distal and proximal end portions, and a body opening extending between the end portions, the body opening being cooperable with a nozzle of a caulking cartridge. The blocking portion is located adjacent the distal end portion of the body, communicates with the body opening, and has a blocking surface cooperable with the surface to be sealed. The connecting portion is located adjacent the proximal end portion of the body and has a pair of moveable arms. The arms are located on opposite sides of the body opening and are cooperable with the caulking gun and caulking cartridge so as to be retained on the gun.
Preferably, the body opening has an opening axis, an opening sidewall and an annular flange with a flexible flange lip, the annular flange extending inwardly from the opening sidewall to the lip. The lip has a size and flexibility sufficient to cooperate with the nozzle of the caulking cartridge to form a seal therewith. Preferably, the arms of the connecting portion are hinged to the body to permit movement relative thereto between operable and inoperable positions. The arms are hinged with respect to the body about respective hinges which are disposed parallel to each other, the hinges having respective hinge axes which are parallel to each other and disposed generally perpendicularly to the opening axis.
Preferably, each arm has a distal arm portion, a proximal arm portion and an intermediate arm portion. The distal arm portion cooperates with a caulking cartridge and the caulking gun and the proximal arm portion cooperates with the hinge. The intermediate arm portion interconnects the distal and proximal arm portions and is shaped to engage a portion of the nozzle when the arm is in the operative position thereof. The distal arm portion is disposed generally perpendicularly to the intermediate arm portion and the intermediate arm portion has a concave inner face which is disposed generally concentrically of the body opening when
Dewberry Andrew Terrance Kevin
Fulwider Patton Lee & Utecht LLP
Walczak David J.
LandOfFree
Caulking accessory does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Caulking accessory, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Caulking accessory will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2538391