Dispensing – With recorder – register – indicator – signal or exhibitor – Plural
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-18
2001-10-02
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3754)
Dispensing
With recorder, register, indicator, signal or exhibitor
Plural
C222S135000, C222S183000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296146
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to fluent product dispensers, and more particularly to fluent product dispensers having temperature-indicating means for indicating the temperature of the products.
There exist many fluent product dispensers in the marketplace. Some dispensers are well known and are used to dispense amounts of expandable one-component urethane foams, such as GREAT STUFF, manufactured and sold by Flexible Products Company of Joliet, Ill., the assignee of the present invention. Other fluent product dispensers are used to first mix, and then dispense two foam components that are reacted with each other within the dispenser. Once mixed together, the two components combine and expand to form an expansive foam. This reacted foam may be used in adhesive applications, in caulking applications, in sealing applications or the like.
The use of such two reactive components is often temperature dependent. There is an optimum temperature for operation of the two foam components. Below this optimum temperature (of one or both of the two foam reactive components), the quality of the reacted foam suffers, such as a much lower foam yield occurring from the reaction. In the actual field use of these foam components, the product packaging or literature that accompanies the dispenser may typically indicate that the foam should be dispensed when the temperature of one or more of the foam reactive components is above a certain temperature, such as 75° F. Some instructions recommend that the containers be placed in a warm environment for 48 hours or more so that the contents will rise to 75° or above. Despite these cautionary instructions, conventional two foam component fluent dispensers have no means to determine the temperature of the contents of foam component containers.
Many users do not fully acclimate the containers, perhaps out of a mistaken belief that the containers warm more quickly than they actually do. Users also become impatient with the time needed for complete acclimation and operate the dispensers when the components are colder than they should be. Resulting foam yields will be small leading to inefficiency and the foam components may not completely react with each other, affecting the quality of the foam produced.
A need therefore exists for means to readily indicate to the user the temperature of the contents of the foam components so as to ensure the proper dispensing of the foam components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a means for readily indicating the temperature of the foam components from the exterior of the supply containers for the reactive foam components.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluent product dispensing apparatus having a dispenser, supply containers of reactive foam components, a conduit for conveying the foam components to the dispenser and a means for indicating the temperature of the foam components that is fixed to at least one of the supply containers, which can be easily and readily read by a user.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a foam dispensing assembly having a manually operated foam dispenser, a pair of foam component supply containers, each container having a predetermined amount of foam component therein, a pair of supply tubes for connecting the supply containers and the dispenser together, a temperature indicator operatively associated with at least one of the supply containers having a display indicating a range of temperatures of the foam components held in the supply containers, the display being easily readable by a user so as to determine when the foam components may be properly dispensed in accordance with the foam application instructions.
In one principal aspect of the present invention, the entire dispensing apparatus is contained in a carton as a unit. The carton contains two foam component supply canisters and an actuating assembly in the form of two foam component supply tubes, each having a preselected length which is sufficient to permit a dispensing assembly attached to the supply tubes to be operated remotely from the carton while interconnected thereto. The material supply tubes, dispensing assembly and one or more detachable dispensing nozzles are positioned within a predesignated area within the carton so that the apparatus may be sold as a single unit. The carton not only may function as a carrier assembly for the dispensing apparatus, but also may function as a shipping container therefor.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the dispensing apparatus includes a carrier which holds two foam component supply canisters in place and incorporates an actuating/handle assembly to ensure simultaneous release of the two foam components from their respective supply canisters through foam component supply tubes. The tubes extend to a foam dispenser which includes a dispensing nozzle. The dispenser detachably engages the carrier so that it may be detached and remotely operated away from the supply canisters adjacent a workplace such that it is easily operated with one or two hands. The carrier is capable of holding the supply canisters in place in either an upright or inverted orientation.
Still a further object of the present invention is to provide such a foam dispensing assembly wherein the temperature indicator is mounted to the supply container and the supply containers being enclosed within a carton, the carton having an opening in registration with the temperature indicator so that the temperature indicator may be read from exterior of the carton, the temperature indicator being affixed to the supply container and including a liquid crystal display.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a foam component supply container having a predetermined amount of foam component contained therein with an associated temperature indicator, the temperature indicator being mounted on the exterior of the supply container and having a heat-activated portion that indicates the general temperature of the contents of the supply container.
Yet still another object of the present invention is to provide a temperature indicator for use with a pressurized reactive foam component supply container that is affixed to the exterior of the supply container in a location to indicate the temperature of the reactive foam component other than the pressurizing medium, the temperature indicator having at least a line of temperature demarcation that indicates both acceptable and unacceptable application temperatures for the reactive foam component.
The present invention accomplishes these objects by providing, in one principal aspect of the invention, a thermosensitive temperature indicator, preferably in the form of a flat, layered indicator that incorporates a layer of a liquid crystal display substance that changes color in response to temperature changes. The liquid crystal display indicator has, in one embodiment thereof, a pressure-sensitive backing so that it may be applied directly to one of the two supply containers.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the temperature indicator, in one embodiment thereof, includes visual indicia formed thereon in the form of a range of temperatures arranged in ascending order so as to facilitate the reading thereof by the user of the apparatus. In another embodiment, the temperature indicator may include a line of demarcation that divides the temperature range into two portions, one portion having a temperature responsiveness to temperature below the recommended minimum application temperature of the foam components and the other portion having a temperature responsiveness to temperatures equal to or above the recommended minimum application temperature of the foam components.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the foam dispensing apparatus includes two foam component supply containers, an actuating assembly, two foam component supply tubes of a preselected length which is sufficient to
Buechner Patrick
Flexible Products Company
Shaver Kevin
Vedder Price Kaufman & Kammholz
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