Silicone vinyl tubing assembly

Abstract

A silicone vinyl tube assembly includes: an opening member comprising a body having a first opening formed in a front-rear direction, two wings formed on opposite sides of the body, a first threaded portion adjacent to the two wings, and a second threaded portion adjacent to the first threaded portion and having an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the first threaded portion; a vinyl tube comprising two layers of vinyl sheets forming a space therebetween, the space being filled with silicone sealant, wherein a second opening is formed between the two layers of vinyl sheets, and the two wings are inserted into and engaged in the second opening; a plug removably coupled to the second threaded portion; a cap removably coupled to the first threaded portion and configured to be mounted in an opening on one side of a cylinder body for mounting on a silicone gun; and a compression member inserted into an opening on an opposite side of the cylinder body and used to compress the vinyl tube using a silicone gun.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to silicone vinyl tubing assemblies. Background Technology

[0002] Generally, silicone sealant is widely used as a material for fixing frames or repairing cracks in various building or interior construction projects. Cylindrical silicone containers storing silicone sealant are well-known tools for this type of work. The silicone containers are made of plastic. A nozzle for discharging the silicone sealant is located at the front end of the silicone container. When the silicone container is mounted on a silicone gun, the tip of the nozzle is partially cut off, and then the silicone gun squeezes the rear side of the silicone container, thereby discharging the silicone sealant. Summary of the Invention

[0003] However, because silicone containers are cylindrical, they occupy a significant amount of storage space. Furthermore, since silicone containers, made of plastic, are discarded after a single use, they pose a problem of environmental pollution.

[0004] To address these problems of conventional technologies, this disclosure is configured to form an opening member that is disposed on the vinyl tube in an easily removable and flat shape, thereby reducing the volume of the vinyl tube. Furthermore, since the opening member includes multiple threaded portions (to which a plug, cap, and nozzle are respectively connected), the vinyl tube can be refilled with silicone sealant by opening and closing the plug and can be reused multiple times.

[0005] According to this disclosure, silicone tubing can be collected after use with the plug locked. Then, after the plug is opened, silicone sealant is refilled. Subsequently, with the plug locked again, the silicone tubing can be reused in silicone workplaces. Therefore, an eco-friendly vinyl tubing structure is provided that eliminates vinyl tubing waste generated in silicone workplaces.

[0006] Furthermore, according to this disclosure, since the opening member with flat wings is inserted between the vinyl sheets and the wings are thermally welded on both sides, an opening can be easily formed in the flat silicone vinyl tube without creating a gap.

[0007] According to this disclosure, a flat opening member with opposing wings (each wing tapering towards its end) is inserted into the opening of a vinyl tube, and the wings are heat-welded. Therefore, the flat opening members can be easily joined without gaps. Because the opening members have a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion with different outer diameters, silicone sealant can be filled when opening and closing the plug. Therefore, the vinyl tube can be reused. The cap is threaded to the first threaded portion. The nozzle is threaded to the second threaded portion, not the plug.

[0008] An embodiment of one aspect of this disclosure relates to a silicone vinyl tube assembly. An exemplary embodiment of the silicone vinyl tube assembly includes: an opening member comprising a body in which a first opening is formed in a longitudinal direction; two wings formed on opposite sides of the body and configured to gradually decrease in thickness toward opposite lateral ends in a direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal and lateral directions; a first threaded portion disposed adjacent to the two wings; and a second threaded portion disposed adjacent to the first threaded portion and configured to have an outer diameter smaller than that of the first threaded portion, such that a nozzle can be detachably coupled to the second threaded portion; and a vinyl tube comprising two layers of vinyl sheets. The two vinyl sheets are configured to form a space between them, which is filled with silicone sealant. A second opening is formed between the two vinyl sheets, and two wings are inserted into and engaged in the second opening. A plug is configured to be detachably connected to the second threaded portion when the nozzle is separated from the second threaded portion. A cap is configured to be detachably connected to the first threaded portion and is configured to be mounted in an opening on one side of a cylinder body, which is configured to be mounted on a silicone gun. A compression member is configured to be inserted into an opening on an opposite side of the cylinder body and to compress the vinyl tube using the silicone gun. When the silicone sealant in the vinyl tube is used up and the plug is separated from the second threaded portion, the vinyl tube is configured to be refilled with silicone sealant.

[0009] Since the silicone vinyl tubing assembly according to this disclosure is constructed to allow for the collection and reuse of silicone vinyl tubing (which has recently been discarded in many silicone workplaces), it can significantly improve the environment and productivity.

[0010] The opening member includes two wings, which are formed to gradually decrease in thickness towards their respective lateral ends in directions perpendicular to both the lateral and longitudinal directions. Therefore, the second opening formed in the vinyl tube can be made very thin, and the opening member with wings can be easily and seamlessly thermally welded to the vinyl sheets by inserting the opening member between two layers of vinyl sheet. Due to the structure of the opening member and the second opening, a thin vinyl tube can be provided, and the stacked volume of the vinyl tubes can be reduced. Therefore, the storage of the silicone vinyl tube assembly is simple and convenient.

[0011] Furthermore, the cover, configured to be mounted on an opening on one side of the cylinder body, is threadedly connected to a first threaded portion of the opening member. The opening member has a second threaded portion to which a plug and a nozzle may optionally be connected as needed. Since the first and second threaded portions, which have different outer diameters from each other, are formed on the opening member according to this disclosure, the cover can be threadedly connected to the first threaded portion having a larger outer diameter, and the plug or nozzle can be threadedly connected to the second threaded portion having a smaller outer diameter.

[0012] According to this disclosure, the vinyl tube can be easily made into a flat form and used with a cap and nozzle assembled with an opening member as needed. Therefore, after the vinyl tube is filled with silicone sealant, the silicone vinyl tube assembly can be stored with the plug locked. When the silicone vinyl tube assembly is mounted on a silicone gun and used, the cap is threaded to a first threaded portion, the plug is separated from a second threaded portion, and the nozzle is mounted on the second threaded portion. The vinyl tube filled with silicone sealant is inserted into the cylinder, and the cap is mounted on one end of the cylinder. A compression member is inserted into the other end of the cylinder opposite the cap. When the silicone vinyl tube assembly is mounted on a silicone gun, the compression member compresses the vinyl tube using the silicone gun, causing the silicone sealant to be discharged through the nozzle.

[0013] Because the compression member is configured to compress the vinyl tubing within the cylinder, the vinyl tubing can shrink after use, thus minimizing its volume. After the cylinder separates from the silicone gun, the cap separates from the cylinder, thereby separating the vinyl tubing from the cylinder. The cap then separates from the first threaded portion, and the nozzle separates from the second threaded portion of the opening member. The silicone vinyl tubing assembly can be collected with the plug threaded into the second threaded portion.

[0014] The silicone vinyl tubing assembly according to this disclosure can be reused by stretching and shrinking the vinyl tubing, separating the obstruction, and then filling the vinyl tubing with silicone sealant. According to this disclosure, the silicone vinyl tubing assembly can be reused until the vinyl tubing is damaged and unusable. Therefore, waste generated in silicone workplaces can be significantly reduced. Furthermore, as experimental results show, the vinyl tubing according to this disclosure can be used five or more times. Through the reuse of the vinyl tubing, vinyl tubing waste can be reduced to approximately 20% or less compared to previous levels. This can significantly solve the environmental pollution problem caused by vinyl tubing discarded in various locations in silicone workplaces. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of a silicone vinyl tube assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0016] Figure 2 To show Figure 1 Perspective view of the opening component shown.

[0017] Figure 3 To show the partially disassembled state, Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the silicone vinyl tubing assembly shown.

[0018] Figure 4 To show Figure 1 A perspective view of the silicone vinyl tubing assembly shown. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To explain the technical concept of this disclosure, embodiments of this disclosure have been described. The scope of this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments given below or their detailed descriptions.

[0020] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this disclosure have the meanings commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. All terms used in this disclosure have been chosen for the purpose of clearly describing this disclosure and not for limiting the scope of the claims under this disclosure.

[0021] As used in this disclosure, expressions such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., should be understood as open-ended terms that may encompass other embodiments, unless otherwise stated in a phrase or sentence containing such expressions.

[0022] Unless otherwise stated, the singular terms described in this disclosure may include plural terms, and this also applies to the singular terms described in the claims.

[0023] The terms such as “first” and “second” shown in the various embodiments of this disclosure are used to separate multiple elements from each other and are not intended to limit the order or importance of the corresponding elements.

[0024] The directional term "forward (FD)" used herein refers to the direction along which the second threaded portion is positioned relative to the first threaded portion in the accompanying drawings, while the directional term "rear (RD)" refers to the direction opposite to forward. The first and second threaded portions shown in the accompanying drawings may be oriented differently, and these directional terms should be interpreted accordingly.

[0025] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding components are given the same reference numerals. Furthermore, redundant descriptions of the same or corresponding components may be omitted in the following description of the embodiments. However, even if the description of a component is omitted, it does not mean that such component is not included in any embodiment.

[0026] Figure 1 This is an exploded perspective view of a silicone vinyl tube assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 1 The overall construction of the vinyl tube 111 connected to the opening member 120 and the opening member 120 are shown respectively. Figure 2 In the shown opening member 120, wings 121 and 122 are symmetrically formed. Wings 121 and 122 are flat and tapered toward opposite ends along a direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction FD-RD. A first threaded portion 123 and a second threaded portion 124 are sequentially formed in front of wings 121 and 122. A cover 160 is threaded to the first threaded portion 123, and a plug 130 or nozzle 140 is threaded to the second threaded portion 124.

[0027] like Figure 1 As shown, a silicone vinyl tube assembly 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes an opening member 120, a vinyl tube 111, a blocking member 130, a cap 160, and a compression member 180.

[0028] Figure 2 To show Figure 1 Perspective view of the opening component shown.

[0029] like Figure 2 As shown, the opening member 120 includes a body 120a, two wings 121 and 122, a first threaded portion 123, and a second threaded portion 124. A first opening 120b is formed in the body 120a, through which silicone sealant filled or stored inside the vinyl tube 111 can pass. The first opening 120b is formed in the body 120a along the longitudinal direction FD-RD. The two wings 121 and 122 are formed on the opposite lateral direction SD of the body 120a and are inserted into and welded to a second opening 112 in the vinyl tube 111. The two wings 121 and 122 gradually decrease in thickness towards their ends along the opposite lateral direction SD in the vertical direction UD perpendicular to both the opposite lateral direction SD and the longitudinal direction FD-RD. The first threaded portion 123 is disposed adjacent to the two wings 121 and 122 (or the body 120a). For example, the first threaded portion 123 is a male thread disposed in front of the wings 121 and 122 at the front FD. The cap 160 is threaded to the first threaded portion 123. A second threaded portion 124 is disposed adjacent to the first threaded portion 123. The outer diameter of the second threaded portion 124 is smaller than the outer diameter of the first threaded portion 123. For example, the second threaded portion 124 is a male thread located FD in front of the first threaded portion 123. The second threaded portion 124 is configured to be detachably connected to the nozzle 140 or the plug 130.

[0030] Vinyl tube 111 comprises two vinyl sheets configured to form a space between them, which is filled with silicone sealant. A second opening 112 is formed for inserting and bonding two wings 121 and 122 between the two vinyl sheets. Wings 121 and 122 of opening member 120 can be inserted into the second opening 112 and thermally welded to the edge of the vinyl sheet. As another example, vinyl tube 111 can be formed by thermally welding the remaining edge portion of vinyl tube 111, excluding the second opening 112, as part of forming a vinyl cover, and then inserting and thermally welding the wings 121 and 122 of opening member 120 into the second opening 112. The interior of vinyl tube 111 can be filled and refilled with silicone sealant through opening member 120.

[0031] like Figure 2 As shown, wings 121 and 122 are configured to gradually decrease in thickness towards the opposite lateral direction SD of the body 120a of the opening member 120 in the vertical direction UD. The opposite ends of wings 121 and 122 can be formed thinner to have sharp ends. By using this structure, the vinyl tube 111 can be thinned by positioning the opening member 120 in the second opening 112 between the vinyl sheets and thermally welding wings 121 and 122. Furthermore, the vinyl sheets and the opening member 120 can be joined without gaps.

[0032] According to one embodiment of this disclosure, the opening member 120 facilitates the above-described bonding process, thereby significantly improving productivity. When the vinyl tube 111 is inserted into the silicone gun and compressed or pressurized by the compression member 180, the vinyl tube 111 can shrink as flat as possible within the cylinder 170 between the cap 160 and the compression member 180. Due to this structure, the volume of the shrunken vinyl tube 111 can be minimized, while also minimizing the amount of silicone sealant remaining inside the vinyl tube 111.

[0033] A second female threaded portion 131, threadedly engaged with the second threaded portion 124, is formed within the plug 130. The plug 130 is configured to be detachably engaged with the second threaded portion 124 when the nozzle 140 is separated from the second threaded portion 124. For example, the plug 130 is configured to be threadedly engaged with the second threaded portion 124 of the opening member 120 to close the opening member 120, or to be separated from the second threaded portion 124 to open the opening member 120. During or after the application of silicone sealant, the plug 130 is secured to the opening member 120 to prevent the silicone sealant from curing. After use, the vinyl tube 111 is separated from the silicone gun, and then the nozzle 140 and cap 160 are separated from the opening member 120. The plug 130 is then secured to the second threaded portion 124 of the opening member 120. After use, the vinyl tube 111 can be collected with the plug 130 secured to the second threaded portion 124. The collected vinyl tube 111 is stretched for refilling, and then refilled with silicone sealant with the plug 130 disengaged. Once refilling is complete, the vinyl tube 111 can be supplied to the silicone workpiece with the plug 130 secured to the second threaded portion 124. Therefore, according to one embodiment of this disclosure, the vinyl tube 111 can be refilled with silicone sealant multiple times for reuse.

[0034] The cap 160 is configured to be detachably connected to a first threaded portion 123 of the opening member 120. The cap 160 is configured to mount on a side opening of a cylinder 170 for mounting on a silicone gun. A first female threaded portion 161 is formed at the center of the cap 160 to be threadedly connected to the first threaded portion 123. A mounting portion 162 is formed on the outer periphery of the cap 160, radially spaced outward from the first female threaded portion 161, to be inserted into the interior of one end of the cylinder 170 or fitted onto the exterior of that one end of the cylinder 170.

[0035] Cylinder 170 is a component used to mount vinyl tube 111 onto a silicone gun. Cylinder 170 has a hollow cylindrical shape. An opening on one side of cylinder 170 may refer to an opening formed towards the front (FD), while an opening on the opposite side of cylinder 170 may refer to an opening formed towards the rear (RD), opposite to the opening on one side.

[0036] The compression member 180 is configured to insert into an opening on the opposite side of the cylinder 170, and the vinyl tube 111 is compressed forward FD using a silicone gun. The outer diameter of the compression member 180 may be smaller than the inner diameter of the cylinder 170, thereby allowing the compression member 180 to be inserted into the cylinder 170 and move relative to the cylinder 170.

[0037] A third female threaded portion 141 is formed inside the nozzle 140 (i.e., at the rear RD). The third female threaded portion 141 of the nozzle 140 is connected to the second threaded portion 124 of the opening member 120. Since the nozzle 140 is connected to the opening member 120, silicone sealant filled in the vinyl tube 111 is discharged through the opening member 120 and the nozzle 140 to the portion where silicone sealant is to be applied.

[0038] When the silicone sealant in the vinyl tube 111 is fully used and the plug 130 is separated from the second threaded portion 124, the vinyl tube is configured to be refilled with silicone sealant.

[0039] Figure 3 To show the partially disassembled state Figure 1 An exploded perspective view of the silicone vinyl tubing assembly shown. Figure 4 It shows Figure 1 A perspective view of the silicone vinyl tubing assembly shown.

[0040] like Figure 3 As shown, with the first female threaded portion 161 of the cover 160 threadedly connected to the first threaded portion 123 of the opening member 120 and the third female threaded portion 141 of the nozzle 140 connected to the second threaded portion 124 of the opening member 120, a vinyl tube 11 filled with silicone sealant is inserted into the interior of the cylinder 170. Figure 4 As shown, the mounting portion 162 of the cover 160 is mounted and secured inside one end of the cylinder body 170, and the compression member 180 is inserted into the interior of the other end of the cylinder body 170. Figure 4 The silicone vinyl tube assembly 100, as shown, is inserted into a silicone gun, and the silicone sealant filled in the vinyl tube 111 is expelled by compressing the compression member 180.

[0041] The technical concept of this disclosure has been described above with reference to some embodiments and examples shown in the accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, various substitutions, modifications, and alterations can be made without departing from the technical concept and scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, such substitutions, modifications, and alterations should be considered to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A silicone vinyl duct assembly, comprising: An opening member comprising: a body having a first opening formed in the body along a front-rear direction; two wings formed on opposite sides of the body and configured to gradually decrease in thickness toward opposite lateral ends in a direction perpendicular to both the opposite lateral and front-rear directions; a first threaded portion disposed adjacent to the two wings; and a second threaded portion disposed adjacent to the first threaded portion and configured to have an outer diameter smaller than that of the first threaded portion, such that a nozzle can be detachably connected to the second threaded portion. A vinyl tube comprising two vinyl sheets configured to form a space between the two vinyl sheets, a space filled with silicone sealant, wherein a second opening is formed between the two vinyl sheets, and two wings are inserted into and engaged in the second opening; A blocking element, the blocking element being configured to be detachably connected to the second threaded portion while the nozzle is separated from the second threaded portion; A cap, configured to be detachably attached to the first threaded portion and configured to be mounted in an opening on one side of a cylinder body configured to be mounted on a silicone gun; and A compression member, configured to be inserted into an opening on an opposite side of the cylinder, and the vinyl tube is compressed using the silicone gun. Wherein, when the use of silicone sealant in the vinyl tube is completed and the plug is separated from the second threaded portion, the vinyl tube is configured to be refilled with silicone sealant.

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