Motorized dispenser with cutting blade

Abstract

Dispensing device for dispensing viscous material from a container held therein, the device comprising: a main housing; a front bracket; a rear piston assembly spaced from the front support by an elongated element to receive and retain an intermediately inserted cartridge, the rear piston assembly comprising a piston plate mounted in a piston housing over a cutting edge, and the assembly rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated element; and a motor and a gearbox assembly arranged in the main housing, wherein the motor and gearbox assembly can be engaged with the elongated element to move the front support and the rear piston assembly towards each other, thereby pressing the cutting edge of the rear piston assembly against the edge of the container, while the piston plate is driven against one end of the container to expel the viscous material from it.

Description

AREA OF REVELATION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a handheld dispensing device for viscous materials. BACKGROUND OF THE REVELATION

[0002] Cartridges or containers with viscous materials such as gels, adhesives, sealants, silicones, caulks, or pastes offer a convenient selection of materials for filling gaps or sealing cracks in construction or maintenance projects on building sites worldwide. The application of these materials makes window frames watertight or sealed, reduces heat loss into / out of the house, fills cracks, or seals surfaces, and they are essential for the completion of numerous construction projects.

[0003] The material in these cartridges or containers is typically applied using a manual or motorized caulking or silicone gun. Such applicators dispense viscous material from the cartridge through a nozzle into the crack or onto the work surface.

[0004] A common arrangement of manual cartridge dispensing tools, usually called cartridge guns, features a lever that a user grips. Typically, gripping the lever pushes a piston against one end of the cartridge, which is held in the cartridge gun's barrel. This shortens the effective length of the cartridge and forces the viscous material from the tip through a nozzle. Other arrangements may be configured so that the user, by gripping a lever, pushes the cartridge back against a fixed base, thereby forcing viscous material from the nozzle.

[0005] Unfortunately, such arrangements can be somewhat unwieldy and cumbersome to use, especially the first, which requires a piston that extends to approximately twice the length of the cartridge or container of viscous material. Furthermore, the levers can be difficult to operate for users with weaker grip strength. With both arrangements, controlling the pressure applied to the cartridge can be challenging, resulting in excessive or uneven dispensing of viscous material onto the work surface during operation.

[0006] Alternative arrangements of motor-driven cartridge / container dispensing devices have been developed, in which a pressure plate and a cartridge are driven relative to each other by various motorized arrangements, including detachable, housing-mounted drills. However, such arrangements are typically relatively cumbersome and bulky; and it can be difficult for the user to achieve the desired control over the dispensing of the viscous material onto the work surface.

[0007] Accordingly, there is a need for a portable dispensing device for viscous materials that addresses or at least partially alleviates some of the above-mentioned problems, or at least offers the public a useful alternative. SUMMARY OF THE REVELATION

[0008] Features and advantages of the disclosure are set forth in the following description and are partly evident from the description or can be learned through the practical application of the principles disclosed herein. The features and advantages of the disclosure can be realized and achieved by means of the instruments and combinations that are particularly highlighted in the accompanying claims.

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a dispensing device for dispensing viscous material from a container contained therein is provided, the device comprising: a main housing; a front bracket; a rear piston assembly spaced from the front support by an elongated element to receive and hold an intermediately inserted container, the rear piston assembly comprising a piston plate mounted in a piston housing over a cutting edge, and the assembly being rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated element; and A motor and a gearbox assembly arranged in the main housing, wherein the motor and gearbox assembly can be engaged with the elongated element to move the front bracket or piston plate towards each other and thereby press the cutting edge of the piston assembly against the edge of the container, while the piston plate is driven against one end of the container to expel the viscous material from it.

[0010] The motor and transmission arrangement can be configured to drive the elongated element in such a way that, when the motor is actuated, the front bracket is retracted towards the rear piston arrangement.

[0011] The rear piston assembly is preferably arranged below the rear piston assembly in the main housing.

[0012] Advantageously, the motor and gearbox arrangement is essentially located in a handle-shaped section defined by the main housing.

[0013] Preferably, the housing of the rear piston assembly has a generally circular cross-section and is rotatably received in a corresponding circular opening which has a relatively larger diameter defined in the main housing.

[0014] Preferably, the device, when extended, has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of between approximately 310 mm and 370 mm, optionally between approximately 320 mm and 340 mm.

[0015] Optionally, the device has a length from the front bracket to the end of the main housing of approximately 280 mm and 340 mm, or optionally between approximately 310 mm and 320 mm.

[0016] Preferably, the elongated element and the front bracket are detachable from the main housing.

[0017] Advantageously, the elongated element is a rack which, when the motor is operated, is driven by a pinion of the gear assembly.

[0018] The motor and transmission arrangement can be configured to drive the elongated element in such a way that, when the motor is actuated, the rear piston arrangement is driven towards the front arrangement.

[0019] The elongated element can be a rod with an external thread, which is connected above the gear assembly to the motor via a leadscrew nut movable on it, so that the rotation of the motor drives the rear piston assembly towards or away from the front support.

[0020] Preferably, the device has a length from the front of the main housing to the end of the at least one elongated element of approximately 250 mm to 300 mm and optionally between 260 mm and 280 mm.

[0021] Advantageously, the device has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of between 250 and 300 mm, which does not change when the piston moves from a retracted to an extended position.

[0022] Preferably, the leadscrew nut consists of a pair of split nuts which can be engaged and released with the externally threaded rod via a user-operated lever. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] To describe how the aforementioned and further advantages and features of the disclosure can be achieved, a more detailed description of the principles briefly described above is given with reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. Provided that these figures merely represent exemplary embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be regarded as limiting its scope, the principles contained herein are described and explained with additional accuracy and detail by means of the accompanying figures.

[0024] Preferred embodiments of the present disclosure are explained in more detail below with reference to examples and the accompanying figures. These show: Fig. 1A an exemplary perspective view of a dispensing device; Fig. 1B an exemplary perspective view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A; Fig. 1C an exemplary perspective exploded view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A from the rear, where the housing and motor have been removed; Fig. 1D an exemplary side view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A; Fig. 2A an exemplary perspective view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A; Fig. 2B an exemplary perspective view of the device Fig. 2A, where the main casing has been removed; Fig. 2C (i) a sectional view of the mechanism from Fig. 2A; Fig. 2C (ii) a sectional view of the mechanism of Fig. 2A; Fig. 2D an exemplary horizontal sectional view of a friction gripping element for the opposite movement of the elongated element; Fig. 3A a side view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A in the extended position; Fig. 3B a side view of the dispensing device Fig. 1A in the extended state with a cartridge containing almost no viscous material; Fig. 4A a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the dispensing device; Fig. 4B (i) a perspective view of the device from Fig. 4A; Fig. 4B (ii) a perspective view of the device from Fig. 4A; Fig. 4C a top view of the device Fig. 4A; Fig. 5A a perspective view of a further embodiment of a dispensing device according to a present disclosure; Fig. 5B a perspective view of the dispensing device from Fig. 5A, where the rear cover and side covers of the main housing have been removed; Fig. 5C a side view of the dispensing device Fig. 5A, in which the inserted cartridge is filled with viscous material; Fig. 5D a side view of the dispensing device Fig. 5A, in which the viscous material was emptied from the inserted cartridge; Fig. 6 an enlarged exploded view of an exemplary optional quick-release mechanism by which the rear piston assembly engages with the elongated element; Fig. 7A a front view of an exemplary piston arrangement according to the present disclosure; Fig. 7B a perspective view of the in Fig. Piston arrangement shown in 7A; Fig. 7C a side sectional view of the in Fig. Piston arrangement shown in 7A; Fig. 7D an exploded view of the piston assembly from Fig. 7A. Fig. 8A an exemplary perspective rear view of the device Fig. 1A with a cartridge inserted therein and the tip in a first position; Fig. 8B an exemplary perspective rear view of the device from Fig. 1A with a cartridge inserted therein and the rotated rear piston arrangement, so that the tip is aligned in a second position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Various embodiments of the disclosure are discussed in detail below. Although specific implementations are discussed, it is understood that this is done for illustrative purposes only. A person skilled in the art will recognize that other components and configurations can be used without deviating from the spirit and scope of protection of the disclosure.

[0026] The disclosed technology addresses the engineering need for an improved delivery device that is smaller and offers an easy-to-use and controllable alternative to other delivery devices.

[0027] Referring to the Fig. Figures 1A to 1D show different views of the dispensing device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure, but for the sake of clarity without the cartridge or container (which are used interchangeably) containing the viscous material.

[0028] As shown, the device 10 includes a main housing 20, which comprises a right housing 22 and a left housing 24. A release switch 26 is located between these housings, and this switch is positioned so that it can be actuated by the user's finger to provide power from the battery or accumulator (not shown) to drive the motor 30 and gear assembly 40.

[0029] The piston assembly 50 is mounted in the upper part of the main housing 20 above the engine 30 and transmission assembly 40 as described herein. An elongated element 60 is mounted at one end in the main housing. A front support 62 is attached to the other end of the elongated element 60.

[0030] In one embodiment, the elongated element 60 is a rack which, when the motor 30 is actuated, is driven by a pinion 49 of the gearbox 40.

[0031] Typically, the front bracket 62 is located far enough away from the rear piston assembly 50 to accommodate and hold full standard-sized containers of viscous material, with the container neck and the base of the nozzle resting in the front bracket 62, while the bottom of the container contacts the piston assembly 50.

[0032] Advantageously, the rear piston is arranged in the main housing, as shown. This can be seen particularly from the... Fig. 1C and Fig. As can be seen in 1D, the motor 30 and gearbox assembly 40 is essentially arranged within the handle-shaped section of the main housing.

[0033] As shown, in an exemplary arrangement the gear arrangement 40 comprises four layers of planet gears, a first layer of planet gears 42a, a second layer of planet gears 44b, a third layer of planet gears 42c and a fourth layer of planet gears 42d.

[0034] As in Fig. 1C and the Fig. As can be seen in Figures 7A to 7C, the piston assembly 50 comprises a piston plate 52 which is supported by a cutting edge 54 in a housing 56.

[0035] As further described herein, in the illustrated embodiment, the front support 62 of the elongated element 60 is retracted towards the rear piston assembly 50 by actuating the motor 30 through activation of the trigger by the user 26. The teeth of the spur gear 49 engage with the corresponding teeth 64 of the elongated element 60, thereby converting the rotary motion of the gear assembly 40 into a linear motion of the elongated element 60. As is known to those skilled in the art, a change in the direction of rotation of the motor also changes the direction of movement of the elongated element 60 relative to the housing.

[0036] The rear piston assembly 50 is thus pressed against an end or base of the container, which drives the piston plate 52 inside the container towards the nozzle and thereby extrudes the viscous material in the container onto the working surface.

[0037] In each of the embodiments described here, the rear piston assembly is positioned so that it cuts into the side of the container when the front bracket and the rear piston assembly are driven toward each other. In the first and second embodiments, the cutting of the container by the rear piston assembly allows the front bracket to be retracted toward the rear piston assembly when the elongated element above the gear assembly is driven by the motor. In the third embodiment described here, the rear piston assembly is driven by the motor, via the gear assembly, toward the front bracket.

[0038] As in the Fig. As shown in Figures 2A-2D, the device 10 can be configured in an optional arrangement such that the elongated element 60 can be detached from the housing 20. This further helps to reduce the size of the dispensing device during storage. As shown, the user presses a release button 25 and then pulls on the elongated element 60 to release it.

[0039] How to find out, especially in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2C (i), the elongated element 60 cannot be pulled out of the main housing because the pin 48 is engaged with the end of the elongated element 60. When the user presses the release button 25, this button pivots in the housing and lifts the pin 48 out of engagement with the end of the elongated element 60 as shown in Figure 2C (i). Fig. 2C(ii) shown. This means that the oblong element 60 then behaves as in Fig. 2B shows how it can be removed from the housing.

[0040] As in Fig. As shown in 2D, a rubber rod 27 can also be arranged in the housing and positioned so that it presses against the elongated element 60. This rod is shown in the figure in its storage configuration; however, it is understood that this rod is configured to allow frictional engagement of the elongated element and to prevent it from moving back and forth too easily relative to the main housing during normal operation.

[0041] Advantageously, as in Fig. Figure 3A shows that the length of the device is configured such that the length from the front support to the end of the main housing in the extended position is between 330 mm and 350 mm. An exemplary full container of viscous material 80 is shown for reference, positioned between the rear piston assembly 50 and the front support element with the nozzle 82 projecting forward. It is understood that the length of the elongated element and / or the physical size parameters of the housing can be selected to provide these dimensions. In the figure shown, the length is 338 mm, but other sizes in the range of 280 mm to 370 mm can also be selected, preferably 300 mm to 350 mm.

[0042] Preferably, as in Fig. As shown in Figure 3B, in the retracted state when there is no viscous material in container 80, the length from the front of the main housing to the end of the at least one elongated element is approximately 240 to 300 mm, preferably 260 to 280 mm. More precisely, the length in the illustrated embodiment is 270 mm.

[0043] In a further embodiment of the present disclosure, in Fig. 4A - Fig. Figure 4C shows a smaller version of the first embodiment of the device 110 described herein, in which the front support 162 is also movable 150 towards and away from the rear piston assembly. As shown, the front support 162 is spaced apart from the main housing 120 by the elongated element 160. Preferably, the elongated element 160 is a rack which, when the motor 130 is actuated, is driven by a spur gear 149 of the transmission 140.

[0044] A rear piston assembly 150 is arranged in the main housing 120, above the motor 130 and transmission assembly 140. In this embodiment, it is small enough to be essentially located within the handle below the rear piston assembly 150. It is understood that a user can grip the housing with their fingers. Layers of planetary gears 142a, 142b, 142c are positioned above the motor 130. These engage with further layers of planetary gears 144a, 144b, which in turn drive the spur gear 49 to engage with the teeth of the elongated element in a rack and pinion arrangement.

[0045] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 4C, the device preferably has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of approximately 280-340 mm and optionally between 300-320 mm, and in particular, in an exemplary arrangement, this length is 312 mm.

[0046] In a third embodiment of the Fig. In the device 210 shown in 5A - 5D, the rear piston assembly 250 can be driven towards and away from a stationary front support 262 of a cartridge / container on an elongated element 260 (in this case a threaded rod).

[0047] The motor 230 and gearbox 240 are arranged below the rear piston assembly 250. In this embodiment, actuation of the switch 226 causes the motor 230 to drive the threaded rod 260 via the gearbox 240. Advantageously, the elongated element 260 is a rod with an external thread, coupled to the motor via the gearbox by a leadscrew nut 266, which is movable on the externally threaded rod. The rotation of the motor 230 drives the rear piston assembly 260 either towards or away from the front support, depending on the direction of rotation of the motor, in a leadscrew arrangement known to those skilled in the art.

[0048] In this embodiment, the frame 265 includes an additional elongated stiffening element 264, which assists in receiving and holding the cartridge between the rear piston assembly 250 and the front support 262. It also helps to prevent the rear piston assembly 250 from rotating with the elongated element 260.

[0049] As in Fig. 5C and Fig. As shown in Figure 5D in an exemplary embodiment, the device has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of between 250-300 mm and optionally between 270-280 mm, which does not change when the piston moves from a retracted to an extended position. Even more preferred is a length of 278 mm, as shown in the figures. Thus, the length of the device remains unchanged regardless of whether the container is full (as in Figure 5D). Fig. 5C shown) or empty (as in Fig. 5D representation).

[0050] In another aspect of the third embodiment, which is in Fig. Figure 6 shows an exemplary quick-release mechanism with which the rear piston assembly can be manually positioned by the user on the elongated element 260 (threaded rod).

[0051] As shown, the lead nut 266 consists of a pair of split nuts 265a, 265b having thread profiles corresponding to the thread of the elongated element 260. A pair of pins 267a, b and 267c, 267d (not shown) extend from the sides of each of the split nuts, which engage in corresponding holes or slots formed in user-operated levers 268a, 268b. The split nuts are pre-tensioned by a coil spring into engagement with each other and with the elongated element 270. This engagement of the split nuts with the threaded rod can be overcome by manually actuating the levers 268a, 268b, by pushing the user-operated lever 269 in a direction away from the elongated element 260.

[0052] Accordingly, the lead screw nut 266, which comprises a pair of split nuts 265a, 265b, can be engaged with and released from the external threaded rod 260 via the user-operated lever 269.

[0053] The Fig. Figures 7A to 7D show an exemplary rear piston arrangement, which in each of the embodiments described herein is configured to be accommodated in the main housing above the engine and transmission arrangement.

[0054] As shown, the piston assembly consists of a rear piston plate 52 which is mounted inside a housing 56 above a cutting edge 54. As shown, the piston plate is supported by the cutting edge 54 which is received in a recess in the piston housing 56.

[0055] As shown, the housing of the rear piston assembly advantageously has a substantially circular cross-section. The piston assembly is accordingly adapted so that it can be rotatably received in a corresponding circular opening with a relatively larger diameter, which is defined in the main housing, as shown here in particular in the Fig. 8A and Fig. Figure 8B shows that the piston housing, and therefore the piston assembly as a whole, is not fixed in its orientation relative to the main housing of the device. Thus, the cartridge held between the front support and the rear piston assembly can be rotated in place to allow the user to align the nozzle with the front of the container as desired. This, in turn, means that the orientation of the viscous material extruded by the device can be easily adjusted to the optimal orientation for the specific work surface simply by manually rotating the container cylinder.

[0056] Fig. Figure 8A shows a cartridge / container 80 between the front support 63 and the rear piston assembly 50 of a device according to the first or second embodiment of the present disclosure described herein. (It is understood that the same piston assembly could also be used in the described third embodiment, in which the rear piston assembly moves on a threaded rod towards the front support without leaving the scope of the present disclosure.)

[0057] As in Fig. As shown in Figure 8A, the tip 82 of the cartridge / container was cut off at an angle by the user. The cutting edge 54 of the piston assembly is essentially vertical in the exemplary orientation shown. The cutting edge 54 was pressed toward the rear piston assembly by the movement of the front bracket, driven by the elongated element 60 via the motor 30, which drives the gearbox 40. The cutting edge cut into the cartridge 80, as shown, as the piston plate 52 further pressed the container base into the container.

[0058] Fig. Figure 8B shows the same device 10 as in Fig.Figure 8A shows that the angle of the container 80 and the piston assembly 50 has changed because the user rotated the cartridge and the assembly relative to the main housing 20. It can be seen that the cutting edge 54 is now inclined relative to the vertical axis defined by the housing 20 due to the rotation of the container and piston assembly 50 within the housing 20.

[0059] The embodiments described above are only examples. Many variations are possible without departing from the scope of disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

[0060] Advantageously, the dispensing device of the present disclosure enables precisely controlled, motor-driven ejection of the viscous material from the selected cartridge / container. It is self-evident that, through careful selection of the components of the motor and transmission assembly, precise control of the force acting on the bottom of the container can be achieved. Furthermore, the inclusion of optional friction linings, which counteract the movement of the elongated element in the first embodiment, also enables responsive control of the ejection of the viscous material from the dispensing device.

[0061] Furthermore, the dispensing device allows the cartridge / container to be rotated relative to the device so that the tip can be oriented in the direction best suited to the crack or work surface onto which the viscous material is applied. In some applications, it may be preferable to orient the tip (usually cut at an arbitrary angle) so that the shortest part of the inclined tip face is close to the work surface, while in other applications, it may be preferable to orient the shortest part of the tip face to one side or even upwards. When using the device of the present disclosure, the user can achieve all these orientations by rotating the container relative to the device as desired.

[0062] In the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure, the possibility of removing the elongated element to which the front bracket is attached and storing it separately from the main unit when not in use allows for a further minimization of the overall size of the device. This is particularly useful when the device is stored in a toolbox, en route to the construction site, or even on a shelf between uses.

[0063] Although a variety of examples and other information have been used to explain aspects within the scope of the appended claims, no limitation of the claims should be implied by any particular features or arrangements in such examples, since a person skilled in the art would be able to derive a wide variety of implementations from these examples. While some subject matter may have been described in language specifically relating to examples of structural features and / or process steps, it is understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to these described features or processes. For example, such functions may be distributed differently or performed in components other than those specified here.Rather, the described features and steps are disclosed as examples of components of systems and methods within the scope of the attached claims.

Claims

[1] Dispensing device for dispensing viscous material from a container contained therein, the device comprising: a main housing; a front bracket; a rear piston assembly spaced from the front support by an elongated element to receive and retain an intermediately inserted cartridge, the rear piston assembly comprising a piston plate mounted in a piston housing over a cutting edge, and the assembly rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongated element; and a motor and a gearbox assembly arranged in the main housing, wherein the motor and gearbox assembly can be engaged with the elongated element to move the front support and the rear piston assembly towards each other, thereby pressing the cutting edge of the rear piston assembly against the edge of the container, while the piston plate is driven against one end of the container to expel the viscous material from it. [2] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the motor and transmission arrangement is configured to drive the elongated element such that the front support is retracted towards the rear piston arrangement when the motor is actuated. [3] Dispensing device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rear piston assembly is arranged in the main housing. [4] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the motor and transmission arrangement is arranged below the rear piston arrangement and substantially within a handle-shaped section defined by the main housing. [5] Dispensing device according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the housing of the rear piston arrangement has a substantially circular cross-section and is rotatably received in a corresponding circular opening with a relatively larger diameter, which is defined in the main housing. [6] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the device in an extended state has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of approximately between 310 mm and 360 mm and preferably approximately between 320 mm and 340 mm. [7] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the device has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of approximately 280 mm and 340 mm and preferably approximately between 310 mm and 320 mm. [8] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated element and the front support are removable from the main housing. [9] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the elongated element is a rack which is driven by a pinion of the gear arrangement when the motor is actuated. [10] Dispensing device according to claim 1, wherein the motor and transmission arrangement is configured to drive the elongated element such that the rear piston arrangement is driven towards the front arrangement when the motor is actuated. [11] Dispensing device according to claim 1 or claim 10, wherein the elongated element is a rod with an external thread which is coupled to the motor via the gear arrangement by means of a leadscrew nut movable thereon such that the rotation of the motor drives the rear piston arrangement towards and away from the front support. [12] Dispensing device according to claim 1 or claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the dispensing device in the retracted state has a length from the front of the main housing to the end of the at least one elongated element of approximately 250 mm and 300 mm and preferably between 260 mm and 280 mm. [13] Dispensing device according to claim 1 or any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the device has a length from the front support to the end of the main housing of between 250 mm and 300 mm. [14] Dispensing device according to claim 10, wherein the lead screw nut comprises a pair of split nuts which can be engaged with and released from the externally threaded rod by means of a lever operable by the user.

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