Adhesive dispenser and adhesive application method

Abstract

To provide a lightweight and compact adhesive dispenser that can control the amount of adhesive dispensed without installing movable parts such as movable valves in the adhesive flow path. [Solution] The adhesive dispenser (1) comprises an adhesive container (2) capable of containing adhesive, an adhesive dispensing device (10) for limiting or regulating the dispensing of adhesive, and adhesive pressing means (3-7) for pressing the adhesive in the container. The adhesive dispensing device comprises a flexible tube (11) with an open tip as a dispensing port, and a flexible tube clamping device (20) for locally flattening the flexible tube. The tip of the flexible tube, flattened by the clamping action of the flexible tube clamping device, constitutes an adhesive dispensing nozzle (N).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an adhesive dispenser and an adhesive application method. More specifically, it can be preferably used to evenly distribute substantially equal amounts of adhesive at intervals on the adhesive surface of building facings at a construction site of a building construction project, and relates to an adhesive dispenser and an adhesive application method that facilitate on-site management of the application amount, application position, application state, etc. of the adhesive.

Background Art

[0002] As interior and exterior finishing materials (wall materials and ceiling materials) of buildings, building boards such as gypsum boards, calcium silicate boards, wood-based plywoods, and wood-based boards, or building interior and exterior finishing facings (hereinafter referred to as "facings") are widely used in practice. At a construction site of a building or the like, most of the facings are fixed to a wall surface or a ceiling surface or the like by an adhesive pasting method in which the adhesive surface is adhered to a lower ground surface (adhered surface) by an adhesive. Generally, in the adhesive pasting method, a worker or other person engaged in work places the facing horizontally in a state where the back surface (adhesive surface) faces upward, and then uses a pasting stick, a brush, a roller, a tubular container, etc. to apply the adhesive in a dot shape (spot shape) or an intermittent linear shape to the upper surface (adhesive surface) of the facing. Before the adhesive dries and cures, the adhesive surface of the facing is pressed against a wall lower ground surface or a ceiling lower ground surface or the like (that is, the adhered surface) and laminated. The adhesive applied to the adhesive surface of the facing in a dot shape (spot shape) or an intermittent linear shape spreads widely in the gap between the facings due to the pressure (surface pressure) during lamination. After the curing time for the curing and strength development of the adhesive has elapsed, the facing is firmly fixed to the wall surface or the ceiling surface by the adhesive force of the cured adhesive.

[0003] However, with such adhesive application methods, it is difficult to ensure uniformity or evenness in the amount, location, and condition of the adhesive. Depending on the experience or skill of the workers, there is a possibility of construction defects such as unevenness in the adhesive layer, localized insufficiency or excess of adhesive, or uneven application of adhesive. This raises concerns that problems such as insufficient adhesive strength due to localized reduction in adhesive strength, or misalignment or unevenness in the joints of the panel materials due to uneven thickness of the adhesive layer, may occur. To address this, one could consider a work method in which the specified or required amount of adhesive is strictly controlled using a weighing device or similar to ensure uniformity or evenness in the amount of adhesive applied to the panel material. However, such on-site work is not feasible considering workability, work efficiency, and the curing time of the adhesive. For this reason, currently, the adhesive application method in which skilled workers apply the adhesive to the panel material by eye based on their experience, intuition, and skills is generally adopted. However, given the recent shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry, some measures or improvements are needed to enhance work efficiency, such as simplicity, ease, reliability, and speed.

[0004] Furthermore, in recent years, dry-type fire-resistant and sound-insulating partition walls (dry-type partition walls with both fire-resistant and sound-insulating structures) have been constructed in many mid-to-high-rise buildings. However, it is considered important to adhere the overlay sheathing material that constitutes the wall to the underlay sheathing material with an appropriate distribution and amount of adhesive in order to ensure the desired sound insulation performance, fire resistance performance, or seismic performance of the wall. For example, recent papers published in the Transactions of the Acoustical Society of Japan have described how the application form or distribution of the adhesive used to adhere the overlay sheathing material to the underlay sheathing material (for example, differences in application form such as dots or intermittent lines, or differences in application intervals) affects the coincidence limit frequency of the wall, and therefore relates to the sound insulation performance of the wall.

[0005] Given these circumstances, it is desirable to develop relatively simple devices that allow even relatively inexperienced workers to easily manage on-site aspects such as the amount and interval of adhesive application, without relying on the experience and intuition of skilled workers, in order to ensure the desired sound insulation and fire resistance performance.

[0006] In this regard, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-216371 (Patent Document 1) describes an adhesive application device for applying adhesive in a dotted or intermittently linear pattern to the bonding surface of interior and exterior facing materials for tunnel construction. This adhesive application device has a roller-type conveying device for transporting the facing material and a number of adhesive application nozzles that extrude the adhesive under the pressure of an electric adhesive extrusion device. It has a relatively large, complex, and heavy mechanism configured to transport the facing material with the conveying device and apply adhesive to the back surface of the facing material while it is being transported. However, in on-site work such as interior construction, work often has to be carried out in a limited space, and in many work environments, it is difficult to easily secure a large-capacity power supply, etc. Therefore, this type of machinery is not of a nature that can be easily used by workers engaged in interior construction.

[0007] Furthermore, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-10496 (Patent Document 2) describes an adhesive application device consisting of an adhesive introduction pipe connected to a pressure feeding device such as an electric pump, and a perforated pipe connected to the adhesive introduction pipe. The perforated pipe moves to scan the back surface (top surface) of the surface material in a horizontally placed temporary position, and the adhesive supplied into the pipe under pressure by the adhesive introduction pipe is discharged from the adhesive discharge hole, thereby applying the adhesive linearly to the bonding surface of the surface material. However, the device described in Patent Document 2, which requires a pressure feeding device such as an electric pump, is also difficult to use because it is difficult to secure a large-capacity power supply, and moreover, it is a device that is difficult for workers to use easily in on-site work such as interior construction work, which is often carried out in a limited workspace.

[0008] On the other hand, caulking guns (sealing guns) are known as tools for applying liquid materials used in on-site work such as interior construction. Generally, caulking guns are used in sealing work to fill joints in walls or ceilings with sealant (caulking agent). A caulking gun, as described in, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-100392 (Patent Document 3), consists of a cylindrical container for holding the sealant, a manually operated or electrically operated (rechargeable) sealant pressing mechanism for pressurizing the sealant contained in the container, and a sealant injection nozzle for continuously discharging the sealant. Caulking guns are primarily intended for continuously filling linear and relatively narrow spaces such as joints and gaps with sealant. Therefore, they are configured to pressurize the sealant in the container relatively evenly and continuously, and to continuously discharge a uniform flow rate of sealant from the discharge port. Moreover, sealants have the property of being relatively resistant to hardening or solidification even after being exposed to air. In contrast, adhesives for building surface materials generally harden or solidify relatively quickly when exposed to air. Therefore, the structure of a caulking gun is not suitable for use as a tool or device for intermittently dispensing such adhesives for building surface materials onto the bonding surface of the building surface material, thereby applying the adhesive in a dotted or intermittent linear pattern to the bonding surface of the building surface material.

[0009] The present inventors have proposed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-097001 (Patent Document 4) an adhesive dispenser with a compact configuration that is lightweight enough for a worker to hold in one hand, and which can intermittently flow or drip substantially equal amounts of adhesive using a manually operated mechanism. This adhesive dispenser has an adhesive container for storing liquid adhesive, an on-off valve device equipped with a valve body that flows or drips from the bottom of the container under gravity and selectively opens or closes the discharge port, and an on-off valve operating mechanism for manually opening or closing the on-off valve device, and is configured to intermittently flow or drip adhesive onto the bonding surface of a building surface material that is arranged substantially horizontally, and to form droplets or puddles of adhesive on the bonding surface of the building surface material at intervals. With this configuration of adhesive dispenser, it is considered that the intended purpose has been achieved in that even a relatively inexperienced worker can easily manage the amount of adhesive applied, the application interval, etc. on site, without relying on the experience and intuition of a skilled worker. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-216371 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 6-10496 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-100392 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-097001 [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0011] However, in the adhesive dispenser described in Patent Document 4, a movable valve body that is opened and closed is disposed within the flow path of the adhesive, and the adhesive is dispensed in accordance with the change in the position of the movable valve body. Therefore, in operations that require transient or irregular interruptions, or operations that last for a relatively long time, there is a concern that it may be difficult to ensure the smooth operation of the valve body due to changes in the viscosity of the adhesive near the discharge port, or the effects of the hardening or solidification state of the adhesive. Furthermore, cleaning the equipment after use is not always easy, and there is still room for improvement in these respects.

[0012] Furthermore, in the adhesive dispenser described in Patent Document 4, the movable valve opens the discharge port in accordance with the duration of pressure applied by the operator to the operating lever or operating rod, and closes the discharge port when the operator releases the pressure on the operating lever or operating rod. Therefore, the flow rate (discharge amount) of adhesive dispensed with a single opening of the discharge port depends entirely on the degree or force applied to the on / off valve operating mechanism. Consequently, depending on the operator's skill or experience, it is not always possible to apply the appropriate amount of adhesive to the bonding surface. Thus, there was still room for further improvement in this respect as well.

[0013] The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and aims to provide an adhesive dispenser and adhesive application method that can intermittently dispense substantially equal amounts of adhesive, have a compact configuration that is lightweight enough for a user such as a worker to hold in one hand, and can control the amount of adhesive dispensed without arranging movable parts such as movable valves in the adhesive flow path. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an adhesive dispenser (1) that intermittently dispenses a liquid adhesive (A) onto the bonding surface of a building surface material, forming droplets or reservoirs of the adhesive on the bonding surface at intervals, The adhesive container (2) has an adhesive storage area (ε) capable of containing the adhesive, the adhesive dispensing device (10) has a discharge port (Na) for dispensing the adhesive stored in the adhesive storage area, and the adhesive pressing means (3-7) pressurizes or increases the pressure of the adhesive in the adhesive storage area. The adhesive dispensing device comprises a flexible tube (11) that is in fluid communication with the adhesive containment area and has an opening at its tip as a discharge port for dispensing the adhesive to the bonding surface, and a flexible tube clamping device (20) that locally flattens the intermediate portion of the flexible tube located between the adhesive containment area and the discharge port, thereby providing local flow resistance to the flexible tube. The present invention provides an adhesive dispenser characterized in that the tip of the flexible tube, which is flattened by the clamping action of the flexible tube clamping device, constitutes the adhesive dispensing nozzle (N) for dispensing the adhesive.

[0015] According to the above configuration of the present invention, the adhesive dispenser is a relatively simple device consisting of an adhesive container having an adhesive storage area, an adhesive dispensing device without an on / off valve, and an adhesive pressing means for pressing the adhesive in the adhesive storage area. It can be designed as a lightweight and compact device that can be held or carried with one hand by a user such as a worker. Furthermore, in the adhesive dispenser of the present invention, no movable valve body such as an on / off valve is provided in the flow path from the adhesive storage area to the discharge port. No operation such as opening or closing of the movable valve body is required, and there is no need to consider malfunctions of movable parts such as movable valve bodies caused by hardening or solidification of the adhesive. Moreover, the amount of adhesive dispensed can be controlled by the flow path resistance provided by the flexible pipe clamping device and the fluid pressure applied to the adhesive by the adhesive pressing means. Therefore, according to the present invention, by setting an appropriate pressure balance between the flexible pipe clamping device and the adhesive pressing means (and thus setting appropriate flow path resistance and fluid pressure), the amount of adhesive dispensed each time obtained by operating the adhesive pressing means multiple times can be set and maintained to a substantially uniform or equal value.

[0016] In a demonstration test of the present invention, the inventors designed and manufactured an adhesive dispenser (prototype) in accordance with the present invention, and conducted a demonstration test of the present invention in which liquid adhesive (vinyl acetate adhesive) was contained in the container and droplets or puddles of adhesive were applied at predetermined intervals to the bonding surface of a building surface material. In the test, the inventors initially set the adhesive dispensing amount of the adhesive dispenser of the present invention to 3.0g, dispensed the adhesive 20 times, formed droplets or puddles at 20 intervals on the bonding surface of the surface material, measured the liquid volume (weight) of each droplet or puddle, and measured the average, minimum, and maximum values ​​of the adhesive dispensing amount. As a result, the liquid volume (weight) of each droplet or puddle formed on the bonding surface of the surface material was average = 3.04g, minimum = 2.28g, and maximum = 3.83g. Excluding the minimum and maximum values, the liquid volume of each droplet or puddle was within the range of 2.54g to 3.3g. As a result, it was found that the adhesive dispenser of the present invention can continuously and repeatedly form droplets or reservoirs of fairly uniform amounts. Therefore, the adhesive dispenser according to the present invention is considered to be a device with a configuration that is extremely suitable for practical use.

[0017] Preferably, the flexible tube clamping device has a pair of rollers (21), and the pair of rollers forms a nip area through which the flexible tube is inserted and which clamps the outer surface of the flexible tube. The flattened portion of the flexible tube by the rollers forms an orifice that locally increases the flow resistance. This orifice regulates or restricts the flow or circulation of the adhesive, except when the internal pressure of the adhesive containment area rises, and thus prevents unintended leakage of adhesive from the discharge port. On the other hand, when the internal pressure of the adhesive containment area rises, it allows the adhesive to flow in order to release the liquid pressure of the adhesive and discharge the adhesive from the discharge port.

[0018] The dimension (n) of the nip area can be set to a value within the range of 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm, preferably within the range of 1.5 mm to 4.0 mm, and more preferably within the range of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm.

[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flexible tube clamping device has a pair of support shafts (23) that respectively support or hold the rollers, and tension coil springs (25) locked or moored to each support shaft. The tension coil springs apply an initial compressive force to the roller pair to flatten the flexible tube portion located in the nip region of the rollers, and also apply a resistance force or reaction force to the support shafts to suppress or limit the expansion of the nip region so as to maintain the initial cross-sectional flattened shape of the flexible tube against the restoring force of the flexible tube and the pressure increase of the adhesive in the flexible tube.

[0020] Preferably, the adhesive container has a cylinder portion having a substantially uniform or equal circular cross-section over substantially the entire length, the adhesive pressing means is internally installed reciprocally in the cylinder of the cylinder portion, and a piston (6) that presses the adhesive in the adhesive storage region by its forward movement, a piston rod (7) integrally connected to the piston and causing the piston to reciprocate, a manually operable movable lever (5) that applies a driving force for pushing the piston rod into the cylinder by the gripping force or holding force of a finger, a ratchet mechanism (3c - 3g) that prevents or suppresses the piston rod that has advanced into the cylinder from retreating after the movable lever is released, a handle (4) that can be gripped or held and extends integrally downward from the frame portion (30) of the ratchet mechanism, and a stroke regulating device (8) that sets or regulates the dimension of the forward movement of the piston caused by one lever operation.

[0021] More preferably, the upper end portion of the movable lever is pivotally supported by a pivot arranged at the lower part of the frame portion (30) or the upper part of the handle, and the stroke regulating device is configured to be able to limit or restrict the pivotal angle range (θ) of the movable lever so as to set or regulate the stroke (δ) of the piston, and is provided with a variable settable angle range adjusting mechanism (82, 85) that can arbitrarily expand or contract the pivotal angle range.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adhesive container has a front cap (9) attached to the tip portion so as to close the tip opening, and the pipe joint member (14) is supported by the front cap. An adhesive delivery pipe (12) communicating with the adhesive storage region penetrates the radial center portion of the front cap. The pipe joint member concentrically connects the flexible pipe and the adhesive delivery pipe, and fluidly connects the internal flow path of the adhesive delivery pipe and the internal flow path of the flexible pipe. Preferably, the pipe joint member includes a tubular portion (14d) having a circular cross-section with an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the base end portion of the flexible pipe. The base end portion of the flexible pipe is adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular portion by slightly expanding the base end opening of the flexible pipe having a circular cross-section and fitting the tubular portion into the flexible pipe from the base end opening.

[0023] The flexible pipe is made of, for example, a flexible resin, rubber, or elastomer tube having a predetermined outer diameter and inner diameter within the range of an outer diameter of 10 to 18 mm and an inner diameter of 6 to 15 mm. The wall thickness of the flexible pipe is set to a value within the range of, for example, 1.0 mm to 3.0 mm. Defining [dimension (n) of the nip region / outer diameter (d) of the flexible pipe before compression] as the compression ratio of the flexible pipe, the flexible pipe clamping device preferably compresses the flexible pipe in the radial direction at a predetermined compression ratio within the range of 0.14 to 0.30, more preferably 0.16 to 0.25, to flatten the flexible pipe.

[0024] Preferably, the adhesive dispenser according to the present invention further has a front cover (28) supported by the front cap. An oval or elliptical opening (29) through which the tip portion of the flattened flexible pipe penetrates is formed in the front cover. The tip opening of the flexible pipe functioning as the discharge port of the nozzle is disposed in front of the front cover.

[0025] From another aspect, the present invention provides an adhesive application method using the adhesive dispenser having the above-described configuration, the method including storing a water-soluble adhesive or a vinyl acetate-based adhesive having a viscosity (Pa·s / 23°C) within the range of 22.0 to 32.0 in the adhesive storage region, and forming droplets or pools of the adhesive on the adhesive surface of a building facing material.

[0026] The present invention also provides an adhesive application method using the adhesive dispenser with the above configuration, characterized in that a predetermined amount of adhesive in the range of 1.5 g to 10.0 g is dispensed from the discharge port by manual operation of the adhesive pressing means in a single operation. A vinyl acetate resin emulsion type adhesive (JIS A 5538: JIS K6804), which is commonly used for attaching building boards to walls and ceilings, can be suitably used as the adhesive.

[0027] When using the adhesive dispenser according to the present invention, users such as workers may preferably use a commercially available package-type adhesive unit in which the adhesive is sealed inside a tubular resin film. When using such an adhesive unit, the user cuts or breaks the film at the tip of the adhesive unit to locally open the tip of the package, inserts the side opposite the opened end into the adhesive containment area (ε) to generally contain the adhesive unit in the adhesive containment area, and then inserts the adhesive delivery tube (12) into the opened portion of the film so that the delivery tube extends into the adhesive unit, and assembles the front cap (9) to the tip opening of the adhesive container, thereby creating fluid communication between the area inside the adhesive unit containing the adhesive and the area inside the flexible tube, and thus setting the adhesive dispenser to a state where it can be used. In use, the user grasps the handle of the adhesive dispenser set up in this manner, directs the nozzle tip to the appropriate location on the bonding surface of the building material, and operates the movable lever by grasping it with their fingers, thereby dispensing the adhesive onto the bonding surface. By repeating this process, droplets or puddles of adhesive are formed on the bonding surface, and thus the adhesive can be applied to the bonding surface of the building material in a dotted or intermittent linear pattern at desired intervals. If work is interrupted for a relatively long period, it is sufficient to properly protect or cur the discharge port with appropriate protective material, a cap, etc., as the adhesive will not easily harden or solidify, and work can be resumed immediately after several hours or days. Furthermore, after the work is completed, the user can relatively easily clean the adhesive dispenser by washing the container and the adhesive flow path such as the flexible pipe with water, and the flexible pipe and / or adhesive delivery pipe can be replaced if desired. Therefore, the adhesive application method according to the present invention is extremely suitable for use in construction work where it is necessary to repeatedly apply relatively small amounts of building material on a daily basis. [Effects of the Invention]

[0028] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an adhesive dispenser that can intermittently dispense substantially equal amounts of adhesive, has a compact configuration that is lightweight enough for a user such as a worker to hold or carry with one hand, and can control the amount of adhesive dispensed without arranging movable parts such as movable valves in the adhesive flow path.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the adhesive application method of the present invention, the adhesive can be relatively easily dispersed and applied to the back surface of the surface material in a dotted or intermittent linear pattern using such an adhesive dispenser. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0030] [Figure 1] Figures 1(A) and 1(B) are a side view and a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the structure of an adhesive dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a partially enlarged longitudinal cross-sectional view of an adhesive dispenser with adhesive contained within the adhesive container. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the adhesive dispenser excluding the adhesive dispensing device, Figure 3(B) is a front view of the piston, Figure 3(C) is a perspective view of the stroke restrictor, and Figure 3(D) is an exploded perspective view of the stroke restrictor. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the adhesive dispensing device. [Figure 5] Figures 5(A), 5(B), and 5(C) are partial longitudinal cross-sectional views of an adhesive dispenser, illustrating the process of loading an adhesive unit into an adhesive container in a schematic and step-by-step manner. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an adhesive unit that can be loaded into the container of an adhesive dispenser. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a schematic perspective view showing the appearance of adhesive applied in a dotted manner to the bonding surface of a surface material used for interior and exterior construction of buildings. [Figure 8]Figure 8(A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of an adhesive dispensing device showing a modified example as a second embodiment; Figures 8(B) and 8(C) are a front view and a side view of the adhesive dispensing device shown in Figure 8(A); and Figures 8(D) and 8(E) are perspective views of the adhesive dispensing device shown in Figure 8(A). [Modes for carrying out the invention] [Examples]

[0031] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings.

[0032] Figures 1 to 4 are a side view, a partially enlarged longitudinal section view, and an exploded perspective view showing the structure of an adhesive dispenser according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0033] As shown in Figures 1 to 4, the adhesive dispenser 1 consists of an adhesive container 2 (hereinafter referred to as "container 2") having an adhesive storage area ε capable of accommodating an adhesive unit P, a ratchet mechanism 3 connected to the base end of the container 2, a handle 4 extending integrally downward from the frame portion 30 of the ratchet mechanism 3, a pivotable manually operated movable lever (operating rod) 5 pivotally supported at the connection between the frame portion 30 and the handle 4, a piston 6 reciprocally housed in the adhesive storage area ε of the container 2 and pressing the adhesive A (Figure 2) contained in the container 2, a piston rod 7 whose tip is integrally connected to the piston 6 and passes through the ratchet mechanism 3, a stroke restricting device 8 that limits the pivot angle range of the movable lever 5 and restricts the dimension (stroke) of the forward movement of the piston 6 caused by a single lever operation, a front cap 9 attached to the front opening of the container 2, and an adhesive dispensing device 10 (hereinafter referred to as "dispensing device 10") attached to the tip of the front cap 9.

[0034] The ratchet mechanism 3, handle 4, movable lever 5, piston 6, and piston rod 7 constitute a manually operated adhesive pressing means that pressurizes or increases the pressure of adhesive A contained in the adhesive storage area ε of the adhesive container 2. The discharge device 10 is configured to discharge adhesive A (Figure 2) from the discharge port Na of the nozzle N in accordance with the pressure increase of adhesive A pressed by the piston 6. The container 2, ratchet mechanism 3, handle 4, lever 5, piston 6, piston rod 7, stroke restricting device 8, and front cap 9 are made of an assembly of metal parts such as steel parts and stainless steel alloy parts, or a single molded metal product. As adhesive A, a general-purpose vinyl acetate resin emulsion adhesive (JIS A 5538, JIS K 6804) can be suitably used to bond gypsum-based surface materials such as gypsum boards installed on the walls or ceilings of buildings, or surface materials for interior and exterior construction such as rock wool decorative sound-absorbing panels, by pressing the surface materials together in combination with staples or screws.

[0035] Figure 6 illustrates an adhesive unit P in which a vinyl acetate resin emulsion-type adhesive is sealed in a resin film bag. This type of adhesive unit P is commonly used at many construction sites for interior and exterior building work, particularly in the application of surface materials such as gypsum board. Figure 7 illustrates a state in which adhesive A is extruded from this type of adhesive unit P and dispersed in a dot pattern on the bonding surface of a surface material for interior and exterior building work.

[0036] As shown in Figure 6, a suitable adhesive unit P in this example is a packaged adhesive in which a vinyl acetate resin emulsion adhesive A weighing approximately 1 kg is sealed inside a cylindrical resin film F with both ends sealed. This type of packaged adhesive is commonly used for attaching building boards to walls and ceilings and is readily available on the market.

[0037] Conventionally, users of the adhesive unit P (such as workers engaged in interior and exterior construction work) would cut the resin film F at the pointed end Pa of the bag with a tool such as scissors or a cutter to open it, as illustrated by the virtual cutting line (dotted line) S in Figure 6. Then, they would grasp the bag with their fingers and compress the bag to pressurize or increase the pressure of the adhesive A inside the bag. This would force the adhesive A under pressure from the opening at the pointed end Pa onto the bonding surface Wa of the facing material W. By repeatedly performing this series of operations, an appropriate amount of adhesive A would be dispersed and applied to the bonding surface Wa of the facing material W in a dotted (or intermittent linear) manner, as shown in Figure 7.

[0038] Conventional adhesive dispersion application methods involve skilled workers applying adhesive to the surface material by eye based on their experience, intuition, and skills. While this method has been used for many years, in light of the recent shortage of skilled workers in the construction industry, there is a need for measures to improve work efficiency and enable even relatively inexperienced workers to perform the desired work relatively easily. The present invention was created from this perspective. According to the present invention, the user only needs to, for example, place the adhesive unit P in the container 2 of the adhesive dispenser 1, direct the nozzle N of the dispensing device 10 to the appropriate location on the bonding surface Wa of the surface material W, grasp the handle 4 of the pressing mechanism 3, and pivot the movable lever 5 toward the handle 4 with their fingers. Therefore, even relatively inexperienced workers can reliably and easily perform the regular task of dispersing and applying the appropriate amount of adhesive to the bonding surface of the surface material.

[0039] The structure and function of adhesive dispenser 1 will be described in general below.

[0040] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the container 2 constituting the adhesive dispenser 1 is made of a metal tubing material having a uniformly circular cross-section along its entire length. The tip of the container 2 is provided with a connecting means such as an external screw that engages with an internal screw of the front cap 9. An annular rubber packing 90 is interposed between the tip (front end) of the container 2 and the stepped portion 9c of the front cap 9. The base end (rear end) of the container 2 is also provided with a connecting means such as an external screw that engages with an internal screw of the rear cover or end cap 3a. The rear cover or end cap 3a is integrated with the frame portion 30 of the ratchet mechanism 3 and constitutes a part of the ratchet mechanism 3. The inner diameter of the container 2 is set to a dimension within the range of 50 mm to 80 mm, for example, 70 mm, and the total length of the container 2 is set to a dimension within the range of 200 to 400 mm, for example, 300 mm.

[0041] The piston 6 and piston rod 7, which are actuated by the movable lever 5, are arranged concentrically with the central axis XX of the container 2. As shown in Figure 3(B), the piston 6 has a circular contour in front view, with an outer diameter substantially the same as the inner diameter of the container 2, and slides against the inner circumferential surface of the container 2. The piston 6 is integrally connected to the tip of the piston rod 7 via a piston washer (or piston receiving plate) 6a, and moves forward or backward in accordance with the forward (arrow α direction) or backward (arrow β direction) movement of the piston rod 7. In the adhesive dispenser 1 of this example, an adhesive unit P is used, which consists of adhesive A sealed inside a bag of resin film F, so as shown in Figure 3(B), a plurality of air vents 6b (approximately 6 mm in diameter) are drilled in the piston 6 to facilitate the reciprocating motion of the piston 6.

[0042] The frame portion 30 of the ratchet mechanism 3 has a through hole (not shown) through which the piston rod 7 passes, and a hollow portion 3b where the ratchet 3c and ratchet spring 3d are arranged. The ratchet mechanism 3 has a back lever 3f positioned adjacent to the outer surface (rear or back surface) of the frame portion 30, and a back lever spring 3g is interposed between the back lever 3f and the frame portion 30. The piston rod 7 passes through the back lever spring 3g and the back lever 3f, extends rearward, bends at a right angle, and forms an operating portion 7a that can be gripped by the user.

[0043] The movable lever 5 is a trigger-type lever that is pivotably supported by a pivot pin 5a located at the connection point between the frame portion 30 of the ratchet mechanism 3 and the upper end of the handle 4, and is biased in a direction away from the handle 4 by a biasing means (not shown). When the movable lever 5 is pivoted or swung by the fingers towards the handle 4 around the axis of the pivot pin 5a, the feed pin 5b located at the upper end of the movable lever 5 pushes the ratchet 3c forward against the elastic force of the ratchet spring 3d. As a result, the ratchet 3c is displaced forward, and the piston rod 7, which is frictionally engaged with the ratchet 5a, moves forward. The piston rod 7 maintains its forward position due to the braking action of the back lever 3f.

[0044] To move the piston 6 backward (in the direction of arrow β) after repeatedly performing pivotal operation (trigger operation) of the movable lever 5 with the fingers to advance the piston 6 in stages, one should press the back lever 3f forward against the spring force of the back lever spring 3g, press the slide bar 3e with the back lever 3f to release the ratchet action of the ratchet 3c, and then grasp the operating part 7a of the piston rod 7 and manually pull the piston rod 7 backward (in the direction of arrow β) to move the piston 6 backward.

[0045] The pressing device 3 includes a stroke restricting device 8 for regulating or limiting the rotation angle range of the lever 5 and setting the stroke (forward distance) δ of the piston 7 produced by a single lever operation to a constant dimension. The stroke restricting device 8 has a movable tube portion 81 that is integrally attached to the lever 5 on the handle 4 side and displaces together with the lever 5, a holder 83 with a threaded portion 82 that extends into the hollow part of the movable tube portion 81, a fixing device or anchoring device 84 such as a pin that fixes or anchors the holder 83 to the handle 4, and a hexagonal nut 85 screwed onto the threaded portion 82 so as to variably set the dimension of the threaded portion 82 that can extend into the movable tube portion 81. The stroke restricting device 8 extends from the edge of the handle 4 towards the lever 5, generally horizontally or slightly inclined upward. The angle range θ of the pivotable lever 5 is set by the position of the hexagonal nut 85. When a user grips the handle 4 and pivots the lever 5 toward the handle 4 with their fingers, the threaded portion 82 is inserted into the hollow portion of the movable tube portion 81, and the hexagonal nut 85 contacts or abuts against the end surface of the movable tube portion 81, restricting further pivoting of the lever 5. Therefore, the stroke (forward distance) δ of the piston 6 that moves forward with a single pivot operation of the lever 5 is predetermined by a certain value (dimension) corresponding to the dimensions of the threaded portion 82 that can be inserted into the hollow portion of the movable tube portion 81. In other words, the user (worker, etc.) can move the piston 6 forward by a predetermined stroke δ with a single pivot operation of the lever 5, and by repeatedly performing the pivot operation of the lever 5, the forward movement of the piston 6 by a predetermined stroke δ can be performed intermittently.

[0046] Furthermore, the structure and function of the ratchet mechanism 3, which consists of the ratchet 3c, ratchet spring 3d, back lever 3f, back lever spring 3g, and slide bar 3e, etc., are substantially the same as or similar in configuration to the ratchet mechanism of a general-purpose caulking gun described in detail in Patent Document 3, for example. Therefore, the structure and function of the ratchet mechanism 3 are known, and further detailed explanations regarding the details of the ratchet mechanism 3 are omitted.

[0047] Next, the structure and function of the dispensing device 10, which is disposed at the tip of the adhesive dispenser 1 according to the present invention, will be described.

[0048] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, an internal screw formed on the enlarged diameter portion 9a of the front cap 9 is screwed onto an external screw at the tip of the container 2, and a reduced diameter portion 9b of the front cap 9, which gradually decreases in diameter toward the front, extends forward from the stepped portion 9c of the enlarged diameter portion 9a. The front end of the reduced diameter portion 9b is closed by a disc portion 9d. A circular opening 9e is drilled in the center of the disc portion 9d, and the base end of the connecting portion 9f is integrally connected to it.

[0049] The adhesive delivery pipe 12 (hereinafter referred to as "delivery pipe 12") constituting the discharge device 10 passes through the circular opening 9e, and the external threads of the delivery pipe 12 are screwed into the internal threads of the connecting portion 9f. The discharge device 10 is supported by the connecting portion 9f and extends in front of the front cap 9. The delivery pipe 12 is made of, for example, a resin pipe (e.g., rigid polyvinyl chloride pipe) or a metal pipe with an inner diameter of approximately 13 mm and an outer diameter of approximately 18 mm, and the outer end portion 12a (Figure 4) of the delivery pipe 12, which has external threads, is made of a metal part. The circular opening 9e, the connecting portion 9f, and the delivery pipe 12 are arranged concentrically around the central axis XX, and an adhesive delivery path G capable of delivering adhesive A passes through the front cap 9 and communicates with the adhesive containment area ε. The center of the flow path of the adhesive delivery path G coincides with the central axis XX.

[0050] As shown in Figure 4, the discharge device 10 includes a hexagonal nut 13 with an internal thread that can be screwed onto an external thread of the connecting portion 9f, a nozzle fitting 14 into which the base end of the flexible pipe 11 can be fitted, a fastener 15 for fixing the base end of the flexible pipe 11 to the nozzle fitting 14, a clamping roller device 20 having a pair of upper and lower outer rollers 21, and a front cover 28 having a nozzle insertion hole 29 into which the tip of the flexible pipe 11 can be inserted.

[0051] The base half of the hexagonal nut 13 is screwed onto the external thread of the connecting portion 9f. The external thread portion 14a of the nozzle fitting 14 is screwed into the tip half of the hexagonal nut 13. As shown in Figure 4, the main body portion 14b of the nozzle fitting 14 is continuous with a relatively small diameter reduced-diameter tube portion 14d via a stepped portion 14c. The flexible tube 11 is a flexible tube made of a flexible or pliable resin, rubber, or elastomer, for example, a silicone tube with an inner diameter of 9 mm and an outer diameter of 12 mm. The reduced-diameter tube portion 14d of the nozzle fitting 14 has an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the flexible tube 11. The base end of the flexible pipe 11 is attached to the outer surface of the reduced-diameter pipe section 14d by slightly widening the base end opening of the flexible pipe 11 and fitting the reduced-diameter pipe section 14 into the flexible pipe 11. The internal flow paths of the flexible pipe 11 and the nozzle attachment 14 are in fluid communication with the adhesive delivery path G, and thus the internal flow path of the flexible pipe 11 is in fluid communication with the adhesive containment area ε of the container 2. The base end of the flexible pipe 11 is fixed to the outer surface of the reduced-diameter pipe section 14d by the anchoring device 15 and is integrally connected to the nozzle attachment 14. In this example, the flow path diameter of the reduced-diameter pipe section 14d is set to be slightly smaller than the flow path diameter of the delivery pipe 12, but it is also possible to set the flow path diameters of the reduced-diameter pipe section 14d and the delivery pipe 12 to be the same size, or to set the flow path diameter of the delivery pipe 12 to a value smaller than the flow path diameter of the reduced-diameter pipe section 14d.

[0052] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the clamping roller device 20 constituting the discharge device 10 comprises a pair of upper and lower outer rollers 21 positioned in front of the nozzle fitting 14, a pair of upper and lower inner rollers 22 that rotatably support each roller 21, and a pair of upper and lower support shafts 23 that rotatably support each inner roller 22. The rollers 21, 22 and the support shafts 23 are arranged concentrically around the central axis of the support shafts 23. Each end of the support shafts 23 extends outward from each support plate 17 by passing through the elongated slots 17a of the left and right support plates 17. A pair of left and right support plates 16 that support each support plate 17 are arranged adjacent to each support plate 17. Each support plate 16 is fixed to the side of a hexagonal nut 13 by screws 18a that pass through through holes 16a and are screwed into the screw holes 13a of the hexagonal nut 13. The screw 18b passes through the through holes 16b and 19a in the support plate 16 and spacer 19, and is screwed into the screw hole 17b in the support plate 17, thereby fixing the support plate 17 to the support plate 16.

[0053] A tension coil spring 25, with its central axis oriented vertically, is positioned on the outer surface of each support plate 17. The upper and lower hooks of the tension coil spring 25 are engaged with the outer ends of a pair of upper and lower support shafts 23 that extend outward from each support plate 17, and are secured to the outer ends of each support shaft 23 by a spring retainer 25a. The tension of the tension coil spring 25 acts to bring the upper and lower support shafts 23 (and therefore the upper and lower outer rollers 21) closer together in the vertical direction. The flexible tube 11 is flattened by passing through the nip area between the upper and lower outer rollers 21 under the pressure of the rollers 21. The restoring force of the flexible tube 11, attempting to return to its initial circular cross-section, acts on the tension coil spring 25 as initial tension. The spring 25 imparts a compressive force to the flexible tube 11 that maintains the flattened cross-section of the flexible tube 11 against the restoring force of the flexible tube 11 and the internal pressure of the flexible tube 11 (the liquid pressure of adhesive A (Figure 2)).

[0054] In this example, with respect to the outer diameter d = 12 mm (Figure 2) of the flexible pipe 11, the dimension n (Figure 2) of the nip region formed between the outer rollers 21 is set to a value within the range of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm, for example, 2.4 mm. Therefore, the compression ratio n / d of the flexible pipe in the nip region is set to 0.16 to 0.25, for example, 0.2. Strictly speaking, since the thickness of the pipe wall of the flexible pipe is slightly reduced in the nip region, the flow path dimension of the flattened portion of the internal flow path of the flexible pipe 11 increases slightly compared to the flow path dimension obtained by this compression ratio. However, the internal flow path of the flexible pipe 11 is generally flattened in proportion to this compression ratio.

[0055] At the front (tip side) of the nip area of ​​the upper and lower outer rollers 21, the flexible tube 11 attempts to slightly restore its initial circular cross-section, but generally maintains a flattened state and penetrates the nozzle insertion hole 29 of the front cover 28. The flattened tip portion of the flexible tube 11 constitutes the nozzle N for adhesive discharge, and the tip opening of the flexible tube 11 forms the discharge port Na of the nozzle 11 in front of the front cover 28. The front cover 28 is fixed to the left and right support plates 17 by screws 28b (Figure 1) that are screwed into screw holes 28a (Figure 4). The spacer 19, rollers 21 and 22, and front cover 28 are made of a relatively hard resin in a single molded product, while the other parts or components constituting the discharge device 10 are made of metal parts or components.

[0056] Next, we will explain how to use adhesive dispenser 1.

[0057] Figure 5 shows a schematic and step-by-step process of loading the adhesive unit Pa into the container 2. The user, such as an operator, removes the front cap 9 of the container 2 and, as illustrated by the cutting line (dotted line) S in Figure 6, cuts the resin film F of the pointed end Pa with a tool such as scissors or a cutter to form an opening Pb. Then, as shown in Figure 5(A), inserts the bottom Pc of the adhesive unit P into the adhesive storage area ε from the front opening of the container 2, thereby loading the adhesive unit P into the adhesive storage area ε almost entirely. After that, as shown in Figure 5(B), the user inserts the discharge pipe 12 into the opening Pb of the adhesive unit P, extending the base end (rear end) of the discharge pipe 12 into the adhesive unit P. Then, as shown in Figures 5(C) and 2, integrally attaches the front cap 9 to the front opening of the container 2, thereby creating fluid communication between the adhesive A in the adhesive unit P and the internal region of the flexible pipe 11. Thus, the adhesive dispenser 1 is set up for use.

[0058] In use, the user grasps the handle 4 (Figure 1) of the adhesive dispenser 1 set up in this manner, directs the nozzle N to the appropriate location on the bonding surface Wa (Figure 7) of the surface material W, and operates the movable lever 5 by grasping it with their fingers, thereby moving the piston rods 7 and 6 forward (in the direction of arrow α). As described above, the pivot angle θ of the movable lever 5 is limited by the stroke restricting device 8, so the stroke δ of the piston 6 produced by a single operation of the movable lever 5 is controlled to a constant value.

[0059] As shown in Figure 2, the forward movement of the piston 6 (movement in the α direction) presses the adhesive unit P forward, compressing the bag containing the adhesive A. As a result, the film F at the front end of the adhesive unit P adheres tightly to the rubber packing 90, and the adhesive A inside the adhesive unit P flows out from the opening Pb due to the increase in pressure of the adhesive A, filling the reduced diameter section 9b. The adhesive A inside the adhesive unit P flows into the adhesive discharge path G of the discharge pipe 12, as indicated by the arrow η, increasing the pressure in the upstream flow path of the flexible pipe clamping device 20. The flow resistance of the orifice formed by the nip area of ​​the roller 21 causes the adhesive A to flow out towards the nozzle N in proportion to the increase in pressure in the upstream flow path, and the nozzle N discharges the adhesive A from the discharge port Na. In the demonstration test, when the adhesive A flows through the orifice, a phenomenon was observed in which the upper and lower outer rollers 21 rotate slightly, as indicated by the arrows in the partially enlarged view of Figure 2.

[0060] The stroke δ of the piston 6 (Figure 1) is limited to a predetermined dimension by the stroke restricting device 8, so the pressure rise of the adhesive A is limited. When the pressure exceeds the peak value, it gradually decreases with the discharge of adhesive A from the discharge port Na, dropping to the initial value (atmospheric pressure), and the discharge of adhesive A from the discharge port Na stops. Therefore, the amount of adhesive A discharged onto the bonding surface Wa of the surface material W with a single lever operation is determined by the stroke δ of the piston 6 set by the stroke restricting device 8, so the user can form a certain amount of droplets or puddles of adhesive A on the bonding surface A with a relatively simple lever operation. The user can repeatedly perform the above lever operation while sequentially moving the position of the nozzle N, thereby dispersing and applying an appropriate amount of adhesive A in a dot-like (or intermittent linear) pattern to the bonding surface Wa of the surface material W, as shown in Figure 7.

[0061] Figure 8 shows a modified example of the adhesive dispensing device as a second embodiment, in which a device cover that completely covers the dispensing device 10 is provided instead of the aforementioned front cover 28. Figure 8(A) is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the adhesive dispensing device according to the second embodiment, Figures 8(B) and 8(C) are a front view and a side view of the adhesive dispensing device shown in Figure 8(A), and Figures 8(D) and 8(E) are perspective views of the adhesive dispensing device shown in Figure 8(A).

[0062] The structure of the adhesive dispensing device 10 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 8. In each figure, components or components that are substantially the same or equivalent as those in the previously described embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and the explanation of these components or components will refer to the previously described explanation, omitting redundant explanations.

[0063] In this example, the dispensing device 10 is equipped with a device cover 100 that covers the entire dispensing device 10 and is equipped with a nozzle insertion hole 29, instead of the aforementioned front cover 28 (Figure 4) which is equipped with a nozzle insertion hole 29 and locally constitutes the front end of the dispensing device 10. The device cover 100 is composed of a front cover 28' equipped with a nozzle insertion hole 29 and a cylindrical side cover 101 configured to accommodate the entire dispensing device 10. The device cover 100 is intended to cover the entire dispensing device 10 in order to prevent a portion of the adhesive A dispensed from the nozzle N from adhering to the components or parts of the dispensing device 10 via the fingers of an operator, etc., and as a result, preventing the adhesive A from solidifying or hardening on the outer surface or in gaps of the dispensing device 10.

[0064] The front cover 28', which has a disc-shaped form with a slightly raised central portion, is composed of a circular front end surface 26, a frustoconical continuous portion 27a connected to the outer circumference of the front end surface 26 and extending radially outward, and an annular portion 27b extending rearward from the outer edge of the continuous portion 27a. The annular portion 27b is inserted into the front end opening of the side cover 101. A fastener 105 such as a screw, bolt, or screw is screwed into a female screw hole (not shown) of the annular portion 27b through a through hole (not shown) drilled in the front end portion of the side cover 101, and the annular portion 27b and the side cover 101 are integrally connected by tightening a pair of left and right fasteners 105.

[0065] A pair of upper and lower grooves 103 are formed at the rear end of the side cover 101. The grooves 103 extend parallel to the central axis XX and open at the rear edge of the side cover 101. A female screw member 104 having a female screw hole is disposed at a position corresponding to the grooves 103, and the female screw member 104 is integrally supported by the nozzle fitting 14. A fastener 102 such as a screw, bolt, or screw passes through the grooves 103 and is screwed into the female screw hole of the female screw member 104 and tightened. Thus, the annular portion 27b is integrally supported by the nozzle fitting 14 by fastening the pair of upper and lower fasteners 102 to the female screw member 104.

[0066] In use, the device cover 100 completely covers the dispensing device 10 to prevent any of the dispensed adhesive from adhering to the dispensing device 10 or from becoming contaminated or soiled for any reason. As can be easily understood, the device cover 100 can be easily removed from the dispensing device 10 for cleaning or washing by loosening the mooring device 102 and sliding the side cover 101 outward in the direction of the central axis XX.

[0067] Although preferred embodiments and examples of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments or examples, and various modifications or changes are possible within the scope of the present invention as described in the claims.

[0068] For example, in the above embodiment, a package-type adhesive unit is used in which the adhesive is sealed inside a tubular resin film, and this is housed in the adhesive storage area. However, if desired, the device configuration can be modified to prepare a reusable tubular inner resin container that can be housed inside the adhesive container, fill the adhesive into this container, and house it inside the adhesive container. Alternatively, the structure of the adhesive container, front cap, piston, etc. can be modified so that the adhesive can be directly housed in the adhesive storage area.

[0069] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the structure of the manually operated pressing mechanism of a caulking gun was applied as the adhesive pressing means, but a cylinder device with a different structure in which the piston stroke can be set may also be used as the adhesive pressing means. For example, a rechargeable battery-operated drive device can be used as the drive source for the pressing mechanism if desired.

[0070] Furthermore, a gauge for visually confirming the spacing between droplets or pools may be installed in the adhesive container or adhesive dispensing device as a positioning indicator for the adhesive dispensing nozzle, and the distance between the center of the droplet or pool on the adhesive surface formed immediately before and the center of the next droplet or pool to be formed may be visually confirmed using the gauge. [Industrial applicability]

[0071] The present invention relates to an adhesive dispenser and adhesive application method for construction work, used to apply adhesive to surface materials in a dotted (spot-like) or intermittently linear pattern at construction sites. The adhesive dispenser according to the present invention is used to distribute substantially equal amounts of adhesive evenly at intervals on the bonding surface of a building surface material, facilitating on-site management of the amount, position, and condition of adhesive application. Furthermore, it can be designed with a compact structure that is lightweight enough for a user, such as a worker, to support or carry with one hand. Moreover, it can dispense substantially equal amounts of adhesive intermittently and regularly, and the amount of adhesive dispensed can be controlled without arranging movable parts such as movable valves in the adhesive flow path. In addition, work using such an adhesive dispenser according to the present invention is extremely advantageous in terms of work efficiency, and its practical or operational effects are remarkable. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1 Adhesive dispenser 2. Adhesive container 3. Ratchet mechanism 4 handles 5. Movable lever (operating rod) 6 pistons 7 Piston rod 8 Stroke limiting device 9 Front cap 10 Adhesive dispensing device 11 Flexible tube 12 Adhesive dispensing tube 13 Hex nuts 14 Nozzle attachment tool 15 Mooring equipment 16, 17 Support plate 20. Clamping roller device 21 Exterior roller 22 Interior roller 23 Spindle 25 Tension coil springs 28, 28' Front Cover 29 Nozzle insertion hole 30 Ratchet mechanism frame 81 Movable tube part 82 Screw part 83 Holder 84. Fixing devices or mooring devices 85 Hex nuts 100 device cover 101 Side Cover N Nozzle Na discharge port P Adhesive Unit W-type facing material Wa Adhesive surface ε Adhesive containment area δ Piston stroke (distance traveled in one stroke) θ: Angular range of the pivot angle

Claims

1. In an adhesive dispenser (1) that intermittently dispenses a liquid adhesive (A) onto the bonding surface of a building surface material, forming droplets or reservoirs of the adhesive on the bonding surface at intervals, The adhesive container (2) has an adhesive storage area (ε) capable of containing the adhesive, the adhesive dispensing device (10) has a discharge port (Na) for dispensing the adhesive stored in the adhesive storage area, and the adhesive pressing means (3-7) pressurizes or increases the pressure of the adhesive in the adhesive storage area. The adhesive dispensing device comprises a flexible tube (11) that is in fluid communication with the adhesive containment area and has an opening at its tip as a discharge port for dispensing the adhesive to the bonding surface, and a flexible tube clamping device (20) that locally flattens the intermediate portion of the flexible tube located between the adhesive containment area and the discharge port, thereby providing local flow resistance to the flexible tube. An adhesive dispenser characterized in that the tip of the flexible tube, which is flattened by the clamping action of the flexible tube clamping device, constitutes the adhesive dispensing nozzle (N) for dispensing the adhesive.

2. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible pipe clamping device has a pair of rollers (21) that allow the flexible pipe to pass through and form a nip area for clamping the outer surface of the flexible pipe.

3. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 2, wherein the flexible tube clamping device comprises a pair of support shafts (23) that each support or bear the roller, and a tension coil spring (25) locked or anchored to each support shaft, the tension coil springs provide the roller with an initial compressive force to flatten the portion of the flexible tube located in the nip area of ​​the roller, and provide the support shafts with a reaction force or resistance force to suppress or limit the expansion of the nip area in order to maintain the initial flattened cross-sectional shape of the flexible tube against the restoring force of the flexible tube and the pressure rise of the adhesive inside the flexible tube.

4. The adhesive container has a cylindrical portion having a uniform or even circular cross-section over substantially its entire length, and the adhesive pressing means includes a piston (6) that is reciprocally housed within the cylinder of the cylindrical portion and presses the adhesive in the adhesive storage area by its forward movement, A piston rod (7) is integrally connected to the piston and causes the piston to reciprocate, A manually operated movable lever (5) that applies a driving force to push the piston rod into the cylinder by the gripping force of the fingers to the piston rod, A ratchet mechanism (3c-3g) prevents or suppresses the piston rod, which has advanced into the cylinder, from retracting after the release of the movable lever, A grippable handle (4) extends integrally downward from the frame portion (30) of the ratchet mechanism, The adhesive dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a stroke restricting device (8) for setting or restricting the dimension (δ) of the forward movement of the piston produced by a single operation of the lever.

5. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 4, wherein the upper end of the movable lever is pivotably supported by a pivot located at the lower part of the frame portion or the upper part of the handle, and the stroke restricting device is configured to limit the pivot angle range (θ) of the movable lever in order to set or restrict the stroke (δ) of the piston, and is equipped with an angle range adjustment mechanism (82, 85) that can variably set the pivot angle range.

6. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adhesive container has a front cap (9) attached to its tip so as to close its tip opening, an adhesive delivery pipe (12) communicating with the adhesive storage area passes through the radial center of the front cap, and a pipe joint member (14) that connects the flexible pipe and the adhesive delivery pipe concentrically and allows fluid communication between the internal flow path of the adhesive delivery pipe and the internal flow path of the flexible pipe is supported by the front cap.

7. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the pipe joint member (14) has a tubular portion (14d) with a circular cross-section having an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the base end of the flexible pipe, and the base end of the flexible pipe having a circular cross-section is attached to the outer surface of the tubular portion by slightly widening the base end opening of the flexible pipe and fitting the tubular portion into the flexible pipe from the base end opening.

8. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the flexible tube is made of a flexible resin, rubber, or elastomer tube having predetermined outer and inner diameters within the range of an outer diameter of 10 to 18 mm and an inner diameter of 6 to 15 mm, and the flexible tube clamping device compresses the flexible tube radially at a predetermined compression ratio within the range of a compression ratio of 0.15 to 0.30, when the compression ratio of the flexible tube is defined as [d] (dimension of the nip area) / (d) (outer diameter of the flexible tube before compression), thereby flattening the flexible tube.

9. The adhesive dispenser according to claim 8, further comprising a front cover (28) or device cover (100) supported by the front cap, wherein the front cover or device cover has an oval or elliptical opening (29) through which the flattened tip of the flexible tube passes, and the tip opening of the flexible tube, which functions as a discharge port, is positioned in front of the front cover or device cover.

10. A method for applying an adhesive using an adhesive dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, An adhesive application method characterized by containing a water-soluble adhesive or vinyl acetate-based adhesive having a viscosity (Pa·s / 23℃) in the range of 22.0 to 32.0 in the adhesive-containing area, and forming droplets or reservoirs of the adhesive on the bonding surface.

11. A method for applying an adhesive using an adhesive dispenser according to any one of claims 1 to 3, An adhesive application method characterized by dispensing a predetermined amount of the adhesive, in the range of 1.5 g to 10.0 g, from the discharge port by a single manual operation of the adhesive pressing means.

12. A method for applying an adhesive using the adhesive dispenser described in claim 6, An adhesive application method characterized by housing a package-type adhesive unit, which has the adhesive sealed inside a tubular resin film, in the adhesive storage area, cutting or rupturing the film at the tip of the adhesive unit to locally open the package, inserting the adhesive delivery tube into the opened portion of the film and extending the delivery tube into the adhesive unit, assembling the front cap to the tip opening of the adhesive container, and creating fluid communication between the area inside the adhesive unit containing the adhesive and the area inside the flexible tube.

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