Sealant spreader apparatus and sealing method used for preparing holes for glue-in rod structures

Abstract

The sealant spreader device fills the voids around the drilled hole with sealant in a glue-in rod (GIR) configuration. Liquid sealant may be applied to the base of the drilled hole. The sealant spreader device is then inserted through the sealant and into the base of the drilled hole. The sealant spreader device is then withdrawn while rotating. The sealant spreader device includes a contoured wing section that forces the sealant radially outward toward the hole wall into the voids around the inner surface of the drilled hole, leaving a thin layer of sealant on the inner surface of the drilled hole.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] (Priority) This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application No. 17 / 961,018, filed October 6, 2022, entitled "SEALANT SPREADER DEVICE FOR USE IN PREPARING HOLES FOR GLUED-IN-ROD STRUCTURES", which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Background Art

[0002] A glued-in-rod (GIR) system is known as a system in which rods are adhesively attached to holes drilled in wood. This wood may be solid sawn timber or may be composed of engineered wood products such as structural composite lumber (SCL) or cross-laminated timber (CLT). In a GIR, when an adhesive is injected into the drill hole to embed the rod, the adhesive leaks into the voids in the wood around the drill hole. The leakage of the adhesive results in insufficient adhesive at the interface between the wood and the rod, preventing reliable adhesion.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0003] [Figure 1] Front cross-sectional view of a cross-section of wood such as a cross-laminated timber including adhesively bonded rods according to an embodiment of the present technology. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Different perspective views of the sealant spreader according to the embodiment shown in Figure 3.

[0007] [Figure 6] A diagram showing a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 7] A diagram showing a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 8] A diagram showing a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology.

[0008] [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of a sealant spreader assembly according to an alternative embodiment of this technology.

[0009] [Figure 10] Different perspective views of the sealant spreader according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9. [Figure 11] Different perspective views of the sealant spreader according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9.

[0010] [Figure 12] An exploded perspective view of a sealant spreader according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9.

[0011] [Figure 13] Cross-sectional view of a sealant spreader according to the embodiment shown in Figure 9.

[0012] [Figure 14] Figure 9 shows a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 15] Figure 9 shows a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology. [Figure 16] Figure 9 shows a sealant spreader inserted into and removed from a hole, according to an embodiment of this technology.

[0013] [Figure 17] Perspective view of a sealant spreader assembly according to a further alternative embodiment of the present technology.

[0014] [Figure 18] Different perspective views of a sealant spreader device according to the embodiment of FIG. 17. [Figure 19] Different perspective views of a sealant spreader device according to the embodiment of FIG. 17.

[0015] [Figure 20] Diagram showing the sealant spreader of FIG. 17 inserted into and removed from a hole according to an embodiment of the present technology. [Figure 21] Diagram showing the sealant spreader of FIG. 17 inserted into and removed from a hole according to an embodiment of the present technology. [Figure 22] Diagram showing the sealant spreader of FIG. 17 inserted into and removed from a hole according to an embodiment of the present technology.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Briefly described, the present technology relates to a sealant spreader device for filling a gap around a drill hole with a sealant in a gudgeon-in-rod (GIR) structure. In wood structures such as natural wood and wood-based products, there may be gaps in the wood. In the case of natural wood, the gaps may exist within the wood grain. In wood-based products such as cross-laminated timber, the gaps may exist in the wood grain and / or the portions where the wood pieces are bonded together. According to the present technology, before adhering a rod to a drill hole, a sealant may be applied to the hole using the sealant spreader device of the present technology and pushed into the gap around the inner peripheral surface of the hole. The sealant spreader device of the present technology may be attached to the rod or may include the rod. One end of the rod may be fitted into a drill to attach the sealant spreader device to the rod and rotate the rod and the sealant spreader device.

[0017] The process involves applying liquid sealant to the base (bottom) of the drilled hole. The amount of sealant depends on the depth and diameter of the drilled hole. A sealant spreader device (usually abbreviated as SSD herein) on a rod is then inserted through the sealant down to the base of the drilled hole. The SSD is then withdrawn while rotating. The sealant spreader device includes wing-shaped sections with a contour that pushes the sealant radially outward toward the hole walls, forcing the sealant into the voids around the inner surface of the drilled hole and leaving a thin layer of sealant on the inner surface of the drilled hole.

[0018] It is understood that the present invention can be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure is thorough and complete and fully conveys the invention to those skilled in the art. In fact, the present invention is intended to cover alternatives, variations, and equivalents of these embodiments that fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Furthermore, the following detailed description of the invention includes numerous specific details in order to fully understand the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be carried out without such specific details.

[0019] The terms “top” and “bottom,” “up” and “down,” and “vertical” and “horizontal,” as used herein, are for illustrative and explanatory purposes only and do not mean to limit the description of the invention to the extent that the items being referenced are interchangeable in position and orientation. Also, as used herein, the terms “substantially” and / or “about” mean that a given dimension or parameter may vary within an acceptable manufacturing tolerance for a given application. In one embodiment, the acceptable manufacturing tolerance is ±2.5%.

[0020] For the purposes of this disclosure, the connection may be direct or indirect (e.g., through one or more other components). Where the first element is referred to as connected, attached, mounted, or joined to the second element, the first and second elements may be directly connected, attached, mounted, or joined to each other, or indirectly connected, attached, mounted, or joined to each other. Where the first element is referred to as directly connected, attached, mounted, or joined to the second element, there are no intervening elements between the first and second elements (other than the adhesive or molten metal used to connect, attach, mount, or join the first and second elements, as may be the case).

[0021] Referring first to Figure 1, a front cross-sectional view of a GIR structure 100 is shown, which consists of wood 102 to which rods 104 are bonded using adhesive 108 to drilled holes 106. In the following embodiments, the illustrated wood is cross-laminated timber (CLT). However, it will be understood that embodiments of the sealant spreader device for filling the voids in the GIR structure may be used with any type of wood or timber. In the illustrated embodiments, the wood 102 may be CLT including layers 102a of boards bonded together and extending in a first direction (left to right in Figure 1), and layers 102b of boards bonded together and extending in a second direction (back of page in Figure 1). Multiple layers 102a, 102b may be mixed. The number of layers, the orientation of each layer, the thickness of each layer, and the number of boards in each layer are shown for illustrative purposes only, and each may vary in further embodiments. The number of rods 104 is also shown for illustrative purposes only, and may vary in further embodiments.

[0022] As described in the background section, before inserting the rod 104 into the drilled hole 106, the hole is prepared by filling the void in the drilled hole with sealant. Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the GIR structure 100 showing a portion of layer 102a sandwiched between portions of a pair of layers 102b. A drilled hole 106 is shown penetrating multiple layers of wood 102, and this drilled hole 106 opens with several voids 110 around the edge of the drilled hole 106. These voids 110 may occur naturally in layers 102a, 102b and / or may occur if the boards within the layers are not directly and completely bonded to each other. The number, type, and appearance of the voids 110 are shown by example and may differ in different embodiments.

[0023] Figures 3 to 8 show a first embodiment of a sealant spreader assembly 114 for preparing a drilled hole 106 with a layer of sealant. As seen in Figure 3, the sealant spreader assembly 114 includes a sealant spreader device 116 attached to the first end of a rod 118. A device such as a drill (not shown) may be detachably attached to the second end of the rod 118 to rotate the SSD 116 and the rod 118. Instead of a drill, a key, crank or other tool may be fitted onto the second end of the rod 118 to allow manual rotation of the SSD 116 and the rod 118.

[0024] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the SSD 116 may have a cylindrical base portion 120, a top portion 122 including a central opening 124 for receiving a rod 118, and a pair of wing-shaped sections 126. Each wing-shaped section 126 may extend 180° around the central axis of the top portion 122. The radius of each wing-shaped section 126 starts at a minimum radius of 0° and increases to a maximum radius of 180°, which coincides with the radius of the base portion 120. The maximum radius portion of the first wing-shaped section 126 connects with the minimum radius portion of the second wing-shaped section 126 by a surface 128. The area above the base portion 120 adjacent to the surface 128 and the minimum radius portions of the wing-shaped sections 126 defines a reservoir 130 for storing sealant, as described below.

[0025] The base portion 120 may be formed integrally with the top portion 122, for example, in an additive manufacturing process. In a further embodiment, the base portion 120 may be separate from the top portion 122 and attached to the top portion 122, and the sealant spreader device 116 may be manufactured by other means. The base portion 120 and the top portion 122 may be formed of a rigid material, such as plastic or other polymers. In a further embodiment, the base portion 120 and / or the top portion 122 may be formed of a flexible or pliable material, such as rubber.

[0026] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of a drilled hole 106 in wood 102. A void 110 is shown connected to the edge of the drilled hole 106. Again, the shown void 110 is illustrative and will differ in further embodiments. To fill the void 110 in preparation for receiving the bonded rod 104 (Figure 1), sealant 134 is first supplied to the base or bottom 106a of the drilled hole 106. The sealant 134 may be any of various viscous fluids or pastes, such as CI-GV adhesive from Simpson-Strong-Tie, headquartered in Pleasanton, California. The sealant 134 may also be supplied to the base 106a of the hole 106 by injection through a tube (not shown) extending from the outside of the hole 106 to the base 106a of the hole 106. The amount of sealant 134 supplied to the base 106a depends on the depth and diameter of the hole 106. In this embodiment, the amount of sealant 134 used is sufficient to seal any voids opening into the hole 106, leaving a thin layer of sealant along the entire cylindrical surface of the hole 106.

[0027] As shown in Figure 6, once the sealant 134 has entered the base 106a of the hole 106, the SSD 116 may be inserted into the hole 106. The SSD 116 may be customized to fit the hole 106. In particular, the combined diameter of the base portion 120 and the maximum diameter of the wing section 126 is slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole 106. In some embodiments, the diameter of the base portion 120 at the maximum diameter of the wing section 126 may be 1 / 8 to 1 / 16 inch smaller than the diameter of the hole 106, but the difference between the diameter of the hole 106 and the diameter of the SSD may be smaller or larger than that range in further embodiments.

[0028] As shown in Figure 7, the SSD 116 is pushed down into the base 106a of the hole 106. The base section 120 of the SSD 116 may include an axial channel 136 that allows the base section 120 to be pushed down through the sealant 134, which moves up the base section 120 through the channel 136 and around the outer diameter of the base section 120. As the SSD 116 is pushed through the sealant 134, the sealant 134 is stored in the top section 122 of the SSD 116 and (optionally) in a reservoir 130 in the space above the SSD 116.

[0029] As shown in Figure 8, the SSD 116 may then be rotated while being pulled upward toward the opening of the hole 106. As it rotates, the variable radius wing section 126 pushes the sealant from the reservoir 130 outward toward the edge of the hole 106 and into any gaps 110, leaving a thin layer 134 of sealant along the entire cylindrical surface of the hole 106. After passing the SSD 116 once from the base 106a of the hole 106 to the open end on the opposite side of the hole 106, the gaps 110 can be sealed and a thin layer of sealant 134 can be applied along the surface of the hole 106. In a further embodiment, the gaps 110 may be sealed with a thin layer of sealant 106 applied along the surface of the hole 106 after passing the SSD multiple times along the length of the hole 106.

[0030] The SSD 116 and sealant 134 may form an airtight seal that prevents air from flowing back into the hole 106 below the SSD 116 when the SSD 116 is pulled upward. As a result, when the SSD 116 is pulled upward, a vacuum may form below the SSD 116. This vacuum, unfortunately, can draw the sealant 134 into it, causing it to seep through the channel 136 and / or around the outer periphery of the base section 120 of the SSD 116.

[0031] This problem (and other problems) is addressed by further embodiments of the present technology, one of which is described below with reference to Figures 9 to 16. Referring first to Figures 9 to 13, a sealant spreader assembly 140 is shown, which includes a sealant spreader device 142 attached to the first end of a rod 144. As described above, a device such as a drill or a manual tool (not shown) may be detachably attached to the second end of the rod 144 in order to rotate the SSD 142 and the rod 144.

[0032] The sealant spreader device 142 of this embodiment includes a base portion 146 and a top portion 148. The base portion 146 includes a relief slot 150, the purpose of which is described below. The top portion includes a pair of wing-shaped sections 152 oriented 180° to each other. Each wing-shaped section 152 includes an upward-biasing blade 154 directly adjacent to the base portion 146, a downward-biasing blade 156 located above each wing-shaped section 152, and a neutral blade 158. The purposes of these blades are described below.

[0033] For example, as shown in the exploded perspective and cross-sectional views of Figures 12 and 13, respectively, the SSD 142 further includes a pressure relief valve to prevent a vacuum from forming below the SSD 142 when the SSD 142 is pulled upward from the hole 106. In particular, a valve cap 160 is located within the base portion 146, and this valve cap 160 is connected by a spring 162 to a mounting portion 164 within the body of the SSD 142. The spring 162 is preloaded with sufficient force to hold the valve cap 160 in the valve cup 166 at the bottom of the base portion 146 when no other force is applied to the valve cap 160. Given the preload of the spring 162, the valve cap 160 remains seated in the valve cup 166 when the SSD 142 is pushed downward through the sealant 134, as described above and as will be described further below. This prevents sealant from entering the SSD 142 around the valve cap 160 as the SSD 142 is pushed downward through the sealant 134.

[0034] However, as explained earlier and further explained below, when the SSD 142 is pulled upward, at some point the vacuum below the SSD 142 becomes sufficiently large, and the pressure gradient above and below the valve cap 160 generates a force on the valve cap that exceeds the spring force holding the valve cap 160 inside the valve cup. In this embodiment, the inside of the rod 144 and SSD 142 may be hollow, and the pressure above the valve cap is the ambient pressure.

[0035] The force exerted on the spring 162 by the valve cap 160 is the product of the ambient air pressure passing through the hollow tube and the hollow body of the SD and the inner surface area of ​​the valve cap 160. For example, the inner diameter of the valve cap may be 0.625 inches, providing a circular valve cap surface area of ​​0.3068 square inches. When the ambient air pressure is 14.2 psi, the force (product of pressure and area) due to the air pressure above the valve cap 160 is 4.4 pounds. The force on the bottom surface of the valve cap is 0.0 pounds due to the vacuum.

[0036] Therefore, a spring with a pretension of less than 4.4 pounds (and having a mild spring constant so as not to resist significantly larger loads as stretched) will stretch under a load of 4.4 pounds (resulting from a pressure difference), forming a gap between the valve cap 160 and the body of the SSD 142. This gap allows air to enter behind the SSD 142 as it is pulled out, mitigating the vacuum effect. In embodiments, the spring may be preloaded with a smaller force, such as 0.4 pounds with a spring constant of 2.8 pounds / inch, which ensures that the valve cap 160 opens easily when the SSD 142 is pulled out of the hole 106. It is understood that in further embodiments, the preload of the spring 162 may vary outside the above range and the spring constant may be different.

[0037] In some embodiments, the valve cap 160 may have two tabs (or female slots) that engage with slots (or tabs) on the valve cup 166 to prevent rotation of the valve cap 160. This prevents the winding / unwinding of the spring 162 and prevents a change in the spring preload. The tabs / slots may be omitted in further embodiments.

[0038] Referring next to Figure 14, in this embodiment, the sealant 134 is first supplied to the base 106a of the drilled hole 106, as described above. Once the sealant 134 is in the base 106a of the hole 106, the SSD 142 may be inserted into the base 106a of the hole 106 (Figure 15). As described above, the diameter of the SSD 142 may be customized to be slightly smaller than the diameter of the hole 106. The base portion 146 may include the channel 136 as described above and / or the relief slot 150 described later, which allows the SSD 142 to move to the base 106a and displace the sealant 136 to the reservoir 168 above the base portion 146.

[0039] As shown in Figure 16, the SSD 142 may then be rotated while being pulled upward toward the opening of the hole 106. As it rotates, the wing section 152 pushes the sealant 134 into any gaps 110 opening into the hole 106, leaving a thin layer of sealant 134 along the entire cylindrical surface of the hole 106. The top 148, which includes the wing section 152, may be about 4 inches long. This length may be greater than the length of the top 122 in the embodiments shown in Figures 3 to 5. This elongated top 148 has several advantages. First, it allows the wing sections 152 to each have a different orientation. Each wing section 152 includes an upward biasing blade 154 directly adjacent to the base section 146, a downward biasing blade 156 located on top of each wing section 152, and a neutral blade 158 (numbered in Figures 10 and 11).

[0040] The upward biasing blade 154 is angled in a first direction so as to wrap around the central hub of the apex 148. When the sealant spreader assembly 140 rotates properly (i.e., clockwise when viewed from above), the angled profile of the upward biasing blade 154 biases the sealant 134 upward toward the neutral blade 158 in the axial middle of the wing section 152. The downward biasing blade 156 is angled in a second direction opposite to that of the upward biasing blade so as to wrap around the central hub of the apex 148. The angled profile of the downward biasing blade 156 biases the sealant 134 downward toward the neutral blade 158 in the axial middle of the wing section 152. The sealant 136 is pushed outward by the neutral blade 158, for example into the gap 110. Considering the upward bias of blade 154 and the downward bias of blade 156, the sealant is concentrated on the neutral blade 158, thus increasing the force that pushes the sealant into the gap 110. Therefore, the shape of these blades is optimally effective in pushing the sealant 134 into the gap 110.

[0041] In this embodiment, since the upward biasing blade 154 is longer than the downward biasing blade 156, the net axial force of the wing section 152 on the sealant (parallel to the rotational axis of the SSD 142) is upward toward the opening of the hole 106. This further ensures that as the SSD 142 rotates and moves upward, the sealant moves into the gap and continues to move upward, so that only a thin layer of sealant remains covering the hole 106.

[0042] The pair of wing-shaped sections 152 also define a pair of reservoirs 168 in the space above the base section 146 between the wing-shaped sections 152. A further advantage of the long length of the top section 148 is that it provides reservoirs that can hold a large amount of sealant 134 as the SSD 142 rotates and moves upward.

[0043] As shown in Figure 16, at some point during the upward movement of the SSD 142, the pressure difference between the top and bottom of the valve cap 160 becomes large enough to overcome the force of the spring 162 held within its seat in the base portion 146. At this point, air from outside the sealant spreader assembly 140 moves in the direction of arrow A, through the rod 144, through the central cavity of the SSD 142, and into the hole 106 at the bottom of the SSD 142, equalizing the pressure throughout the SSD 142 and preventing the sealant from being pulled back down to the bottom of the SSD 142.

[0044] As described above, the base portion 146 includes a relief slot 150. In some embodiments, multiple passes of the sealant spreader assembly 140 may be required to properly remove the sealant, leaving only a thin layer that covers the hole 106 and seals the void 110. When the SSD 142 is reinserted into the base 106a of the hole 106 for a second (and further) pass, the SSD 142 will again form an airtight seal between the base portion 146 and the surface of the hole due to the sealant 134 on the SSD 142 after the previous pass and the sealant 134 adhering to the wall of the hole 106 from the previous pass. This sealing effect compresses the column of air inside the hole 106 when the SSD 142 is reinserted into the hole 106 and pushed downward. This compressed air may push the sealant 134 that was previously pushed into the void 110 even deeper into that void, potentially exposing a new, unsealed void and reducing the effectiveness of sealing the void from the previous pass.

[0045] To overcome this problem, the base portion 146 may include a relief slot 150. When the SSD 142 is reinserted, the relief slot 150 does not need to have sealant 136, thus preventing pressure from accumulating beneath the SSD 142 when the SSD 142 is pushed downward again into the base 106a of the hole 106.

[0046] In the embodiments described above, the base portions 120 and 146 may have a diameter equal to the maximum diameter of at least the wing-shaped sections of the top portions 122 and 148. In further embodiments, the SSD 142 may be the same as that described with respect to Figures 9 to 16, except that the base portion is smaller. This embodiment is now described with reference to Figures 17 to 22. In the following description, parts having the same reference numerals are structurally and functionally the same as those described with respect to Figures 9 to 16.

[0047] Figures 17 to 19 show a sealant spreader assembly 170, including a sealant spreader device 172 attached to the first end of a hollow rod 144. The sealant spreader device 172 in this embodiment includes a base portion 176 and a top portion 148. The top portion 148 includes a pair of wing-shaped sections 152 oriented at 180° angles from each other. Each wing-shaped section 152 includes an upward-biased blade 154 directly adjacent to the base portion 146, a downward-biased blade 156 located above each wing-shaped section 152, and a neutral blade 158, as described above.

[0048] In this embodiment, the base portion 176 has a shorter diameter than the wing-shaped section 152 of the top portion 148. The combined diameter of the wing-shaped section 152 is only smaller than the diameter of the hole 106 as described above, and the diameter of the base portion 176 is also small, but leaves, for example, 1 / 4 inch between the outer diameter of the base portion 176 and the wall of the hole 106. It is understood that the space between the base portion 176 and the wall of the hole 106 may be larger or smaller in further embodiments.

[0049] As mentioned above, in order to effectively seal all the gaps 110 and leave a thin layer of sealant 134 covering the hole 106, it may be necessary to pass the sealant spreader device through the hole 106 more than once. Because the diameter of the base portion 176 is small, when the SSD 172 is reinserted, there is an effect that a seal is not formed between the wall of the hole 106 and the SSD 172 at the base portion 176. Therefore, when the SSD 172 is pushed downward during reinsertion, air escapes upward from below the SSD 172 (arrow A) (Figures 20 and 21). Since the outer diameter of the base portion 176 is no longer the same as the outer diameter of the wing section 152, the wing section 152 is solely responsible for moving the excess sealant upward toward the opening of the hole while the SSD is being withdrawn. As SSD172 moves the sealant upward, an airtight seal may be formed in SSD172. Therefore, as shown in Figure 22 and as described above, a relief valve 160 and related components may be provided to prevent a vacuum from forming below SSD172 as SSD172 moves upward.

[0050] The hole 106 is prepared by applying sealant 134 to the void and leaving a thin layer of sealant on the wall of the hole 106, after which the sealant may be cured or solidified. The rod 104 (Figure 1) may then be bonded to the hole 106 using a paste-like adhesive or other adhesive. In a further embodiment, the paste-like adhesive or other adhesive may be applied before the sealant 134 is cured. In such an embodiment, the sealant 134 may be more viscous than the paste-like adhesive or other adhesive used to fix the rod 104 in the hole 106. In such an embodiment, the sealant 134 and the paste-like adhesive or other adhesive may be cured simultaneously.

[0051] Various SSDs 142, 172 have been described above as having a pair of wing-shaped sections 152. However, it is understood that SSDs 142, 172 may have a single wing-shaped section 152, or two or more wing-shaped sections 152, including, for example, three or four wing-shaped sections 152, around the edge of the SSD.

[0052] In summary, the present technology relates to a sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, the sealant spreader device comprising: a base portion configured to fit into the hole; and a top portion formed on the base portion and configured to fit into the hole, the top portion including one or more wing-shaped sections configured to push sealant into one or more voids when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted out of the hole.

[0053] In a further embodiment, the technology relates to a sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, the sealant spreader device comprising: a base portion configured to fit into the hole; a top portion formed on the base portion and configured to fit into the hole, the top portion comprising a reservoir configured to store a certain amount of sealant; and a wing-shaped section having one or more contours, the one or more contours being configured to push sealant radially outward from the reservoir into one or more voids as the sealant spreader device rotates.

[0054] In another embodiment, the technology relates to a method for sealing one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, the method comprising: (a) supplying a certain amount of sealant to the base of the hole; (b) inserting a sealant spreader device having wing-shaped sections having a contour configured to move the sealant radially outward toward the wall of the hole when rotated, through the sealant to the base of the hole; (c) rotating the sealant spreader device while lifting it out of the hole, thereby pushing the sealant radially outward toward the wall of the hole into one or more voids; and (d) carrying the sealant upward with the sealant spreader device as the sealant spreader device rotates and is lifted out of the hole.

[0055] The above detailed description of the present invention is presented for illustrative and explanatory purposes only. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the embodiments disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments described have been selected to best illustrate the principles of the present invention and its practical application, thereby enabling those skilled in the art to best utilize the invention with various embodiments and variations suitable for a particular intended use. The scope of the present invention is intended to be defined by the appended claims. The following items are elements described in the claims of the original patent application. (Item 1) A sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, A base portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, A top portion formed on the base portion and configured to fit into the hole, the top portion including one or more wing-shaped sections configured to push the sealant into the one or more gaps when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted out of the hole, A sealant spreader device equipped with the following features. (Item 2) Each wing-shaped section comprises a first portion having a first contour angled in a first direction, The sealant spreader device according to item 1, wherein the first portion is configured to bias the sealant upward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward. (Item 3) Each wing-shaped section further comprises a second portion having a second contour angled in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The sealant spreader device according to item 2, wherein the second portion is configured to bias the sealant downward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward. (Item 4) Each wing-shaped section further comprises a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, The sealant spreader apparatus according to item 3, wherein the first and second parts concentrate the sealant in the third part. (Item 5) The third part is a sealant spreader device according to item 4, which presses the sealant into the one or more voids. (Item 6) Each wing-shaped section is positioned 180° apart from the others in the sealant spreader device as described in item 1. (Item 7) The outer diameter of the base portion is smaller than the combined outer diameter of the two wing-shaped sections. The sealant spreader device according to item 6, wherein the smaller diameter base portion prevents the sealant spreader device from forming an airtight seal when the sealant spreader device is reinserted for a second pass of the sealant spreader device through the hole. (Item 8) The base portion further comprises a pressure valve seated within it. The sealant spreader apparatus according to item 1, wherein the pressure valve opens to discharge air into the hole below the sealant spreader apparatus when the sealant spreader apparatus is lifted out of the hole. (Item 9) The sealant spreader apparatus according to item 8, wherein the pressure valve is biased against the base portion by a preloaded spring within the internal cavity of the sealant spreader apparatus. (Item 10) A sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, A base portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, The base portion is formed on the aforementioned base portion and comprises a top portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, The aforementioned top is, A reservoir configured to store a certain amount of the sealant, A wing-shaped section having one or more contours, wherein the one or more contours are configured to push the sealant radially outward from the reservoir into the one or more gaps when the sealant spreader device rotates, A sealant spreader device equipped with the following features. (Item 11) The wing-shaped section comprises a first portion, The first portion is adjacent to the base portion and has a first contour angled in the first direction, The angled first contour of the first portion is configured to bias the sealant upward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward, according to item 10, sealant spreader device. (Item 12) The wing-shaped section comprises a second portion, The second portion is located furthest from the base portion and has a second contour angled in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The sealant spreader device according to item 11, wherein the angled second contour of the second portion is configured to bias the sealant downward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward. (Item 13) The wing-shaped section further comprises a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, The first and second parts concentrate the sealant in the third part, The third part is a sealant spreader device according to item 12, which pushes the sealant radially outward into the one or more voids. (Item 14) The first part is longer than the second part. The sealant spreader device according to item 13, wherein the longer the length of the first portion, the greater the upward bias on the sealant from the first portion than the downward bias on the sealant from the second portion. (Item 15) The radius of the base portion is smaller than the radius of the wing-shaped section. The sealant spreader device according to item 10, wherein the smaller radius of the base portion prevents the sealant spreader device from forming an airtight seal when the sealant spreader device is reinserted into the hole. (Item 16) The base portion further comprises a pressure valve seated within it. The sealant spreader apparatus according to item 10, wherein the pressure valve opens to discharge air into the hole below the sealant spreader apparatus when the sealant spreader apparatus is lifted out of the hole. (Item 17) The sealant spreader apparatus according to item 16, wherein the pressure valve is biased against the base portion by a preloaded spring within the internal cavity of the sealant spreader apparatus. (Item 18) A method for sealing one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, (a) supplying a certain amount of sealant to the base of the hole, (b) Inserting a sealant spreader device, which has a wing-shaped section having a contour configured to move the sealant radially outward toward the wall of the hole when rotated, into the hole through the sealant up to the base of the hole, (c) While lifting the sealant spreader device out of the hole, rotate the sealant spreader device and push the sealant into the one or more voids radially outward toward the wall of the hole, (d) When the sealant spreader device rotates and is lifted out of the hole, the sealant is carried upward together with the sealant spreader device, A method for providing this. (Item 19) (c) The method of item 18, wherein the sealant spreader device is lifted out of the hole while the sealant spreader is rotated, further covering the wall of the hole with a thin layer of sealant. (Item 20) The method of item 18, further comprising providing an air passage through the interior of the sealant spreader device to allow for equalization of the pressure above and below the sealant spreader device when the sealant spreader device is lifted out of and / or inserted into the hole.

Claims

1. A sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, A base portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, The top portion is formed on the base portion and configured to fit into the hole, and includes one or more wing-shaped sections configured to push the sealant into one or more gaps when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted out of the hole, A sealant spreader device equipped with the following features.

2. Each wing-shaped section comprises a first portion having a first contour angled in a first direction, The sealant spreader device according to claim 1, wherein the first portion is configured to bias the sealant upward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward.

3. Each wing-shaped section further comprises a second portion having a second contour angled in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The sealant spreader device according to claim 2, wherein the second portion is configured to bias the sealant downward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward.

4. Each wing-shaped section further comprises a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, The sealant spreader device according to claim 3, wherein the first part and the second part concentrate the sealant in the third part.

5. The sealant spreader device according to claim 4, wherein the third part presses the sealant into one or more voids.

6. The sealant spreader device according to claim 1, wherein each wing-shaped section is located 180° apart from one another.

7. The outer diameter of the base portion is smaller than the combined outer diameter of the two wing-shaped sections. The sealant spreader according to claim 6, wherein the smaller diameter base portion prevents the sealant spreader from becoming airtight when the sealant spreader is reinserted for a second pass of the sealant spreader into the hole.

8. The base portion further comprises a pressure valve seated within it. The sealant spreader device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure valve opens to discharge air into the hole below the sealant spreader device when the sealant spreader device is lifted out of the hole.

9. The sealant spreader device according to claim 8, wherein the pressure valve is biased relative to the base portion by a spring that is preloaded within the internal cavity of the sealant spreader device.

10. A sealant spreader device for spreading sealant into one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, A base portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, The base portion is formed on the aforementioned base portion and comprises a top portion configured to fit into the aforementioned hole, The aforementioned top is, A reservoir configured to store a certain amount of the sealant, A wing-shaped section having one or more contours, wherein the one or more contours are configured to push the sealant radially outward from the reservoir into the one or more gaps when the sealant spreader device rotates, A sealant spreader device equipped with the following features.

11. The wing-shaped section comprises a first portion, The first portion is adjacent to the base portion and has a first contour angled in the first direction, The angled first contour of the first portion is configured to bias the sealant upward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward, according to claim 10.

12. The wing-shaped section comprises a second portion, The second portion is located furthest from the base portion and has a second contour angled in a second direction opposite to the first direction, The angled second contour of the second portion is configured to bias the sealant downward when the base portion and the top portion are rotated and lifted upward, according to claim 11.

13. The wing-shaped section further comprises a third portion between the first portion and the second portion, The first and second portions concentrate the sealant in the third portion, The sealant spreader device according to claim 12, wherein the third part presses the sealant radially outward into one or more voids.

14. The first part is longer than the second part. The sealant spreader device according to claim 13, wherein the longer the length of the first portion, the greater the upward biasing force on the sealant from the first portion than the downward biasing force on the sealant from the second portion.

15. The radius of the base portion is smaller than the radius of the wing-shaped section. The smaller radius of the base portion prevents the sealant spreader device from becoming airtight when the sealant spreader device is reinserted into the hole, according to claim 10.

16. The base portion further comprises a pressure valve seated within it. The sealant spreader device according to claim 10, wherein the pressure valve opens to discharge air into the hole below the sealant spreader device when the sealant spreader device is lifted out of the hole.

17. The sealant spreader device according to claim 16, wherein the pressure valve is biased against the base portion by a spring that is preloaded within the internal cavity of the sealant spreader device.

18. A method for sealing one or more voids surrounding a hole configured to receive a glue-in rod, (a) supplying a certain amount of sealant to the base of the hole, (b) Inserting a sealant spreader device, which has a wing-shaped section having a contour configured to move the sealant radially outward toward the wall of the hole when rotated, into the hole through the sealant up to the base of the hole, (c) While lifting the sealant spreader device out of the hole, rotate the sealant spreader device and push the sealant into the one or more voids radially outward toward the wall of the hole, (d) When the sealant spreader device rotates and is lifted out of the hole, the sealant is carried upward together with the sealant spreader device, A method for providing this.

19. (c) The method of claim 18, wherein the sealant spreader is rotated while the sealant spreader device is lifted out of the hole, the sealant spreader is further covered with a thin layer of sealant on the wall of the hole.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising providing an air passage through the interior of the sealant spreader device to allow for the equalization of the pressure above and below the sealant spreader device when the sealant spreader device is lifted out of and / or inserted into the hole.

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