Notched Trowel Tooth Geometry for Adhesive Layer Continuity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for manually applying pasty masses, such as plasters or adhesives, often result in incomplete or uneven layers with air pockets or cavities, particularly when forming adhesive layers for attaching panel-shaped components to substrates, due to the limitations of conventional trowels and spatulas with toothing designs.
Innovation Solution
A trowel or spatula device with notches forming teeth, where each tooth has a broadened base and a narrower distal end, allowing for adjustable layer thickness and facilitating the formation of valley and web areas that enable a full-surface, continuous adhesive layer with minimal air inclusions, by aligning the panel during attachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional trowels with uniform teeth are used to apply adhesive, then the application process is simple, but the adhesive layer contains air pockets and cavities resulting in incomplete coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating teeth with non-uniform geometry - specifically, teeth with broadened bases and narrower distal ends. This local variation in tooth structure creates corresponding valley and web areas that facilitate complete adhesive distribution without air pockets, resolving the contradiction between layer continuity and device simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trowel blade is segmented into multiple teeth with specific geometric features. The segmentation creates distinct valley areas between teeth and web areas on tooth surfaces, which work together to ensure complete adhesive coverage. This segmented structure eliminates air pockets while maintaining a relatively simple overall device design.
2Manufacturing precision
If the tooth height is increased to achieve greater layer thickness, then the layer thickness control is improved, but the grooves do not fill completely leaving cavities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses local quality by varying the tooth geometry along its height - the broadened base provides structural support for thickness control while the narrower distal end allows adhesive to flow completely into the grooves. This local geometric variation ensures both precise thickness control and complete groove filling, eliminating cavities.
3Quantity of substance
If adhesive is applied to both substrate and panel, then the adhesive coverage is increased, but the grooves from one layer do not align with the other layer resulting in incomplete filling
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by creating a pattern of valley and web areas that work together to ensure complete adhesive distribution. When adhesive is applied to both substrate and panel, the segmented structure ensures that grooves from one layer align with valley areas of the other layer, allowing complete filling and eliminating the misalignment problem.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device for the manual application of a pasty mass, in particular a plaster or adhesive mass, comprising a trowel, spatula, or spatula blade (1) which has several similarly shaped and regularly arranged notches (2) in the region of at least one side edge (1.1, 1.2) for forming teeth (3). According to the invention, a tooth (3) remaining between two notches (2) has at least one angled tooth flank (4) which comprises at least two sections (4.1, 4.2) arranged at an angle to each other, such that the tooth (3) has a broadened base. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for forming an adhesive layer, preferably using a device according to the invention.