EP0270736A1 - Portable dispenser for applying a transfer adhesive - Google Patents

Abstract

The dispenser comprises a housing (1) in which a take-off reel (3) of a transfer adhesive tape (6) is connected to a take-up reel (7) by a gear train (9, 10, 11) for the synchronous rewinding of the tape stripped of its adhesive. Between the two reels the tape (6) forms a loop passing around an adhesive applicator roller (20) disposed so as to project from the housing (1). The applicator roller (20) is mounted on a rocker locking device (13) having an elastic return strip (18) comprising a locking tooth (16) engaged in the toothing of the gear (9). During the application of transfer adhesive the manual pressure applied to the housing causes the locking device to rock against its elastic return and enables the reels to rotate. At the end of the adhesive-applying operation the removal of the pressure on the housing prevents rotation of the reels by means of the elastic return of the locking device (13). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a portable device for applying adhesive transfer to an object to be bonded for the purpose of either fixing this object on another or fixing another object there by contact pressure.

This device is of the type comprising an openable casing, a take-up reel mounted for rotation in the case, a tape carrying a film of detachable adhesive wound around the feed reel, a take-up reel mounted for rotation in the case near the take-up reel, a transmission of rotary movements between the take-up reel and the take-up reel for the synchronous rewinding of the tape around the take-up reel, a brake for immobilizing the rotation of the take-up reel, a push button with elastic return control actuation of the brake, part of which is projecting from the housing, and on which housing an adhesive applicator element is provided, around which the tape is passed and which is intended to be pressed on an object to be glued by transfer of the film carried by the ribbon.

There are devices of this kind on the market which are differentiated, among other things, by the nature and relative locations of the pusher and the adhesive applicator element on the housing.

On one of these known devices, the pusher is constituted by the trigger of a handle situated on one side of the casing and integral with it, and the adhesive applicator element is constituted by a roller mounted to rotate on an axis carried at the end of a projection from below the housing.

On two other known devices, the adhesive applicator element also consists of a roller mounted to rotate on an axis carried by the housing, while the pusher is constituted by a simple button emerging from the housing. On one of these two devices, the button and the roller are located at the two ends of the front face of the case, while on the other device, these two members are located respectively one on and the other under the case.

On a fourth known device, the role of the pusher is provided by a pivoting handle on one side of the housing and the adhesive applicator element is constituted by the supplying coil itself, the periphery of which emerges from below the housing.

These four known devices respond by their differences to different uses, industrial or domestic, as well as to different ergonomic criteria intended to make their handling as easy as possible. However, they have this in common that a certain attention must be paid to the synchronization of the manual pushing and releasing actions of the resiliently actuated brake control pushbutton with the start and the end of the gluing course of the object to be glued.

In fact, with these adhesive transfer applicator devices, the braking of the supply reel must be removed by manual pressure on the plunger at least from the start of the gluing stroke, otherwise, in the event of delay, breaking the adhesive film torn off, the tape being blocked and unable to advance. At the end of the gluing stroke, stopping the gluing requires a frank break of the adhesive film carried by the tape and, for this to be done cleanly and with precision, the supply reel must be blocked by manual release of the pusher at the precise moment of the arrival of the support zone of the adhesive applicator element on the planned limit of gluing, and before stopping the movement of the device.

The user must therefore both carefully monitor the position of the support area of the adhesive applicator element on the object to be bonded and synchronize his manual actions of pushing and releasing the pusher with the passage of this area. on the critical limits of start and end of gluing, and this with one hand which is responsible at the same time for guiding and orienting the housing of the device relative to the surface of the object to be glued .

On a fifth known device, the synchronization of the pushing and releasing actions of the pusher with the start and the end of the gluing stroke is made semi-automatic. To obtain this effect, the pusher of this device is located on the same face of the housing as the adhesive applicator element and close in front of the latter in the expected direction of movement of the device along the travel of gluing. The pusher is here a sliding pad and the adhesive applicator element a roller. In this way, at the start of the gluing stroke, the push-on pad is automatically pressed upon the pressure of the device on the object to be glued, the only precaution to be taken being to hold the face of the box having these two members parallel to the surface of the object to be glued. At the end of the gluing stroke, and while the adhesive applicator roller is still kept pressed on the glued object, the user must tilt the box back with respect to the direction of advance, by rotation around the bearing area of the roller on the object, in order to allow the release of the pusher pad by action of its elastic return, then pull the device to break the adhesive film.

The semi-automation of this device frees the user tor direct handling of the pusher by a finger of the hand holding the housing, which already simplifies the handling process during the gluing operation. The synchronization of the actions of the pusher poses fewer problems because it is automatic at the start of the gluing stroke and that it is obtained by tilting the housing at the end of the gluing stroke.

However, when this semi-automatic device is used to glue over the entire length and to the edge of a thick object, such as for example the lid of a box, it does not allow, without other delicate additional manipulations, apply the adhesive to the edge of this object. In fact, before the end of the planned gluing stroke, the push-shoe leaves the surface of the object and, by the effect of its elastic return, activates the brake and blocks the supplying coil before the applicator roller has finished its glue stroke to the edge of the object. To be able to finish gluing, you must either take it back in the other direction, after having turned the device over, in which case a delicate problem of adhesive film connection arises, or slide a finger of the other hand under the device to keep the push-up shoe raised against its elastic return until the end of the planned gluing stroke, which may not always be possible depending on the thickness of the object and the space surrounding.

The object of the invention is to further facilitate handling of the device during the gluing process by means of a simplified semi-automatic system devoid of the aforementioned drawbacks.

To this end, the portable device for applying adhesive transfer according to the invention is characterized in that at least the part projecting from the casing of the push button with elastic brake actuation return consists of the adhesive applicator element.

In this way, the manipulations of the device are simplified in the sense that the pressure and the release of the pusher occur quite naturally and respectively upon application and removal of the pressure from the device on the object to be glued, at the beginning and at the end of the gluing course; and this without requiring the control of the parallelism of the lower face of the box with the surface of the object to be glued at the start and during the gluing course, nor of additional movements of tilting of the box or retaining of the pusher at the end of this course.

In addition, the pusher being here constituted by the adhesive applicator element itself, the semi-automation applied is simplified by the removal of an organ. Finally, the problem raised by the spacing of these two members in the case of gluing edge to edge of a thick object is eliminated, the brake being able to be actuated only at the end of the gluing course at the arrival of the applicator element on the edge of the object, since this element also plays the role of a pusher. The user can even voluntarily forget, without damage in this particular case, to lift the device at the end of the journey, the braking then taking place automatically as soon as they pass the edge of the object, by arriving in the vacuum of the element applicator.

As shown below by the description and the drawing which follow, the adhesive applicator element also playing the role of pusher can be constituted by an element independent of the supply and take-up reels or else by the supply reel itself.

• La figure 1 est une vue de profil de la première forme d'exécution en position de repos.
• La figure 2 est une vue de face de cette première forme d'exécution, selon flèche f de la figure 1, en coupe partielle.
• La figure 3 est une vue de profil de la première forme d'exécution, en position de travail.
• La figure 4 est une vue de profil de la seconde forme d'exécution, en coupe partielle et en position de repos.
• La figure 5 est une vue de profil partielle et en coupe de la seconde forme d'exécution en position de travail.
• La figure 6 est une vue de profil partielle de la variante.

The appended drawing represents, by way of example, two embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention, as well as a variant of the first embodiment.

• Figure 1 is a side view of the first embodiment in the rest position.
• Figure 2 is a front view of this first embodiment, according to arrow f of Figure 1, in partial section.
• Figure 3 is a side view of the first embodiment, in the working position.
• Figure 4 is a side view of the second embodiment, in partial section and in the rest position.
• Figure 5 is a partial profile view in section of the second embodiment in the working position.
• Figure 6 is a partial profile view of the variant.

The device represented in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 in its first embodiment comprises:

an openable casing 1, of substantially ovoid outline, of rectangular cross section, the cover 2 of which is only shown in FIG. 1 in the raised position,

- a supply reel 3 removably mounted on a first hub 4 rotatably mounted on a pivot 5 secured to the housing 1, and around which is wound a tape 6 carrying removable adhesive,

- a take-up reel 7 rotatably mounted with adjustable friction by means of an axial screw 8 on a pivot, not visible, secured to the housing 1,

a transmission of rotary movements between the supply reel 3 and the take-up reel 7, constituted here by a train of three toothed wheels 9, 10 and 11, the two extremes 9 and 11 of which are respectively concentric and integral with the hub 4 and the reel receiver 7 and whose intermediate 10 is rotatably mounted on a pivot 12 secured to the housing 1,

a brake 13 for immobilizing the supply coil 3 in rotation, constituted here by a lever 14 mounted in rocker and between its two ends on a pivot 15 secured to the housing 1, and comprising at one end a tooth 16 for engaging the toothing of the toothed wheel 9, and at the other end a pivot 17 and an elastic return blade 18 formed in shape with the lever 14 and bearing against a stop 19 secured to the housing 1,

- an adhesive applicator roller 20 rotatably mounted on the pivot 17 at the end of the brake lever 14, this roller 20 being the only element projecting partially from the housing 1, through an opening 21 in its side wall 22.

In this arrangement, the adhesive applicator roller 20 plays at the same time the role of the resilient return plunger for controlling the brake of the supply reel.

The lever 14 of the brake also has at its two ends two stops 23 and 24, one 23 for the end-of-travel stroke and the other 24 for the end-of-travel engagement of the tooth 16 for immobilizing the toothed wheel. 9 secured to the supply reel 3.

The removability of the supply coil 3 is here ensured by the release of a notch 25 from its inner periphery of the three vertices of an equilateral triangular core formed by the hub 4, the adjustment of these two assembly conformations being provided slightly tightened by the own elasticity of this coil 3.

When the apparatus is armed, the ribbon 6 of the supply reel 3 is passed around the applicator roller 20 and fixed to the take-up reel 7 by engagement around a tongue 27 of its periphery, as shown in FIG. 1.

In the rest position shown in this FIG. 1, and which also corresponds to the end of travel position for gluing an object, the elastic return blade 18 of the brake lever 14 maintains the latter in the engagement position of its end tooth 16 in the toothing of the toothed wheel 9, the end-of-engagement stop 24 being in abutment against the side wall 22 of the housing 1. In this position, the supply coil 3 is thus prevented from rotating.

In the working position for gluing the surface 28 of an object, shown in FIG. 3, the pressure of the user's hand on the casing 1 of the device, which results in an equivalent reaction force of the object 28 against the applicator roller 20, has the effect of pivoting the lever 14 of the brake around its pivot 15 against the elastic return force of the blade 18, and thus disengage the tooth 16 from the teeth of the toothed wheel 9. The amplitude of this clearance is limited by the meeting of the stop 23 of the clearance end stroke with the wall 22 of the housing. In this position, the supply reel 3 is thus free to rotate as long as the housing 1 is subjected to sufficient pressure by the hand of the user to overcome the restoring force of the elastic blade 18.

Throughout the gluing stroke, the strip 6 stripped of the adhesive film 29 is recovered by the take-up reel 7 and kept stretched along its circuit by the combined effects of its drive by the gear train 9, 10 and 11 which is provided as a multiplier in its ratio and frictionally retaining its rotation. During the gluing path, no particular precaution is to be taken with regard to the inclination of the housing around the generatrix for supporting the applicator roller 20 on the surface 28 of the object to be glued.

At the end of the gluing stroke, the only action of removing the pressure of the user's hand on the housing 1 is enough to block the rotation of the supply spool, which allows a precise gluing stop and a precise rupture of the adhesive film 29 by lifting or continuing to move the device on the surface 28 of the object, without having to pivot the housing 1 around the applicator roller 20 beforehand.

The second embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 benefits from the same functional advantages with, however, in addition the structural advantage of the elimination of an adhesive push-button applicator element independent of the supply and take-up coils, this adhesive applicator element. -pusher being here constituted by the supply coil itself.

In these two Figures 4 and 5 the device is seen from behind, side opposite to the cover, not visible.

The two coils and the gear train are identical to those already described, this is why these elements bear the same references 3, 7, 9, 10 and 11. However, they are no longer mounted on three integral pivots. of the housing but on three pivots 30, 31 and 32 integral with a rectangular plate 33 mounted movable by translation in a housing 34 with rounded ends and having two side walls 35 parallel to the plate 33. Part of the periphery of the supply coil 3 is arranged projecting from one end of the housing 34.

The plate 33 comprises two pairs of transverse elastic blades 36, of the same dimensions, spaced along its length and on either side of its width, come in shape with said plate. The ends of these four elastic blades 36 are engaged in and held by four side rails 37 integral two by two with the two side walls 35 of the housing 34.

On the side opposite to the supply reel 3, the plate 33 has an extension finger 38 carrying at its end a pivot 39 on which a brake lever 40 is articulated.

On either side of its articulation on the pivot 39, the brake lever 40 has on one side a tooth 41 engorgement of the teeth of the toothed wheel 11 of the gear train, and on the other side a pivot 42 engaged in a hole 43 drawn from a console 44 secured to the housing 34. An end stop 45 for disengaging the brake lever 40, secured to the housing 34, is provided opposite the extension finger 38 of plate 33.

In the rest position shown in Figure 4, the four elastic blades 36 of the plate 33 maintain the latter in balance in the housing 34 in the lowered position of engagement of the tooth 41 of the brake lever 40 in the teeth of the toothed wheel 11 of the gear train. This means that in this position and in the absence of pressure on the supply reel 3, the latter is locked in rotation.

In the working position shown partially in Figure 4, the pressure of the user's hand on the housing 34 has the effect of raising the plate 33 against the elastic force of the four blades 36 which bend until they meet of the extension finger 38 with the stop 45. This raising has the effect of pivoting the brake lever 40 and releasing the tooth 41 of the latter from the toothing of the toothed wheel 11, and thus allowing the rotation of the supply coil 3.

Variants can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

Thus, for example, in the second embodiment, the mobility of the plate 33 can be achieved by pivoting instead of translation. In this case this plate is mounted inclined in the housing, in the manner of the lever 14 of the first embodiment, in a larger housing allowing this pivoting over a certain stroke at the end of which the toothing of a toothed wheel of the gear train engages a tooth secured to the housing for example.

In the first embodiment, the two coils 3 and 7 can be mounted counter-rotating by removing the intermediate toothed wheel and direct meshing of their two toothed wheels. In this case these two toothed wheels are necessarily of larger diameters and the ribbon circuit 6 modified accordingly.

The applicator element of this first embodiment is not necessarily constituted by a roller such as the roller 20. This element can be constituted, as shown in FIG. 6, by a fixed sliding pad 46 in the form of V integral with the brake lever 14. This variant is advantageous in the case of the use of a very flexible tape 6, because it allows reduce the radius of curvature R of the bearing area of the applicator element on the object to be glued, and thus make the visual control of the planned limits of the glue stroke even more precise.

Claims (6)

1. Portable device for applying adhesive transfer comprising an openable casing, a supply spool mounted for rotation in the housing, a tape carrying a film of detachable adhesive wound around the supply spool, a take-up spool mounted rotating in the housing in the vicinity of the supply reel, a transmission of rotary movements between the supply reel and the take-up reel for the synchronous rewinding of the ribbon around the take-up reel, a brake for immobilizing the rotation of the supply reel, an elastic return pushbutton for actuating the brake, a part of which is projecting from the housing, and on which housing an adhesive applicator element is provided, around which the tape is passed and which is intended to be pressed on an object to be glued by transfer of the film of adhesive carried by the tape, characterized in that at least the part projecting from the casing of the push button with elastic command return e for actuating the brake (13, 14) is constituted by the adhesive applicator element (20, 3, 46). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the adhesive applicator element is mounted at the end of a lever (14) for braking the supply coil (3) with elastic return (18). 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the adhesive applicator element consists of a roller (20) rotatably mounted on a pivot (17) integral with the brake lever (14). 4. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the adhesive applicator element is constituted by a sliding pad (46) integral with the brake lever (14). 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the supplying coil (3), the receiving coil (7) and the transmission of their rotary movements (9, 10, 11) are arranged on a plate (33) mounted movably in the housing (1) against a braking device of the elastic return supply spool (36, 40), and in that the supply spool (3) is partially projecting from said housing (1) to title of adhesive applicator element. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the plate (33) is mounted movable by translation in the housing 1.

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