RESIN APPLICATOR

APPLICATEUR DE RESINE

English Abstract

The invention is an applicator and process used to fill in the edges of
composite
panels with resin or emulsions. The applicator is attached to a pressurized
canister filled with resin that forces the resin through the applicator's
channel,
into a space between the applicator's spatula and the panel's edge. The
sidewalls of the applicator guide the applicator along the edge of the panel
as it is
drawn along to fill the edge and also to prevent spill over. The aft-end of
the
applicator body is a spatula that tapers toward the panel's edge and acts to
smooth the resin flush with the panel's sidewalls. A finger guide allows the
applicator to work using finger pressure. The applicator is drawn along with
the
hands, and where the leading edge of the applicator body rests on the panel
there is a rounded lip to allow the applicator to traverse smoothly over
roughness
and imperfections on the panel's edge. The rounded lip feature also functions
as
a pivot that allows the applicator to be pivoted in such a way that the
sidewalls
will rise above the panel's edge so that the applicator can clear obstacles
like
adjoining panels without having to be removed from the panel being filled.
Ribbing on the underside of the spatula facilitates the flow of resin over the
entire
edge of the panel. The applicator may be fashioned to accommodate varying
panel thickness or edge profile, such as straight, angled, or bullnosed. The
applicator may also be used to apply adhesives to the edges of solid panels.
The invention can alternatively be fashioned for automation.

Claims

CLAIMS
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1 A manually guided applicator comprising:
an applicator body connectable by joining means to a pressurized canister
source of resin or emulsion for the application thereof into open edges of
composite panels or onto the edges of solid panels,
a delivery channel extending from the joining means through the applicator
body
to an applicator delivery point on a bottom portion of the body whereby the
resin
or emulsion travels from the pressurized canister source to the delivery
point,
a spatula means situated posterior to the delivery point whereby the resin or
emulsion is smoothed into the panel's open edges and generally flush to the
panel's open edges as the applicator is drawn across the panel by a user,
applicator sidewalls extending from the bottom portion of the applicator body
and
thereby forming a channel area along a portion of the length of the body's
bottom
portion adapted to guide the applicator along the panel's edges and prevent
resin
or emulsion spill over, and
a rounded-lip at the bottom portion of the applicator body and situated
anterior to
the delivery point adapted to enable the applicator to traverse panel edge
bumps
and imperfections and functions as a pivot to enable the applicator to tilt
forward,
raising the applicator's sidewalls above the edge of the panel to clear
obstacles
attached to the sides of the panel.
2 An applicator as defined in claim 1, wherein the sidewalls are parallel to
each
other and to the walls of the panel the applicator is used on, to permit the
applicator to be laterally stabilized to the panel and to provide a tight fit
so as to
prevent resin of emulsion spill over between the sidewalk of the applicator
and
the sidewalls of the panel.
3 An applicator as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein the leading edges of the
sidewalk are flanged outward so that they allow the applicator to center the
panel between the sidewalls as it is first put on to prevent the sidewall
edges
from snagging on the edges of the panel.
4 An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the spatula means is
in the
form of a plurality of ribs adjacent to the delivery point to facilitate resin
or
emulsion delivery into and over the entire edge of the panel.
6/9

An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, or 4, wherein the cross-sectional
profile of the applicator's channel area and spatula feature is generally
square,
rounded, or where the cross-sectional profile reveals the channel and spatula
feature of the applicator to be at an angle to the sidewalls other than
perpendicular.
6 An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, wherein a finger guide at
the
top portion of the applicator body is disposed to allow a user a steady hold
of the
applicator through its operations.
7 An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 wherein the angle
between
the forward plane of the delivery channel and the leading edges of the
sidewalls
is 180 degrees or more.
8 An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the angle
between
the top portion of the applicator body and the delivery channel is about 150
degrees.
9 An applicator as defined in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 adapted for
manual or
automated use.
7/9

Description

CA 02286547 2000-06-13
SPECIFICATION
This invention and process relates to a pressure aided resin application
device
for applying resins into the open cell edges of composite panels or onto the
edges of solid panels. Resins may be defined alternatively as emulsions,
fluids,
adhesives, glues, mucilage, cements, and epoxies.
The resin applicator and the process mentioned herein was designed to make
the production of composite board cabinetry more efficient and less costly by
allowing workers to work more quickly than conventional methods. Since
composite board panels {like No-mex~ and Fiberlam~) have open cells at their
edges, these edges must be filled with materials (such as the Epocast~
emulsion) to strengthen the brittle ends and provide a stabilizer for joinery
screws
and nuts and a surtace for veneering.
This procedure, called end-filling, is conventionally preformed by hand with a
spatula that crudely spreads the emulsion or resin into the fill area. This
procedure cannot guarantee an even fill density and it leaves a lot of extra
residue on the panels, which is wasteful and inefficient. Once the residue
dries,
the worker must sand the material flush with the edges of the composite panel.
The resin applicator is an efficient tool for end-filling composite panels.
The
applicator would typically be made of injection molded plastic or cast
aluminum,
with any textures on the surface to be facilitated in the mold. The applicator
is to
be used in conjunction with a form of cartridge filled with the resin that is
forced
through the applicator through a pressure delivery system, such as a trigger
activated caulking gun or air-pressure gun. The process involves injecting
resin
into the fill area through the applicator as it is drawn along the board's
edge. As
the applicator applies the emulsion, it forces resin into the open cells at
the
edges of composite board panels and automatically spreads this material flush
with the panel's edges since the extended aft end of the applicator functions
as a
spatula. It therefore completes the spreading and smoothing operations with
one
simple procedure, which considerably reduces worker-hours and material waste.
The finish is even, and requires little or no sanding.
The smoothing function of the applicator is dependent on hand pressure from
the
worker, applied in a finger-guide on the top surface of the applicator's
spatula
feature. The rate at which the material is dispersed is dependent upon the air
pressure and valve size of the gun, as well as the rate at which the worker
draws
the applicator along the panel. In an automated scenario the panel would be
drawn through the invention, supported by a fixed structure and pressure
delivery
system, either manually or by automated means, such as a conveyor system. By
this method, hand-pressure would be replaced by machine pressure. Either
application of the invention improves the process of end-filling over
conventional
methods.
Matthew Gordon Charles Kennedy 2/9
4165 rue de t_'Esplanade, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1 S9
Tel (514) 214-4145

CA 02286547 2000-06-13
The invention has sidewalls extending downwards from the spatula feature that
stabilize the device during the application process. The inside distance
between
the sidewalk is to be the same width as the panel being filled, plus
tolerances.
Therefore the invention may have varying sidewall gap widths to accommodate
different thicknesses of panel. The sidewalls function as a guide to prevent
lateral movement of the applicator, so that the applicator will not fall off
the panel
during the process. Typically, the invention will be fashioned so that the
sidewalls of the applicator will be parallel to each other and to the
sidewalls of the
panel it is applied to. The leading edges of the sidewalls are also flanged
outward slightly so that the applicator may be easily slipped onto a panel
since
the flares help center the panel between the sidewalls.
The invention has features in its design to overcome rough surfaces on the
panel's edge, and obstacles attached to the sides of the panel. There is a
rounded lip at the leading edge of the applicator body where it rests on the
panel
and situated anterior to the delivery point that allows the resin applicator
to
overcome any nicks, snags, or rough surtaces on the edge of the panel as it is
drawn along thereby facilitating a controlled pace which is important for an
even
flow of resin into the panel's edge.
The rounded lip acts as a pivot as well. This pivot is aligned with an axis
perpendicular to the sidewalls of the applicator. The pivot is situated
between
the forward plane of the channel and the leading edge of the sidewalls. The
angle between the forward plane of the channel and the leading edge of the
sidewalls is 180 degrees or greater. This allows the leading edges of the
applicator's sidewalls to rise above the edge of the panel being filled when
the
user pivots the applicator at the rounded lip by lowering the top end of the
channel toward the panel's edge. This feature is important when there is an
obstacle attached to the side of the panel, such as another panel, since the
user
of the resin applicator can pass the obstacle by leaning the applicator back
and
therefore will not have to raise the applicator off the panel being filled.
When this
feature is used, every part of the resin applicator will be above the edge of
the
panel being filled therefore any obstacle below the edge of the panel will not
block the progress of the applicator. The applicator is then slid along the
panel's
edge and once the obstacle has been passed the user of the applicator may then
lower the sidewalls and continue filling the panel as before.
The applicator may be fashioned to accommodate panel edge profiles of varying
shape. Typically the edge of the panel will be perpendicular to its sidewalls,
however the edge may be at another angle as in the case of a beveled edge.
The edge may also take a contoured shape, such as a bullnose. The pivoting
feature of the invention, however, functions only when the plane of the
pivoting
axis is perpendicular to the sidewalls of the applicator.
Matthew Gordon Charles Kennedy
4165 rue de L'Esplanade, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1 S9
Tel (514) 214-4145

CA 02286547 2000-06-13
In the drawings that illustrate an embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a
side
view of the embodiment, Figure 2 is a front view of this embodiment, Figure 3
is a
bottom view of the embodiment, Figure 4 is a back view of the embodiment,
Figure 5 is a back view of another embodiment with an angled spatula, Figure 6
is a back view of another embodiment with a curved spatula, Figure 7 is a
section
of line I-I of Figure 2, and Figure 8 shows the same view as Figure 7 but
showing
the embodiment resting on panel A.
The tool illustrated is comprised of sidewalls 1 that act as horizontal
stabilizers
and guides that prevent the tool from slipping off the panel, or allowing the
resin
to spill over the edges of the panel. The sidewalls 1 descend from the bottom
portion of the applicator body so that they contain within a channel the
delivery
point 12 at the lower opening of the delivery channel 3 and the spatula 2,
which
forms the lower surface of the invention aft of the delivery point 12. The
leading-
edges 9 of the sidewalls 1 are flanged outward so that they facilitate the
entry of
a panel into the channel between the sidewalls 1. The resin is forced through
the
delivery channel 3 and delivery point 12 into the fill area underneath the
spatula 2
from the pressure injection device (not depicted) used, which is attached by
necessary means to the attachment-end 4 of the delivery channel 3. The
transition between the delivery channel 3 and the spatula 2 at the delivery
point
12 is a gradual curve, and the spatula 2 itself tapers from the delivery point
12
downward toward the aft-end 5 where the applicator would rest on the panel
being end-filled. The curve between the delivery channel 3 and the spatula 2
and the taper angle on the spatula 2 facilitate a smooth flow during the
transition
of resin from the delivery channel 3 to the area underneath the spatula 2. The
taper on the spatula 2 also allows the resin to be smoothed into the panel's
edge
steadily and gradually during the end-filling process, providing the invention
to
apply resin fill at an even and consistent rate. Pressure applied by the
user's
finger in the finger-guide 6 keeps the applicator against the panel's edge and
prevents excess resin from coming out of the aft-end 5 of the applicator.
The applicator may be fashioned with varying angles between the spatula 2 and
the sidewalls 1 to facilitate end-filling panels with angled edges, or the
spatula 2
may have a contoured profile, such as to accommodate a bullnose. Typically the
spatula 2 will be perpendicular to the sidewalls 1, with allowances for draft
angles, as seen in the embodiment shown in Figure 4. In the embodiment shown
in Figure 5 the spatula 2 is not perpendicular to the sidewalls 1 but is on an
alternative angle. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 the spatula 2 has a
circular shape to accommodate a bullnose shape on the panel's edge.
The invention features two cantilevers 7 rising from the spatula 2, bridging
the
spatula 2 and the delivery channel 3 thereby strengthening and stiffening the
applicator. The space between these cantilevers 7 form the finger-guide 6 that
allows the user of the applicator to control the device with precision as it
is used.
The finger-guide 6 is shaped to allow a finger between the walls of the
Matthew Gordon Charles Kennedy 4/9
4165 rue de L'Esplanade, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1 S9
Tel (514) 214-4145

CA 02286547 2000-06-13
cantilevers 7, with suitable slopes fore and aft to prevent the finger from
slipping
out. The finger-guide 6 also benefits from having a textured surface to
provide
better gripping for the finger.
The forward end of the invention where it will come to rest on the panel
features
a pivot 8. The pivot 8 is a rounded lip on the leading edge of the base of the
applicator that allows the resin applicator to overcome any nicks, snags, or
rough
surfaces on the edge of the panel as it is drawn along thereby facilitating a
controlled pace which is important for an even flow of resin into the panel's
edge.
In figure 1, the angle between the leading-edges 9 of the sidewalls 1 and the
forward plane 10 of the delivery channel 3 is 180 degrees or more. This
insures
that when the attachment-end 4 of the resin applicator is pivoted at the pivot
8
downward toward the panel being filled, the sidewalk 1 will rise accordingly
and
clear the top edge of the panel. The delivery channel 3 can be placed at any
angle in relation to the spatula 2, however the angle between the centerline
of
the delivery channel 3 and the spatula 2 will typically be 150 degrees for
ergonomic reasons.
The delivery point 12 in some design variations of the resin applicator may be
smaller than the width between the sidewalls 1. Shallow ribs 11, located under
the spatula 2 of the invention, are shaped to direct the flow of some resin
toward
the sidewalls 1 and therefore toward the sidewalls of the edge of the panel
being
filled. In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, the resin moves from the delivery
channel 3 into the fill-area between the spatula 2, the sidewalls 1, and the
edge
of the panel A being filled. The pressure of the resin entering this space
from the
delivery system is sufficient to insure that the entire width of the panel's
edge will
be evenly filled, as the pressure will cause the resin to spread into any
available
space.
Matthew Gordon Charles Kennedy 5/9
4165 rue de L'Esplanade, Montreal, Quebec, H2W 1 S9
Tel (514) 214-4145

Representative Drawing