Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REPLACEABLE CAULKING TIP
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the field of construction and more particularly to a
replaceable nozzle for dispensing caulking.
BACKGROUND
US 2004/035888 discloses a replacement caulking tube nozzle, having a
nozzle portion, integrally formed with a base, having a connecting lip
extending
downwardly therefrom, the lip intended for inserting within the end of a cut
or
severed caulking tube, in order to eliminate any of the hardened caulk, from
plugging up the tube for further usage. Where the lip of the replacement
nozzle is
applied internally of the tube, for the replacement nozzle, it may include a
flange
that biases against the end of the tube to act as a further seal against
leakage of
caulking material from the tube upon the application of pressure through
operation of the caulking gun
US 4,461,454 discloses a two piece valve accessory for common caulking
tubes or cartridges insertable in caulking guns. The valve permits resealing
of the
cartridge nozzle, snout or applicator tip without hardening or significant
wastage
of the material therein and permits increased control of the flow rate of
material
from the cartridge. The valve is adjustable from fully open to closed position
and
includes a separate sealed or dome extended position wherein the residue from
the applicator tip of the valve is expelled. The valve barrel includes an
integral
piercing edge to break the cartridge seal as the valve is inserted into the
applicator tip of the cartridge. The barrel is sized and ribbed for an
interference
non-rotatable fit within the applicator tip. The valve cap is fully rotatable
on the
barrel and includes a beveled tip to direct material in any radial direction
relative
to the caulking gun handle. In use the valve is opened and caused to remain
open by pressure applied to the cartridge by the caulking gun plunger. The
valve
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is closed or fully closed and sealed manually after release of the pressure on
the
material in the cartridge.
US 7,014,079 discloses a universal replacement tip for a caulking tube
designed to replace an original caulking tube tip after the tip has been used
or in
the event the user wishes to use a tip that produces a different shape and/or
thickness of caulking bead without the need or special adapters, flanges or
modification to the dispensing gun in which the caulking tube is used. The
caulking tube replacement tip includes a flange at its base with an adhesive
material attached to the bottom of the flange. The base is placed over the
remains of the original caulking tube tip after it has been cut off and is
secured to
the top of the caulking tube with the adhesive material. The caulking tube
replacement tip tapers up from the base to a sealed tip which can be any shape
and size including round, oval, rectangular, square and star-shaped.
SUMMARY
This invention is based, at least in part, on the understanding that the
dispensing nozzle portion of a caulking tube may be easily removed without
removing any other portion of the caulking tube, and in so doing the hardened
caulking that may be preventing access to the fresh caulking is also removed.
The dispensing nozzle to be removed may be from a caulking tube of any
standard size, including, but not limited to, a small standard size or a large
commercial size. By removing the hardened caulking in this manner, 1) the
block
is removed, as opposed to pushing it back into the reservoir of caulking where
it
is able to interfere with the flow of caulking from the reservoir again later,
and 2)
the invention is able to be used with any standard caulking tube.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip for
communicating caulking from a reservoir of caulking, the reservoir defined by
a
body having an opening and an external surface, the replaceable tip
comprising:
a) a flange operable to abut the external surface of the body; b) a conduit
have a
first portion and a second portion, the conduit extending through the flange
and
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operable to enter the reservoir of caulking and operable to communicate
caulking
from inside the reservoir of caulking to outside the reservoir of caulking;
and c)
reversible sealing means for reversibly sealing the flange with the external
surface of the body, wherein when the reversible sealing means reversibly
seals
the flange with the external surface of the body: the flange prevents the
first
portion of the conduit from entering the reservoir; and the second portion of
the
conduit is within the reservoir and aligns the conduit with the opening in the
body
thereby affecting communication with the reservoir.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the second portion comprises at least one slit.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the at least one slit is at least four slits.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the flange is the reversible sealing means and the tip is
operable
to be frictionally engaged with the body.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the reversible sealing means is selected from at least one of
the
group consisting of: a screw, a caulking gun, and an adhesive.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the reversible sealing means is selected from at least one of
the
group consisting of: glue, tape, a magnet, and a caulking gun.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the second portion of the conduit is threadably engageable with
the body and the second portion of the conduit is the sealing means.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the tip is flexible.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the tip is rigid.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the length of the tip is from about 2 inches to about 10
inches.
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In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the length of the tip is from about 2 inches to about 6 inches.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the length of the tip is from about 2.85 inches to about 3.25
inches.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the length of the tip is about 3 inches.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the sealing means further comprises a gasket.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein further comprising an attachment means for attaching an auxiliary
device
to the tip.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the attachment means is selected from the group consisting of:
ribbing and a screw thread on the first portion of the conduit.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the attachment means comprises a holder threadably engageable
with the first portion of the conduit, the holder operable to hold the
auxiliary
device.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the auxiliary device is a cap.
In illustrative embodiments, there is provided a replaceable tip described
herein wherein the auxiliary device is a second conduit.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent
to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following
description of
specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying
figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,
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Figure 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the invention.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the
invention
as set out in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to Figure 1, an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the
invention is shown generally at 10. A flange 20 is operable to abut an
external
surface of a caulking tube and/or can. The external surface of the caulking
tube
to which the flange 20 is operable to abut is the surface on the caulking tube
which defines an opening in the caulking tube so as to permit caulking to be
expelled from a reservoir defined by the caulking tube. The flange 20 has a
width that is larger than the width of the opening defined by the external
surface
and consequently the flange 20 is able to abut the external surface of the
caulking tube such that it is positioned close to and/or at the opening
defined by
the external surface when the flange 20 is abutting the external surface of
the
caulking tube. The flange 20 prevents the invention from completely entering
the
reservoir of caulking. In many embodiments the flange 20 is generally circular
and has a diameter that fits into the diameter of the generally circular area
of the
caulking tube that is slightly recessed and comprises the opening. The flange
20
is not operable to overlap the entire caulking tube and does not act as a
skirt or
sleeve which fits over the caulking tube in its entirety, but rather rests
against the
caulking tube and often is within a recess defined by the edges of the
caulking
tube.
A conduit 30 has a first portion 40 and a second portion 50. The conduit
extends through the flange 20 and the second portion 50 is operable to enter
the reservoir of caulking. The conduit 30 is operable to communicate caulking
from inside the reservoir of caulking to outside the reservoir of caulking, or
said
30 differently, from the reservoir of caulking to an operator's desired
location. This
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is achieved by the operator using the caulking tube in a usual manner, as
understood by a person of skill in the art, and the caulking is then forced to
flow
from the reservoir of caulking into the conduit 30 at the second portion 50.
Then,
the caulking continues to flow through the entire conduit 30 and exit the
conduit
30 via the first portion 40 where the caulking is then dispensed to the
operator's
desired location.
The invention also comprises a sealing means 60 which is operable to
maintain the second portion 50 of the conduit 30 in the reservoir of caulking.
The
reversible sealing means 60 for reversibly sealing the flange 20 with the
external
surface of the caulking tube is also shown in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the
sealing
means is a set of three holes which are operable to receive a screw or nail
which,
when present are able to seal the flange 20 to the external surface of the
caulking tube. The sealing means 60 does not need to be holes operable to
receive a screw or nail and may be another method or structure for sealing the
embodiment of the invention to the caulking tube. The sealing means 60 may
be, but is not limited to, a screw, a nail, a tack, a staple, an adhesive
(e.g. tape,
glue, and/or VelcroTm), a caulking gun, a finger of an operator, a tapered end
of
the second portion 50 of conduit 30 and/or a magnet. The sealing means 60
may be one or more sealing means. Often the sealing means is the flange 20
abutted against the external surface of the caulking tube and held in place
frictionally, for example with the fingers of the operator or by an
overlapping
flange, such as the one on a typical caulking gun. The overlapping flange or
finger holds the flange 20 on the external surface of the caulking tube. The
sealing means is often improved by use of a gasket to prevent leakage of
caulking during operation of the invention. The gasket may be fitted onto an
embodiment of the invention that is suitable for the particular type of
sealing
means in the embodiments. In some particular embodiments, the gasket is an
o-ring style gasket that is fitted around an outside surface of the second
portion
50 of conduit 30.
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When the invention is in operation, the second portion 50 of the conduit 30
is within the reservoir of caulking and the second portion 50 aligns the
conduit 30
with the opening in the body. This alignment, in combination with the sealing
means 60, permits communication of caulking from the reservoir to the
operator's
desired location. The amount that the second portion 50 of conduit 30
protrudes
into the reservoir of calking may have en effect on the functioning of the
invention. In particular, if the second portion 50 of the conduit 30 is too
long, this
may interfere with normal operation of a calking tube with a calking gun,
including, but not limited to, undesirable dispensing of the caulking from the
first
portion 40 of the conduit 30 when the reservoir of caulking is of a size such
that
the second portion 50 of conduit 30 is as long or close to as long as the
reservoir
of caulking is deep. It is
therefore possible to optimize performance of
embodiments of the invention by ensuring that the length of the second portion
50 of conduit 30 that is within the reservoir of caulking is kept to only
enough
length to engage the reservoir (via protrusion therein) and to align the
embodiment of the invention and not more than is required for that. Functional
embodiments of the invention may also include embodiments in which the
second portion 50 of conduit 30 is long enough to protrude significantly into
the
reservoir, and there are specific uses for such embodiments, but for typical
caulking applications the length of the second portion 50 of conduit 30 is
often
enough to permit engagement with the reservoir of caulking via a small
protrusion into the reservoir of caulking.
In some embodiments, the second portion 50 of conduit 30 comprises at
least one slit extending from an end of the conduit 30 towards the flange 20.
The
at least one slit extends such that when the flange 20 abuts the external
surface
of the caulking tube, the entirety of each of the at least one slits is
entirely within
the reservoir. Notwithstanding that the at least one slit may be any length
shorter, the length of the at least one slit is often as long as the second
portion
50 of the conduit 30 while maintaining the configuration that when the flange
20
abuts the external surface of the caulking tube, the entirety of each of the
at least
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one slits is entirely within the reservoir. Each of the at least one slits may
be of
different lengths. Often the at least one slit is four slits spaced
approximately an
even distance apart from each other about the second portion 50 of the conduit
30.
In some embodiments of the invention, the replaceable tip is operable to
be threadably engaged with the caulking tube. Such threadable engagement is
in a manner that ensures that the portion of the caulking tube to which the
embodiment is threadably engaged is not able to be blocked by hardened
caulking because that portion of the caulking tube is prevented from coming
into
contact with caulking by the embodiment of the invention. If this type of
threadable engagement is not maintained, then it is not possible to remove the
blockage due to hardened caulking by simply replacing the tip or nozzle. It is
also possible to use such a threadable engagement as the sealing means 60.
An example of such threadable engagement is, but is not limited to, an
embodiment of the invention having a thread on the outside of the second
portion
50 of the conduit 30.
Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a first portion 40 of
the conduit 30 that is flexible. Some embodiments of the invention comprise a
first portion 40 of the conduit 30 that is rigid. The flexibility and/or
rigidity of the
first portion 40 of the conduit 30 may be selected depending on the nature of
the
caulking operation to be completed. Further, the second portion 50 of the
conduit 30 may be flexible or rigid also. In some embodiments, a flexible
second
portion 50 of the conduit 30 may aid attachment of the tip to the caulking
tube.
For example, if the is some limited flex in a tapered second portion 50 of the
conduit 30, then it may be possible to accommodate openings of different sizes
more easily and with better sealing. In this regard, the at least one slit
provides
rigid materials, which rigid materials may be better suited for alignment of
the
conduit 30 with the opening in the body, with some flex such that it may be
easier
to insert the second portion 50 into the opening in the body. The at least one
slit
may permit a temporary deformation of the second portion 50 such that the
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perimeter or circumference of the second portion 50 is operable to be reduced.
Such a reduced perimeter or circumference may aid insertion of the second
portion 50 into the opening of the body. Arranging multiple slits such that a
generally rigid second portion 50 is provided, while the slits permit some
limited
deformation of the second portion 50 is often useful. Often four slits are
provided
where the second portion 50 comprises four quarters, each quarter having
limited
movement relative to each other. On the other hand, a rigid second portion 50
of
the conduit 30 may be better suited to a threadably enageable second portion
50
of the conduit 30. The relative flexibility of the first portion 40 of the
conduit 30
and the second portion 50 of the conduit 30 may be the same or different and
may be selected based on the desired operation of the tip.
The conduit 30 may also be of varying lengths. In many embodiments,
the conduit 30 may be from about 2 inches to about 10 inches (or about 5 cm to
about 25.5 cm). In many embodiments, the conduit 30 may be from about 2
inches to about 6 inches (or about 5 cm to about 15.25 cm). In some
embodiments the conduit 30 may be about 2.85 inches to about 3.25 inches (or
about 7.25 cm to about 8.25 cm) and often is about 3 inches (or about 7.5 cm).
In many embodiments, the length of the first portion 40 of the conduit 30
may be from about 1.875 inches to about 9.875 inches (or about 4.5 cm to about
25 cm). In many embodiments, length of the first portion 40 of the conduit 30
may be from 1.875 inches to about 5.875 (or about 4.5 cm to about 15 cm). In
some embodiments, length of the first portion 40 of the conduit 30 may be
about
2.875 inches to about 4.875 inches (or about 7.5 cm to about 12.5 cm).
In many embodiments, the length of the second portion 50 of the conduit
30 may be from 0.125 inches to about 8.125 inches (or about 0.25 cm to about
20.5 cm). In many embodiments, length of the second portion 50 of the conduit
may be from about 0.125 inches to about 4.125 inches (or about 0.25 cm to
about 10.5 cm). In some embodiments, length of the second portion 50 of the
conduit 30 may be from about 0.125 inches to about 3.125 inches (or about 0.25
30 cm to
about 8 cm). In embodiments comprising at least one slit, the at least one
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slit is often the same length as the second portion 50 or slightly shorter
than the
length of the second portion 50. The length of the slit may also be
significantly
shorter than the second portion 50.
In some embodiments, the first portion 40 of the conduit 30 comprises an
attachment means that is operable to attach to an auxiliary device. The
attachment means, may be, but is not limited to, a tapered shape, ribbing
and/or
other frictional attachment means, and/or a thread which is threadable
engageable with another thread on the auxiliary device. In other embodiments
still, the attachment means may be a holder threadably engageable with the
first
portion 40 of the conduit 30. The holder is operable to hold the auxiliary
device.
An example of ribbing may be seen in the Figures as indicated by the number 70
in the Figures.
The auxiliary device may be any device that an operator may find
desireable or useful to dispense caulking or to store caulking. For example,
the
auxiliary device may be, but is not limited to, a cap to seal the reservoir
from the
air thereby maintaining the caulking as fresh. The auxiliary device may be,
but is
not limited to, a second conduit, which second conduit may have an extra
length
in order to aid reach to a difficult area. The second conduit may have a
particular
shape so as to be able to dispense a particular kind of desired caulking bead.
The second conduit may be of a different flexibility and/or rigidity to the
replaceable tip.
Although various embodiments of the invention are disclosed herein,
many adaptations and modifications may be made within the scope of the
invention in accordance with the common general knowledge of those skilled in
this art. Such modifications include the substitution of known equivalents for
any
aspect of the invention in order to achieve the same result in substantially
the
same way. Numeric ranges are inclusive of the numbers defining the range.
Furthermore, numeric ranges are provided so that the range of values is
recited
in addition to the individual values within the recited range being
specifically
recited in the absence of the range. The word "comprising" is used herein as
an
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open-ended term, substantially equivalent to the phrase "including, but not
limited
to", and the word "comprises" has a corresponding meaning. As used herein, the
singular forms "a", "an" and "the" include plural references unless the
context
clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a thing" includes
more than one such thing. Citation of references herein is not an admission
that
such references are prior art to the present invention. Furthermore, material
appearing in the background section of the specification is not an admission
that
such material is prior art to the invention. The invention includes all
embodiments and variations substantially as hereinbefore described and with
reference to the examples and drawings.
Date Recue/Date Received 2021-01-05
