EP1439271B1 - Knife for sealings - Google Patents

Abstract

The knife grip (1) protrudes from one side of the blade (2) at an angle to the blade plane. The blade comprises a flat plate.

Description

The invention relates to a sealing knife with the preamble features of claim 1.

In building construction, gaskets made of acrylic or silicone are applied to the abutting walls to seal joints between tiles, abutting wall corners, between bathtub edges and an adjacent wall, kitchen worktops and an adjacent wall and the like. Due to aging, these silicone joints must be replaced from time to time, ideally every five years, to prevent the ingress of mold between the substrate and the sealant.

To remove such seals are usually as in Fig. 4 sketched knife used, which consist of a handle 1 made of plastic and a blade inserted therein 2 with a lower-side cutting edge 3. In such a knife used, the blade 2 can be pushed out of the handle 1 as needed. In addition, the blade 2 has predetermined breaking points, so that after the wear of the cutting edge at the front end of the blade 2 this front end can be canceled to provide a new front end with a sharp cutting edge. However, the use of these blades to remove seals is very disadvantageous, as a seal is best removed when the cutting edge 3 of the blade 2 can be guided longitudinally below the sealant over the sealant bearing surface. Characterized in that the blade 2 protrudes in the longitudinal direction of the handle 1, the handle 1 is wider than the blade 2 and the handle 1 is also encompassed by the hand of the cutting person, the blade 2, in order to achieve this cutting position, far out pushed out the handle 1 and during cutting under the action a lateral pressure on the handle 1 to be bent laterally. Not only does this mean that, in the event of uneven bending during cutting, residues of the sealant remain on the substrate and must subsequently be removed, but also causes the substrate to be scratched by tilting the blade, in particular the cutting edge. The removal of the seal with such a knife is therefore very time-consuming, which is why seals are usually not replaced at reasonable intervals. In addition, the use is dangerous because of the risk of breakage of the blade at lateral bending load.

As a special joint or sealing knife is also an in Fig. 5 sketched device known, which consists in the representation on the front side of a back to the top back tapered triangular hollow section 4. Two adjacent side walls are formed as cutting edges 3 in the upper area. The rear, of the cutting edges 3 remote portion of the hollow section 4 is formed as a handle 1. In order to remove a seal from the transition region between two walls running at right angles, this sealing knife is grasped by the handle and guided along with the two cutting edges 3 on the two adjoining walls which form the base of the seal. The dissolved seal enters into the interior of the hollow profile 4, wherein this has an outlet opening 5 for discharging the sealant in the third circumferential wall. However, this special sealing knife is also disadvantageous in the application. The hollow section 4 is made of plastic, whereby the cutting edges 3 are not sufficiently sharp to lift the sealant clean from the ground. In addition, hard unevenness of the substrate damage the cutting edges 3, so that the sealing knife is only very limited permanently applicable. Another disadvantage is that this hollow section 4 with the two standing at a fixed angle cutting edges 3 only in walls can be used with a corresponding angle between them. Seals between the upper edge of a bathtub, which usually has no plane but a slightly curved surface, and an adjacent room wall are difficult or impossible to lift off with a cut at the two mutually rigid cutting edges 3.

Hand shavers which have a razor head, which has a handle projecting from the latter in the lateral direction to the cutting plane, are generally known as non-generic cutting tools. The razor head carries a razor blade for shaving body hair. However, this is a device that is erroneously far from the above-considered purpose of a gasket gauge both in view of the technical requirements and the field of application and therefore for the following considerations for the skilled person also with a view to a variety of special features in the structure and the material selection is not obvious for assuming features.

Out DE 198 58 383 A1 is a tool for removing Silikonfugenkitt known, which is based on the essential characteristics of the Fig. 5 described joint knife corresponds. Essential in the tool are two mutually perpendicular cutting parts, which form a 90 ° blade assembly. In a center-symmetrical to the two parts of the blade and forming a 45 ° blade angle to the two parts of the blade a handle for guiding the blade parts is provided. The two cutting parts can be guided by the 90 ° angle conditionally along the surfaces of a floor and a wall protruding therefrom to remove a silicone joint located in the transition region.

Even with this tool, the problem is that the use only with adjacent walls with a corresponding angle between them can be used. Once the angle between the walls is less than 90 °, the silicone joint can not be removed to the outermost corner. If the angle is greater than 90 °, two cuts must be made, the tool once along the floor and once along the wall is performed.

It is also disadvantageous that the cutting body is to be formed from a plastic or provided with a plastic coating in order to prevent scratching strips being left on one of the walls by metal parts of a cutting body. This problem is just reinforced by the two arranged at 90 ° blade body with the cutting, with adjacent walls with an angle smaller than 90 ° scratching on the substrate or the wall, which is currently not cut, inevitably by the adjacent or always be caused again abutting edge of not over this surface sliding cutting body.

Out DE 197 24 975 C2 is a screed edge strip cutter known, which is a generic foreign tool. In order to achieve effective sound insulation, a lateral insulating layer protrudes beyond a screed top between a screed and an adjacent wall. In this case, the insulating layer must protrude so far beyond the screed top, as later a floor covering on the screed top is hang up. Accordingly, the uprising of the screed edge strip is not cut off at the height of the screed, but with a predetermined distance above the screed. For this purpose, a cutting blade is locked in the required height on the support, ie a cutting edge is located above a sliding over the screed guide plate of the tool. The cutting body is thus not guided over the ground, but parallel to the ground and spaced therefrom along the side wall.

Another disadvantage is that a handle is always firmly locked to the tool in the various known tools and thus no variable guidance in the case of poorly accessible edge areas is possible.

DE 201 15 827 U1 describes a device for releasing joints by means of heat. In this case, a cutting-plate-like heatable head is fastened with a lateral cutting blade to a handle, which can be used on the front side in a soldering iron.

DE 44 40 747 A1 describes a device for removing sealing seams. On a handle part, two legs are arranged on the front, which facing each other have a groove formed in the front-side direction for receiving a blade. In order to use different width blades, the legs are either elastic or adjustable by a bolt away from each other. To lock an inserted blade in this arrangement serve clamping mechanisms.

US 4,920,647 A also describes a device for removing sealing seams. On the front side of a handle is a cutting plate with rotating cutting blades screwed. To screw on a front-side element of the handle and the cutting plate corresponding holes through which a screw is feasible. Optionally, it is possible to screw the handle at an angle obliquely to a transverse orientation of the cutting plate. In any case, however, the handle remains with its longitudinal alignment parallel to the plane of the cutting surface of the insert. When flat contact of the blade on a substrate, the handle is thus also performed directly above the ground, making it difficult to handle, as when grasping the handle the the Keep clasping hands on the ground repeatedly and drag along.

US 3,273,191 A describes a trowel with an angle in the rear direction angled upwards leading handle. The trowel is formed tapering in the front-side direction at an acute angle and has a toothing in the lateral peripheral region. DE 201 12 765 U1 describes a joint smoother, which is formed from a handle with an attached smoother part and a scraping edge. US 3,892,039 A describes a device for removing joints, which is similar to the Fig. 5 sketched device is formed. In addition, however, at the front-side cutting element is an obliquely backwards and from above, that leads away from the cutting surface, extending handle firmly attached.

The object of the invention is a sealing knife for simplified and efficient handling structurally improved so that seals can be lifted within a significantly shorter period of time from a substrate.

This object is achieved by the sealing knife with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of dependent claims.

The starting point is a sealing knife with a cutting edge for lifting a seal from a substrate spanning a cutting plane and with a handle for guiding the cutting edge over this base. In this case, a cutting body, in particular a cutting plate with the cutting edge is provided on at least one peripheral side of the cutting body and a handle attached thereto pivotally such that it protrudes from one side of the cutting body in the cutting plane lateral direction. For improvement, the cutting edge is located doing so on a cutting body, which can be performed with a laterally projecting handle evenly over the ground. Depending on the width of the cutting body and the corresponding cutting edge of the handle can be spaced from at least one of the two lateral edges of the cutting edge so that the cutting edge can be performed despite gripping the handle with one hand easily up to an angle of two angularly abutting surfaces. Even with substrates that are at a less than right angle to each other, the cutting edge is still not too thick trained cutting body to the rearmost edge regions of the Substrate to be guided over which the cutting edge to remove the seal. In a next step, the cutting edge is then passed over the adjacent substrate and thus solved the seal easily with two easy-to-use forward and / or backward movements of the seal diameter of the walls.

Forming the actual cutting body as a flat cutting plate with at least one beveled cutting edge, allows the production by means of simple powder metallurgy or powder ceramic method. Advantageously, a flat cutting plate can also be guided into angular ranges of two adjacent walls. Due to the flat surface of the cutting plate with the front-side beveled cutting edge, the cutting plate can also be particularly smoothly and tightly guided up and adjacent to the ground, so that scratches as in the use of a knife with protruding and laterally bent blade or slightly tilted attached Hollow profiles can be avoided. Advantageously, no residual seal remains on a flat surface.

In particular, a subsequent regrooving of remaining seal residues, as they usually remain when working with a knife from a handle with blade protruding in the longitudinal direction, is usually omitted. Also, the damage to the surface of the substrate by scratches is avoided.

Since the cutting body can be manufactured with the cutting edge in particular as an insert by simply pressing metal powders or ceramic powders and subsequent sintering, the provision of a sufficiently sharp and resistant to damage cutting edge is ensured by simple technical means.

To form cutting edges on two opposite sides of the cutting body, offers the particularly advantageous possibility, when cutting with a forward movement to lift the sealant from the ground and eventually withdraw remaining residual seal with a short backward movement finally from the ground.

Forming cutting edges on at least two directly adjacent sides of the cutting body, allows a particularly effective use when working in corners where three space walls abut each other. With a longitudinal movement for lifting a seal up to the corner, the first seal between two adjacent walls can be lifted. Arrived in the corner, the sealing knife need only be moved to the right or to the left to lift off the seal formed on the same ground and the other corner abutting wall.

The handle firmly attached to the cutting body or form, offers the opportunity to provide a simple and inexpensive tool, for example, one-piece powder metallurgy to press. For inexperienced users, the fixed firmly attached to the cutting body grip also provides a stable guidance of the cutting edge and the underside flat cutting body on the ground.

However, according to an embodiment with an independent inventive embodiment, preference is given to a handle holder which allows a pivotable fastening of the handle to the cutting body, since this extends the areas of application of the sealing knife during handling, in particular by experienced persons. It is also assumed that a sealing knife with a Cutting edge for lifting a seal from a substrate spanning a cutting plane and with a handle for guiding the cutting edge over this substrate. Also in this embodiment, a cutting body, in particular a cutting plate, provided with the cutting edge on at least one peripheral side of the cutting body and a handle attached thereto so that it protrudes from one side of the cutting body in the cutting plane lateral direction. If the handle according to this embodiment is pivotable in a plane laterally to the cutting direction, ie in a plane parallel to the cutting edge in the cutting plane, the cutting body, in particular a flat cutting plate, can be guided more easily into edge regions between two walls abutting one another. The handle embracing hand can be even wider than the distance of the handle circumference to the outer side of the cutting edge in this laterally pivotally hinged handle.

Particularly preferred is a handle which in both planes perpendicular to the cutting direction, d. H. in both planes parallel to the cutting edge from the perspective of the cutting plane, is pivotable. This can be carried out for example by a ball-head mounting of the handle on the cutting body.

Advantageous is a sealing knife with a first handle support member projecting from the cutter body and having a bearing portion with a second handle support member having a front end a ball head, which is mounted on the bearing portion, and with a cap which enclosing the first and the second handle support member holding together and having a side opening for pivotally performing a ball head adjacent handle support portion of the second handle support member.

Advantageously, a releasable attachment of the handle on the cutting plate allows the replacement of the cutting body with the cutting blade, so that after their wear, only the actual cutting body is replaced. In a handle formed correspondingly with a reserve cutter receptacle, spare blades or replacement cutter bodies may be provided for this purpose.

Advantageously, the cutting body, in particular a plate-shaped cutting body, formed of a ceramic or metallic material, which allows cost-effective production on the one hand and on the other hand high stability of the cutting edge against damage from unevenness of the ground under the seal to be lifted.

According to a further independent embodiment, a sealing knife is particularly preferred, in which between a rigid portion of the handle and the cutting body, an elastic portion is arranged or at least a portion of the handle is elastically formed to allow pivoting of the handle in a plane perpendicular to the cutting direction. We also started from a sealing knife with a cutting edge for lifting a seal from a substrate spanning a cutting plane and a handle for guiding the cutting edge over this base. According to two particularly preferred variants, the elastic portion is arranged as an independent element between the handle and the cutting body, for example as part of a handle holder. According to the second particularly preferred variant, the handle itself or a portion thereof is formed so as to be elastic. The elasticity makes it possible, in particular, for the grip section or handle facing away from the cutting body to be able to be pivoted relative to the cutting plane or the cutting body.

Fig. 1

perspektivisch eine einfache Ausführungsform eines Fugenmessers beim Einsatz zum Abheben einer Dichtung von einem Untergrund;

Fig. 2

eine seitliche Vorderansicht eines bevorzugten Dichtungsmessers;

Fig. 3

eine seitliche Seitenansicht dieses Dichtungsmessers;

Fig. 4

ein für das Abheben von Dichtungen üblicherweise verwendetes Messer gemäß dem Stand der Technik und

Fig. 5

ein spezielles Dichtungs- bzw. Fugenmesser in Form eines Hohlprofils gemäß dem Stand der Technik.

An embodiment of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

in perspective, a simple embodiment of a joint knife when using for lifting a seal from a substrate;

Fig. 2

a side front view of a preferred seal diameter;

Fig. 3

a side view of this seal diameter;

Fig. 4

a commonly used for the lifting of seals knife according to the prior art and

Fig. 5

a special seal or joint knife in the form of a hollow profile according to the prior art.

Like this Fig. 1 It can be seen, there is a seal or joint knife for removing a sealant 13 from a substrate 11 in the simplest case of a handle 1 and a cutting body 2 with one or two cutting edges 3. In the particularly preferred embodiment, the cutting body 2 consists of a flat cutting plate , as it is known in the tooling technology for themselves.

Like this Fig. 1 it can be seen, the cutting body 2 by means of the handle 1 in the cutting direction S via a substrate 11 which forms a first wall moves. In the transition region between this first wall 11 and a second, for example, perpendicular thereto arranged wall 10 having a corresponding surface a slot-shaped groove 12 is formed. This joint can be almost sealingly but also with a slit width of possibly several millimeters in the usual manner be educated. In order to seal the gap 12, a sealant, in particular made of silicone or acrylic in the transition region between the two walls 11, 10 is applied. Due to aging of the grout, it will become brittle over time. In addition, due to thermal movements and moisture effects, the surface of the walls 11, 10 and the corresponding underside of the sealant or joint seal 13 separate from each other over time. This allows the penetration of moisture and mold. Therefore, the joint seal 13 should be removed and replaced at regular intervals.

As shown, to remove the joint seal 13 of the plate-shaped cutting body 2 is moved in the cutting direction S on the ground 11, whereby the joint seal 13 by means of the cutting edge 3 cleanly separated from the substrate 11, in particular lifted or cut off. In this case, the lateral wall of the cutting body 2 is guided adjacent to the lateral wall 10 along. In a second cutting operation, the cutting body 2 is then guided over the base of the second wall 10 and thus the joint seal 13 is also released from the second wall 10. As can be seen, the use of a cutting body 2 which is as flat as possible is particularly advantageous.

A handle holder 7 for attaching the handle 1 to the cutting body 2 consists in the simplest form of a weld. But also possible is a one-piece production, such as powder metallurgy, by the compression of metal powder in a correspondingly shaped die. The manufacture of the seal knife is of course also possible with other materials, such as ceramic materials. The training or attachment of the handle 1 on the cutting body 2 is advantageously carried out with such a large distance d from the side in the cutting direction S wall of the cutting body 2, that encompassing of the handle 1 is still possible with one hand, without the hand abuts against the second wall 10.

As this is based on the FIGS. 2 and 3 is shown, a particularly preferred embodiment, a handle 1, which is arranged removably on the cutting body 2. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle holder 7 allows the replacement of the cutting body 2, which is fixed by means of a screw 71 - 73 to the handle bracket 7. A screw 71 leads from the bottom of the cutting body 2 through a bore 72 through this and through a threaded hole 73 through the handle holder 7 'to their common attachment through. Of course, other releasable mounting options can be used.

In the most preferred embodiment, the handle 1 is arranged to pivot relative to the cutting body 2 about at least one axis S. For this purpose, the handle 1 is attached to the cutting body 2 by means of a handle holder 7 with a hinge mechanism.

In order to enable the pivotable mounting of the handle 1 on the cutting body 2, the handle holder 7 according to the merely exemplary embodiment, an arcuate portion 74 which receives a fastened to the front end of the handle 1 handle pin 11. The transverse pin 11 forms in conjunction with the inside circumferential wall of the arcuate handle holder 7, 74 a handle bearing. In the central portion of the arcuate wall 74, this has a through opening 75 through which a front handle portion of the handle 1 protrudes to the bolt-shaped portion 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 1 is pivotable relative to the cutting body 2 in a plane V, which is clamped perpendicular to the cutting direction S.

As a result, even at a small distance d between the attachment point of the handle 1 on the cutting body 2 to an adjacent wall 10 a work can be made possible, in which a hand of the joint knife operator pivoted the upper grip portion of the handle 1 so far that the hand no longer against the lateral second wall 10 abuts.

Of course, any other form of pivoting or articulating mechanism may be used. This includes, in particular, a pivoting additionally or only in one plane parallel to the lateral wall 10.

In a not shown and even more preferred embodiment, a ball head is used instead of a pin 11, which is received by the handle holder 7 instead of the bolt 11. With a correspondingly shaped opening 75 in the upper arcuate part 74 of the handle holder 7 then a pivoting of the handle in a second plane, which is spanned by the cutting direction S and the parallel wall 10, then possible.

Like this Fig. 2 it can be seen, the handle 1 in its spaced from the cutting body 2 end may also have a receptacle 12 for replacement cutting body 2 * to replace a cutting body 2 with worn cutting edge 3. Conveniently, the corresponding handle portion is constructed in two parts, wherein the two parts are screwed together, for example, to close the reserve or replacement cutting body receptacle 12 during the removal of a grout or storage.

According to a further embodiment, the handle or a portion of the handle facing away from the cutting body is arranged pivotable relative to the cutting body or the cutting plane via an elastic portion. The elastic portion may be part of a Be handle mount, in particular be used as an independent component between an actual handle and the cutting body. According to another embodiment, however, a portion of the handle or the entire handle can be made of an elastic material in order to be able to pivot in particular the portion of the handle facing away from the cutting body relative to the cutting body or the point of attachment to the cutting body. As an elastic portion, for example, serve a spring wire, which is welded between the cutting body and the handle. The spring wire acts in a tilting movement of the handle relative to the cutting body similar to an elastic joint. It is also possible to use a two-dimensional elastic section, which allows a particularly two-dimensional pivoting of the handle in comparison to a three-dimensional pivoting of the handle in the case of a spring wire. In addition to the use of metallic elastic sections and the use of elastic portions of other elastic materials, in particular plastics is possible.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the sealing knife or the device for lifting a joint, in particular silicone grouting, a grip holder, of which a part is fixedly connected to the cutting body. For example, protrudes from the cutting body of the surface of a pin-shaped approach with a ball head away. This pin-shaped projection can for example be formed integrally with the cutting body or subsequently attached to the cutting body, in particular welded. The handle or another part of the handle holder has a receptacle, with which the spherical portion of the first element of the handle holder is embraced, so that the handle or the second part of the handle holder is coupled in a conventional manner of a ball joint. Alternatively, the coupling via a ball head can also be another form of attachment the handle may be formed on such, projecting from the cutting body element.

Also, a reverse arrangement of, for example, a handle element with a front-side ball head and a handle holder with a member for receiving the ball head is advantageously formed. In such an embodiment, for example, in turn, a handle holder attached to the cutting body, for example, screwed through an opening in the cutting body on this or welded on the upper side of this or formed integrally therewith. The handle mounting member has a receptacle for the ball head, wherein the receptacle is preferably formed of a cap or sleeve with a lateral opening for a front-side portion of the handle member. The assembly takes place in this embodiment by placing the ball head on the corresponding receiving area of the handle holder and the subsequent slipping over of the cap. The latter can then be screwed, for example, to the element of the handle holder. The lateral opening in the cap is dimensioned so that the ball head adjacent handle portion or handle support portion can be passed therethrough, but not the ball head. Due to the slot-shaped design of the opening in the cap of the ball head adjacent handle portion can be pivoted through the slot passing in a plane perpendicular to the cutting plane. The slot may extend from a side edge of the cap in the side wall thereof. Instead of such a slot may also be formed not leading to the edge opening in the side wall. The particularly preferred embodiment in this respect consists of a sealing knife with a first handle support member projecting from the cutting body and having a bearing portion, with a second handle support member having a ball end face, which is mounted on the bearing portion, and with a cap, the the first and the second handle support member holds together and a lateral slot for pivotally performing a ball head adjacent the handle mounting portion of the second handle support member.

Claims (13)

1. A knife for sealants, comprising

   - a cutting edge (3) on a cutting body (2) for removing a seal (13) from a surface (11) defining a cutting plane, and

   - a handle (1) for guiding a cutting edge (3) of said cutting body (2) across the surface,

   - wherein said cutting edge (3) is formed on at least one circumferential side, lying in said cutting plane, of said cutting body (2) and

   - said cutting body (2) is formed as a planar cutting plate,

   characterized by

   - a handle holder (7, 11, 74, 75) for tiltable attachment of said handle (1) on said cutting body (2),

   - wherein said handle holder (7, 11, 74, 75) is formed for tiltable attachment of said handle (1) in a plane vertical to a cutting direction (S).
2. The knife for sealants according to claim 1, wherein
   said cutting body (2) is formed with a chamfered cutting edge (3) as a cutting blade.
3. The knife for sealants according to claim 1 or 2, having
   cutting edges (3) on two opposite sides of said cutting body (2).
4. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, having cutting edges (3) on at least two directly adjacent sides of said cutting body (2) for removing the seal in corner areas of three abutting walls.
5. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle (1) is fixedly attachable on said cutting body (2).
6. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle (1) protrudes from one side of said cutting body (2) at an angle to said cutting plane (11).
7. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle holder (7) is configured for tiltable attachment of said handle (1) in a plane defined by said cutting direction (S) and vertical to said cutting plane (11).
8. The knife for sealants according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the handle holder is configured for tiltable attachment of said handle (1) on said cutting body (2) in at least two planes vertical to the cutting plane defined by said surface (11), in particular in said cutting direction (S) and at an angle to said cutting direction (S).
9. The knife for sealants according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising

   - a first handle holding element protruding from said cutting body (2) and having a support section,

   - a second handle holding element having a ball head at its end supported on said support section, and

   - a cap, which holds together the first and second handle holding elements in an embracing manner and has a lateral opening, through which a handle holding section of the second handle holding element adjacent to the ball head extends in a tiltable manner.
10. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, having a handle holder (7, 71 - 73) for releasable attachment of said handle (1) on said cutting body (2).
11. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein said handle (1) has a replacement-cutting-body receptacle (12) for receiving replacement cutting bodies (2*).
12. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein said cutting body (2) and/or said handle (1) are formed of ceramic and/or metal, in particular manufactured in a powder-metallurgical process.
13. The knife for sealants according to any preceding claim, wherein, between a rigid section of said handle (1) and said cutting body (2), a resilient section is arranged, or at least a partial section of said handle (1) is configured to be resilient, to enable tilting of said handle in a plane vertical to said cutting direction (S).

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