EP2043790B1 - Device for the application of adhesive - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a manually operable device for applying adhesive according to the preamble of the main claim. Such devices are well known as so-called. Hot glue guns and widely used in home improvement and professional crafts.

Specifically, such electrically operated hot melt adhesives in a gun-shaped housing have a receptacle for introducing and transporting adhesive bars, the solid glue stick being melted upon actuation by an operator by action of electrical heating in the housing and melted adhesive passing through an outlet opening onto a desired workpiece as a mission goal.

Such devices are produced in large numbers and highly automated, making use of simple constructive realization and the existence of inexpensive adhesive rods advantage.

However, the use of such known devices on (volume or area) larger amounts of adhesive or application surfaces is limited, not least because the (usually mains-powered) heating, in conjunction with large-scale heating of the adhesive pin, ensures high Abschmelzvolumina the liquefied plastic, so that especially small objectives are difficult to achieve. Added to this is the limited manageability and portability due to the pistol-shaped construction and the need for a network cable. A device with the preamble features of the main claim is from the US 5,236,269 known; Here, the recorded in a pistol-shaped handle device for applying adhesive on a battery unit, which allows a network-independent operation.

For further prior art, reference is made to the US 3,459,335 , the US 3,298,572 as well as the US 1,769,437 the latter, in connection with the application of molten wax, discloses a concrete pen form which receives the wax in an electrically heatable cartridge.

Object of the present invention is to improve a generic device for applying adhesive in view of the flexibility of the use, especially with respect to smaller application goals, as well as ease of portability and handling.

The object is achieved by the device having the features of the main claim; advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subclaims.

Thus, the invention provides that the generic, large-volume gun body (including associated switch-on, mains voltage and Heizinfrastruktur) is replaced by an elongated, pin-shaped housing, which is held by the operator in the manner of a highlighter or pen and feasible. This not only allows a much more sensitive guidance, also the exact dosage is simplified.

It is also envisaged that a mains-powered electrical heating device melts an otherwise known pin-shaped adhesive element end. Incidentally, this is done with a significantly reduced (compared to the generic mains-powered device) electrical power, so that not only the resulting, sealed adhesive volumes are significantly lower, but also, favorable for a network-independent power supply, the device of a battery-powered, off-grid supply is accessible ( In the context of the present invention, the term "battery" is intended to mean all common ones include wireless forms of energy, including rechargeable batteries, dry cells, etc.).

Due to the pin shape of the housing according to the invention can also be easily and easily replaceable (beyond also in a simple manner) essential components of a solution variant, namely at least one (typically commercial standard size AA or AAA) battery, a glue stick and a compression spring element, which against the glue stick an end-side, heated by the battery heater heats, record, while still maintaining the slim, easy-to-handle pen shape.

At the same time, as provided for further development, a removable closing element, preferably in the form of a screw-off heating tip, ensures easy refillability by accessing and replacing the glue stick; Also advantageous is the heating element in the form of preferably a heating grid in this removable area receivable.

An alternative variant of the invention provides, instead of a screw-off heating tip, a springy, sleeve-like heating tip, which carries the heating grid or another electrically operated melting aggregate (as a means for liquefying the rod-shaped adhesive element) at its end. By pressure of the user during handling of the housing, the movable heating tip is pressed against the end of the adhesive element (preferably fixed in its current position), so that the melting can take place through the (heated) grid. This variant of the invention advantageously provides that the fixing of the glue stick, for example by clamping, simultaneously with the energizing of the heating grid takes place, for example, by means of the operation of a two tasks associated with, outside the housing operable switching or setting knob. This is preferably provided in a lateral jacket portion of the housing and operable in the pen attitude, so that in response to actuation of the battery power to the heater can be applied as a liquefying agent and so the end-side melting of the solid hot melt adhesive takes place. By means of a mechanical additional function of this button is then fixed in this operating state of the glue stick in the manner described, released after loosening the heating button again. Training provided according to means for transporting the adhesive stick can then provide a suitable pen feed, ideally with a stroke corresponding to the melted length (on the one hand, this feed can be done directly by the spring-guided heating tip itself, such that it by adhesive action of the adhesive Adheres adhesive pin when springing out, alternatively, a separate feed mechanism on the adhesive attacks and this leads in the feed direction).

Depending on the structural design of the housing, this can be adapted to a purpose of use, in particular by appropriate design for applying advertising, operating or warnings ausgestalten.

A particularly advantageous variant of the invention is to form the rod-shaped or pin-shaped adhesive with a rectangular cross-section. In particular, when this rectangle is not a square but a shape with different edge lengths, the possibility arises in a simple way with the device according to the invention Adhesive strips of two different widths immediately melt, namely corresponding to a respective edge width of the rectangle. A (not only in this context) advantageous development of the invention also provides, on the outlet side of the heating tip spacers or sections in the form of edge projections assign, which prevent about when applying the heating tip on a Klebstoffauftragsziel (eg a paper surface) that by a full contact immediately the outlet opening is closed, but a minimum height (eg a millimeter-fraction distance) is maintained. This would then correspond to an application level of the adhesive to be melted on the adhesive application target.

The result of the present invention in a surprisingly simple and elegant way, a device that combines ease of use and handling with potentially mass production suitable, easy manufacturability in industrial production, so that it is expected that about just traditional hot melt adhesive solutions also completely new application areas, not last also in the office area, become accessible.

Another advantage to emphasize is the fact that - environmentally sensitive - with this hot-melt adhesive technology, the problem of solvent-based liquid adhesive can be avoided, which are otherwise applied by portable, bottle-like solutions in a known manner. In addition, the low, selective energy input in an efficient manner and extremely fast, a application of high mechanical strength, high performance hot melt adhesive is allowed.

Fig. 1:

eine schematische seitliche Schnittansicht der manuellen handhabbaren Vorrichtung zum Auftragen von Klebstoff gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform mit den wesentlichen, wertbestimmenden Funktionskomponenten;

Fig. 2, Fig. 3:

Perspektivansichten einer manuell handhabbaren Vorrichtung zum Auftragen von Klebstoffen gemäß einer zweiten, bevorzugten Ausführungsform;

Fig. 4:

eine Perspektivansicht auf das Ausführungsbeispiel der Fig. 2, 3 mit einer abgenommenen Gehäusehälfte;

Fig. 5:

eine gegenüber Fig. 4 verkippt gezeigte perspektivische Ansicht des zweiten Ausführungsbeispiels und

Fig. 6:

eine mit abgenommenem Gehäuse gezeigte Ansicht der Funktionskomponenten der Vorrichtung gemäß Fig. 2 bis Fig. 5.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment and from the drawings; these show in

Fig. 1:

a schematic sectional side view of the manual handling device for applying adhesive according to a first embodiment with the essential, value-determining functional components;

Fig. 2, Fig. 3:

Perspective views of a manually operable device for applying adhesives according to a second preferred embodiment;

4:

a perspective view of the embodiment of the Fig. 2, 3rd with a detached housing half;

Fig. 5:

one opposite Fig. 4 tilted perspective view of the second embodiment and

Fig. 6:

a view of the functional components of the device shown with the housing removed Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 ,

In the Fig. 1 shown device is made and sized in the manner of a stylus, it has a typical length of about 11 to 13 cm with an outer diameter of about 11 to 14 mm.

In a i.w. hollow cylindrical housing 10, which is suitable from plastic, metal or the like. can be realized, in the end a battery 12, e.g. Standard size AA, added, which offers a stop for a compression spring 14, which in turn biases an otherwise known, cylindrical-pin-shaped glue stick 16 against one end of the housing in a screw-off heating tip 18 provided heating grid 20 with its downward end.

By operating a heating button 22 (the figure shows no electrical wiring between battery and heater), an operator while holding or guiding the pin by pressing the outside of battery power to create the heater, which then heats up, the opposite end of the glue stick melts and by the (in the figure bottom side shown) open end of the heating tip then hot liquid adhesive can escape to the order target, with the ability to dose this melting or order sensitive.

In a plastic housing 30 with dickbauchig-pin-shaped contour, such as the shape of a highlighter, the essential components of the second embodiment are realized. On a lateral flat side in the region of an outlet opening 32 forming sleeve 34 is seated an operating knob 36 which can be actuated by an operator while this holds and guides the pen in the manner of a writing instrument. Opposite the sleeve 34, the housing has an essentially flat rear side 38, which offers a rectangular insertion opening 40 for an adhesive pencil corresponding to its outer shape. This (in FIGS. not shown) adhesive stick is formed of typical hot melt adhesive material and has a melting temperature of about 100 ° C, such that when heated to a temperature above this melting temperature, it liquefies and corresponding liquid adhesive can then be metered by means of the outlet opening 32 to a Klebstoffauftragsziel , Through the opening 40 then new adhesive in the form of pen or rod-shaped adhesive elements is introduced according to rectangular cross-section.

The housing 30 is realized as a plastic shell housing and has in the region of a narrow side in an otherwise known manner a plastic hinge, so that it can be suitably manufactured and mounted in one piece as a jacket.

The sliding sleeve 34, see. about the 4 to 6 is configured as a sleeve-shaped plastic element, which is axially movable in the housing and against the bias of a coil spring 42 (FIG. Fig. 6 ) is guided so that the spring force pushes the sleeve 34 in its outward position. Like the views of 4 to 6 In addition, the sleeve 34 closes off a (again suitable and corresponding to the adhesive element) rectangular guide channel 44 at the front, which is at the rear ( Fig. 3 ) opens to the insertion opening 40.

In the housing 30, a battery compartment space is further provided for (in the illustrated embodiment) two commercially available AA batteries 46, which are axially aligned in the manner shown connected in series and connected by means (only hinted shown) Verkablungen or wiring elements in the housing 30 so that by means of a contact pair 48, operated by the button 36, a circuit is closed by the battery series circuit to a heater grid 50, which - rectangle-shaped - the front end of the outlet region 32 marks and as liquefying agent for a from inside the channel 44 introduced adhesive stick serves. More specifically, when the button 36 is actuated, the contact pair 48 is closed, and current from the batteries 46 is applied to the heater grid 50 so as to provide a heated area formed of resistive heating wire or expanded metal in contact with the facing one Front side of the (still) solid adhesive rod occurs. Due to the heating, however, the adhesive rod is liquefied in this end region and can as liquid adhesive - through the heater 50 and thus the outlet port 32 therethrough - pass on a Klebstoffauftragsziel, which is suitably guided in front of the opening 32 (for example, by appropriately holding and guiding the Device by the operator).

The embodiment of Fig. 2 to 6 clarifies also that upon actuation of the button (switch) 36 via a stationary in the housing against the restoring force of a spring 51 mounted rocker element 52 one end (locking portion) 54 of the rocker via a bottom slot in the guide channel 44 enters the guided therein adhesive element and this in locked in its current longitudinal position in the guide 44; In other words, an actuation of the switch 36 not only causes an electrical activation of the heating grid 50, but at the same time causes a fixing of the adhesive rod in the housing. However, by virtue of the sleeve 34 being resiliently mounted, actuation (typically effecting a pressurization) is enabled the device by the operator that the sleeve and thus the grid 50 is pressed against the - fixed end face of the adhesive element, thus therefore an effective, well dosed melting can take place. In addition, in the area of the outlet opening 32 provided at the edge projections 56 in the form of about 0.3 to 0.8 mm projecting spacer elements ensure that the operator, even if they cover the entire surface 32 on a flat target - about a piece of paper - - touches, there is no closing of the outlet opening, but always with a minimum application thickness of the liquefied adhesive is applied.

A release of the button 36 by the operator first causes the heater 50 is no longer supplied with power; By the small areas involved and the correspondingly low heat capacity, there is a rapid cooling of the adhesive in the area of the outlet opening 32. By lowering the engagement element 54 from the plastic element, this becomes in its longitudinally fixed position loosened and, due to adhesive forces of the adhesive acting in the sleeve portion 34, transported with the sleeve 34 moved out of the housing by action of the spring 42 a predetermined length (this length corresponds to the amount of the melted adhesive). In this way, an automatic feed of the pin-shaped adhesive element is thus ensured in a very simple manner. In addition, the operator can manually intervene by appropriately feeding another pin into the opening 40.

The realized in the manner shown embodiment also allows a very simple control of the plastic melting temperature in the grid area: Due to the required heat of fusion with continuously melting adhesive can be brought about with such a suitable parameterization of the metal or wire material for the heating grid or hot glue a regulatory effect, that a current flowing through the grid heating current keeps the grid at a constant temperature, which on the one hand allows a continuous, rapid melting of the front adhesive end, on the other hand not damaged by excessive heat grid or unnecessarily much heating current is needed. While in principle any resistor materials are suitable, it has turned out to be particularly preferred to use resistance wire materials with PTC characteristic (PTC = positive temperature coefficient, i.e. increasing electrical resistance with increasing heating), since this simplifies the desired temperature control; Additionally or alternatively, additional resistance elements (possibly also with PTC characteristic) can be looped into the circuit.

The present invention is not on the embodiment, or the functional and action mechanisms described herein relating to the grid structure, pen feed, electrical wiring or the like. limited; Rather, it is within the scope of the invention to use the device according to the invention for other applications. Thus, it is particularly possible to form a different feed mechanism for a rod-shaped adhesive element, which acts approximately directly on the element.

The present invention allows in the manner shown, the simple realization of a highly user-friendly adhesive applicator device, which will make the traditional network-bound devices accessible material "hot melt adhesive" now also in other fields of application. Last but not least, the writing instrument character of the exemplary embodiments shown is an indication that the office area could possibly become a field of application for this technology.

Claims (9)

1. Manually manageable device for the application of adhesives, comprising a solid, preferably pen- or rod-shaped adhesive element which cooperates with means for producing electrical heat for liquefaction and a housing (10; 30) designed to contain the adhesive element, which housing (10; 30) provides an outlet opening (18; 32) at its end for discharging the liquefied adhesive, the means for liquefaction comprising an electrical heating device (20; 50) which is wirelessly powered by a battery unit (12; 46) incorporated in the housing, and the heating unit and the adhesive element remaining in contact with one another during the application of the adhesive due to manual actuation or due to the effect of a spring, in particular under the effect of the force applied, characterised in that the heating device comprises a heating element in the region of the outlet opening, such that the pen-shaped adhesive element counteracts the heating element as it melts away during an operation, the means for liquefaction have an electrical resistance characteristic which causes a regulation of the temperature, or cooperate electrically with an electrical resistance element having a temperature dependency, and the housing is constructed in an elongated, pen-like shape, such that it can be manually guided in the manner of a pen in order to apply adhesive onto an adhesive application target external to the housing, the adhesive element being kept lockably in the housing in a displacement position, at least during the application of the adhesive.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the outlet opening is provided in an end element (18; 34) designed to be detached from the housing, or designed to be adjusted relative to the housing, preferably in a sleeve-shaped end element (18; 34).
3. Device according to either claim 1 or claim 2, characterised in that the pen- or rod-shaped adhesive element has a rectangular cross section and/or the means for liquefaction comprise a heating grid or heating element which forms a rectangular active surface, which is adjusted to a rectangular cross-sectional contour of the adhesive element in accordance with further developments.
4. Device according to claim 3, characterised in that the rectangular cross section of the adhesive element has rounded corners.
5. Device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the outlet opening (32) comprises at least one peripheral protrusion (56) on the end towards the adhesive application target, which defines a predetermined minimum distance between the outlet opening and the adhesive application target and/or a minimum thickness of the adhesive application.
6. Device according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the pen-shaped housing comprises a power switch (22; 36) in its casing region which is actuated externally to activate and/or deactivate the means for liquefaction, in particular an electrical switch and/or button to activate or deactivate an electricity supply for a heating device which forms the means for liquefaction.
7. Device according to claim 6, characterised in that the power switch is designed to activate and/or actuate a blocking and/or feeding unit (52, 54) which cooperates mechanically with the adhesive element.
8. Device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the means for liquefaction formed as an electrical grid have a PTC-resistance characteristic.
9. Device according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the means for liquefaction are constructed from an expanded metal, in a chamber- or honeycomb-like structure.

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