GB2216863A

GB2216863A - Squeezing devices for collapsible tubes

Info

Publication number: GB2216863A
Application number: GB8813772A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mohammad Sharif
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-04-05
Filing date: 1988-07-13
Publication date: 1989-10-18
Anticipated expiration: 2008-07-13
Also published as: GB8813772D0; GB8807885D0; GB2216863B

Abstract

A device 10 for squeezing flexible tubes e.g. of toothpaste of adhesive has a housing defining an aperture in which are located rollers 17, 18 defining a nip 19 through which part of the tube can be drawn by rotating the rollers using a knob 25 to squeeze the contents of the tube towards the tube mouth. The rollers have meshing gears 17b, 18b and 17c, 18c at their ends the gears being located in recesses in the housing. The knob can be placed at either end of the roller pair. The roller surfaces 17a, 18a can be roughened. In modified arrangements springs are located in opposite sides of the housing to act on roller shafts 20 to bias the rollers towards each other, (Figures 5 and 6). <IMAGE>

Description

SQUE"ZING DEVICES This invention relates to squeezing devices.

According to this invention a device for squeezing flexible tubes comprises two rollers defining a nip for receipt of a flexible tube, and means for rotating the rollers.

One or more rollers may have an operating knob.

The knob may be engageable with a roller at either of opposed ends of the rollers.

The roller surfaces defining the nip may be roughened.

The device may comprise a housing defining a through opening, the rollers being located in the through opening.

The rollers may have interengaging gears at each end.

The gears may be located, preferably fully, in recesses the housing at opposed sides of the opening.

There may be means biassing the rollers towards each other.

Each roller may have a shaft at each end and the biassing means comprises springs located in each of opposite sides of the housing and operative on the shafts.

The spring means may comprise two springs respectively connecting the shafts at the ends of the rollers.

The spring means may comprise four springs respectively extending between the housing and the roller shafts.

Th & invention includes method of squeezing a flexible tube comprising passing part of the tube through the nip of a device as above.

The invention may be performed in various ways and some specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a part-section front view of a device for squeezing tubes; ?ig. 2 is a perspective view of the device; Fig. 3 shows modifications; Fig. 4 shows a further modification; Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 1 of other enbodiments.

A device 10 for squeezing flexible tubes 11, for example tubes containing toothpaste or adhesive, comprises a housing 12 having sides 13, 14, 15, 16 defining an aperture or through opening. ounted for rotation in the opening are cylindrical rollers 17, 18 having operative surfaces 17a, 18a and defining a nip 19 of for example a minimum thickness of not more than 0.5=. he rollers are a close-fit in the opening.

At each end of the rollers are respective pinions 17b, 18b and 17c, 18c with pinions 17b, 18b and 17c, 18c respectively in mutual engagement. The pinions are integral with or secured to the rollers and have shafts 20 rotatably mounted in close-fit bores 21. The pinions and rollers may be of for example metal or plastics for example nylon. In one arrangement pinions 17b, 18c are moulded integral with rollers 17, 18 and pinions 17c, 18b are push fit on respective rollers 17, 18 or vice-versa. The pinions are fully located in recesses in the inner faces of the sides 14 and 16.

The outer part of shaft 20 of pinion 17c is cut away to provide a flat 22 on portion 23 receivable in a corresponding bore in shaft 24 of knob 25 so that rotation of the knob 25 rotates pinions 17c and 17b and thus rollers 17, 18 which are of equal diameter and thus rotate at the same speed and are both driven at both axial ends.

A closed end of a thin elongate end of a tube 11 is offered up to the nip 19 and the tube is dranYn through the nip by rotation of knob 25 so that substantially all the remaining contents of the tube are squeezed along the tube towards the normally-capped mouth 30. This increases the amount of the contents which can be effectively used.

The roller surfaces 17a, 18a can be smooth or can be knurled for increased grip, for example with axial ribs or corrugations as at 31 or helical serrations as at 32, Fig. 3, or orthogonal axial and circumferential serrations as 5i Fig. 4.

In one arrangement the shaft 20 of roller 18 at the opposite side to flat 22 is similarly provided with a flat 22 so that the knob 25 can be operatively associated therewith, possibly after removal of a cover 40, so that the device can readily be operated by a left-handed person.

The sides 13, 14, 15, 16 would normally be individually made and then secured together e.g. by bolts.

The housing could be made in two halves i.e. split at a plane containing the axes of the rollers and held together by push fit interengagement, possibly with a key.

The device may include means indicated schematically at 50 for removably attaching the device to a support fixed to a wall. In such a position the plane containing the axes of rotation of the rollers could be vertical or horizontal.

The surface 25a of the knob 25 could be knurled e.g.

with axial grooves.

In the arrangements of Figs. 5 and 6, springs are provided to bias the rollers towards each other.

Thus in Fig. 5 the sides 14, 16 of the housing are widened and the shafts 20 are a loose fit in respective bores 21. Each side 14, 16 houses a tension spring 52 which has curved ends located in peripheral recesses 53 in shafts 20. The recesses 53 could be omitted. The springs 52 bias the rollers 17, 18 towards each other. The springs 52 pass through apertures 54 between bores 21. Undesirable axial movement of rollers 17, 18 is prevented by sides 14, 16. The portion 23 could be hexagonal or octagonal in cross-section with a corresponding shape in the bore in knob shaft 24.

In Fig. 6 four compression springs 60 (only two shown) extend in bores 61 at right angles to the roller axes and at both ends of the rolls and have ends engaged on bosses 62 on shafts 20 and 63 on removable plugs 64 in threaded engagement in bores 61.

The bosses 62 could be omitted. The springs 60 bias the rollers towards each other.

In a further arrangement both springs 52 and springs 60 are provided.

The size of the device could be about 100 mm by about 80 mm as seen in Fig. 1.

In a modification only one roller is provided with springs 60 to bias it towards the other roller whose shafts 20 rotate in the housing.

The plugs 64 instead of being threaded could be a push fit in the respective bore.

Claims

ClAIMS

1. A device for squeezing flexible tubes comprising two rollers defining a nip for receipt of a flexible tube, and means for rotating the rollers.

2. A device as claimed in Claim 1, in which one or more rollers has an operating knob.

3. A device as claimed in Claim 2, in which the knob is engageable with a roller at either of opposed ends of the rollers.

4. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the roller surfaces defining the nip are roughened.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a housing defining a through opening, the rollers being located in the through opening.

6. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the rollers have interengaging gears at each end.

7. A device as claimed in Claim 6 when dependant on Claim 5, in which the gears are located in recesses in the housing at opposed sides of the opening.

8. A device as claimed in Claim 7, in which the gears are fully located in the recesses.

9. A device as claimed in any preceding claim, including means biassing the rollers towards each other.

10. A device as claimed in Claim 9 when appendant to Claim 5, in which each roller has a shaft at each end and the biassing means comprises springs located in each of opposite sides of the housing and operative on the shafts.

11. A device as claimed in Claim 10, in which the spring means comprises two springs respectively connecting the shafts at the ends of the rollers.

12. A device as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, in which the spring means comprises four springs respectively extending between the housing and the roller shafts.

13. A device for squeezing flexible tubes substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, or Fig. 4, or Fig. 5, or Fig. 6, of the accompanying drawings.

14. A device as claimed in Claim 10 or Claim 11, in which the spring means comprises two springs respectively engaging between the housing and the shafts of one roller to bias the one roller towards the other roller.

15. A method of squeezing a flexible tube comprising passing part of the tube through the nip of a device as claimed in any preceding Claim.