GB2342700A

GB2342700A - Dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2342700A
Application number: GB9920229A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Peter White
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-08-28
Filing date: 1999-08-27
Publication date: 2000-04-19
Anticipated expiration: 2019-08-27
Also published as: GB9818683D0; GB2342700B; GB9920229D0

Abstract

A dispenser for liquid or semi-liquid material 11, such as solder flux, disposed in a container 10,20 has a plate 13 which is axially slidable within the container, and a brush seal 21 or resilient cup seal may be fitted to the periphery of the plate 13 to provide a flexible seal against tapered walls of a container. A shroud 14 upstands from the plate 13 and contains an absorbent material liner 15, such as resilient open-celled foam. Holes or slots 16 extend through the plate 13 into the confines of the shroud 14 below the liner 15. In use, the plate 13 is pressed downwardly, forcing material 11 in the container 10,20 up through holes 16 to be absorbed by the liner 15. A pipe may then be pressed into the liner 15 and rotated to coat an end portion with flux prior to soldering. Also disclosed (Figs 7-10) are various shroud designs for accommodating different pipe diameters.

Description

DISPENSER This invention relates to a dispenser for liquid or semi-liquid material disposed in a container.

Though the dispenser of this invention may be used to dispense various flowable materials, the primary purpose of the dispenser is to permit the dispensing of soldering flux from a container thereof. The invention will hereinafter be described exclusively with reference to the dispensing of soldering fluxes, but it will be understood that the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the dispensing of soldering fluxes.

Soldering flux is adapted to remove oxides and otherwise to prepare a metallic component ready to receive solder. Such fluxes are somewhat corrosive, as they usually consist to a large part of hydrochloric acid and so must be treated with care. In view of this, soldering fluxes are often made up to have a paste-like consistency, though for ease of application, it often would be more preferable for the flux to have a more runny consistency.

Paste-like soldering flux is usually supplied in a wide-mouthed opentopped container, whereas a liquid flux is usually supplied in a screw-topped bottle. Plumbers often use a brush to take the flux from its container or bottle, and to apply the flux to a component to be soldered. After use, the brush should be placed somewhere safe, but most frequently a plumber simply drops it in a tool bag. Flux remaining on the brush can give rise to damage to the tool bag and also corrodes tools in the bag, on account of the acid content of the flux. In addition, this is wasteful of flux and it is found that only a portion of the flux in a container or bottle is actually used to assist in soldering together two components.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a dispenser for soldering flux, which minimises the problems as discussed above associated with the dispensing of soldering fluxes.

According to the present invention, there is provided a dispenser for liquid or semi-liquid material (such as a soldering flux) disposed in a container, comprising a plate adapted to fit within the container so as to extend thereacross with the periphery of the plate being substantially sealed to the inside wall of the container, a shroud upstanding from the plate, a liner of absorbent material fitted within the shroud, and at least one aperture in the plate with which the liner is in communication, whereby pressure pushing the plate deeper into the container causes said material to be urged through said at least one aperture to be absorbed by the liner.

The term"liquid or semi-liquid material"is used herein to refer to a flowable material the viscosity of which is low enough to permit the material to be absorbed by an absorbent material such as an open-cell foamed plastics material. Thus, the viscosity of the liquid may range from wholly liquid and very mobile, through to a runny paste, though it is anticipated that the dispenser may not work effectively with thick, non-flowable pastes.

Advantageously, the container is of a uniform cross-sectional cylindrical shape and thus the plate is circular, to be a close sliding fit within the container.

Sealing of such an arrangement may be enhanced for example by providing a flange around the periphery of the plate and perhaps also one or more sealing members (such as 0-rings) fitted to the flange. An alternative arrangement might be to provide a flange of a resilient material, which flange is directed deeper into the container so that the sealing effect thereof is enhanced by increased pressure within the container, on driving the plate towards the bottom of the container.

Many plastics containers are manufactured to have side walls which flare outwardly from the base. If such a container is used for soldering flux which is to be dispensed by the dispenser of this invention it may be necessary to provide the periphery of the plate with a sealing member especially adapted to take up the varying clearance between the periphery of the plate and the inside wall of the container, as the plate moves axially within the container. This may be achieved for example by means of a highly flexible resilient cup-type seal, or by means of a brush seal having a plurality of bristles which wipe against the inside surface of the container but which may deflect as required, to take up the clearance between the periphery of the plate and the inside wall of the container.

When the dispenser is intended for use with soldering flux to apply that flux to the end portion of a copper pipe to be soldered, the shroud may be of a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter suitable for the pipe to be fluxed.

To permit adequate communication of the flux within the liner, there may be a plurality of arcuate shaped slots formed through the plate, which slots are arranged on a common pitch circle wholly within the inside wall of the shroud.

So that pipes of different diameters may be fluxed, the plate of the dispenser may be arranged to accept shrouds of different diameters.

An alternative form of dispenser permits pipes of different diameters to be fluxed, without effecting any change to the dispenser. Such a dispenser may have a shroud of part-circular shape, with an opening formed through the wall defining the shroud. A resiliently deformable member then may be disposed within the shroud and which is arranged resiliently to urge a pipe inserted through the opening into the shroud against the liner within the shroud. In this case, the liner would extend only part-way around the inner wall of the shroud.

The liner may be an open-celled foam or a fibrous material, provided it is able to soak up flux from the container and which passes through the aperture.

A resilient foam is preferred, since that foam may be compressed to some extent by the insertion of the end portion of a pipe thereinto, so forcibly dispensing the flux from the liner, on to the pipe end.

This invention extends to the combination of a dispenser of this invention as described above, and a container within which the plate of the dispenser fits in a sealing manner, to dispense the material contained within the container.

In such a combination, the container may hold soldering flux and the inner diameter of the liner is slightly smaller than the end portion of a copper pipe of a standard plumbing size and with which the dispenser is to be used.

Moreover, the axial extent of both the shroud and liner may be slightly greater than the length of the end portion of a pipe which is to be soldered, to a conventional plumbing fitting.

By way of example only, several specific embodiments of dispenser of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through a container for soldering flux, fitted with a first embodiment of dispenser ; Figures 2 and 3 are views on the end portion of a pipe, respectively before and after treatment with the dispenser of Figure 1 ; Figure 4 is a view of that similar to Figure 1 but showing a different embodiment of dispenser fitted within a flared container and with the dispenser in two axially spaced positions; Figures 5 and 6 are enlarged views on the peripheral portion of the dispenser plate, with the dispenser at the two position shown in Figure 4 ; Figure 7 is an enlarged view on an alternative form of shroud ; and Figures 8,9 and 10 are enlarged views on yet another form of shroud.

Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a simple cylindrical container 10, having a uniform circular cross-sectional shape. Semi-liquid soldering flux 11 is carried within that container, below a dispenser 12 including a plate 13 of circular shape the periphery of which is a close sliding fit to the internal side walls of the container 10. Upstanding from the central region of the plate 13 is a cylindrical shroud 14, provided internally with a resilient open-celled foam liner 15. A series of accurate slots 16, arranged end-to-end on a common pitch circle, is formed through the plate 13, within the confines of the shroud 14 and immediately below the liner 15.

To prepare the dispenser for use, the plate 13 is pressed downwardly so as to increase the pressure within the flux 11 thereby to urge the flux up through the slots 16 to be absorbed by the liner 15. Once the liner 15 is saturated with the flux, the dispenser is ready for use.

A prepared pipe end portion as shown in Figure 2 and which is to be soldered to a fitting is pressed downwardly into the liner 15 until the end face of the pipe engages the plate 13, as shown in Figure 1. Light axial pressure is maintained on the pipe whilst at the same time it is rotated within the liner 15.

This ensures that flux is transferred from the liner 15 on to the end portion of the pipe, so that on removing the pipe, it will be coated reasonably uniformly with flux, as shown in Figure 3. The height of shroud 14 and so also of the liner 15 should be such that a slighter greater axial length of the pipe is coated with flux than the axial length of the part of the fitting into which the pipe is to be received, for soldering.

It will be appreciated that the combination of the container and dispenser, as shown in Figure 1, must be specifically adapted for a copper pipe of a standard diameter and that a different container and dispenser combination must be provided for each pipe diameter with which the dispenser is to be used.

An alternative possibility might be to provide three shrouds and liners of appropriate sizes in a triangular disposition around the plate 13, whereby a suitable shroud and liner may be selected for a particular pipe to be soldered.

Yet another possibility might be to provide one shroud and liner able to accommodate the largest pipe to be soldered, and a series of sleeves and liners which interfit one with another to reduce the effective diameter of the shroud, for use with smaller pipes. In this case holes may be provided through the sleeves to permit flow of flux to the liners.

By using a dispenser as described, wastage of flux may be minimised.

Moreover, the risk of damage to tools or a tool bag is much reduced, as is the risk of injury to a plumber or other person using the flux. Also, the dispenser is more convenient to use and it should be possible to assemble a soldered joint more quickly.

Figures 4 to 6 show an arrangement similar to that of Figure 1, and like parts are given like reference characters; those parts will not be described again here.

The container 20 of Figure 4 has a flared side wall, such as typically is provided by a plastics moulding process. Thus, a plate which is a close sliding fit at the mouth of the container cannot be pressed deeper into the container, or conversely a plate which is a close sliding fit at the bottom of the container will not provide any effective seal before the plate reaches the bottom. To overcome this problem, the arrangement of Figures 4 to 6 has a brush seal 21 fitted to the periphery of the plate which brush seal comprises a mass of closely-packed bristles able to be deflected in order to maintain a seal between the periphery of the plate and the inside walls of the container. The bristles may be relatively stiff with the lengths of the bristles nearer the outside face of the plate being longer, in order to allow the bristles effectively to deflect and maintain a seal as the plate moves deeper into the container, as shown in Figure 6.

Other designs of seal may be provided to fulfil the same function; for example, a cup-seal having a member of a resilient material with a cup-shaped profile, mounted on the inside face of the plate 13 and directed towards the bottom of the container. In this connection, it should be noted that the plate 13 is, in use, required to make only one passage from the open end of the container towards the base of the container and there is no need for the seal to display sufficient resilience to maintain its sealing characteristics, on being withdrawn from the bottom of the container. Generally, once all the flux has been dispensed, it is envisaged that the dispenser would be discarded along with the empty container.

Figure 7 shows an alternative shroud design to that of Figures 1 and 4.

Here, the shroud 25 is of essentially part-circular shape, with an opening 26 formed therethrough. A resiliently deformable blade 27 depends from the inner surface of the shroud and includes a barb-like portion 28, part-way along its surface. The free end 29 of the blade is curled round so as to lie against the inner wall of the shroud, which in a wall is appropriately formed to assist sliding of the free end 29 thereover. As shown in solid lines, a pipe 30 may be passed through the opening 26 and pushed behind the barb-like portion 28, so as to be urged against the resiliently deformable liner 31, which extends only part-way around the inner wall of the shroud. The holes (not shown) through supporting plate 13 communicate with that liner, so that it may become impregnated with solder flux.

As shown in broken lines in Figure 7, a relatively large diameter pipe 32 may equally be pushed through opening 26 to engage behind barb-like portion 28, the free end 29 of the resiliently deformable blade 27 curling round the inner wall of the shroud to an extent sufficient to accommodate the pipe. In this way, pipes of varying sizes may easily be treated with flux carried by the liner 31, without the need to make any adjustment to the dispenser.

Figures 8,9 and 10 show another form of shroud which also is capable of being used with pipes of different sizes, without adjustment. Here, a resiliently deformable blade 35, having two distinct arms 36 and 37 joined by a central region 38 is supported within the shroud. The central portion 38 is profile to assist the retention of a relatively small diameter pipe 39, as shown in Figure 9.

The two arms deform resiliently as shown in Figure 10, when a significantly larger diameter pipe is to be accommodated. In other respects, the embodiment of Figures 8,9 and 10 essentially corresponds to that of Figure 7.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A dispenser for liquid or semi-liquid material disposed in a container, comprising a plate adapted to fit within the container so as to extend thereacross with the periphery of the plate being substantially sealed to the inside wall of the container, a shroud upstanding from the plate, a liner of absorbent material fitted within the shroud, and at least one aperture in the plate with which the liner is in communication, whereby pressure pushing the plate deeper into the container causes said material to be urged through the at least one aperture to be absorbed by the liner.
2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plate is circular, to be a close sliding fit within a cylindrical shape.
3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein a flange is provided around the periphery of the plate.
4. A dispenser as claimed in claim 3, wherein one or more sealing members are fitted to the flange.
5. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a flange of a resilient material is provided around the periphery of the plate, which flange in use is directed deeper into the container.
6. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, wherein the periphery of the plate is provided with a flexible resilient cup-type seal or a brush seal having a plurality of bristles which wipe against the inside surface of the container but which deflect as required.
7. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud is of a circular cross-sectional shape with a diameter suitable for the pipe to be fluxed.
8. A dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein there is a plurality of arcuate shaped slots formed through the plate, which slots are arranged end-to-end on a common pitch circle wholly within the inside watt of the shroud.
9. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud is of part-circular shape, with an opening formed therethrough.
10. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9, wherein there is a member disposed within the shroud and which is arranged resiliently to urge a pipe inserted through the opening into the shroud against the liner within the shroud.
11. A dispenser as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the liner extends only part-way around the inner wall of the shroud.
12. A dispenser as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the plate is provided with a plurality of shrouds of different diameters, to accept pipes of different sizes.
13. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the liner is of an open-celled foam or a fibrous material.
14. A dispenser as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the shroud is arranged substantially centrally on the plate.
15. A dispenser substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
16. The combination of a dispenser as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, and a container within which the plate of the dispenser fits in a sealing manner, to dispense the material contained within the container.
17. The combination of claim 16, wherein the container holds soldering flux which is absorbed by the liner.
18. The combination of claim 17, wherein the inner diameter of the liner is slightly smaller than the end portion of a copper pipe of a standard plumbing size and with which the dispenser is to be used.
19. The combination of claim 17 or claim 18, wherein the axial extent of both the shroud and liner is slightly greater than the length of the end portion of a pipe which is to be soldered to a conventional plumbing fitting.