US20190338538A1

US20190338538A1 - Apparatus and method for shaping drywall mud

Info

Publication number: US20190338538A1
Application number: US15/967,698
Authority: US
Inventors: France-Anne Morrison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-05-01
Filing date: 2018-05-01
Publication date: 2019-11-07

Abstract

A drywall mud-shaping tool and a method of using the same to finish cured drywall mud. The tool has a flexible blade that does not contact an exterior surface of a drywall sheet until pressure is applied to the blade. Pressure is applied to the blade by holding the tool's housing in a user's hands and pressing downwardly thereon while drawing the housing across the sheet's exterior surface. The pressure causes the blade to move from a first position where the blade is spaced a distance away from the drywall sheet, to a second position where the blade contacts the drywall sheet. The blade removes some cured drywall mud from the exterior surface and collects the same in a collection chamber provided in the tool housing. The housing may be moved across the drywall sheet's exterior surface a number of times to finish the cured drywall mud.

Description

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates generally to the field of drywall hanging and finishing. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to handheld tools for finishing drywall. Specifically, the present disclosure relates to a handheld tool for shaping and finishing drywall mud.

Background Information

Drywall, which can also be known as plaster wallboard, sheetrock, or gypsum board, is a common wallcovering and construction material in the U. S. and throughout the world. Drywall is commonly installed on interior walls and ceilings in homes and businesses by attaching sheets of the material to framing studs in order to form a wall or ceiling covering. Once installed, drywall is typically put through a finishing process that includes applying a paper tape over spaces between adjacent drywall sheets, applying mud over the paper tape and portions of the sheets, and then shaping the mud to achieve a smooth and uniform finish on the drywall surface.
The finish of drywall is typically measured in levels with level zero being installation of drywall sheets with no additional steps taken and level five being the highest degree of finishing, giving the surface of the drywall a smooth and virtually blemish-free appearance. Levels one through four represent varying degrees of finish therebetween. The finishing process can be time consuming, taking as many as three to four days to reach a level four or five finish. One of the main reasons for this extended timeframe is the need to apply a joint compound, commonly called drywall mud, to the surface of the drywall in multiple coats or layers allowing each layer time to dry. Once a layer is dry it is sanded or smoothed, and is often contoured, prior to applying the next layer.
The standard process of finishing drywall is achieved using multiple drywall taping knives of varying widths, the most common being 5″, 8″, and 10″ wide knives, along with drywall mud and paper drywall tape. Typical steps of finishing drywall include applying a first layer of drywall mud into screw holes and/or joints between the drywall sheets. This is typically done using a flexible drywall taping knife. A strip of paper tape is typically positioned over the joint between two adjacent drywall sheets and then a layer of drywall mud is applied over the tape. In some instances, the paper tape may have an adhesive backing and the tape is adhered to the drywall sheets prior to application of the first layer of drywall mud. In other instances, the paper tape does not include any adhesive and so a quantity of mud is applied to a region of the drywall sheets adjacent a joint, the paper tape is positioned over the joint and is secured in place by the quantity of mud, and then the first layer of drywall mud is applied over the tape. Sufficient time is given to allow the mud applied over the paper tape and in any screw holes to dry before proceeding with the next step.
Once the base layer (i.e., the first layer) is dry, a next layer is applied over the first layer using a slightly wider drywall knife. This next layer is additionally given time to dry and then it is typically sanded smooth before proceeding with the application of another layer. Depending upon the level of finish desired, as many as three or four layers of drywall mud may be applied. At level five, a skim coat of drywall mud can be applied to the entire wall or ceiling surface. Each layer of drywall mud that is applied requires sanding and smoothing before proceeding with the next layer. Additionally, each layer is usually feathered to properly blend the mud into the wall or ceiling to create a uniform appearance. Once the desired finishing level is achieved, the wall can be primed and painted or prepared for wallpapering, tile, or any other wall coating as desired by the installer or homeowner.
The process of finishing drywall is difficult as it requires proper blending of the mud to hide imperfections and seams in the drywall and is often performed by a skilled tradesman having many years of experience. Even then, errors in the finishing process can result in damage to the drywall and/or the need to reapply mud, both of which can increase costs and time needed to finish a wall.
One PRIOR ART device is disclosed in U. S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0058539 which shows an apparatus for smoothing drywall mud that includes a bladed tool designed to smooth and shape unfinished, cured drywall mud. The tool described in the '539 publication includes one or more flexible blades that can be bent or curved utilizing adjustment screws or adjustment means to secure the one or more blades in a curved position. The tool disclosed therein is designed to be installed on a pole to assist the operator in controlling the shaping tool. One embodiment of the prior art device described in the '539 publication is not easily adapted to changing conditions of the drywall and drywall mud as it requires use of adjustment screws to change the shape and curvature of the blade. This requires the operator to stop work to adjust the tool anytime a different profile is desired or anytime a non-uniform condition is present. This can result in multiple adjustments of the tool being necessary during the finishing process which can cause the operator to lose the time that might have been saved using the disclosed tool.
Another embodiment of the prior art device described in the '539 publication requires use of multiple spring loaded pistons to flex blades. This embodiment can adjust according to the contour of the wall, but may cause the blades to adjust over the unfinished drywall mud rather than cutting through the mud. Further, the inclusion of multiple spring loaded pistons requires additional maintenance and cleaning as dust and debris can become lodged within the springs during use and can diminish performance over time.

SUMMARY

Provided are methods and tools to insure proper blending and smoothing of drywall mud that are easy to use and provide a consistent finish even in the hands of an unskilled person or a person with less experience. Further provided is a tool that can be adjusted “on the fly” with little or no down time from the finishing process. Also provided is a tool that can collect and contain dust and debris created during the finishing process which can both speed up the finishing process and reduce clean-up time.
A drywall mud-shaping tool and a method of using the same to finish cured drywall mud is disclosed. The tool has a flexible blade that does not contact an exterior surface of a drywall sheet until pressure is applied to the blade. Pressure is applied to the blade by holding the tool's housing in a user's hands and pressing downwardly thereon while drawing the housing across the sheet's exterior surface. The pressure causes the blade to move from a first position where the blade is spaced a distance away from the drywall sheet, to a second position where the blade contacts the drywall sheet. The blade removes some cured drywall mud from the exterior surface and collects the same in a collection chamber provided in the tool housing. The housing may be moved across the drywall sheet's exterior surface a number of times to finish the cured drywall mud.
In one aspect, the present disclosure may provide a drywall mud-shaping tool comprising a main body housing having a bottom adapted to be placed in contact with an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; a blade provided on the main body housing; wherein said blade is movable between a first position and a second position upon application of pressure to the main body housing; wherein when the blade is in the first position, the blade is adapted to be spaced a distance away from the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade is in the second position, the blade is adapted to contact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method of shaping drywall mud comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; allowing sufficient time for the drywall mud to cure; placing a drywall mud-shaping tool against the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; hand-applying pressure to a main body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool in a direction oriented at right angles to the exterior surface; moving a blade provided in the main body housing from a first position to a second position relative to a top of the main body housing; contacting cured drywall mud with an edge of the blade when the blade is in the second position; drawing the drywall mud-shaping tool across the cured drywall mud in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; and removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface of the drywall sheet using the blade.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method of finishing drywall comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface of a drywall sheet; allowing sufficient time for the drywall mud to cure; placing a contoured edge of a flexible blade against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure to the main body housing; contacting an unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud with the blade while applying pressure; drawing the blade across the unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud; removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface with the contoured edge of the blade; contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edge of the blade to form a contoured surface; releasing pressure on the main body housing; placing a straight edge of the flexible blade against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure to the main body housing; contacting the contoured surface with the straight edge of the blade while applying pressure; drawing the blade across the contoured surface; removing some of the cured drywall mud from the contoured surface; and forming a finished surface of the cured drywall mud on the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

A sample embodiment of the disclosure is set forth in the following description, is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings, which are fully incorporated herein and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate various examples, methods, and other example embodiments of various aspects of the disclosure. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 2 is a perspective bottom view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 3 is a top elevational view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-section view taken along the axis identified in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the blade assembly as identified in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the wiper assembly as identified in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a bottom elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 8 is a rear elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 9 is a front elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the area identified in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a perspective bottom exploded view of a drywall shaping tool.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of the area identified in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a perspective top view of a drywall shaping tool illustrating proper hand placement and use of the drywall shaping tool.

Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the FIGS, a drywall mud-shaping tool 10 is provided. The shaping tool 10 includes a main body 12, a blade assembly 14, a wiper assembly 16 (FIG. 2), and a collection chamber 18.
With reference to FIGS. 1-3 and 7-11, main body 12 of the shaping tool 10 includes a first end 20, a second end 22, a front side 24, a rear side 26, a top 28 and a bottom 30. First end 20 and second end 22 are spaced apart defining therebetween a longitudinal direction. Front side 24 is spaced apart from rear 26 defining therebetween a transverse direction. Top 28 is spaced apart from bottom 30 defining therebetween a vertical direction.
Main body 12 can be fabricated as a single piece via injection molding and can be fabricated from a plastic material, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene plastic (ABS plastic), polyvinyl chloride plastic (PVC plastic), or polycarbonate, or main body 12 may be constructed of metal.
According to another aspect, main body 12 can be fabricated of any combination of materials suitable for the desired application as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
As best seen in FIGS. 2, 10, and 11, first end 20 of main body 12 can include a first end cap 21 which can further include a first upper flex notch 40 and first lower flex notch 42 (FIG. 2). Similarly, second end 22 of main body 12 can include a second end cap 23 which can further include a second upper flex notch 44 and second lower flex notch 46. These flex notches 40, 42, 44, and 46 can allow first end cap 21 and second end cap 23 to flex when pressure is applied to shaping tool 10 as will be further discussed herein and thereby move a flexible blade 50 from a first position to a second position relative to a lowermost edge, of first and second end caps 21, 23, respective, and relative to top 28 of housing 12.
First end cap 21 and second end cap 23 can further include ribs 90 to provide additional structural support to first and second end caps 21, 22.
First end cap 21 and second end cap 23 are generally depicted as having open sides which can assist the user in gripping and controlling shaping tool 10. Although shown throughout the Figures as open, it will be appreciated that first end cap 21 and second end cap 23 can be closed for aesthetic purposes or for any other purpose as recognized by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
According to another aspect, each of the first end cap 21 and second end cap 23 can have an interior wall separating first end cap 21 and/or second end cap 23 from collection chamber 18, which is discussed below. According to this aspect, the interior wall can assist in collecting and containing materials such as dust or other debris removed from the cured drywall mud on the drywall sheet within collection chamber 18 as that material is removed from the surface to be finished. The user may periodically empty out the collected material from the collection chamber.
Rear side 26 of main body 12 can include at least one wheel 34 supported to main body 12 by an associated axle 32. Axle 32 defines a longitudinal axis about which the at least one wheel 34 can rotate. According to one aspect, main body 12 can, instead, have a pair of wheels 34 disposed on rear side 26 and each supported by one of a pair of associated axles 32; where each axle 32 defines a longitudinal axis about which the associated wheel 34 can freely rotate.
According to one aspect, the wheels 34 can be solid and integral with axle 32.
According to another aspect, wheels 34 can include ball bearings which can rotate about axle 32.
Top 28 of main body 12 can be a structural member that may be rubber-coated or molded and/or textured in a manner that can assist a user in gripping and/or handling shaping tool 10. Top 28 may be ergonomically shaped to be readily, easily and comfortably gripped by a user in the manner shown in FIG. 15. Top 28 can include a protrusion 29 at the front 24 of main body 12. Protrusion 29 can extend the longitudinal length of main body 12 and can further assist a user in gripping and/or handling shaping tool 10. Protrusion 29 can further provide for proper placement and alignment of blade cover 48, as discussed below.
Bottom 30 of shaping tool 10 can further define a collection chamber 18 within main body 12 of shaping tool 10. The interior of collection chamber 18 can include frame 88 to provide structural support to shaping tool 10. Although shown in a generally grid-shaped pattern, frame 88 can be shaped by a person of ordinary skill in the art in any manner that allows for collection chamber 18 to be present while still providing adequate structural support to main body 12.
Collection chamber 18 can be effective for collecting dust and debris from the drywall mud to help contain mess and reduce cleanup time in the drywall finishing process. Bottom 30, although depicted in the figures as open, can include a barrier (not shown) that encloses some or all of collection chamber 18. The barrier may allow an opening for dust and debris to enter collection chamber 18, but may assist in containing dust and debris within collection chamber 18.
Bottom 30 of main body 12 can also include a first wear pad 36, a first wear pad mount 37, a second wear pad 38, and a second wear pad mount 39 disposed at the front side 24 of bottom 30. First and second wear pads 36, 38 can be replaceable and can be attached within first and second wear pad mounts 37, 39, respectively, by any means chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art suitable for the desired application.
First wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can be installed within end caps 21 and 22 of main body 12 behind blade assembly 14. According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can interact with first wear pad mount 37 and second wear pad mount 39, respectively, by a tongue and groove connection. In this type of connection first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 include a groove which can slidably engage a tongue provided within first wear pad mount 37 and second wear pad mount 39. According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can include a tongue portion that interacts with a groove defined within first wear pad mount 37 and second wear pad mount 39.
According to one aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can be comprised of a smooth, hard plastic such as polyurethane, polycarbonate, or ABS.
According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can be constructed of high molecular weight polyethylene which is known for its low friction coefficient, self-healing properties, and long wear life.
According to another aspect, first wear pad 36 and second wear pad 38 can be constructed of polyoxymethylene, which is also known as a high strength, high stiffness, and low friction coefficient. Polyoxymethylene is often sold under the brand name Delrin by the E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company.
The combination of wear pads 36, 38 and wheels 34 can allow shaping tool 10 to move easily along the drywall surface.
As best seen in FIGS. 11-14, blade assembly 14 can include blade cover 48, lip 49, blade 50, magnet 52, first thumb screw 54, second thumb screw 56, first threaded receiver 58, second threaded receiver 60, first attachment member 62, first attachment stop 63, second attachment member 64, second attachment stop 65, first pass-through opening 66, second pass-through opening 68, first mounting tab 70, first alignment stop 71, second mounting tab 72, and second alignment stop 73.
Blade 50 is engaged with main body housing 12 and can be flexible under pressure but can maintain a generally rectangular shape in each of a flexed condition or an un-flexed condition. Wheels 34 are engaged with the main body housing 12 and a region of each wheel 34 is adapted to contact an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall when tool 10 is used. Blade 50 is positioned on main body housing 12 such that a bottom edge of the blade is located inwardly of a region of the wheels that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall when the blade 50 is in a first position. When pressure is applied to the main body housing 12 and thereby to blade 50, blade moves to a second position where the bottom edge of the blade 50 will contact the exterior surface off the sheet of drywall (or will contact drywall mud applied to the exterior surface of the drywall sheet). In other words, when blade 50 is in the second condition, the position of the bottom edge of blade 50 is substantially aligned (or flush) with the regions of the wheels 34 that contact the exterior surface of the drywall sheet. Blade 50 is in the first position when in an un-flexed condition and is in the second position when in the flexed condition.
As shown in FIG. 11, blade 50 can include first blade aperture 74, second blade aperture 76, a first longitudinal edge 78, a first vertical edge 79, a second longitudinal edge 80, a second vertical edge 81, and corners 82. First longitudinal edge 78 can include cutting edges 78A and 78B. Likewise second longitudinal edge 80 can include cutting edges 80A and 80B (FIG. 13).
First longitudinal edge 78 and second longitudinal edge 80 of blade 50 can be precision machined to include four cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and 80 B. Blade 50 may be selectively removed from main body housing 12 and may be reversed or flipped to present a selected one of the four cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and 80 B. Cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B can be configured to each be used before blade 50 needs to be replaced. Blade 50 may therefore be initially engaged in main body housing 12 in a first orientation where a first cutting edge is presented for contact with the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; and blade 50 may later be flipped to a second orientation where a second cutting edge is presented for contact with the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.
According to another aspect, cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B can have differing profiles on a single blade 50. By way of one non-limiting example, one or more cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B can be straight edges while one or more of the cutting edges 78A, 78B, 80A, and/or 80B may be contoured edges. Contoured edges can have any edge profile as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Corners 80 of blade 50 can be rounded to minimize likelihood of corners 80 inadvertently digging into the drywall or drywall mud and damaging the same. According to another aspect, corners 80 can be of any desired profile shape as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
According to one aspect, blade 50 can be constructed of a metal strip, such as steel, and can be of any thickness suitable that will permit blade to flex under applied pressure. For example, blade 50 may have a thickness of about 0.8 millimeters. According to another aspect, the thickness of blade 50 can vary according to the desired application and use of shaping tool 10, provided that blade 50 is not of a thickness that prevents blade 50 from flexing under appropriate pressure, as discussed below.
With reference to FIG. 10, blade 50 can be secured by blade assembly 14 to main body 12 (discussed in further detail below) in an angled position relative to horizontally oriented bottom regions of first and second end caps 21, 23, if provided. Blade 50 will thereby be oriented at an angle “Y” (FIG. 10) relative to the exterior surface being finished. According to one aspect, the blade 50 can be mounted on main body housing 12 at an angle “Y” ranging from about 52° up to about 72° relative to the bottom regions of the first and second end caps 21, 23, and thereby to the surface being finished. According to another aspect, blade 50 can be mounted at an angle “Y” of about 62° relative to the bottom regions, and thereby to the surface being finished.
Although described herein as set at a fixed angle, it will be understood that blade assembly 14 and/or main body 12 can include an angle adjustment feature which can allow the angle of blade 50 to be adjusted according to the desired application. By way of one non-limiting example, thumbscrews 54, 56 can be configured to adjust the angle of blade assembly 14 thereby adjusting the angle of blade 50 as a result.
Blade assembly 14 can fasten and hold blade 50 to front side 24 of main body 12. First longitudinal edge 80 of blade 50 can sit against the bottom side of first alignment stop 71 and second alignment stop 72 while first and second blade apertures 74 and 76 can align with and accept first and second mounting tabs 70, 72, respectively. This assures proper placement of blade 50 within blade assembly 14. Further, first and second mounting tab 68 and 70 can be selectively shaped to secure blade 50 in place and help prevent horizontal and/or vertical movement of blade 50.
First and second attachment members 62, 64, which carry first and second pass-through openings 66, 68, respectively, can be placed over and against blade 50 with first and second pass-through openings 66 and 68 aligned with corresponding first and second threaded receivers 58 and 60. First attachment member 62 can rest under and against first attachment stop 63 and second attachment member can rest under and against second attachment stop 65. Attachment stops 63 and 65 can ensure proper alignment of first and second pass-through openings 66, 68 with first and second threaded receivers 58, 60. Pass-through openings 66 and 68 can be sized to allow first thumb screw 54 and second thumb screw 56 to pass through first attachment member 62 and second attachment member 64 into first threaded receiver 58 and second receiver 33. The inclusion of first attachment member 62 and second attachment member 64 can serve to place uniform pressure across the face of blade 50, helping to further secure blade 50 to front side 24 of shaping tool 10. The first and second thumb screws 54 and 56 can allow adjustment of the pressure on the blade 50 and can provide for easy access to, and/or replacement of, blade 50.
According to one aspect, thumb screws 54 and 56 can be clips, pins, or any other fastening device as chosen by a person of ordinary skill in the art.
Blade assembly 14 can further include a blade cover 48 having a lip 49 corresponding to protrusion 29 of top 28 of main body 12. Alignment of lip 49 with protrusion 29 can ensure proper positioning of blade cover 48 on blade 50. Blade cover 48 can extend longitudinally across blade 50, terminating interior of first and second attachment members 62, 64. Blade cover 48 can further include one or more magnets 52 to attach blade cover 48 to blade 50.
According to one aspect, magnet 52 can extend approximately the entire longitudinal length of blade cover 48.
According to another aspect, multiple magnets 52 can be attached to blade cover 48.
According to another aspect, blade cover 48 can itself be a magnet thereby making the entire blade cover 48 magnetic and capable of attaching to blade 50.
Blade cover 48 can be constructed of rubber or can be a rubber-coated material such as metal or plastic. The inclusion of rubber and/or a rubber coating on blade cover 48 can assist operator in gripping shaping tool 10 and allowing operator more control over shaping tool 10 and over the curvature of blade 50 (discussed further in operation below). Blade cover 48 can additionally help protect the operator from contacting the outer surface of blade 50 during operation of shaping tool 10 which can help in the prevention of injuries to the operator.
It will be understood that while blade cover 48 is shown and described herein as attaching to blade 50 via magnets 52, other attachment means could be substituted without deviating from the scope herein. By way of one non-limiting example, blade cover 48 can be adhesively attached to blade 50. Alternatively, blade cover 48 can extend behind first and second attachment members 62, 64 and can have one or more openings that allow blade cover 48 to attach to first and/or second mounting tabs 70, 72, first and/or second thumb screws 54, 56, or any combination thereof.
With reference to FIGS. 2, 4, and 6, optional wiper assembly 16 can be disposed on rear side 26 of main body 12. Wiper assembly 16 can generally comprise a rubber wiper 84 and a wiper mount 86. Wiper mount 86 can be molded to or formed as part of main body 12 or can be selectively attached or detached from main body 12 according to the desired application. Wiper mount 86 can include an attachment means for securing rubber wiper 84 within mount 86. Alternatively, rubber wiper 84 can be permanently affixed within wiper mount 86. Wiper 84 extends outwardly beyond a lowermost edge of the main body housing 12 and is positioned to contact the exterior surface of a sheet of drywall or to contact drywall mud applied to the exterior surface.
Although disclosed herein as rubber, it will be understood that wiper 84 can be a brush or be comprised of a flexible material, such as plastic or silicone.
According to another aspect, wiper 84 may be replaced with a second blade for additional contouring and/or smoothing of an unfinished surface.
FIG. 15 shows shaping tool 10 in operation. A user will grasp shaping tool 10 with at least one but preferably two hands as illustrated in phantom in FIG. 15. The user will position their hands such that their fingertips are proximate front side 24 of tool 10 and their thumbs are proximate rear side 26 thereof. The tip regions of the user's fingertips may contact the protrusion 29 on front side 24. The user will apply pressure to top 28 with their hand(s) as described below. Tool 10 is placed relative to a sheet of drywall in such a way that bottom 30 of tool 10 is located adjacent an exterior surface of the drywall As shown in FIGS. 4-6, first wear pad 36, second wear pad 38, and the at least one wheel 34 contact exterior surface. First and second wear pads 36, 38 and the at least one wheel 34 can combine to keep the blade 50 of tool 10 a distance away from the exterior surface of the drywall until hand pressure is applied by the user to surfacing tool 10. Wheels 34 help to roll main body housing 12 across the exterior surface of a drywall sheet and first and second wear pads 36, 38 slide across the exterior surface. The configuration and placement of first and second wear pads 36, 38 and the at least one wheel 34 helps to ensure that blade 50 does not contact drywall mud placed on exterior surface unless and until an appropriate amount of pressure is applied to shaping tool 10 by operator.
With reference to FIG. 15, a user can apply pressure on tool 10 and thereby on blade 50 in a downward motion (i.e., in a direction indicated by arrow “A”) and furthermore can apply this downward pressure “A” while moving tool 10 in the direction of arrow “B”, i.e., while pulling shaping tool 10 along the exterior surface of drywall in a desired direction. The direction of movement “B” may be such that the wheel(s) 34 form a leading edge of shaping tool 10 so that tool 10 slides readily along exterior surface. The applied pressure (“A” and/or “B”) can cause blade 50 and blade cover 48 to flex downwardly and in the direction of arrow “B”. Blade 50 is thereby caused to come into contact with drywall mud that has been applied to the exterior surface of drywall. The blade 50 smooths and contours the drywall mud and produces a clean, smooth strip of drywall mud on the exterior surface. The user may vary the amount of direct pressure applied to shaping tool 10 using their hand(s) and this varying of the amount of pressure helps to adjust the curvature of the blade 50 substantially instantaneously during operation of shaping tool 10. This allows for additional control and instant feedback to the user with no need to remove shaping tool 10 from the surface of the drywall being finished in order to adjust the curvature of blade 50 within tool 10 as has been necessary with some PRIOR ART devices. As tool 10 is moved across the surface of drywall, a quantity of drywall mud will be scraped off surface using blade 50 of tool 10.
As best seen when viewing FIGS. 4-6, wiper 84 may contact the drywall mud and surface being finished ahead of blade 50 as shaping tool 10 is moved across the surface in the direction of arrow “B”. Wiper 84 may clean and/or prepare the unfinished drywall mud for contouring and smoothing by blade 50.
It will be understood that drywall frequently will be vertically oriented and that, in operation, wiper 84 will tend to be positioned a distance vertically below blade 50 during the contouring process. Accordingly, with the aid of gravity, dust and debris that is removed from the exterior surface by blade 50 is able to fall past collection chamber 18. The placement of wiper 84 can create a seal between shaping tool 10 and the surface being finished and can further help direct this dust and debris into collection chamber 18.
In continued operation, when collection chamber 18 is full or nearly full of dust and/or debris, collection chamber 18 can be emptied by removing shaping tool 10 from the surface being finished and dumping dust and debris from collection chamber 18 into an appropriate receptacle. The shaping tool 10 can then be repositioned against surface and the smoothing and contouring process with tool 10 can be continued.
According to another aspect, in embodiments where collection chamber 18 is covered, an additional step of removing the cover to access collection chamber 18 can be performed prior to dumping dust and debris from collection chamber 18. The cover is then repositioned over collection chamber 18 once dust and debris has been emptied therefrom.
Shaping tool 10 can be used to contour unfinished drywall mud through use of multiple blades (such as blade 50) with differing edge profiles. Shaping tool 10 can have a first blade that is contoured, curved, or otherwise shaped so that the first blade has an edge profile that is not straight. Shaping tool 10 may further be provided with a second, straight-edged blade that can be used in place of the contoured blade. One non-limiting example of a contoured edge profile that is not straight is an edge that is a serrated, or toothed, edge. According to this example, shaping tool 10 can be first drawn along drywall mud on the surface of the drywall using the first contoured-edged blade. Shaping tool 10 can then be switched and a second shaping tool 10 with a straight-edged blade can be drawn along the now at least partially contoured drywall mud. This arrangement can allow the user or operator to control the amount of drywall mud removed from surface in a single pass of tool 10 across the surface. This may help to reduce errors and/or damage to the drywall surface.
According to another aspect, both edge profiles can be carried in a single shaping tool 10 and the blades 50 can be swapped between finishing steps.
According to another aspect, a single blade 50 can have multiple edge profiles and can be removed, rotated, and replaced within a single shaping tool 10 between finishing steps.
In operation, blade 50 can be removed and replaced by following the steps of rotating thumb screws 54 and 56 counter-clockwise to loosen and/or remove them from first and second threaded receivers 58 and 60 respectively. Once thumb screws 54, 56 are loosened and/or removed, first and second attachment members 62 and 64 can be removed from the outer surface of blade 50. Blade cover 48 can be separated from blade 50 by separating magnets 52 or by removing the adhesive connector. Blade 50 can then be removed from first and second mounting tabs 70 and 72. Blade 50 can be flipped or rotated to place a new, unused cutting edge 78A, 78B, 80A, or 80B of either longitudinal edge 78 or 80, into proper cutting position. Once the desired cutting edge 78A, 78B, 80A, or 80B is oriented in the cutting position, blade 50 can be reinstalled onto first and second mounting tabs 70 and 72. First and second attachment members 62 and 64 can be placed over blade 50 and against first and second attachment stops 63 and 64. First and second thumb screws 54 and 56 can be inserted through pass-through openings 66 and 68 and into first and second threaded receivers 58 and 60. First and second thumb screws 54 and 56 can then be rotated clockwise and thereby secure blade 50 in place. Lip 49 of blade cover 48 can be aligned with protrusion 29 of cover 28 and blade cover can be secured to the exterior side of blade 50 via magnets 52.
According to one aspect, thumb screws 54, 56 can remain operatively attached to attachment members 62, 64. According to this aspect, thumb screws 54, 56 then do not need to be fully removed to rotate, flip, or replace blade 50.
According to another aspect, attachment members 62, 64 can be configured to open without being completely removed from body 12 while still allowing full access to blade 50.
In summary, the present disclosure may provide a drywall mud-shaping tool 10 comprising a main body housing 12 adapted to be placed in contact with an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; and a blade 50 provided on the main body housing 12; wherein said blade 50 is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the top 28 of main body housing 12 upon application of pressure to the main body housing 12 (in the directions of arrow “A” and/or “B”); wherein when the blade 50 is in the first position, a bottom edge (either 78 or 80 depending on which cutting surface is being presented) of the blade 50 is adapted to be located a distance away from the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade 50 is in the second position, the bottom edge (either 78 or 80) of blade 50 is adapted to contact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method of shaping drywall mud comprising the steps of applying drywall mud to an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall; allowing sufficient time for the drywall mud to cure; placing a drywall mud-shaping tool 10 against the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; applying hand-pressure to a main body housing 12 of the drywall mud-shaping tool 10 in a direction “A” oriented generally at right angles to the exterior surface; moving a blade 50 provided on the main body housing 12 from a first position to a second position relative to a lowermost edge, and to the top 28 of the main body housing 12; contacting cured drywall mud with an edge 78 or 80 of the blade 50 when the blade 50 is in the second position; drawing the drywall mud-shaping tool 12 across the cured drywall mud in a direction “B” (FIG. 15) substantially parallel to the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; and removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface of the drywall sheet using the blade 50 to produce a finished region of cured drywall mud.
In another aspect, the present disclosure may provide a method of finishing drywall comprising the steps of applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface of a drywall sheet; allowing sufficient time for the drywall mud to cure and become cured drywall mud; placing a contoured edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of a flexible blade 50 against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure “A” (FIG. 15) to the main body housing 12 and thereby to blade 50; contacting an unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud with the blade 50 while under pressure; drawing the blade “B” (FIG. 15) across the unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud; removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface with the contoured edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of the blade 50; contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edge of the blade to form a contoured surface; releasing pressure “A” and “B” on the blade 50; placing a straight edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of the flexible blade 50 against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet; applying pressure “A” to the main body housing 12 and thereby to blade 50; contacting the contoured surface of the cured drywall mud with the straight edge 78A, 78B, 80A or 80B of the blade 50; drawing “B” the blade 50 across the contoured surface; removing some of the cured drywall mud from the contoured surface; and forming a finished surface of the cured drywall mud on the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.
According to one aspect, shaping tool 10 can be drawn across unfinished drywall in any direction while keeping blade 50 substantially parallel to the plane of the exterior surface of the drywall. According to this aspect, drywall tool 10 can provide a smoother finish than traditional sandpaper methods, which require the sandpaper to be applied in uniform strokes in the same direction throughout the process. Sandpaper that is applied in any direction can scratch or scar the mudded surface, a problem which can be minimized and/or eliminated through proper application of shaping tool 10.
An embodiment is an implementation or example of the present disclosure. Reference in the specification to “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “other embodiments,” or the like, means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not necessarily all embodiments, of the invention. The various appearances “an embodiment,” “one embodiment,” “some embodiments,” “one particular embodiment,” or “other embodiments,” or the like, are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiments.
If this specification states a component, feature, structure, or characteristic “may”, “might”, or “could” be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or characteristic is not required to be included. If the specification or claim refers to “a” or “an” element, that does not mean there is only one of the element. If the specification or claims refer to “an additional” element, that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional element.
Additionally, any method of performing the present disclosure may occur in a sequence different than those described herein. Accordingly, no sequence of the method should be read as a limitation unless explicitly stated. It is recognizable that performing some of the steps of the method in a different order could achieve a similar result.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of various embodiments of the disclosure are examples and the disclosure is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Claims

What is claimed:

1. A drywall mud-shaping tool comprising:

a main body housing having a bottom adapted to be placed in contact with an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall;

a blade provided on the main body housing; wherein said blade is movable between a first position and a second position upon application of pressure to the main body housing; wherein when the blade is in the first position, a bottom edge of the blade is adapted to be spaced a distance away from the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and wherein when the blade is in the second position, the bottom edge of the blade is adapted to contact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

2. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1 wherein the blade is movable between the first and second positions through application of hand-applied pressure to the main body housing.

3. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the blade is flexible.

4. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the blade is selectively removable from the main body housing.

5. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one wheel engaged with the main body housing and adapted to contact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and when the blade is in the first position, the bottom edge of the blade is located inwardly of a region of the at least one wheel that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

6. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 5, wherein when the blade is in the second position, the bottom edge of the blade is located substantially flush with the region of the at least one wheel that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

7. the drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, further comprising at least one wear pad provided on the main body housing and adapted to contact the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and when blade is in the first position, the bottom edge of the blade is located inwardly of a region of the at least one wear pad that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

8. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 7, wherein when the blade is in the second position, the bottom edge of the blade is located substantially flush with the region of the at least one wear pad that contacts the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

9. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the main body housing has a front side and a rear side; and wherein the drywall mud-shaping tool further comprises a collection chamber defined within the main body housing.

10. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the blade includes two or more cutting edges.

11. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 10, wherein the two or more cutting edges each includes a differently shaped cutting profile.

12. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, further comprising a blade cover selectively engageable with the main body housing and over the blade.

13. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 12, further comprising at least one magnet provided on the blade cover, wherein the blade cover is selectively magnetically engaged with the main body housing.

14. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the blade is oriented at an angle relative to a lowermost edge of the main body housing; and wherein the angle is from about 52 degrees up to about 72 degrees relative to the lowermost edge.

15. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 1, wherein the main body housing has a front side and a rear side; and wherein the drywall mud-shaping tool further comprises a wiper engaged with the main body housing proximate the rear side.

16. The drywall mud-shaping tool of claim 15, wherein the wiper extends outwardly beyond a lowermost edge of the main body housing.

17. A method of shaping drywall mud comprising the steps of:

applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface of a sheet of drywall;

allowing sufficient time for the wet drywall mud to cure such that a quantity of cured drywall mud is provided on the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall;

placing a drywall mud-shaping tool against the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall;

applying hand-pressure to a main body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool in a direction oriented at right angles to the exterior surface;

moving a blade provided on the main body housing from a first position to a second position with respect to the main body housing;

contacting the cured drywall mud with an edge of the blade when the blade is in the second position; and

drawing the drywall mud-shaping tool across the cured drywall mud in a direction substantially parallel to the plane of the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall; and

removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall using the blade.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

collecting at least some of the removed cured drywall mud in a collection chamber provided on the drywall mud-shaping tool.

19. The method as defined in claim 17, further comprising:

rolling the drywall mud-shaping tool across the exterior surface on at least one wheel mounted on the drywall mud-shaping tool; or

sliding the drywall mud-shaping tool across the exterior surface on at least one wear pad mounted on the drywall mud-shaping tool.

20. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the removing of some of the cured drywall mud comprises:

positioning the blade within a main body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool in a first orientation;

presenting a first cutting edge of the blade for contact with the cured drywall mud when the blade is in the first orientation;

contouring the cured drywall mud with the first cutting edge in a first pass across the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

21. The method as defined in claim 20, further comprising:

removing the blade from within the main body housing;

rotating or flipping the blade;

engaging the rotated or flipped blade in the main body housing in a second orientation;

presenting a second cutting edge of the blade for contact with the cured drywall mud when the blade is in the second orientation; and

contouring the cured drywall mud with the second cutting edge in a second pass across the exterior surface of the sheet of drywall.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising;

contacting the cured drywall mud with a wiper extending outwardly from the drywall mud-shaping tool; and

cleaning or smoothing the cured drywall mud with the wiper prior to removing some of the cured drywall mud with the blade.

23. A method of finishing drywall comprising steps of:

applying wet drywall mud to an exterior surface of a drywall sheet;

allowing sufficient time for the wet drywall mud to cure such that a quantity of cured drywall mud is on the exterior surface;

placing a contoured edge of a flexible blade of a drywall mud-shaping tool against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet;

applying pressure to a main body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool;

contacting an unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud with the blade while applying pressure;

drawing the blade across the unfinished surface of the cured drywall mud;

removing some of the cured drywall mud from the exterior surface with the contoured edge of the blade;

contouring the cured drywall mud with the contoured edge of the blade to form a contoured surface;

releasing pressure on the main body housing;

placing a straight edge of the flexible blade against the exterior surface of the drywall sheet;

applying pressure to the main body housing;

contacting the contoured surface with the straight edge of the blade while applying pressure;

drawing the blade across the contoured surface;

removing some of the cured drywall mud from the contoured surface; and

forming a finished surface of the cured drywall mud on the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

rotating or flipping the blade within a main body housing of the drywall mud-shaping tool to present either the contoured edge or the straight edge of the blade for contact with the exterior surface of the drywall sheet.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

collecting material removed from the cured drywall mud with the blade in a collection chamber provided in the main body housing; and

periodically emptying out the collected material from the collection chamber.