Patent ID: 6304720
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: B29C

Abstract:
An apparatus for facilitating the application of heat shrink plastic film to a curved surface where heat is applied to the plastic film in order to cause it to shrink and conform onto the curved surface, said apparatus including:an electric heat gun producing a flow of heated air at an outlet;a nozzle, mountable on said heat gun outlet, for conforming the flow of heated air into a fan shaped flow, said fan shaped flow having at least one of a variation in air temperature and air flow rate along the fan so as to provide a controlled amount of heat transfer to the heat shrink plastic film, wherein the nozzle includes:an inlet having a longitudinal centerline and is slidably mountable on said heat gun outlet;an outlet for said fan shaped flow of heated air to exit said nozzle; anda duct portion connecting said nozzle inlet to said nozzle outlet, said duct portion having a thickness dimension which decreases from said nozzle inlet to said nozzle outlet;wherein said nozzle exit is a slot having a width and length, said length being greater than said width;wherein said slot has a width that varies along the length.