Abstract:
A press-out device for plastic substances comprises a cartridge ( 10 ) including a cylindrical container ( 11 ) in which a piston ( 35 ) can be displaced for pressing a substance, e.g. a sealing substance or adhesive substance, out of a discharge connector ( 14 ). The cartridge ( 10 ) is provided with an application nozzle ( 25 ) for use in extension of the discharge connector ( 14 ). The application nozzle ( 25 ) belongs to a reclosable closure assembly. The application nozzle ( 25 ) further comprises a hood ( 27 ) being movable relative to a nozzle body ( 26 ) and having a closure orifice. The closure orifice is followed by a discharge channel ( 51 ) delimited by straight side walls. The invention makes it possible to open the cartridge ( 10 ) without the need for a tool and to adjust and close the application nozzle ( 25 ) without the need for a tool.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a press-out device for plastic substances, comprising
       a cartridge comprising a tubular container and a discharge connector extending from an end wall of the container,   a container bottom arranged to be displaced relative to said end wall for pressing out the substance, and   an application nozzle.       
 
         [0005]    Press-out devices of this type serve also as package containers for accommodation of sealing substances, joint sealers, adhesives and the like. The container bottom of such press-out devices is formed as a piston cooperating with the container, said piston being adapted to be advanced by a press-out tool for pressing out the substance from the discharge connector. Within the package container, the substance is hermetically sealed from the environment. To open the package container, a part of the discharge connector will be removed with the aid of a cutting tool, thus clearing an orifice in the discharge connector. Then, the application nozzle will be attached to the discharge connector. By advancing the piston, the substance can be pressed out of the application nozzle and thereby be placed directly onto the application site. e.g. into a joint to be sealed, or into the interior of a corner profile. 
         [0006]    A press-out device forming the basis of the precharactering part of claim  1  is described in DE 103 01 029 B4. In this device, the application nozzle is mounted to the discharge connector of the cartridge. The application nozzle together with the discharge connector is operative as a closure means. By rotation of the whole application nozzle, the passage cross-section for the substance discharged from the cartridge can be changed. The closure member of the closure means is integrally formed to the cartridge and thus has an influence on the molding process of the cartridge. 
         [0007]    A press-out device wherein the discharge connector is provided with a handle for removal of a tear-off element from the discharge connector, is described in PCT/EP2007/059478 (not prepublished). In this press-out device, the tear-off element can be manually torn off from the discharge connector without a tool being required. Nonetheless, a press-out device of this type is not handled without difficulties because it will be necessary to trim the application nozzle to the currently required size of the nozzle orifice. This is normally performed by cutting off parts of a nozzle body which is formed with a conical channel, thus making it possible to generate nozzle openings of various sizes. For cutting, however, a tool is required also in this prior-art device. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,967,941 A describes a rotatable closure assembly for the cap of a container provided for liquid substances such as mayonnaise, ketchup or similar products. This dosage closure assembly comprises a cap with an opening formed in its end wall. This opening has a stationary peg extending into it. The farther the end wall will be removed from the peg, the larger the cross section of the passage will be. The peg has a cylindrical outer surface, and the opening of the end wall has a cylindrical inner surface. 
         [0009]    Described in DE 10 2007 004 763 A1 is a device for application of pasty materials in an automated jointing process. This device comprises an adhesive application nozzle which on its discharge end is formed with a rectangular channel for generating a rectangular adhesive bead. Said channel has the same cross-sectional shape as the adhesive bead which is to be generated, and the adhesive bead is sized to the effect that a specific height of the applied adhesive will be reached and that, in this manner, gaps between carbody components to be mounted to each other can be bridged while allowing large tolerances. No closure means is provided on this nozzle. 
         [0010]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a press-out device for flowable substances, such as sealing substances, adhesives and the like, which allows for controlled application without posing special demands to the shape of the cartridge. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    The press-out device in accordance with the present invention is defined by claim  1 . Said press-out device is characterized in that the application nozzle is provided with a hood having a closure opening and being movable relative to the nozzle body, said hood together with the nozzle body forming a closure assembly. 
         [0012]    The application nozzle comprises an elongate nozzle body having an axial length at least twice as large as the widest diameter of the nozzle body. Thus, the nozzle has a slim configuration, and the nozzle forms a tool adapted to penetrate into gaps and cavities and to produce a sealing or adhesive seam with high precision, while this process will not be impaired by obstructed vision. 
         [0013]    The closure means is an adjustable closure assembly with dosage function and with variable cross section of the passage. This arrangement does not only make it possible to open and close the application nozzle at its discharge end, but also allows for a well-aimed adjustment of the thickness of the substance bead to be pressed out. 
         [0014]    In case of a package cartridge, the bottom of the container can be displaced as a piston within a rigid container body. By way of alternative thereto, the container can consist of a flexible film hose to be closed by a container bottom. 
         [0015]    The closure assembly can a comprise a stationary peg and a hood arranged for movement relative to the peg. Suitably, the closure orifice is formed with an inner cone, and the peg is formed with an outer cone having a surface shape fitted to that of said inner cone, said inner cone and said outer cone being axially displaceable relative to each other. Between the inner cone and the outer cone, there is thus formed an annular gap whose width can be changed by adjusting the hood. This conical annular gap can be reduced until the sealed state of the closure assembly is reached. 
         [0016]    According to a further preferred embodiment, the closure assembly comprises a frustoconical plug held to the nozzle body by means of arms and shaped for fitting surface contact with a closure orifice—formed as an inner cone—of the hood. 
         [0017]    A product discharge assembly wherein the product is discharged to the outside directly from the closure orifice is not particularly suited for the forming of product beads from a viscous material. If one were to use a discharge arrangement of this type, the pressed-out substance would be pressed into a spread-out shape and become smudged. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the closure orifice is followed by a discharge channel. On the one hand, this discharge channel, since it forms a channel-shaped hollow space and, following said hollow space, comprises at least one brushing edge, will facilitate the forming of a substance bead. On the other hand, the discharge channel has the effect that, after the closure means has been closed, a part of the substance will remain in the discharge channel, harden therein and thus additionally close the discharge channel in a sealing manner. For this reason, the discharge channel or the whole application nozzles should be made of a material to which the plastic substance cannot adhere. A typical plastic substance suitable to be pressed out by a press-out device is a silicone material. The application nozzle should consist of a polyolefin, which is a material not susceptible to become tightly adhered to a silicone substance. A plug of the substance which has formed during the press-out process can be pressed out of the discharge channel during the next press-out process. 
         [0018]    Preferably, the discharge channel has at least one straight side wall. The discharge channel can have a rectangular shape and comprise side walls of different widths. The end edge of the side wall of the discharge channel forms a trowel or a brushing edge for smoothing the pressed-out substance bead. By the provision of a rectangular channel, it is accomplished that two brushing edges of the above type are made available so that the user can select that side wall which is suited for the respective case. 
         [0019]    The possibility exists to fasten the application nozzle to the cartridge in the manner of an accessory, wherein, before use, the application nozzle will be detached and then screwed onto the discharge connector of the cartridge. According to another possible design of the application nozzle, its nozzle body can be integrally formed to the container. In this case, the nozzle body is a fixed component of the container, and it will merely be required to mount the hood onto the nozzle body. 
         [0020]    Preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail hereunder with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the cartridge with piston and application nozzle; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the nozzle body, with the hood removed. 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the hood in the closed state, illustrating the nozzle body as positioned within the hood; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3 , with the hood in its maximum opening condition; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a view of a first embodiment of the hood with rectangular discharge channel; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a view of another embodiment of the hood with U-shaped discharge channel; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a view of the hood without discharge channel; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a view of an alternative embodiment of the closure assembly; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a longitudinal sectional view of the closure assembly of  FIG. 8  in the opened condition; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a longitudinal sectional view of the closure assembly in the closed condition; and 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a view of a further embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    The press-out device for plastic substances illustrated in  FIG. 1  comprises a cartridge  10  made of plastic. Cartridge  10  comprises a cylindrical container  11  which on its front end is closed by an end wall  12 . The rear end of container  11  is open. Arranged centrally in end wall  12  is a discharge connector  14  extending in the forward direction and provided with a screw thread  15 . Discharge connector  14  is provided with an annular predetermined weakening zone  16  and a tear off element  17  formed as a hood. Within said hood, there can be provided a permeation-reducing layer arranged along the inner side of discharge connector  14  and covering the predetermined weakening zone  16  at the inside. 
         [0033]    Tear-off element  17  is connected to a handle  20  which is generally of an annular shape and thus can be gripped by insertion of a finger. Said handle can also have different shapes. Handle  20  is connected to tear-off element  17  by an extension  21 . The periphery of handle  20  reaches to a position close to end wall  12 . 
         [0034]    Cartridge  10  is accompanied by an application nozzle  25  to be connected to the cartridge. Application nozzle  25  comprises a substantially tubular nozzle body  26  with a hood  27  screwed to its front end. The rear end of nozzle body  26  is formed with an inner thread  28  for fitting engagement with the screw thread  15  of discharge connector  14 . The rear end of nozzle body  26  is further provided with a flap  30  integrally formed thereto. Said flap consists of a flexible wide strip radially extending from the longitudinal axis of application nozzle  25 . At a distance from application nozzle  25 , flap  30  forms a ring  31  seated in a circumferential groove at the foot of discharge connector  14 . Said ring  31  is arranged in locking engagement with groove  32  so that flap  30  can be removed from discharge connector  14  only by application of force. 
         [0035]    Flap  30  is formed with a cutout area  33 . The latter serves for receiving the lower portion of handle  20 . In this manner, flap  30  is fixed against rotation. 
         [0036]    After the tear-off element  17  has been torn off with the aid of handle  20 , the application nozzle  25  can be pivoted in such a manner, by elastically bending the flap around by about 180°, that the hood  27  will point into the forward direction and thread  28  will be located in front of discharge connector  14 . By rotating the application nozzle  25 , the screw threads  15  and  28  will be brought into mutual engagement, and the application nozzle  25  will be screwed to cartridge  10 . During this process, said ring  31  will rotate in the corresponding groove of discharge connector  14 . 
         [0037]    Cartridge  10  is further provided with a piston  35 . This piston is the press-out piston which is inserted into the rear end of cartridge  10  and can be advanced for pressing out the substance from the opened discharge connector  14 . Piston  35  comprises a surrounding piston skirt  36  and an end-side piston face  37 . The rear end  38  is open, thus allowing for insertion of the plate of a press-out tool (not shown) for advancing piston  35 . 
         [0038]    In  FIGS. 2-4 , nozzle body  26  is illustrated. Nozzle body  26  comprises a tube provided with a peg  40  fastened within the front end of said tube by means of radial webs  41 , said peg  40  extending into the tube and projecting beyond the tube end in the forward direction. Between the webs  41 , passages  42  are formed, allowing the substance to flow therethrough. At the front end of peg  40 , a frustoconical outer cone  32  is provided. 
         [0039]    The outer wall of nozzle body  26  comprises a helical threaded web  45 , with a corresponding threaded groove of hood  27  seated thereon. Due to the threaded engagement, rotating the hood  27  will also bring about an axial displacement of hood  27  relative to nozzle body  26 . For limiting the rotational movement of hood  27 , nozzle body  26  is provided with rotation limiting elements  46  formed as longitudinal ribs. Assigned to each rotation limiting element  46  is a locking element  47  adapted to be overcome by hood  27 . In this manner, each of the two settings of the hood will be stable. 
         [0040]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the front region of hood  27  includes a hollow space  48  which will be filled with the substance to be pressed out. In the downstream direction, said hollow space is delimited by a closure orifice  44  forming an inner cone. Said inner cone has the same pitch as an outer cone  43  formed on peg  40 . In the closed condition according to  FIG. 3 , outer cone  43  is in full-faced abutment on closure orifice  44 . In this situation, the closure assembly  50  formed by hood  27  and nozzle body  26  is in its closed condition. In front of closure assembly  50 , a discharge channel  51  of rectangular cross section is arranged. Discharge channel  51  comprises a bottom wall  52  with the closure orifice  44  arranged therein, and straight side walls  53  and  54  forming said rectangular cross section. Side walls  53  and  54  have different edge lengths, thus making it possible to form joint-sealing strands of different widths. The front ends of side walls  53  and  54  present brushing edges  55 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  shows the closed condition and  FIG. 4  the fully opened condition of closure assembly  50 . 
         [0042]    Illustrated in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7  are three different embodiments of hood  27 . The hood of  FIG. 5  generally corresponds to the hood depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . This is to say that the discharge channel  51  is enclosed by four side walls  53 ,  54  and is open only at the front end. 
         [0043]    In  FIG. 6 , discharge channel  51  is enclosed only by three side walls  53 ,  54 ,  53  while the fourth side is open. By their respective brushing edges  55 , the side walls are operative as smoothing tools for smoothing the strand of substance leaving the discharge channel  51 . Hood  27  is made of polyethylene, i.e. a material that will not bind to the silicone material which is the most frequently used plastic substance in the present context. In this manner, formation of an obstructing plug in discharge channel  51  is prevented. 
         [0044]    In the embodiment according to  FIG. 7 , a discharge channel  51  does not exist. The closure assembly  50  forms the front end of the hood. In this embodiment, the discharge orifice  56  is round. 
         [0045]    In the embodiments according to  FIGS. 8-10 , the closure assembly  50   a  is different from that of the first embodiment. Closure assembly  50   a  comprises a frustoconical sealing surface  40   a  forming a part of a hollow peg  65  connected to the tube end of nozzle body  26 . Sealing surface  40   a  cooperates with a closure orifice  44  of hood  27  which is shaped as an inner cone. By rotation of the hood, accompanied by corresponding axial displacement, closure assembly  50   a  will be opened or closed. Except for these features, nozzle body  26  of hood  27  is configured in the same manner as in the first embodiment. 
         [0046]    In the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 11 , the closure assembly  50   b  comprises a nozzle body  26  connected to a frustoconical sealing face  40   b  by arms  60  which have windows  61  arranged between them. Here, in contrast to the previous embodiment, there is provided no hollow peg  65  projecting out of nozzle body  26 . Said arms  60  and said windows  61  form a laterally open conical structure joining the peripheral wall of nozzle body  26  in the longitudinal direction thereof. When the closure assembly  50   b  is being opened, the cone formed by arms  60  and sealing face  40   b  will be moved away from closure orifice  44  of hood  27 , allowing the substance to emerge through the windows  61  of the cone and then to pass through the closure orifice of hood  27 . 
         [0047]    Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific illustrative embodiments thereof, it is not intended that the invention be limited to those illustrative embodiments. Those skilled in the art will recognize that variations and modifications can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow. It is therefore intended to include within the invention all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.