CORNER MUD APPLICATOR PAN

A corner mud applicator pan is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

Mud applicator hoppers are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,908 to Weldy discloses a hopper apparatus for applying joint compound to corner beads having a hopper for holding a quantity of joint compound and a feeder apparatus secured across the lower end of the hopper. The feeder apparatus has a channel and a series of elongate feeder inserts for selectively securing in the channel. A first set of outside feeder inserts each have a generally V-shaped indented groove extending along their length for guiding an outside corner bead through the feeder apparatus, while a second set of inside feeder inserts each have a generally V-shaped ridge extending along their length for guiding an inside corner bead through the feeder. The feeder inserts in each set have grooves and ridges of different angles and corner shapes matching those of a plurality of different inside and outside corner beads, and are releasably secured in the channel.

Further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,402,913 to Smythe discloses a drywall hopper assembly that contains a double blade that can apply drywall mud to both interior and exterior drywall corners with no blade change. A zigzag blade can contain two grooves, one for interior corners and one for exterior corners. With this blade arrangement, an operator can quickly move from one type of corner to another without using multiple tools, multiple blades or hand application methods to apply mud. The present invention can contain a pliable release port to present mud equally to an interior or an exterior corner. There can be such a port on both the top and bottom of the blade so that mud is smoothly applied as trim moves through the hopper or the hopper is moved along the trim.

Still further, U.S. Pat. No. 8,042,591 to Rosso discloses a paper beading hopper having a body defining a chamber for holding a quantity of joint compound, and having an open upper end, an upper rim, and a lower end; a lid pivotally secured to the body for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein in the closed position, the lid engages the open upper rim, the lid having a releasably sealable air port; and a base configured for and accommodating the hopper lower end, for receiving joint compound, and for applying the joint compound to a corner paper bead.

However, these patents fail to describe a corner mud applicator pan which is easy to use. Further, these patents fail to provide for a corner mud applicator pan which allows a user to easily insert a corner unit into a pan for easy creation of mud beads for construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

An advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan has lead guards which allow for easy insertion of the corner unit into the pan.

And another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan has horizontal lines for an increased grip by a user.

Yet another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present corner mud applicator pan may have support lines for increased durability.

Another advantage of the present corner mud applicator pan is that the present pan may accept both standard and big nose corner units.

For a more complete understanding of the above listed features and advantages of the corner mud applicator pan reference should be made to the detailed description and the drawings. Further, additional features and advantages of the invention are described in, and will be apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A corner mud applicator pan (or “hopper”) is provided. The corner mud applicator pan is especially suitable for use in applying beaded mud to corner units for drywall in construction of walls. The applicator pan has a V-shaped opening at the bottom of the pan which has insert guides (or “leads”) which makes insertion of the corner unit into the V-shaped opening easy and efficient. Support lines add strength to the pan and horizontal grip lines increase the grip for the user.

Referring first toFIG. 1, in an embodiment a corner mud applicator pan1(also called a “hopper”) is provided. The pan1is preferably made of a durable plastic, but may instead be made of other suitable materials. The pan1may have a top10, a bottom20, a first side30, a second side40(FIG. 2), a front50, a back60and a generally hollow interior70. The top10of the pan1may be open, allowing access to the interior70of the pan1(which therein receives drywall mud).

In an embodiment, the first side30and the second side40of the bottom20of the pan1maybe generally flat so as to allow the pan1to rest secured on the ground or other surface, while the main portion of the bottom20of the front50and the back60may be tapered inward, forming a v-shaped bottom20of the interior70. The v-shaped bottom20of the interior70of the pan1may allow mud (not shown) which is inserted into the interior70of the pan1to be directed downward toward the bottom of the pan1in a v-shaped manner so as to receive a v-shaped corner unit100(or101) of a wall for construction. The v-shaped corner units100are actually secured to and become part of the wall (at the corner) during construction. As the corner unit100passes through the pan1, mud comes into contact with and attaches to the corner unit100.

Located on the first side30of the pan1may be a v-shaped opening slit125and on the second side40of the pan1may be a second v-shaped opening slit135. The v-shaped slit125of the first side and the v-shaped slit135of the second side may be similar, while not identical. In particular, the v-shaped opening slit125of the first side30may have a first elongated opening140connected to a second elongated opening141wherein both elongated openings140,141have a length142which is at least as long as a length of a side188of the corner unit100,101.

In an embodiment, the v-shaped opening slit125of the first side30may have a width164which is less than a width165of the v-shaped opening slit135of the second side40(the exit side) of the pan1. Both the v-shaped opening slit125of the first side30and the v-shaped opening slit135of the second side40may both have a downward extended u-shaped indentation144having a width143wherein the opening144forms a channel450along the entire length of the pan1. In an embodiment, the first elongated opening140and second elongated opening141are identical, being mirror images of each other. In an embodiment, the first elongated opening140and second elongated opening141are approximately eighty to ninety degrees with respect to each other, but preferable eighty-five degrees precisely. As a result, this increases the application of mud onto the corner unit100in the optimal manner.

Located on the second side40of the pan1may be the second v-shaped opening135having similar lengths142as the v-shaped opening of the first side30of the pan1; however, the v-shaped opening of the second side40of the pan1, unlike the v-shaped opening of the first side30of the pan1, may have a plurality of additional groves175forming semi-circular shaped indentations160. The plurality of groves175may allow mud located in the interior70of the pan1to form beads on the corner unit100,101as the corner unit100,101exits the pan1from the second side40of the pan1. In particular, the corner unit100,101is inserted into the pan1through the v-shaped opening125of the first side30, then passes through the interior70of the pan1and out the second v-shaped opening135of the second side40of the pan1. As the corner unit100,101passes through the pan1, mud is applied to the corner unit100,101.

In an embodiment, located on the second side40of the pan1may be a plurality of support beams (or “deflection rib supports”)200. The images show two triangle-shaped support beams200; however, a greater or fewer numbers of support beams200may be used. The support beams200may provide extra support to the second side40of the pan1during use so that the second side40of the pan1does not break or substantially bend during use. Prior pans (or “hoppers”) often have rubber second sides of their pans/hoppers whereas the present pan1uses a plastic or other generally inflexible material for the entire pan1. The support beams200maintain the rigidity of the second side40of the pan1as the corner unit100,101passes through the pan1. As a result, a proper amount of mud is applied to the corner unit100,101.

In an embodiment, the front50or back60(or even bottom20) of the v-shaped portion of the pan1may have at least one (preferably a plurality) of horizontal beams225. The plurality of the horizontal beams225of the front50and the back60of the pan1may allow a user to more easily grasp the pan1with his/her hand to secure the pan1while using his/her other hand to feed the corner unit100,101through the pan1. The plurality of horizontal beams225may therein increase friction and make it easier for the user to secure the pan1in one hand during use.

Referring now toFIG. 4, in an embodiment, first v-shaped opening125of the first side30of the pan1may have a plurality of guide leads300. The precise number of guide leads300may vary, but the figures illustrate four guide leads located above and below each side of the opening125. The guide leads300may be outward extensions of the pan1which partially surround the v-shaped opening slits125of the first side30. The guide leads300may be angled outward (directed toward the opening) and may make insertion of the coroner unit100into the interior70of the pan1easy by directing the corner unit100into the opening125as a result of their angled surfaces. As a result, a user may quickly insert the corner unit100into the opening125of the first side30quickly without needing to precisely align the corner unit100to the opening125. This is especially suitable when mud may become splattered on the opening125and therefore, making the opening125difficult to locate.

In one embodiment, the device1may have optional extended recessed portions or holes185(FIG. 2) so that the device1may be optionally screwed, nailed or otherwise secured to a table or other surface. The drawings illustrate four recessed portions185located on the bottom of the device1, however, a greater or fewer number of recessed portions or holes185may be used.

In an embodiment, the bottom of the device1may have an elongated u-shaped channel450. The elongated u-shaped channel450may have a hollow interior which extends into the interior70of the device1. The elongated u-shaped channel450may allow for a “big nose” corner unit101to be used with the device1. The big nose corner units are the v-shaped corner units which have an additional exterior corner extended ridge189. Because big nose v-shaped corner units with exterior corner extended ridges would not fit through a standard v-shaped opening slit125as a result of the extended ridge189, the present u-shaped channel450allows for not only standard corner units100, but also big nose corner units101to be used with the present device1. The u-shaped channel450extends the entire length of the device1, from the first side30through to the second side40.

Although embodiments of the invention are shown and described therein, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages.