DISPENSER FOR LIQUID ADHESIVES

Abstract: A dispenser for liquid adhesives, which comprises a rigid elongate tubular container (1) having a dispensing nozzle (3) at one end thereof, and a flexible portion (6, 11) for dispensing adhesive through the nozzle (3) by manual compression of the portion (6, 11), is provided.

Description: DISPENSER FOR LIQUID ADHESIVES The present invention relates to dispensers for liquid adhesives. Liquid adhesives are customarily packaged in collapsible aluminium tubes from which the adhesive is dispensed through a nozzle by squeezing and collapsing the tubes. These tubes have the disadvantage that they are liable to burst through accidental application of pressure whilst the nozzle is closed and/or to leak due to fatigue-cracking of the aluminium. In addition, partially emptied tubes are difficult to handle cleanly and may be unsightly. The present invention provides a dispenser for liquid adhesives which comprises a rigid elongate tubular container having a dispensing nozzle at one end thereof, and a flexible portion for dispensing adhesive through the nozzle by manual compression of the portion. Preferably, the flexible portion comprises a zone or wall of resilient material, built into or formed as part of the body of the container. The wall is suitably designed for compression by a finger or thumb, and in a particularly preferred embodiment, a pair of diametrically opposed walls are located in the body of the container for compression between a finger and thumb. The wall may be constructed of any suitable resilient material, preferably a synthetic plastics material. The wall may be built into the body of the container so as to be flush with the remaining part of the container, or may be formed slightly proud of the container, or slightly depressed into the container. In an alternative embodiment, the flexible portion comprises an axially compressible member located at one end of the container. The compressible member is suitably in the form of a resilient bellows which is returnable to its initial configuration on release of compression. Suitably, the ratio of the length of the dispenser to its width is greater than 5 to 1, preferably, 10 to 1. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Fig. 1 (a) shows an elevation of a circular cylindrical adhesive dispenser according to the invention; Fig. 1 (b) shows a partial section on A-B of Fig. 1 (a); Fig. 1 (c) shows a section on C-D of Fig. 1 (a); Fig. 2 (a) shows an elevation of an alternative dispenser; Fig. 2 (b) shows a partial section on A-B of Fig. 2 (a); Fig. 2 (c) shows a section on C-D of Fig. 2 (a); Fig. 3 (a) shows an elevation of a further dispenser; Fig. 3 (b) shows a partial section on A-B of Fig. 3 (a); Fig. 3 (c) shows a section on C-D of Fig. 3 (a); Fig. 4 (a) shows an elevation of a further dispenser; Fig. 4 (b) shows a section on A-B of Fig. 4 (a); Fig. 4 (c) shows a section on C-D of Fig. 4 (a); Fig. 5 (a) shows an elevation of a further dispenser; ; Fig. 5 (b) shows a partial section on A-B of Fig. 5 (a); and Fig. 5 (c) shows a section on C-D of Fig. 5 (a). Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, an adhesive dispenser comprises a rigid aluminium tube 1 closed at one end 2 and having an upper part 5 connected to a nozzle 3 via a shoulder 4. The nozzle 3, the shoulder 4 and the upper part 5 of the dispenser are formed from a plastics material and are rigid with the exception of two opposed zones 6 which are flexible and resilient. By squeezing the two zones 6 together between finger and thumb the user can expel a controlled amount of adhesive from the dispenser through the nozzle 3 for application to a work surface. On release of the pressure, the two zones 6 are restored to their original position. Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the aluminium tube 1 extends to the junction 7 with the shoulder 4 and has two apertures 8 through which two upraised flexible zones 6 protrude. Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment wherein a chamber 9 for expelling adhesive is situated at the closed end 2 of the tube 1. In this embodiment a rigid plastic portion 10 has two opposed resilient flexible zones 6 formed as thinner areas in the plastics moulding. Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment wherein the entire tube 1 and nozzle 3 are of plastics material with integral flexible resilient zones 6 formed as thinner areas in the plastics moulding. Fig. 5 shows an alternative embodiment wherein the flexible portion for expelling adhesive is a resilient moulded plastics bellows 12 situated at the closed end 2 of the container 1. This embodiment is operated by finger or thumb pressure on the end 2 of the bellows 12 which are resiliently restored to their initial configuration on release of the manual pressure. Suitably the dispenser is 10 to 18 cm long and 1 to 2 cm wide, preferably it is 15 cm long and 1.5 cm wide. The skilled person will readily conceive various modifications of the above, all of which are encompassed by the present invention. Suitable plastics materials and alternatives to the aluminium tubes will be readily apparent. Suitable adhesives for use in the present dispensers include those having sufficiently low viscosity to flow through the tube and nozzle under manual pressure, such as solvent adhesives.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A dispenser for liquid adhesives, which comprises a rigid elongate tubular container (1) having a dispensing nozzle (3) at one end thereof, and a flexible portion (6,11) for dispensing adhesive through the nozzle (3) by manual compression of the portion (6,11). 2. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1, in the form of a pen. 3. A dispenser as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the ratio of the length of the dispenser to its width is greater than 5 to 1. 4. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the flexible portion (11) is an axially compressible, resilient bellows (11) located at the opposite end of the container (1) to the nozzle (3). 5. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, which comprises a pair of diametrically opposed flexible portions (6). 6. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tubular container (1) is aluminium. 7. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the tubular container (1) is plastics material. 8. A dispenser as claimed in claim 7, wherein the dispenser is a one piece plastics moulding. 9. A dispenser as claimed in claim 4, which comprises a one piece rigid aluminium tubular container (1) and nozzle (3), and a plastics bellows (11). 10. A dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5, which comprises a rigid aluminium tubular container (1), with one piece plastics nozzle (3) and flexible portion (6).

Inventors: HALM, HANS
Applicants: LINGNER AND FISCHER GMBH
Application year: 1983
Main classification: B05C17
IPC codes: B65D35, B65D83, B05C17, B43M11, B65D37, B43K5