Medium application tool

Abstract: A medium application tool comprises a container (9) having arranged therein in a removable manner a cartridge body holding a medium transfer tape. During use the container (9) and the cartridge body are held firmly connected to each other by a slide plate slidably engaging a supporting portion integral with a tranfer head (7), said slide plate engaging locking appertures (14) provided in opposite side faces (12) of the container. The slide plate can freely slide between opening and closing positions in the locking apertures (14) for opening and closing the container and in the closing position prevents the transfer head (7) from any uncontrolled swinging movement.

Description: The invention relates to a medium application tool for transferring a medium like a correction paint or an adhesive onto an object by moving a transfer tape having a medium applied on a surface thereof into close contact with the object. The term "medium" as used herein thus denotes a paint or an adhesive. Description of the Prior Art In conventional tools in order to enable a long time use and to reduce the costs of the application tool, there has been suggested a cartridge body having a supply reel gear and a take-up reel gear meshing with each other and a supply reel and a take-up reel coaxially attached to the gears for supplying and taking up a transfer tape and for guiding it along a transfer head, in which the cartridge body can be detached from the application tool container when it is opened, and replaced by a fresh one, see US-A-4 853 074. However, in the conventional tool mentioned above, in which the cartridge body is provided within a separable application tool container, since the application tool container and the cartridge body are not firmly fixed to each other for the purpose of enabling an easy replacement of the cartridge body, a force applied to the application tool container by a user is not efficiently transmitted to the cartridge body and the tranfer head. Accordingly, when the user strongly presses the transfer tape held by the transfer head in order to press the medium against the surface of an object at a time of using the application tool, the force applied to the application tool container by the user can damage the cartridge body. Further, there is a problem that the transfer of the medium from the transfer tape to an object is not effectively performed. Further, since the cartridge body and the application tool container having the cartridge body therein are not firmly connected with each other, the transfer head holding the transfer tape is adapted to be easily swung. Accordingly, when the user applies a force to the application tool in the case of using the application tool, there is a problem that the medium is shifted off the direction which is desired by the user, and that a transfer of the medium from the transfer tape is interrupted when using the tool for a continuous transfer of the medium, thereby inconveniencing the user. Summary of the Invention The present invention is made by taking the above described problems into consideration and an object of the invention is to solve any or some of these problems of conventional application tools, and more particularly to provide an application tool having a container having therein a cartridge body in which it possible to replace the cartridge body while both parts are held in a stable manner during use. In order to achieve the above objects, there is provided an application tool comprising a cartridge body having rotatably mounted thereon a supply reel and a take-up reel drivingly coupled with each other for supplying a medium transfer tape to a transfer head and for taking up the transfer tape, said transfer tape being guided along the tranfer head, and a container accommodating therein in a detachable manner the cartridge body and being separable in a longitudinal plane, wherein a slide plate is provided which is adapted to be in sliding contact with an elongated supporting portion of the transfer head, said supporting portion extending in a transport direction of the transfer tape and connected to the cartridge body, said slide plate having end portions projecting from opposite side faces of the container and having mounted thereon enlarged end pieces, and wherein locking apertures are provided in the opposite side faces of the container for receiving therein said slide plate end portions, said locking apertures comprising portions having a diameter larger than that of the enlarged end pieces and narrow portions for accommodating and guiding said slide plate end portions, whereby when the end pieces, in one sliding position of the slide plate, are in the large diameter portions of the locking apertures the container can be opened and when the slide plate end portions, in other sliding positions of the slide plate, are in the narrow portions of the locking apertures the container is closed. Accordingly, when the slide plate end portions are fitted in the narrow grooves of the locking apertures, the transfer head is locked and firmly fixed relative to the application tool container so that the whole structure become rigid. Accordingly, when a strong force is applied to the transfer head, it is not swung, so that no breaking of the transfer tape can occur and the transfer and application of the medium can be performed in a continuous convenient manner. Further the slide plate does not disturb the user at a time of using the application tool, so that the user can smoothly use the application tool. Still further, since the slide plate slidably fixed to the cartridge body and the application tool container are strongly connected to each other, even when the user strongly grips the application tool container, the grip force applied to the application tool container by the user is supported not only by the application tool container but also by the cartridge body installed in the application tool container, so that a deformation of the application tool container when subjected to a strong grip force is minimized, and an inaccurate transfer and application of the medium due to a deformation of the application tool container can be prevented. Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a perspective view which shows a medium application tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view which shows a main part of a transfer head of a cartridge body installed within the application tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view which shows locking apertures of an application tool container in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 4 is a partially sectional view which shows the application tool container and the cartridge body of the application tool in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment and the accompanying drawings. Reference numeral 1 denotes an application tool made in accordance with the present invention. The application tool 1 has a cartridge body 2 installed detachably in a tool container or casing 9 of the application tool 1. The cartridge body 2 rotatably carries a supply reel gear 3 and a take-up reel gear 4 meshing with each other. A supply reel 5 and a take-up reel 6 are coaxially attached to the supply reel gear 3 or the take-up reel gear 4, respectively, for supplying and taking up a transfer tape 8. The transfer tape 8 is guided along a transfer head 7 protruding from one end of the container 9. The application tool container 9 has front and rear parts 10, 10. The front and rear parts 10, 10 can be connected with and separated from each other along a longitudinal plane laid through the application tool container 9. A slide plate 13 is provided and in slidable contact with a supporting portion 18 integral with a root portion 11 of the transfer head 7 for connecting the cartridge body 2 and the transfer head 7 with each other. End portions of the slide plate 13 extend in a direction towards each side face 12 of the application tool container 9 and project outwardly therefrom. An enlarged knob piece 17 is mounted to each end of the slide plate 13 and a locking aperture 14 comprising a large diameter portion 15 having a diameter larger than that of the knob piece 17 and a narrow groove portion 16 for guiding the slide plate 13 is provided in each side face 12 of the application tool container 9. In this structure, the cartridge body 2 and the application tool container 9 can be freely attached to and detached from each other by sliding the slide plate 13 with respect to the locking apertures 14. Since the application tool 1 in accordance with the invention has the structure mentioned above, in the case of using the application tool 1, the slide plate 13 adapted to slide on the supporting portion 18 of the transfer head 7 and extending through the application tool container 9 in such a manner so as to project from the side faces 12 of the application tool container 9 is held within the narrow groove portions 16 of the locking apertures 14, thereby the transfer head 7 is fixed to the application tool container 9 in a firm and stable manner. Accordingly, even when a strong force is applied to the transfer head 7 the cartridge body 2 having the transfer head 7, and the application tool container 9 are firmly held relative to each other, so that -the transfer head 7 holding the transfer tape 8 is not swung during use, thereby solving the problems of conventional application tools resulting from a uncontrolled shifting of the transfer head 7. Further, the application tool container 9 having therein the cartridge body 2 can readily be opened by sliding the slide plate 13 from the narrow groove portions 16 of the locking apertures 14 to the large diameter portions 15 thereof. The slide plate 13 does not disturb the user at a time of using the application tool 1. Still further, the slide plate 13 can have a center portion defined by side ridges with a distance from each other adapted to the width of the supporting portion 18 of the transfer head 7 so as to smoothly slide on the supporting portion 18, thereby the slide plate 13 can slide without laterally deviations relative to the supporting portion 18. The width of the narrow groove portions 16 and the thickness of the end portions of the slide plate 13 may be substantially equal to each other thereby closely fixing the narrow groove portions 16 and the slide plate 13 to each other, so that even when the user strongly grips the application tool container 9 at a time of using the application tool 1, the grip force applied to the application tool container 9 is supported both by the application tool container 9 and the cartridge body 2 installed within the application tool container 9. Accordingly, a deformation of the application tool container 9 is minimized, so that an inaccurate transfer and application of the medium due to a deformation of the application tool container 9 can be prevented. As mentioned above, since the application tool container of the application tool and the cartridge body installed in the application tool container are integrally and strongly fixed to each other during use, a swing motion of the transfer head generated at a time of closely attaching the transfer head to the surface of an object can be prevented, thereby solving the problems of breakage of the transfer tape and an interrupted application of the medium. Further, at a time of using the application tool, the slide plate does not disturb a smooth operation of the tool. Still further, since the application tool container and the cartridge body installed in the application tool container are integrally and strongly fixed to each other, the strength of the application tool container is improved, so that even when a user applies a strong force thereto a deformation of the application tool is effectively prevented.

Claims: A medium application tool (1) comprising a cartridge body (2) having rotatably mounted thereon a supply reel (5) and a take-up reel (6) drivingly coupled with each other for supplying a medium transfer tape (8) to a transfer head (7) and for taking up the transfer tape after being guided along the transfer head, and a container (9) accommodating therein in a detachable manner the cartridge body, said container being separable in a longitudinal plane, wherein a slide plate (13) is provided which is adapted to be in sliding contact with an elongated supporting portion (18) of the transfer head (7) extending in a transport direction of the transfer tape for connecting the transfer head with said cartridge body, said slide plate having end portions projecting from opposite side faces of the container and having mounted thereon enlarged end pieces (17), and wherein locking apertures (14) are provided in the opposite side faces (12,12) of the container for receiving therein said slide plate end portions, said locking apertures comprising portions (15) having a diameter larger than that of the end pieces and narrow portions (16) for accommodating and guiding said slide plate end portions, whereby when the end pieces, in a sliding position of the slide plate, are in the large diameter portions of the locking apertures the container can be opened, and when the slide plate end portions, in another sliding position of the slide plate, are in the narrow portions of the locking apertures the container is closed.

Inventors: KATAMI KAZONORI, KATAMI, KAZONORI
Applicants: TOMBOW PENCIL, TOMBOW PENCIL CO., LTD.
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65H37
IPC codes: B65H37, B65H35, B43L19