Abstract:
An adhesively mounted angled clamp-like device for producing a compressive force or tensile force includes a frame, at least two plungers arranged at an angle movably connected with the frame, and double-sided stretch releasing adhesive attached to at least one of the frame and the plungers. The frame and/or plungers can be firmly adhesively bonded to a surface or object and later cleanly removed from the frame, plungers, and/or surface without damaging the surface and without leaving adhesive residue by stretching the adhesive.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to a device that can be used to apply two or more compressive or tensile forces to a surface or object, and more particularly, to such a device that can be attached to one or more surfaces arranged at an angle using stretch releasing adhesive, whereby the device can be firmly attached to the surface but may be easily and cleanly removed from the surface without damaging the surface.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Angle clamps are known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,712, (Coffman), for example, discloses a clamp for maintaining two butting segments in an adjoining relationship. Suction attachable clamps are also known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,820,116 (Haese), for example, discloses a suction attachable retaining clamp for holding an object such as a molding or mounting bracket against a surface such as a windshield. U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,503 (Conner) discloses a suction clamp for holding moldings in place on front or rear windshields of automobiles, while an adhesive material sets or dries, and it simultaneously prevents damage to the adjacent surface. Such clamps, however, are complicated to use, expensive, are limited to producing clamping/compressive forces, and, in the case of suction clamps, work best on clean, slightly moistened, non-porous surfaces such as metal and glass.  
         [0003]     There is therefore a need for a simple and inexpensive clamp-like device that can be used to exert two or more forces at an angle. There is also a need for such a device that can be used for a variety of end use applications and can be used on a variety of surfaces under a variety of conditions.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     It would therefore be desirable to provide a simple and inexpensive single-sided clamp-like device that can be securely fastened to an angled surface or two items forming an angled surface, and can be readily removed without damaging the surface or leaving unwanted adhesive residue. It would also be desirable to provide such a clamp-like device that can be used as both a clamp to exert a compressive force, and as a device to produce a pulling or tensile force. It would also be desirable to provide a device that can be used on a wide variety of surfaces including metal, glass, paper, masonry and unfinished wood, and is not limited to use on non-porous surfaces such as metal and glass.  
         [0005]     The present invention overcomes the above-identified limitations in the field by providing a simple and inexpensive angled clamp-like device that can be applied to a surface and can be used not only as a clamp, but can also be used to produce a pulling or tensile force at selected locations on a surface or an object. The present invention also provides a device that can be used on a wide variety of surfaces including paper, wood, and masonry, and is not limited to use on non-porous surfaces such as metal and glass.  
         [0006]     In one embodiment, the present invention provides a clamp-like device comprising a frame, at least two plungers arranged at an angle movably connected with the frame, and double-sided stretch releasing adhesive attached to at least one of the frame and the plungers, whereby the frame and/or the plungers can be firmly adhesively bonded to a surface and cleanly removed from the surface without damaging the surface by stretching the adhesive.  
         [0007]     In one aspect, the stretch releasing adhesive is attached to the frame. In another aspect, the stretch releasing adhesive is attached to the plungers.  
         [0008]     In a specific embodiment, the frame includes an angle section comprising a pair of connecting portions arranged at an angle, and each connecting portion contains at least one opening. In another aspect, each opening is threaded and each plunger is externally threaded such that the plungers mate with the openings and are rotatably arranged within the associated openings.  
         [0009]     In a more specific aspect of the invention, the frame further includes a leg portion extending perpendicularly from the end of each connecting portion, and further includes a foot portion arranged on the end of each leg portion. In another aspect, the stretch releasing adhesive for attaching the frame to a surface is provided on each foot portion.  
         [0010]     In another embodiment, the frame includes a pair of parallel leg portions extending from the same connecting portion.  
         [0011]     In another aspect, the plungers includes a head adapted to receive stretch releasing adhesive. The plunger may also include a handle to facilitate manual actuation of the associated plunger.  
         [0012]     The present invention can be used for a wide variety of uses and applications such as holding an object or objects in place while an adhesive, such as a hot melt adhesive, glue, or epoxy sets, dries, or otherwise cures. This may be useful, for example, in gluing together the pieces of a picture frame. The device may also be provided with a pointed tip or drill bit to mark, pierce, or form a hole in a surface or object. The present invention may also find use in woodworking, crafts, or other uses in the home, office, or in industrial applications. For example, the present invention may be used to stamp or emboss a piece of paper or piece of wood. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     The present invention will be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 1  attached to a surface; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention attached to a surface. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 2  show an angled clamp-like device  2  including a frame  4 , first and second plungers  6 , 8  rotatably attached to the frame  4 , double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strips  10 , 12  attached to the frame  4  to removably adhesively bond the frame  4  to a surface  14 , and double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strips  16 , 18  attached to the plungers  6 , 8  for adhesively bonding the plungers  6 , 8  to either the surface  14  or an object (not shown) which may be arranged between the plungers  6 , 8  and the surface  14 . Throughout the description and the accompanying figures, functionally similar features are referred to with like reference numerals incremented by 100.  
         [0018]     Stretch releasing adhesive tapes represent a class of high performance pressure-sensitive adhesives combining strong holding power with clean removal and no surface damage. Such stretch releasing adhesive tapes are useful in a wide variety of assembling, joining, attaching, and mounting applications. The double-sided adhesive strips  10 , 12 , 16 , 18  may be any conventionally known stretch releasing adhesive tape including a stretch releasing adhesive tape with an elastic backing, a stretch releasing adhesive tape with a highly extensible and substantially inelastic backing, or a stretch releasing adhesive tape comprising a solid elastic pressure sensitive adhesive. For certain end-use applications, for example when it is not necessary to attach the frame  4  or plungers  6 , 8  to the surface  14 , it may be desirable to replace one or more of the double-sided adhesive strips  10 , 12 , 16 , 18  with single-sided adhesive strips which are adhesively bonded to the device  2  to provide cushioning and thereby protect the surface  14  to which the device  2  is attached.  
         [0019]     Specific tapes suitable for use in the various embodiments of the present invention include the pressure sensitive adhesive tapes with elastic backings described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,024,312 (Korpman), the pressure sensitive adhesive tapes with highly extensible and substantially inelastic backings described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,516,581 (Kreckel et al.) and Bries et al. U.S. Pat. No. (6,231,962), and the solid elastic pressure sensitive adhesive described in German Patent No. 33 31 016.  
         [0020]     A suitable double-sided commercially available stretch releasing adhesive tape is the product sold under the trade designation COMMAND adhesive by 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. This product is currently manufactured as discrete strips with one end of the strip including a non-adhesive pull tab to facilitate stretching of the strip during removal.  
         [0021]     In the illustrated embodiment, the frame  4  includes an angle section  20  including first and second connecting portions  20   a , 20   b  arranged at an angle. It will be recognized that the connecting portions  20   a , 20   b  may be arranged at any angle depending on the intended end use application of the device, or that the device may be provided with a hinge to allow the angle to be adjusted. Each connecting portion  20   a , 20   b  contains a threaded opening  22 , 24 , respectively for receiving plungers  6 , 8 , respectively. The frame  4  further includes leg portions  20   c , 20   d  extending perpendicularly from the end of each connecting portion  20   a , 20   b,  respectively, and foot portions  20   e , 20   f  arranged at the end of each leg portion. Adhesive strips  10 , 12  are affixed to the bottom surfaces of the feet portions  20   e , 20   f,  respectively, to adhesively bond the frame  4  to surface  14 , and thereby securely bond the device  2  to the surface  14 .  
         [0022]     Plungers  6 , 8  are arranged generally perpendicular to the respective connecting portions  20   a , 20   b  and include a cylindrical threaded body portion  6   a , 8   a  which rotatably engages openings  22 , 24 , respectively, in the frame  4 , a handle  26 , 28  arranged at one end of the body portion  6   a , 8   a  to facilitate manual rotation of the plungers  6 , 8  and a head  30 , 32  arranged at the end of the body portion  6   a , 8   a  opposite the handle  26 , 28 . The handles  26 , 28  are arranged above the connecting portions  20   a , 20   b  of the frame  4  to allow a user to readily access the handle  26 , 28 , and thereby manually rotate the plungers  6 , 8 . The heads  30 , 32  are arranged below the connecting portions  20   a , 20   b  and are axially movable by rotational actuation of the plunger  6 , 8  via handles  26 , 28  either in the direction of the surface  14 , thereby to apply a force to the surface, or away from the surface  14 , thereby to generate a tensile force relative to the surface. Heads  30 , 32  are preferably connected with the plunger  6 , 8  with a slip fit type of connection to allow the body portions  6   a , 8   a  and the heads  30 , 32  to move independently. That is, the plunger body portions  6   a , 8   a  may be rotated while the heads  30 , 32  remains stationary, and the heads may pivot relative to the plunger body portions  6   a , 8   a.    
         [0023]     To use the device  2  as a clamp, the device is attached to the surface  14  with stretch releasing adhesive strips  10 , 12 . One or both plungers  6 , 8  are then rotated such that the heads  30 , 32  move in the direction of the surface  14 . As the plungers  6 , 8  move toward and engage the surface  14 , a compressive force will be exerted on the surface  14 . When used in this manner, the device can be used to join two items  34 , 36  which may be, for example, two pieces of a picture frame. It will be recognized that when the device is used in this manner (i.e. as a clamp or to generate a compressive force on a surface), adhesive strips  10 , 12  are needed to maintain the device  2  adjacent surface  14 , but that adhesive strips  16 , 18  are not needed because the plungers  6 , 8  are maintained in contact with surface  14  via compression. Stated another way, when the device  2  is used as a clamp, the plungers  6 , 8  is forced against the surface  14  which, in turn, forces the frame  4  away from the surface  14 , and the adhesive strips  10 , 12  serve to hold the frame  4  in contact with the surface  14  to allow the plungers  6 , 8  to exert a compressive force on the surface. To remove the device  2  from the surface  14 , each adhesive strip  10 , 12  is stretched in the known manner to simultaneously debond the adhesive strip from the device and surface.  
         [0024]     Conversely, to use the device  2  as a pulling device to generate a pulling or stretching force on surface  14  or on an object (not shown) arranged between the surface  14  and the heads  30 , 32 , the heads  30 , 32  are attached to the surface  34  with stretch releasing adhesive strips  16 , 18 , thereby adhesively bonding the plungers  6 , 8  to surface  14  or to the object (not shown) arranged between the heads  30 , 32  and the adhesive strips  16 , 18 . Thus, when the plungers  6 , 8  are rotated such that the heads  30 , 32  move away from the surface  14 , a tensile force will be exerted on the surface  14  or on the object. When used in this manner (i.e. as a pulling device to generate a tensile force relative to the surface), adhesive strips  16 , 18  are needed to attach the plungers  6 , 8  to the surface  14  or the object, but it will be recognized that adhesive strips  10 , 12  are not needed to secure the device  2  to the surface because the device is maintained in contact with the surface  14  via compression.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a device  102  in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the invention. The device  102  is similar to the device  2  shown and described in  FIGS. 1 and 2  above except in the device  102  shown in  FIG. 3 , both leg portions  120   c,    120   d  extend from the same connecting portion  120   a  and are parallel, and the second plunger  108  is provided with a spring  140  instead of a threaded connection to produce the requisite forces.  
         [0026]     The device  102  includes a frame  104 , plungers  106 , 108  rotatably attached to the frame  104 , double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strips  110 , 112  attached to the frame  104  to removably adhesively bond the frame  104  to a surface  114 , and double-sided stretch releasing adhesive strips  116 , 118  attached to the plungers  106 , 108  for adhesively bonding the plunger member  106  to surface  114  or an object  138  arranged between the plungers  106 , 108  and the surface  114 .  
         [0027]     The frame  104  includes an angle section  120  including first and second connecting portions  120   a,   120   b  arranged at an angle. As with the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , connecting portions  120   a,   120   b  may be arranged at any angle depending on the intended end use application of the device, or the device may be provided with a hinge to allow the angle to be adjusted. Each connecting portion  120   a,   120   b  contains an opening  122 , 124 , respectively for receiving plungers  106 , 108 , respectively. In this embodiment, opening  122  is a threaded opening similar to openings  22  and  24  adapted to rotatably receive plunger  106 , but opening  124  is not threaded and is adapted to slidably receive plunger  108 .  
         [0028]     The frame  104  further includes spaced parallel leg portions  120   c,   120   d  extending in the same direction from the first connecting portion  120   a,  and foot portions  120   e,   120   f  arranged at the end of each leg portion  120   c,   120   d.  Adhesive strips  110 , 112  are affixed to the bottom surfaces of the feet portions  120   e,   120   f,  respectively, to adhesively bond the frame  104  to surface  114 , and thereby securely bond the device  102  to the surface  114 .  
         [0029]     Each plunger  106 , 108  is arranged generally perpendicular to connecting portion  120   a.  Plunger  106  includes a threaded cylindrical body portion  106   a  which rotatably engages and mates with opening  122 . Plunger  108  includes a body portion  108  which slidably engages opening  124 . Each plunger  106 , 108  includes a handle  126 , 128  arranged at one end of the body portion  106   a,   108   a  to facilitate manual actuation of the plungers  106 , 108  and a head  130 , 132  arranged at the end of the body portion  106   a,   108   a  opposite the handle  126 , 128 . As with the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , heads  126 , 128  are preferably connected with the plunger  106 , 108  with a slip fit type of connection to allow the body portion  106   a,   108   a  and the head  126 , 128  to move independently.  
         [0030]     Spring  140  is provided between connecting portion  120   b  and the head  132 . When plunger  108  is urged away from the surface  114 , the spring  140  is compressed and urges head  132  in the direction of the surface  114 . It will be recognized that when the device is used in this manner (i.e. as a clamp to generate a compressive force), adhesive strips  110 , 112  are needed to attach the device  102  to surface  114 , but that adhesive strips  116 , 118  are not needed because the plungers  106 , 108  are maintained in contact with surface  114  via compression. To remove the device  102  from the surface  114 , each adhesive strip  110 ,  112  is stretched in the known manner to debond the adhesive strip from the device and surface simultaneously.  
         [0031]     Alternatively, the spring  140  can be a tension spring that is attached to connecting portion  120   b  and the head  132 , such that when the spring is urged away from connecting portion  120   b,  the spring is put in tension. When head  132  is adhesively bonded with object  138  via adhesive strip  118 , a tensile force is exerted on the object  138 .  
         [0032]     Device  102  may be used as a clamp to apply a force to surface  114  or object  138  in the same manner as the device of  FIG. 1  except the spring  140  generates the force associated with plunger  108 . More specifically, plunger  106  is rotated such that the head  130  moves in the direction of the surface  114  and spring  140  urges head  132  toward the surface  114 . As the plungers  106 , 108  move toward and engage the surface  114  and object  138 , a compressive force will be exerted on the surface and object, respectively. And to use the device  102  to impart a pulling or stretching force on the surface  114  and object  138 , stretch releasing adhesive strips  116 ,  118  are attached to heads  130 , 132 , thereby adhesively bonding the plungers  106 , 108  to the surface  114  and object  138 , respectively. In this manner, when the plungers  106 , 108  move away from the surface  114  and object  138  by rotational actuation of the plunger  106  or the spring force imparted by spring  140 , a tensile force will be exerted on the surface  114  and object  138 , respectively. When device  102  is used to generate tensile forced, it is preferable to use adhesive strips  116 , 118  to attach the plungers  106 , 108  to the associated surface  114  and object  138 , and to also use adhesive strips  110 , 112  to attach the frame with the surface  114 .  
         [0033]     The device, including both the frame and the plungers, may be formed of a variety of materials depending on the particular intended end use application of the device. Suitable materials include metals such as steel, synthetic plastic materials such as polycarbonate and polyvinyl chloride, and wood. The particular material selected is not significant to the invention hereof, so long as it provides the desired combination of properties such as adequate strength, low cost, and ease of manufacture.  
         [0034]     It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without deviating from the inventive concept set forth above. For example, it will be recognized that the size and shape of the device may be modified to adapt the device for certain specific end use applications, that the body member and plunger may be movably attached by means other than a threaded connection, that the number and size of the adhesive strips may be varied, and that the plunger may be provided with a pointed tip, drill bit, or other implement depending on the specific end use application intended for the device. Thus, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the structures described in this application, but only by the structures described by the language of the claims and the equivalents of those structures.