Patent Publication Number: US-2006005931-A1

Title: Label removing tool

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/840,500 filed on May 6, 2004, which application is pending. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to devices for removal of adhesive labels or decals from objects to which they may be attached. The new tool may have a pair of rods with shaped distal ends to engage a portion of a label attached to an object. The tool may then be rotated by a rotational device to peel the label from the object.  
      Labels and decals currently may be removed from an object such as a football helmet by stripping, scraping, peeling and the like the adhesive label from the surface of the helmet. Methods that generally may have been used may include use of a sharp scraping blade or tool to repetitively scrape against the ruminants of a label edge to scrape portions of a label off the helmet. There may also be machines for removal of labels from bottles or other containers that use high pressure fluid impact against attached labels for removal thereof.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed to devices used to remove adhesive labels from objects. A bit may have two prongs positioned adjacent and parallel to each other and attached at a proximal end. One of said prongs may be shaped at a distal end to aid in insertion under a label. A holding tool may have a cavity therein for insertion of the proximal end with a fastener to retain the bit in the holding tool.  
      These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a football helmet and application of the label removal tool to labels according to an embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the removal tool rolling a label according to an embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side exploded view of the removal tool according to an embodiment of the invention;  
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side exploded view of the removal tool according to an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      The following detailed description represents the best currently contemplated modes for carrying out the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the label removal tool  10  may have a bit  12  that may generally have a fork shape and may be attached to a holding tool  14 . The holding tool  14  may be insertable in and retainable by a chuck  40  of a rotational device (not shown) such as a hand drill, power hand drill or motorized rotational tool. The bit  12  may have two prongs  16  positioned adjacent and parallel to each other. The prongs may have tapered or pointed distal ends  18  or may be flattened to a disk, rectangular or other shape for insertion under a label  46  or football decal sticker attached to a helmet  42  or other structure. The power or momentum of a rotational tool may rotate the label  46  against the adhesive holding force to roll the label  46  onto the bit  12  and off of an object such as a football helmet.  
      In use one prong  16  may be pushed, slid or inserted under a portion  44  or edge of a label  46 , decal, sticker or other adhesive attached element. A rotational device may then be operated to rotate the chuck  40  to rotate the prongs  16  to roll or remove a label  46  from a helmet  42 .  
      Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the bit  12  may be formed from a single rod of material such as stainless steel or other material that may be rigid yet springy enough to allow sliding of a portion of a label  46  between the two prongs  16  when they are biased one against the other. A bent rod may form two prongs  16  with a bend portion  20  therebetween at a proximal end  22 . The two prongs  16  may be tapered at their distal end  18  to form a pointed tip  24  that may be spaced apart to aid in insertion under an adhesive label  46 . Prongs  16  may be formed from different length rods.  
      The bit  12  may be inserted into a cavity  28  in the holding tool  14  and retained therein by a screw  30  threadably inserted in aperture  32  by a threading tool  48  such as an Allen wrench. A screw  30  having a tapered end may be used to engage the bit  12  at the proximal end  22 . The holding tool may then be inserted in the chuck  40  and retained as generally understood for chucks of rotating apparatus. The two prongs  16  may be bias against each other along a longitudinal portion  26  of their shaft adjacent tips  24 . When a portion of a label may be pushed between the prongs  16 , the label portion may be gripped by the force of the two touching longitudinal portions  26  of the prongs  16 . This may aid in rolling up and peeling off of an adhesive label form an object.  
      Referring to  FIG. 4 , a bit  12  may have flattened distal ends  18  that may be disk shape, rectangular or other shape for insertion under and gripping of a label or sticker. The distal ends  18  may be biased against each other to provide a gripping force against a label pushed between the distal ends  18 . This may aid in removal of relatively small labels or stickers. The bit  12  may be attached to the holding tool  14  as described above. While the bits  12  have been described as being formed from a single bent rod, other methods of manufacture and attachment of two or more prongs  16  may be used to form the bit  12 , for example, welding or other methods to attach prongs  16  one to another.  
      While the invention has been particularly shown and described with respect to the illustrated embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.