Patent Publication Number: US-8123085-B2

Title: Sealant gun with universal pushing plate

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sealant gun, and more particularly, to a sealant gun which includes a universal pushing plate so as to automatically provide proper contact to the sealants. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A conventional sealant gun generally includes a frame with a pushing rod and a trigger which controls the pushing rod to move forward so that the sealant tube engaged to the frame can be squeezed from its rear end by the pushing rod and the sealant is squeezed out from the front end of the sealant tube. A pushing plate is fixed to the distal end of the pushing rod and contacts the rear end of the sealant tube. The pushing plate usually fixed to the pushing by way of riveting. When a significant resistance is applied to the pushing plate from the sealant tube and the pushing rod is extended forward to a distance, the pushing plate cannot be located at the center of the axis of pushing trace so that the sealant such as caulking or silicone cannot spread on the expected position. The users usually then squeeze the sealant tube by hand or replace a new sealant tube and discard the old one which still has some caulking or silicone remained in the tube. This will be a significant waste and the discarded tubes are difficult to be cleaned and recycled. 
     The present invention intends to provide a sealant gun which includes a universal spherical member on the distal end of the pushing rod and the pushing plate is rotatably mounted to the spherical member. The pushing plate can automatically contact the sealant tube at the desired position and squeezes the last amount of sealant out from the tube. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a sealant gun and comprises a main body which is connected to a C-shaped frame and a pushing rod extends through the main body and a first end of the C-shaped frame. A connection member is connected to the main body and located between the first end and a second end of the C-shaped frame. A distal end of the pushing rod extends through the connection member and is connected to a spherical member. A pushing plate has a front surface and a rear surface, wherein a mounting member is connected to the rear surface of the pushing plate and includes a reception space in which the spherical member is rotatably received. The mounting member includes multiple slits defined through a wall thereof so as to encompass the spherical member. 
     The primary object of the present invention is to provide a sealant gun which includes a spherical member and a pushing plate is rotatably mounted to the spherical member such that the pushing plate is automatically positioned at a proper angular position to push the rear end of the sealant tube. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealant gun wherein the pushing plate can be replaced according the size of the sealant tube. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sealant gun wherein the C-shaped frame has an annular groove defined in the first end thereof such that the sealant tubes of larger size can be well positioned. 
     The present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view to show the sealant gun of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view to show the sealant gun of the present invention with a sealant tube connected thereto; 
         FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view to show the sealant gun of the present invention with a sealant tube connected thereto; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view to show a larger sized sealant tube is positioned on the annular engaging groove in the C-shaped frame of the sealant gun of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 5  shows that the sealant gun of the present invention is used as a clamping device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the sealant gun of the present invention comprises a main body  10  and a C-shaped frame  21  is connected to the main body  10 , a trigger is pivotably connected to the main body  10  and a pushing rod  11  extends through the main body  10  and a first end of the C-shaped frame  21 . A spring and a driving plate are cooperated with the main body  10  and the pushing rod  11  and will not be described in detailed because they are well known in the art. 
     A connection member  12  extends through the first end of the C-shaped frame  21  and is connected to the main body  10 , and is located between the first end and a second end of the C-shaped frame  21 . A distal end of the pushing rod  11  extends through the connection member  12  and is connected to a spherical member  13  which is located in a positioning collar  14 . 
     A pushing plate  15  has a front surface and a rear surface, and a mounting member  16  is connected to the rear surface of the pushing plate  15 . The mounting member  16  includes a reception space in which the spherical member  13  is rotatably received. The mounting member  16  includes multiple slits  17  defined through a wall thereof such that the mounting member  16  can be expanded to accommodate the spherical member  13 . The front surface of the pushing plate  15  includes serrated patterns which provide proper friction when contacting against the rear end of the sealant tube  20 . 
     A U-shaped recess is defined in the second end of the C-shaped frame  21  and includes an inclined surface  22  which is matched with a shape of the sealant tube  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . By this arrangement, the sealant tube  20  is well positioned. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the first end of the C-shaped frame  21  includes a tubular portion and an annular engaging groove  23  is defined in the tubular portion so as to receive the rear end of the sealant tube  20 . 
     It is noted that the pushing plate  15  can be replaced with a larger pushing plate  151  as shown in  FIG. 1  when needed. The pushing plate  15  is easily removed from the spherical member  13  by pulling the mounting member  16  away from the spherical member  13  and the larger pushing plate  15  can then be mounted to the spherical member  13 . 
       FIG. 5  shows that the sealant gun of the present invention can be used as a clamping device by contacting the pushing plate  15  against the object on the second end of the C-shaped frame  21 . 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should be clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.