Patent Abstract:
A finishing head for attachment to a viscous material dispense includes an adapter having an inlet attachable to the viscous material dispenser and defining a first axis, and an outlet defining a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The finishing head further includes a finisher body having a cavity and an opening in a bottom face thereof, and a hollow pivot pivotably coupling the adapter to the finisher body about the second axis. The cavity of the finisher body is in fluid communication with the adapter outlet via the hollow pivot such that viscous material discharged from the adapter outlet passes through the hollow pivot before being discharged from the opening of the finisher body.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/321,972 filed on Apr. 13, 2016, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to a tube for drywall or other types of finishing compound. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    In one embodiment, the disclosure provides a finishing head for attachment to a viscous material dispenser. The finishing head includes an adapter having an inlet attachable to the viscous material dispenser and defining a first axis, and an outlet defining a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. The finishing head further includes a finisher body having a cavity and an opening in a bottom face thereof, and a hollow pivot pivotably coupling the adapter to the finisher body about the second axis. The cavity of the finisher body is in fluid communication with the adapter outlet via the hollow pivot such that viscous material discharged from the adapter outlet passes through the hollow pivot before being discharged from the opening of the finisher body. 
         [0004]    In another embodiment, the disclosure provides a finishing assembly for dispensing a viscous material. The finishing assembly includes a dispenser in which the viscous material is storable and a finishing head removably coupled to the dispenser to receive viscous material therefrom. The finishing head includes an opening in a bottom face thereof through which the viscous material is discharged and a blade proximate the opening to spread the discharged viscous material across a width of the finishing head. 
         [0005]    Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing tube assembly according to a first embodiment. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of a compound tube of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a plunger of the compound tube of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing head of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  illustrates a sectional view of the finishing head of  FIG. 4  taken along lines  5 - 5 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  illustrates a bottom view of the finishing head of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  illustrates a sectional view of the finishing head of  FIG. 4  taken along lines  7 - 7 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  illustrates a bottom view of a blade holder of the finishing head of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0014]      FIGS. 9A-9D  illustrate a plurality of blades for the blade assembly of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing tube assembly according to a second embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing head of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  illustrates a blown-up view of the components of a body of the finishing head of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  illustrates a sectional view of the finishing head of  FIG. 11  taken from the bottom of rotation axis B. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  illustrates a bottom view of the finishing head of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing tube assembly according to a third embodiment. 
           [0021]      FIG. 16  illustrates a perspective view of a finishing head of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 17  illustrates a blown-up view of the components of a body of the finishing head of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 18  illustrates a sectional view of the finishing head of  FIG. 16  taken from the bottom of rotation axis C. 
           [0024]      FIG. 19  illustrates a bottom view of the finishing head of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 20  illustrates a perspective view of a compound tube of the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 21  illustrates a partial, sectional view of the compound tube of  FIG. 20 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 22  illustrates a perspective view of a tube cap of the compound tube of  FIG. 20 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 23  illustrates a side view of the finishing tube assembly according to the third embodiment. 
           [0029]      FIG. 24  illustrates a perspective view of a caddy being used with a bucket and the finishing tube assembly of  FIG. 15 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0030]    Before any embodiments of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  illustrates a finishing head  12  and a dispenser or compound tube  14 , which, when combined, are referred to as a finishing tube assembly  10 . The finishing head  12  includes a head body  16  and a blade assembly  18 , described further hereafter. The compound tube  14  includes a tube body  20 , a plunger  22 , and a head attachment assembly  24 , also described further hereafter. For the purposes of this application, the finishing tube assembly  10  is preferably for drywall finishing on a joint between pieces of drywall. Drywall finishing is described herein as an example application, but the finishing tube assembly  10  may also be applied to other various types of joints or seams that need to be sealed or finished. The finishing tube assembly  10  may apply material other than drywall compound to almost any surface, not limited to joints, such as fiber reinforced plastic sheeting or tiling. Furthermore, the finishing tube assembly  10  may be used with an appropriately shaped blade to leave an adhesive on wallboard, so the operator can place fiber reinforced plastic sheet on the wall board (e.g., to waterproof bathroom walls). 
         [0032]      FIGS. 1-3  illustrate the compound tube  14  for the finishing tube assembly  10 , including the tube body  20 , the plunger  22 , and the head attachment assembly  24 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the tube body  20  is a cylinder that has a constant diameter throughout its longitudinal length. The tube body  20  defines a longitudinal axis A. The tube body  20  may have a polygonal cross-section in other embodiments. The interior of the tube body  20  defines a cavity  26  that is configured to store joint compound. Illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the plunger  22  includes a pole  28 , a grip  30  at a first end  32  of the pole  28 , and a double-banded plug  34  at a second end  36  of the pole  28 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the grip  30  is spherical and configured to be grasped and pushed by an operator, as explained in greater detail below. In other embodiments, the grip  30  may be a handle (not illustrated) having finger slots or may be generally shaped to be gripped comfortably. The double-banded plug  34  includes two rubber seals  38  that are shaped to snugly fit within the inner diameter of the tube body  20  so that the double-banded plug  34  is able to efficiently push finishing compound out of the tube body  20 , as explained in greater detail below. The compound tube  14  includes a cap  40  positioned at a first end  42  of the tube body  20 . The cap  40  is coupled to the tube body  20  by a pair of clips  44 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The center of the cap  40  includes a cylindrical opening (not illustrated) that is shaped so that it is slightly larger than the diameter of the pole  28  of the plunger  22 , enabling the pole  28  to slide within the cylindrical opening. Accordingly, the plunger  22  is centered in the tube body  20  by the relationship between the plug  34  and tube body  20  as well as by the pole  28  and the cap  40  such that a longitudinal axis of the pole  28  is aligned with the first axis A. The head attachment assembly  24  is positioned at a second end  46  of the tube body  20  and includes a pair of clips  48  that are spaced 180 degrees from each other. The head attachment assembly  24  is configured to couple the compound tube  14  and the finishing head  12 , as explained in greater detail below. 
         [0033]      FIGS. 1 and 4-6  illustrate the finishing head  12  according to a first embodiment, including the head body  16  and the blade assembly  18 . The head body  16  includes a cone portion  50  and a block portion  52  that is integrally formed with the cone portion  50 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , a channel  54  extends through the head body  16  of the finishing head  12 . The blade assembly  18  is coupled to the head body  16  of the finishing head  12  and includes a blade holder  56  and a blade  100 . 
         [0034]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the cone portion  50  of the body includes a cylindrical mating portion  58  that is configured to couple to the compound tube  14  such that finishing compound is capable of flowing from the cavity  26  of the tube body  20  to the channel  54  of the finishing head  12 . The cylindrical mating portion  58  has two extensions  60  configured to couple to the pair of clips  48  of the head attachment assembly  24 . An O-ring (not illustrated) may be positioned about a seat  62  on the cylindrical mating portion  58  to provide a liquid-tight seal between the finishing head  12  and the compound tube  14  when they are coupled. As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the head body  16  widens throughout the cone portion  50  until the cone portion  50  reaches the block portion  52 . The block portion  52  includes a top face  52   a , a bottom face  52   b  opposing the top face  52   a , a front face  52   c , and two side faces  52   d ,  52   e  that oppose each other. The cone portion  50  extends from the top face  52   a  of the block portion  52 . The blade assembly  18  is coupled to the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52 , as described in greater detail below. As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52  includes an opening  64  that communicates with the channel  54 . The block portion  52  includes two extensions  66 , one extending from each side face  52   d ,  52   e , that project in a direction nearly perpendicular to the front face  52   c , as shown in  FIG. 5 . A wheel  68  is positioned on each of the extensions  66 . In other embodiments, a skid or skids (not illustrated) may be positioned at the end of each extension  66  in place of one or both of the wheels  68 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 4  and  5 , the cone portion  50  generally extends from the block portion  52  at an angle of 34 degrees. In other embodiments, the cone portion  50  may extend from the block portion  52  at any angle between 10 and 80 degrees. 
         [0035]    The head body  16  of the finishing head  12  may be made from a plurality of different materials and constructed by a variety of methods. In the illustrated embodiment, the head body  16  is molded from a plastic, such as polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyethylene (PE), among others, so as to be lightweight, to minimize areas on the head body  16  that are difficult to clean, and to include some non-stick properties so that joint compound does not easily clog the channel  54  of the head body  16 . In other embodiments, the cone portion  50  and the block portion  52  may be molded independently and then coupled together in an assembly step to form the head body  16 . In other embodiments, the head body  16  may be made from a metal. 
         [0036]    The channel  54  of the finishing head  12  extends from the cylindrical mating portion  58  to the opening  64  of the block portion  52 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 4-6 , a cross section of the channel  54  changes shape along the length of the cone portion  50  of the head body  16 . At an entrance  54   a  of the channel  54 , i.e., at the cylindrical mating portion  58 , the cross section of the channel  54  is cylindrical. Along the length of the cone portion  50 , the cross section of the channel  54  widens in one direction and narrows in a second direction. The cross section of the channel  54  changes so that at an end  54   b  of the channel  54 , i.e., at the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52 , the cross section of the channel  54  is much wider than the entrance  54   a  of the channel, but the overall cross sectional area of the channel  54  at the end  54   b  is similar to the area at the entrance  54   a  of the channel  54 . In some embodiments, the cross section al area of the channel  54  at the end  54   b  is equal to the cross sectional area at the entrance  54   a  of the channel  54 . In other embodiments, the cross sectional area of the channel  54  at the end  54   b  of the channel  54  may be smaller or larger than the cross sectional area of the channel  54  at the entrance  54   a  of the channel  54 . 
         [0037]    The finishing head  12  is attached to the compound tube  14  such that a continuous flow path is formed from the cavity  26  of the tube body  20  to the opening  64  of the head body  16 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the pair of clips  48  of the head attachment assembly  24  on the compound tube  14  are coupled to the extensions  60  of the head body  16  of the finishing head  12 . In other embodiments, the compound tube  14  and the finishing head  12  may be coupled to each other in other ways. In yet other embodiments, the tube assembly and the finishing head  12  may be integrally formed. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 1 and 4-8  illustrate the blade assembly  18  for the finishing head  12 , including the blade holder  56  and the interchangeable blade  100 . The blade holder  56  has a top wall  70 , a bottom wall  72  opposing the top wall  70 , a first end wall  74 , an opposing second end wall  76 , and a front wall  78 . The front wall  78  includes a front face  78   a  and an opposite rear face  78   b , which together with the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52  defines a blade slot  80 . The blade holder  56  is attachable to the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52  of the finishing head  12  and projects from the finishing head  12 , and in particular from the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52  in a direction perpendicular to a plane defined by the front face  52   c , so that the blade holder  56  is outside a footprint of the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52 . Blade holder  56  defines the blade slot  80  for the blade  100 . The blade slot  80  is formed between the rear face  78   b  of the front wall  78 , the front face  52   c  of the head body  16 , and the bottom wall  72 , with the bottom of the blade slot  80  open for insertion of the removable blade  100 . The blade holder  56  includes one or more cleaning slots  84  which extend from the top wall  70  of the blade holder  56  to the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56 . The cleaning slots  84  extend into the blade slot  80  and provide easy access to clean the blade slot  80  without having to remove the blade holder  56  from the finishing head  12 . 
         [0039]    As best shown in  FIG. 5 , a portion of the front wall  78  forms an overhang  82  that extends vertically (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) beyond the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56 , creating a staircase shape in cross section, with the overhang  82  as a “riser” and the bottom wall  72  as a “step.” The overhang  82  projects laterally (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) from the front face  52   c  and extends from the first end wall  74  of the blade holder  56  to the second end wall  76  of the blade holder  56 . In other embodiments, the overhang  82  may not extend the entire length of the blade holder  56 . For example, the blade holder  56  may include multiple overhangs  82  positioned at the end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56  or multiple overhangs  82  positioned at the end walls  74 ,  76  and at the center of the blade holder  56 . 
         [0040]    The block portion  52  of the head body  16  also includes fastener openings  86  for coupling the blade holder  56  to the head body  16 . In the illustrated embodiment, the blade holder  56  is coupled to the head body  16  via three fasteners (not illustrated). A first fastener extends through a fastener opening  88  of the blade holder  56  through the front wall  78  near the first end wall  74  of the blade holder  56 . A second fastener extends through a fastener opening  86  of the blade holder  56  through the center of the front wall  78  of the blade holder  56 . Finally, a third fastener extends through a fastener opening  86  of the blade holder  56  through the front wall  78  near the second end wall  76  of the blade holder  56 . In other embodiments, any suitable number of fasteners and fastener openings may be used for the blade holder  56  and the head body  16 . In yet other embodiments, the blade holder  56  may be integrally formed as one piece with the head body  16  so the blade holder  56  and the head body  16  are all one-piece. 
         [0041]    As previously described and shown in  FIG. 5 , the blade slot  80  extends between the overhang  82  of the blade holder  56  and the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52 . The blade slot  80  also extends from one side face  52   d  to the opposite side face  52   e  and is open below the first and the second end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56  (i.e., a blade  100  received in blade slot  80  may extend beyond the first and the second end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56 ). As shown in  FIG. 7 , the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56  may include a curved portion  90  to provide clearance between the blade  100  and the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56 , allowing the blade  100  to bend or flex where the curved portion  90  permits in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the front face  52   c  (i.e., vertically as shown in  FIG. 7 ). The curved portion  90  extends a substantial, but not the entire, length of the blade holder  56 , as illustrated in the embodiment of  FIG. 4 . There are non-curved portions  92  adjacent each of the first and second end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56  in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7 . In other embodiments, the curved portion  90  may extend shorter or longer than the illustrated embodiment. In the illustrated embodiment, the curved portion  90  of the blade slot  80  is a uniform curved shape. However, in other embodiments, the curved portion  90  may be shaped and dimensioned in a non-uniform manner (e.g., flat or angled) to provide room for the blade  100  to bend at various places along its length. In yet other embodiments, the blade holder  56  does not include a curved portion  90  and the blade slot  80  is flat for its entire length, restricting the blade  100  from bending. In some embodiments, the blade holder  56  may be fully closed near one or both end walls  74 ,  76  (i.e., there may be side walls (not illustrated) extending from the overhang  82  to the front face  52   c  near each end wall  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56 ) to better capture the blade  100  within the blade slot  80 . 
         [0042]      FIGS. 9A-9D  show a plurality of blades  100  for the finishing head  12 . Blade design depends on the composition of the compound or other material to be expelled from the cavity in the head body  16 , the surface upon which the material will be deposited, and the operator&#39;s preferences, among other things. Thus, the ability of the blade holder  56  to accommodate various blade shapes is helpful. Each blade  100  may include a blade body  102  with two niches  104  on a generally flat upper edge  106  of the blade  100 . Some blades  100  (e.g., the blade  100  shown in  FIG. 9A ) may include a generally flat bottom edge  108 , while other blades  100  (e.g., the blades  100  shown in  FIGS. 9C and 9D ) may include a substantially curved bottom edge  108  with a curve  110 . A height of the blade  100  is defined between the upper edge  106  and the bottom edge  108 . The blades  100  may include radiused or sharp (e.g., cornered) edges. The blades  100  are also preferably sufficiently thick in cross section to avoid breaking and quickly wearing down, but may have varying degrees of thickness. Other blades  100  may include a bottom edge  108  of varying degrees of curvature where the curve  110  may be along the bottom edge  108  at different places than those of the illustrated blades  100 . Yet other blades  100  (e.g., the blade  100  shown in  FIG. 9B ) may include a plurality of curves  110 . There are many other blades  100  and blade designs not illustrated herein that are capable of being used with the finishing head  12 . 
         [0043]    In one example, the blade  100  illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 4-7  includes flat portions  112  extending from each end  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  about ½ inch and the curve  110  in a middle section  118  of the blade  100 . However, as stated above, that flat portion  112  may extend shorter or farther than ½ inch and the curve  110  may extend closer to or further from the upper edge  106  of the blade  100 . The blades  100  may have radiused edges, among other things. The blades  100  may be produced in a variety of materials and in a variety of cross sections. However, preferably, the blades  100  are produced from a type of plastic so they may be easily mass produced. Furthermore, the blades  100  may be color coded to help identify which blade  100  to use at a particular time, or just for general identification purposes. Various materials and cross sections of the blade  100  can be selected as needed. While a completely rigid blade  100  will work well in many situations, it is beneficial for the blade  100  to be just flexible enough to flex over imperfections on a wall or other application surfaces without having to lift the ends  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  off the wall. In some embodiments, the blade  100  is rigid enough to hold the intended shape, but is flexible enough so that the ends  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  will remain in contact with the wall while the middle section  118  flexes over any imperfections on the wall surface. 
         [0044]    When assembled with the blade holder  56 , the blade  100  extends into the blade slot  80  where the blade  100  is retained by pinch points  94  ( FIGS. 6 and 8 ) between the overhang  82  of the blade holder  56  and the head body  16 . The pinch points  94  are formed by reducing the distance between the overhang  82  and the front face  52   c  of the head body  16  to create frictional engagement of the blade  100  within the blade slot  80 . One pinch point  94  is near the first end wall  74  of the blade holder  56  and another pinch point  94  is near the second end wall  76  of the blade holder  56 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the rear face  78   b  of the front wall  78  is not parallel with the front face  78   a  of the front wall  78 . In other words, the thickness of the overhang  82  is not uniform along the length of the overhang  82 . The overhang  82  is shaped so that the ends of the front wall  78  are closer to the front face  52   c  of the head body  16 . Because the pinch points  94  are also near ends  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  and the blade holder  56 , the blade  100  may flex upward where the blade slot  80  provides clearance until the blade  100  contacts the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56 . The niches  104  of the blade  100  fit around the end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56  so that the blade  100  does not laterally slide within the blade slot  80 , specifically in the directions parallel to pivot axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, the blades  100  extend slightly beyond the end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56 . 
         [0045]    In other embodiments, the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52  of the head body  16  may be curved and the overhang  82  may be shaped so that the rear face  78   b  and the front face  78   a  are parallel along the length of the overhang  82 . In yet other embodiments, the front face  52   c  may be shaped as described above (i.e., substantially flat) and the rear face  78   b  and the front face  78   a  may be parallel along the length of the overhang  82 . In this embodiment, the blade  100  may be wider at the ends  114 ,  116  so the blade  100  itself is shaped to provide frictional engagement between the head body  16  and the blade  100 . Alternatively, the blade  100  may have a uniform width along its length, but may be wide enough so that the blade  100  is frictionally engaged along the entire length of the blade slot  80 . In other words, the blade slot  80  has one pinch point  94  that extends the entire length of the blade slot  80 . The blade  100  may be coupled to the head body  16  in other ways, such as by fastening the blade  100  to the head body  16  with Velcro, magnets, or fasteners. 
         [0046]    The blade  100  is easily inserted into the blade slot  80  by placing the blade  100  along the front face  52   c  of the block portion  52  and manually pushing gently on one end  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  and then pushing gently on the other end  114 ,  116  of the blade  100 . Once the blade  100  is sufficiently inserted into the blade slot  80 , the pinch points  94  between the overhang  82  and the head body  16  hold the blade ends  114 ,  116  in place. Because the blades  100  extend beyond the end walls  74 ,  76  of the blade holder  56 , the blade  100  is also easily removable and replaceable. The blade  100  is removable in a reverse action as that described above. The blade  100  is pushed gently on one end  114 ,  116  to exceed the holding force provided by the pinch point  94  so the blade  100  is at least partially removed from the blade slot  80 . The operator can then grab the blade  100  and remove it completely by pulling the blade  100  from the blade slot  80 . Or, the operator can push the other end  114 ,  116  of the blade  100  from the blade slot  80 . 
         [0047]    The ease of insertion and removal of one blade  100  allows the operator to switch between blades  100  very efficiently and quickly. By being able to quickly switch between blades  100 , the operator may be able to quickly switch between projects by changing to a blade  100  of a different shape. For example, if a different crown or shape for the applied compound is desired, the operator simply replaces the current blade  100  with another blade  100  that will give the operator the desired result. There is no need to include, in the finishing head  12 , a complex mechanism for manipulating the blade&#39;s shape or configuration, and that saves cost and weight that may tire the operator. The variability of the shapes of the blades  100  allows for the finishing tube assembly  10  to be used for a variety of different projects, as described above. 
         [0048]    In operation, the blade  100  is inserted into the finishing head  12  before or after the cavity  26  of the tube body  20  is filled with a joint compound. The cavity  26  is filled with joint compound by inserting the opening  64  on the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52  and drawing back on the grip  30  of the plunger  22  (i.e., away from the finishing head  12 ). The double-banded plug  34  will follow the grip  30  and slide from the second end  46  of the tube body  20  toward the first end  42  of the tube body  20  and therefore draws joint compound through the channel  54  of the head body  16  of the finishing head  12  and into the cavity  26  of the tube body  20 . Because at least part of the finishing head  12  will have been inserted into the joint compound while filling the cavity  26 , the operator may need to clean the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52  and the blade  100 , if the blade  100  had been in the blade slot  80 . In some cases, the operator will elect to skip cleaning the bottom face  52   b  of the block portion  52  prior to continuing. The finishing head  12  is then placed against a joint on the application surface. In this position, the wheels  68  and the blade  100  are preferably against the application surface. Manual pressure is applied by the operator to the double-banded plug  34  through the grip  30  so that compound is extruded from the opening  64 . The operator draws the finishing tube assembly  10  along the joint so that the blade  100  travels over the extruded joint compound causing the extruded joint compound to assume the general shape of the bottom edge  108  of the inserted blade  100  on the joint. In general, the blade  100  maintains its nominal shape and does not flex. Therefore, the joint compound applied to the joint will have generally the same shape that is manufactured into the blade  100 . However, sometimes the middle section  118  of the blade  100  (or another section depending on the selected blade  100 ) must travel over elevated areas on the application surface that are significantly higher than the rest of the application surface. In this case, the middle section  118  of the blade  100  is able to float over these elevated areas by flexing upward where the bottom wall  72  of the blade holder  56  provides clearance in the blade slot  80 . When the operator completes application of the joint compound to that particular area, the operator may easily remove the current blade  100  and insert a different blade  100  with a different shape or configuration. Alternatively, the operator may remove the blade  100 , exposing the blade slot  80  for easy cleaning of the blade slot  80 . 
         [0049]      FIGS. 10-14  illustrate a finishing tube assembly  210  according to a second embodiment of the disclosure. The finishing tube assembly  210  includes a finishing head  212  that is different than the finishing head  12  according to the first embodiment of the disclosure. The remaining structures (e.g., the compound tube  14 ,  214 ) are the same as the finishing tube assembly  10 , and therefore only the differences between the finishing tube assembly  10  according to the first embodiment and the finishing tube assembly  210  according to the second embodiment will be discussed below. Similar parts of the finishing tube assembly  210  will include reference numbers that are the same as the finishing tube assembly  10 , plus 200. 
         [0050]      FIGS. 11 and 12  illustrate that the finishing head  212  includes a head body  216  that is made up of a plurality of parts. The head body  216  includes an adaptor or tube outlet  296 , a first cap  298 , a second cap  300 , and a finisher body or finisher component  302  with a pocket  304  for accepting the tube outlet  296  therein. The tube outlet  296  is generally T-shaped and includes a cylindrical mating portion  258  at a first end  306  of a cone portion  250 , where the head body  216  joins the compound tube  214 , and a first branch  308  and a second branch  310  at a second end  312  of the cone portion  250 . The first branch  308  and the second branch  310  extend from the cone portion  250  at opposing 90 degree angles such that the first branch  308  and the second branch  310  form the T-shape of the tube outlet  296  with the cone portion  250 . The first branch  308  and the second branch  310  of the tube outlet  296  are configured to fit within the pocket  304  of the finisher component  302 , as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . The first branch  308  and the second branch  310  each include a seat  314  for an O-ring (not illustrated) to provide a seal between the tube outlet  296  and the first cap  298  and the second cap  300 . The first cap  298  is shaped to fit around the first branch  308  and the second cap  300  is shaped to fit around the second branch  310 . The second cap  300  is a mirror image of the first cap  298 . The first cap  298  and the second cap  300  each include a flap  316 ,  318  that, when assembled, respectively fit over a first cut-out  320  and a second cut-out  322  of the finisher component  302 . The first cap  298  and the second cap  300  each also include a ring portion  324 ,  326  that, when assembled, respectively fit into a first mating portion  328  and a second mating portion  330  of the finisher component  302 . The finisher component  302  is similarly shaped to the block portion  52 , described above, and also includes extensions  266  at the end of which wheels  268  and/or skids (not illustrated) may be placed. The finisher component  302  includes a top face  302   a , a bottom face  302   b  opposing the top face  302   a , a front face  302   c , and two side faces  302   d ,  302   e  that oppose each other. As illustrated in  FIG. 12 , the pocket  304 , the first cut-out  320 , and the second cut-out  322  are formed in the top face  302   a  of the finisher component  302 . As illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the opening  264  is in the bottom face  302   b  of the finisher component  302  and provides an exit or port for the compound. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 14 , the opening  264  is not shaped the same as the opening  64  of the first embodiment. The middle section of the opening  264  is wider than the end sections of the opening  264 . The wider middle section provides less resistance for flow of the joint compound through the opening  264  so that joint compound is more likely to flow out of the middle section of the opening  264 . In other embodiments, the opening  264  may be shaped as described above (e.g., like the opening  64 ). 
         [0051]    The channel  254  of the finishing head  212  extends from the cylindrical mating portion  258  of the tube outlet  296  to the opening  264  in the bottom face  302   b  of the finisher component  302 . As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , a cross section of the channel  254  changes along the length of the cone portion  250  of the head body  216 . As illustrated in  FIG. 13 , joint compound is not capable of flowing in a straight line through the channel  254 . Joint compound must flow through one of the first branch  308  and the second branch  310  of the tube outlet  296 . The channel  254  continues through one of the first branch  308  and the second branch  310  and into the finisher component  302 . The channel  254  extends through the finisher component  302  to the opening  264 . 
         [0052]    When in use, the finishing head  212  is attached to the compound tube  214  such that a flow path is formed between the cavity  226  of the tube body  220  to the opening  264  of the head body  216 , as explained above. The finishing head  212  is rotatable about a rotation axis B that is parallel to a plane of the bottom face  302   b  of the finisher component  302 . The longitudinal axis A forms a rotation angle with the plane of the bottom face  302   b  of the finisher component  302 . Specifically, the tube outlet  296  rotates about the rotation axis B with respect to the first cap  298 , the second cap  300 , and the finisher component  302 . The tube outlet  296  is rotatable such that, in operation of the finishing tube assembly  210 , the rotation angle may be any angle between 5 and 85 degrees. In other embodiments, the rotation angle may be any angle between 0 and 90 degrees. In some embodiments, the finishing head  212  may include a biasing mechanism (not illustrated) to urge the tube outlet  296  to a rotation angle that is preferable for operation of the finishing tube assembly  210 . The biasing mechanism may, for example, include a torsion spring (not illustrated) that is positioned along the rotation axis B between the tube outlet  296  and the finisher component  302 . The biasing mechanism (not illustrated) may also, for example, include a pair of extension springs (not illustrated) positioned on the exterior of the finishing head  212 . The pair of extension springs (not illustrated) may be pulling in opposite directions to allow for rotation about the rotation axis B in both directions, but also urges the tube outlet  296  to the rotation angle that is preferable for operation of the finishing tube assembly  210  if the tube outlet  296  is rotated in either direction about the rotation axis B. 
         [0053]    Operation of the finishing tube assembly  210  is similar to the finishing tube assembly  10  of the first embodiment. In operation, the compound tube  214  is rotatably coupleable to the finishing head  212 , via the coupling between the compound tube  214  and cylindrical mating portion  258  of the tube outlet  296 , so that the bottom face  302   b  of the finisher component  302  may remain flat against the application surface while the rotation angle of the compound tube  214  varies as is most appropriate and comfortable for the operator. 
         [0054]    In some cases, a pre-filled tube or bag (not illustrated), for example a caulk-type tube, may be used with the finishing tube assembly  10 ,  210 . For example, the finishing head  12 ,  212  is removed from the compound tube  14 ,  214  providing access to the cavity  26 ,  226  of the tube body  20 ,  220 . As described above, the operator draws back on the grip  30 ,  230  of the plunger  22 ,  222  so that the accessible volume of the cavity  26 ,  226  becomes larger. The operator may then cut an opening, or otherwise open the pre-filled tube or bag, and position the bag in the cavity  26 ,  226  against the double-banded plug  34 ,  234  with the opening facing toward the attachment assembly  24 ,  224 . The operator then couples the finishing head  12 ,  212  to the compound tube  14 ,  214  via the attachment assembly  24 ,  224  so that the finishing tube assembly  10 ,  210  may be used on a joint, as described above. When the pre-filled tube or bag is empty, the operator will remove the finishing head  12 ,  212  so that the pre-filled tube or bag may be removed. The above-described process may then be repeated as necessary. 
         [0055]      FIGS. 15-24  illustrate a finishing tube assembly  410  according to a third embodiment of the disclosure. The finishing tube assembly  410  includes a finishing head  412  and a compound tube  414  that are different than the finishing heads  12 ,  212  and compound tubes  14 ,  214 , respectively, according to the first and second embodiments of the disclosure. However, the finishing tube assembly  410  is similar to the finishing tube assemblies  10 ,  210  according to the first and second embodiments such that differences will be described herein. The elements of the finishing tube assembly  410  according to the third embodiment that are similar to a respective element of the finishing tube assembly  210  according to the second embodiment are labeled as the same number plus “200.” 
         [0056]      FIG. 15  illustrates that the finishing tube assembly  410  includes a finishing head  412  and a dispenser or compound tube  414 . The compound tube  414  is coupled to the finishing head  412  via a tube cap  532 , as described in greater detail below. 
         [0057]      FIGS. 16-19  illustrate that the finishing head  412  includes a head body  416  that is made up of a plurality of parts. The head body  416  includes an adaptor or tube outlet  534 , a first hollow pivot  536 , a second hollow pivot  538 , and a finisher body or finisher component  540  having a pocket  542  for accepting the tube outlet  534  and at least part of the first and second hollow pivots  536 ,  538 . 
         [0058]    The finisher component  540  includes a top face  540   a , a bottom face  540   b  opposing the top face  540   a , a front face  540   c , and two side faces  540   d ,  540   e  that oppose each other. The finisher component  540  also includes two loops  544  on opposite sides of the pocket  542 , a raised back end  546 , and two wheels  468  that are positioned on opposite sides of the raised back end  546 . Each of the two loops  544  includes a notch  548  for locating and securing a respective hollow pivot  536 ,  538 . The back end  546  forms a shape which funnels joint compound toward its center if an operator were to draw the back end  546  over a joint into which too much joint compound was extruded. As illustrated in  FIG. 19 , the bottom face  540   b  of the finisher component  540  includes an opening  464  that is adjacent a trailing edge  550  of the finisher component  540  (i.e., the bottom edge, relative to  FIG. 17 , of the front face  540   c ) and that provides an exit or port for the compound to leave the finishing head  412 . The front face  540   c  of the finisher component  540  includes fastener openings  486  for coupling the blade holder  456  to the finishing head  412 . In the illustrated embodiment, the blade holder  456  is coupled to the finisher component  540  via three fasteners (not illustrated). In other embodiments, any suitable number of fasteners and fastener openings  486  may be used to couple the blade holder  456  to the finisher component  540 . In yet other embodiments, the blade holder  456  may be integrally formed as one piece with the finisher component  540  so the blade holder  456  and the finisher component  540  are one-piece. 
         [0059]    The tube outlet  534 , like the tube outlet  296  according to the second embodiment, is generally T-shaped and hollow. The tube outlet  534  includes a cylindrical mating portion  552  at a first end  554 , which defines an inlet and where the head body  416  joins the compound tube  414 , and a first and second branch  556 ,  558 , which define outlets, at a second end  560 . Two knobs  562  radially extend from the cylindrical mating portion  552 . As illustrated by  FIG. 17 , an inlet axis D, defined by the cylindrical mating portion  552 , and an outlet axis E, defined by the first and second branch  556 ,  558 , are perpendicular. The first branch  556  and the second branch  558  extend from the cylindrical mating portion  552  at opposing 90 degree angles and are configured to fit within the pocket  542  of the finisher component  540 , as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . The first branch  556  and the second branch  558  each include an annular depression  564 ,  566  which respectively house an end of the first hollow pivot  536  and the second hollow pivot  538 , as explained in greater detail below. The tube outlet  534  also includes a securing clip  568  which is rotatably coupled to the tube outlet  534  and secures the finishing head  412  to the compound tube  414 , as explained in greater detail below. In another embodiment, the securing clip  568  may include a biasing mechanism to influence the securing clip  568  toward the cylindrical mating portion  552  of the tube outlet  534 . 
         [0060]    The second hollow pivot  538  is a mirror of the first hollow pivot  536 . The first hollow pivot  536  and the second hollow pivot  538  each include a generally cylindrical body  570  that is hollow and a pull handle  572  that is attached to the cylindrical body  570 . The first and second hollow pivots  536 ,  538  each include an open axial end  574  and an aperture  576  that extends through the side of the cylindrical body  570 , as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . The pull handle  572  is a U-shaped handle coupled to an end  578  that is opposite the open axial end  574 . Each of the first hollow pivot  536  and the second hollow pivot  538  include a tab  580  that radially extends from the cylindrical body  570  at the end  578  adjacent the pull handle  572 . The tabs  580  fit within the notches  548  of the two loops  544  of the finisher component  540 . Each of the first hollow pivot  536  and the second hollow pivot  538  also include two seats  582 ,  584  adjacent the ends  574 ,  578  of the cylindrical body  570  for positioning an O-ring (not illustrated) around the generally cylindrical body  570  to provide liquid tight seals between the components of the finishing head  412 . 
         [0061]    To assemble the finishing head  412 , the tube outlet  534  is positioned in the pocket  542  of the finisher component  540  and the first and second hollow pivots  536 ,  538  are inserted through a respective loop  544  such that the end  574  of the first hollow pivot  536  and the end  574   538  extend into the annular depression  564  of the first branch  556  and the annular depression  566  of the second branch  558 , respectively, as illustrated in  FIG. 18 . As illustrated in  FIG. 16 , the hollow pivots  536 ,  538  are each inserted such that the tabs  580  fit into the notches  548  of the loops  544 . The pull handles  572  of the first and second hollow pivots  536 ,  538  allows an operator to pull the hollow pivots  536 ,  538  from the assembled position to quickly and simply disassemble the finishing head  412 , for example to clean the finishing head  412 . Similar to the second embodiment described above, the tube outlet  534  is pivotable about a pivot axis C relative to the finisher component  540  and the first and second hollow pivots  536 ,  538 . The abutment between the tabs  580  of the hollow pivots  536 ,  538  and the notches  548  of the loops  544  of the finisher component  540  prevents the hollow pivots  536  from significant rotation relative to the finisher component  540 . 
         [0062]    In the assembled state, the finishing head  412  provides a channel  454  for joint compound that extends from the cylindrical mating portion  552  of the tube outlet  534  to the opening  464  on the bottom face  540   b  of the finisher component  540 . As illustrated in  FIG. 18 , a cross section of the channel  454  changes along the length of the finisher component  540 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 18 , the channel  454  narrows from the first end  554  to the second end  560  of the tube outlet  534 . As illustrated in  FIG. 18 , joint compound is not capable of flowing in a straight line through the channel  454  to the opening  464  and must flow through one of the first branch  556  and the second branch  558  of the tube outlet  534 . 
         [0063]    First, joint compound flows into the channel  454  at the cylindrical mating portion  552  from the compound tube  414 . The joint compound then flows through one of the first and second branch  556 ,  558  of the tube outlet  534  and into a respective one of the first hollow pivot  536  and the second hollow pivot  538  through the open axial end  574 . The joint compound continues through the hollow pivot  536 ,  538  and into the finisher component  540  via the aperture  576  in the side of the hollow pivot  536 ,  538 . Because more joint compound is needed in the center of the joint as opposed to the edges, joint compound is funneled toward the center of the opening  464  by the shape of the opening  464 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 18-19 , the opening  464  is provided by two trapezoids  586 ,  588 . The two parallel edges  590 A,  590 B,  592 A,  592 B of each trapezoid  586 ,  588  are parallel with the trailing edge  550  of the finisher component  540 . The first trapezoid  586 , which directly communicates with the apertures  576  of the hollow pivots  536 ,  538 , is oriented such that the larger of the two parallel edges  590 A is farther from the trailing edge  550  than the smaller of the two parallel edges  590 B. The second trapezoid  588  is arranged opposite to the first trapezoid  586 , i.e., the smaller of the two parallel edges  592 B is farther from the trailing edge  550  than the larger of the two parallel edges  592 A. Like the opening  264  according to the second embodiment, the wider middle section of the opening  464  provides less resistance for flow of the joint compound out of the finishing head  412 . In other embodiments, the opening  464  may be shaped as described above (e.g., like the opening  64 ,  264  according to the first or second embodiment). 
         [0064]      FIGS. 15 and 20-24  illustrate the compound tube  414  according to the third embodiment of the finishing tube assembly  410 . Similar to the compound tube  14 ,  214  described above, the compound tube  414  includes the tube body  420 , the plunger  422 , and the head attachment assembly  424 . Unlike the compound tube  14 ,  214  described above, the head attachment assembly  424  further includes a tube cap  532 . 
         [0065]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 21 and 22 , the tube cap  532  includes two extensions  594  that couple to the two clips  448  of the head attachment assembly  424  and that are adjacent a first end  596  of the tube cap  532 . A segment  598  at the first end  596  of the tube cap  532  extends into the cavity  426  of the tube body  420  such that the end of the segment  598  provides a limit for the double-banded plug  434 , as illustrated in  FIG. 21 . The segment  598  includes a seat  600  for an O-ring  602  to provide a seal between an exterior of the tube cap  532  and an interior of the tube body  420 . The tube cap  532  also includes two radially extending fingers  604  and two depressions  606  for coupling to the finishing head  412  at a second end  608  of the tube cap  532 . The two depressions  606  may be used to locate the compound tube  414  relative to the finishing head  412 . Specifically, the second end  608  of the tube cap  532  is placed around the tube outlet  534  and the two depressions  606  respectively fit about the two knobs  562  of the cylindrical mating portion  552  of the tube outlet  534  such that when the compound tube  414  is correctly located on the finishing head  412 , the securing clip  568  may be rotated about one of the radially extending fingers  604  to couple the finishing head  412  to the compound tube  414 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 15, 23, and 24 . The securing clip  568  fits about either of the two fingers  604 . In some embodiments, the securing clip  568  may be unnecessary as the tube outlet  534  frictionally couples to an interior of the tube cap  532 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 21 , the interior of the tube cap  532  includes a radially extending seat  610  provided for the tube outlet  534 . In other embodiments, the cylindrical mating portion  552  of the tube outlet  534  does not reach the seat  610 . 
         [0066]      FIG. 24  illustrates a caddy  612  to be used with the third embodiment of the finishing tube assembly  410  and a bucket  614  filled with joint compound, as explained in greater detail below. The caddy  612  includes a first section  618  for the bucket  614  to be positioned and supported thereon and a second section  616  to be used with the finishing tube assembly  410 . In the illustrated embodiment of  FIG. 24 , the first section  618  includes a circular raised lip  620  to locate the bucket  614  so that the bucket  614  is not accidentally moved during operation. The second section  616  may be separated from the first section  618  by a holder  622  having two curled claws  624  spaced by a gap  626 . The holder  622  may act as an anchor to which the finishing head  412  may be retained while the compound tube  414  is removed from the finishing head  412  to refill the compound tube  414 . The finishing tube assembly  410 , specifically the finishing head  412 , may be wheeled or otherwise positioned into an area  628  underneath the curled claws  624  such that the curled claws  624  hook about the finishing head  412  on opposite sides of the compound tube  414 , which extends through the gap  626  between the two curled claws  624 . 
         [0067]    When fully assembled, the finishing head  412  is attached to the compound tube  414  such that a flow path is formed between the cavity  426  of the tube body  420  to the opening  464  of the finisher component  540 . The finisher component  540  is rotatable about the pivot axis C relative to the tube outlet  534  and the compound tube  414 . As illustrated by  FIG. 23 , the longitudinal axis A forms a rotation angle α with an axis F that is defined by the bottom face  540   b  of the finisher component and is perpendicular to the pivot axis C. The finisher component  540  is rotatable such that the rotation angle α may be between 5 and 100 degrees in the illustrated embodiment. In other embodiments, the rotation angle α may be between 0 and 135 degrees. In some embodiments, the finishing head  412  and/or the compound tube  414  may include a biasing mechanism (not illustrated) to urge the finisher component  540  to a rotation angle α that is preferable for operation of the finishing tube assembly  410 . The biasing mechanism may, for example, include a torsion spring (not illustrated) that is positioned along the pivot axis C between the tube outlet  534  and the finisher component  540 . The biasing mechanism may also, for example, include a pair of extension springs (not illustrated) positioned on the exterior of the finishing head  212 . The pair of extension springs may be pulling in opposite directions to allow for rotation about the pivot axis C in both directions, but also urges the finisher component  540  to the rotation angle α that is preferable for operation of the finishing tube assembly  410  if the compound tube  414  is rotated in either direction about the pivot axis C. 
         [0068]    In operation, the finishing tube assembly  410  may be fully assembled, as described above, and the finishing head  412  may be positioned beneath the curled claws  624  such that the compound tube  414  may extend through the gap  626  and may be rested upon the holder  622 . An operator may bend down and unlatch the securing clip  568  from one of the fingers  604  so the compound tube  414  may be separated from the finishing head  412  by pulling the compound tube  414  away from the finishing head  412 . The finishing head  412  will abut the curled claws  624 , keeping the finishing head  412  in the area  628  beneath the claws  624 . The cavity  426  is filled with joint compound by inserting the tube cap  532  into the bucket  614  and pulling back on the grip  430  of the plunger  422  (i.e., away from the tube cap  532 ). The double-banded plug  434  will follow the grip  430  and slide from the second end  446  of the tube body  420  toward the first end  442  of the tube body  420  and therefore draw joint compound through the tube cap  532  and into the cavity  426  of the tube body  420 . Because the finishing head  12  will not have been inserted into the joint compound while filling the cavity  426 , the operator will not need to clean the finisher component  540  or the blade  100 . In some cases, the operator may clean the tube cap  532  prior to continuing. The tube cap  532  is then positioned about the cylindrical mating portion  552  of the tube outlet  534  with the depressions  606  of the tube cap  532  positioned about the knobs  562 . The securing clip  568  is then rotated about the finger  604  to securely couple the finishing head  412  to the compound tube  414 . As stated above, in some embodiments, the operator may not need to rotate the clip  568  about the finger  604 . The finishing tube assembly  410  is pulled from the caddy  612  and the finishing head  412  is placed against a joint of an application surface. In this position, the wheels  468  and the blade  100  are preferably against the application surface. Manual pressure is applied by the operator to the double-banded plug  434  through the grip  430  so that joint compound is extruded from the opening  464 . The operator draws the finishing tube assembly  10  along the joint so that the blade  100  travels over the extruded joint compound causing the extruded joint compound to assume the general shape of the bottom edge  108  of the inserted blade  100  on the joint. The compound tube  414  is rotatably coupled to the finisher component  540  so that the bottom face  540   b  of the finisher component  540  may stay flat against the application surface while maintaining a comfortable grip for the operator. The rotation angle α varies as is most appropriate and comfortable for the operator. In general, the blade  100  maintains its nominal shape and does not flex. Therefore, the joint compound applied to the joint will have generally the same shape that is manufactured into the blade  100 . When the operator completes application of the joint compound to that particular area, the operator may easily remove the current blade  100  and insert a different blade  100  with a different shape or configuration. Alternatively, the operator may remove the blade  100 , exposing the blade slot  80  for easy cleaning of the blade slot  80 . In some cases, the operator may continue to a new joint. If the operator uses all of the joint compound in the cavity  426 , the operator may position the finishing tube assembly  410  in the caddy  612 , as described above, and the above process may be repeated as necessary. 
         [0069]    Various features and advantages of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4