CAULKING GUN WITH ADJUSTABLE THRUST MECHANISM

• US 20130161360A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sherwin-Williams Company
• Original Assignee: Sherwin-Williams Company
• Inventors: Marsden, Andrew K., De Renzo, Dennis P. Jr.
• Application Number:
  US13/723,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20130161360A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 222/391
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00596 The liquid or other fluent material being supplied from a rigid removable cartridge having no active dispensing means, i.e. the cartridge requiring cooperation with means of the handtool to expel the material
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/0123 Lever actuated
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/014 comprising means for preventing oozing B05C17/0146 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/0143 comprising means for cutting or cleaning the cartridge nozzle tip
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/169 Hand held tube cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/0033 the piston being a follower-piston and the dispensing means comprising a hand-operated pressure-device at the opposite part of the container
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0448 With subsequent handling [i.e., of product]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0596 Cutting wall of hollow work

Abstract

A caulking gun may include a trigger mechanism that is used to dispense caulk material and an adjustable thrust mechanism that is adjustable to change the force applied by the trigger when dispensing the caulk material.

Claims

1. A caulking gun for use with an associated caulk tube comprising a canister and a dispensing tip through which caulk material in the canister is dispensed, the caulking gun comprising:

a body having a tube housing for housing the associated caulk tube while caulk material is dispensed;

a piston assembly that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(1) a piston rod; and

, (2) a piston attached to the piston rod;

a trigger mechanism that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(1) a trigger that;

(a) comprises a contact surface; and

, (b) is movable with respect to the body; and

, (2) an advance plate that grips the piston rod;

an adjustable thrust mechanism that comprises;

(1) a control cam comprising;

(a) a first contact surface that contacts the contact surface of the trigger; and

, (b) a second contact surface that contacts the advance plate;

(2) a knob; and

, (3) a shaft comprising;

(a) a first end that is attached to the knob; and

, (b) a second end that is attached to the control cam;

wherein the trigger mechanism is operable by moving the trigger with respect to the body to contact the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip;

wherein the adjustable thrust mechanism is adjustable by moving the knob into;

(1) a first condition where the control cam is at a first relative position with respect to the advance plate; and

, (2) a second condition where the control cam is at a second relative position with respect to the advance plate;

wherein when the adjustable thrust mechanism is in the first condition and the trigger mechanism is operated by moving the trigger with respect to the body a distance, the trigger applies a first force to the advance plate;

wherein when the adjustable thrust mechanism is in the second condition and the trigger mechanism is operated by moving the trigger with respect to the body the distance, the trigger applies a second force that is substantially different than the first force to the advance plate; and

,

wherein;

a thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition is at least 8 to 1.

2. The caulking gun of claim 1 wherein:

the knob is rotatable to rotate the shaft to move the control cam linearly to adjust the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first and second conditions.

3. The caulking gun of claim 2 wherein:

the shaft;

(1) is supported to the trigger; and

, (2) comprises threads that engage threads in the control cam; and

,

the trigger is pivotal with respect to the body to contact the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip.

4. The caulking gun of claim 3 wherein:

the knob is infinitely, variable within a predetermined range.

5. The caulking gun of claim 4 wherein:

when assembled the second contact surface of the control cam extends from an upper portion of a distal side of the control cam.

6. The caulking gun of claim 5 wherein:

the thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition is between 8 to 1 and 26 to 1.

13. The caulking gun of claim 1 wherein:

when assembled the second contact surface of the control cam extends from an upper portion of a distal side of the control cam.

7. A caulking gun for use with an associated caulk tube comprising a canister and a dispensing tip through which caulk material in the canister is dispensed, the caulking gun comprising:

a body having a tube housing for housing the associated caulk tube while caulk material is dispensed;

a piston assembly that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(1) a piston rod; and

, (2) a piston attached to the piston rod;

a trigger mechanism that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(1) a trigger that;

(a) comprises a contact surface; and

, (b) is movable with respect to the body; and

, (2) an advance plate that grips the piston rod;

an adjustable thrust mechanism that comprises a control cam comprising;

(1) a first contact surface that contacts the contact surface of the trigger; and

, (2) a second contact surface that contacts the advance plate;

wherein the trigger mechanism is operable by moving the trigger with respect to the body to contact the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip;

wherein the adjustable thrust mechanism is adjustable into;

(1) a first condition where the control cam is at a first relative position with respect to the advance plate; and

, (2) a second condition where the control cam is at a second relative position with respect to the advance plate;

wherein when the adjustable thrust mechanism is in the first condition and the trigger mechanism is operated by moving the trigger with respect to the body a distance, the trigger applies a first force to the advance plate; and

,

wherein when the adjustable thrust mechanism is in the second condition and the trigger mechanism is operated by moving the trigger with respect to the body the distance, the trigger applies a second force that is substantially different than the first force to the advance plate.

8. The caulking gun of claim 7 wherein the adjustable thrust mechanism further comprises:

a knob; and

,

a shaft comprising;

(1) a first end that is attached to the knob; and

, (2) a second end that is attached to the control cam;

wherein the knob is movable to adjust the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first and second conditions.

9. The caulking gun of claim 8 wherein:

the knob is rotatable to rotate the shaft to move the control cam linearly to adjust the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first and second conditions.

10. The caulking gun of claim 9 wherein:

the shaft;

(1) is supported to the trigger; and

, (2) comprises threads that engage threads in the control cam; and

,

the trigger is pivotal with respect to the body to contact the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip.

11. The caulking gun of claim 7 wherein:

a thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition is at least 8 to 1.

12. The caulking gun of claim 11 wherein:

the thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition is between 8 to 1 and 26 to 1.

14. The caulking gun of claim 8 wherein:

the trigger has a cut out area that exposes the knob.

15. The caulking gun of claim 9 wherein:

the knob is infinitely variable within a predetermined range.

16. A method of adjusting the thrust of a caulking gun comprising the steps of:

(A) providing a caulking gun for use with an associated caulk tube comprising a canister and a dispensing tip through which caulk material in the canister is dispensed, the caulking gun comprising;

(1) a body having a tube housing for housing the associated caulk tube while caulk material is dispensed;

(2) a piston assembly that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(a) a piston rod; and

, (b) a piston attached to the piston rod; and

, (3) a trigger mechanism that is supported to the body and that comprises;

(a) a trigger that;

comprises a contact surface; and

, is movable with respect to the body; and

, (b) an advance plate that grips the piston rod;

(B) providing the caulking gun with an adjustable thrust mechanism that comprises a control cam comprising;

(1) a first contact surface that contacts the contact surface of the trigger; and

, (2) a second contact surface that contacts the advance plate;

(C) providing the adjustable thrust mechanism at a first condition where the control earn is at a first relative position with respect to the advance plate such that operation of the trigger mechanism by moving the trigger with respect to the body a distance would apply a first force to the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip;

(D) adjusting the adjustable thrust mechanism from the first condition to a second condition where the control cam is at a second relative position with respect to the advance plate; and

,

(E) operating the trigger mechanism by moving the trigger with respect to the body the distance to apply a second force that is substantially different than the first force to the advance plate with the second contact surface of the control cam to move the piston rod and the piston to cause the caulk material to dispense through the dispensing tip.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein;

step (B) comprises the step of;

providing the adjustable thrust mechanism with;

(1) a knob; and

, (2) a shaft comprising;

(a) a first end that is attached to the knob; and

, (h) a second end that is attached to the control cam; and

,

step (D) comprises the step of;

moving the knob to adjust the adjustable thrust mechanism from the first condition to the second condition.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein:

step (D) comprises the step of;

rotating the knob to rotate the shaft to move the control cam linearly to adjust the adjustable thrust mechanism from the first condition to the second condition.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein:

step (D) comprises the step of;

changing a thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition by at least 8 to 1.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein:

step (D) comprises the step of;

changing the thrust ratio of the adjustable thrust mechanism between the first condition and the second condition by between 8 to 1 and 26 to 1.