Apparatus for taping and covering plasterboard joints

Technical field of the invention:

The present invention relates to an apparatus for bonding, cover and finishing plasterboard joints by applying a strip band soaked into a coating material on said joints in a simultaneously way when plasterboard plates are applied in any type of building construction. The joints are bond either in a straight line or in an angle of 90° by an adherent strip band and simultaneously covered by a coating material resulting on uniform, straight and consolidated plasterboard joinings. Therefore, the present invention also includes a method to provide said plasterboard joinings.

Background art of the invention:

Conventionally, joining plasterboard plates requires multiple tasks:

- Fill the gaps with plaster designed for this purpose manually with a plaster spatula,

- Then apply the bond strip to the joint and compress with the spatula to remove excess material for bonding and remove air bubbles that may appear during drying. This compression is performed in the direction of bonding the bottom upwards,

- Once attached, the strip is then covered with the same material to obtain the desired surface.

It takes great skill to obtain straight bands having the same charge coating over their entire length. Also the walls are often high so a scaffold must be used to finish the ceilings and corners.

It should be noted that during these operations you constantly have to move the seal coating which is very heavy and every time you have to roll out and cut the strip joint. The time and energy necessary for these maneuvers require the experience of a professional.

Document No. US 5730819 describes a dispensing apparatus for providing a continuous supply of fluid material and for applying a substantially smooth layer of said fluid material onto a surface. However, this apparatus does not allow to bond, cover and finishing plasterboard joints in a simultaneously way, i.e. the user must perform subsequent actions in order to finish the joint.

Summary of the invention:

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for bonding, cover and finishing plasterboard joints by applying a strip band soaked into a coating material on said joints in a simultaneously way.

For this purpose, the apparatus comprises a handle, a spatula, an applicator device, a roll-out mechanism, cutting means and a coating system.

The apparatus of the present invention allows to bond the joints between the plasterboard plates and to cover simultaneously thanks to its spatula sliding in a case. The strip band is cut once placed on the joint, adhered and covered with the coating material allowing to have rectilinear strips with the same charge of coating over the entire length of the strip without the need to further finish the joining work.

The coating may be taken automatically to the device through a pump, preferably a hydraulic pump placed on the handle, which is activated by the device itself without using any energy other than its strength traction. In a first embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is provided with a rounded edge spatula allowing to smooth and treat straight line joints and an applicator roll. In an alternative embodiment, the apparatus of the invention allows to treat angle joints by placing the strip band in said angle areas. For this purpose, the apparatus is provided with a spatula having rounded ends of 90° and the applicator roller may be replaced by a similar mechanism bent at 90° having two cylindrical cones (e.g. two cylinders) assembled at said angle.

When provided with a telescopic handle the apparatus can adjust the bands height without scaffolding. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for bonding, cover and finishing plasterboard joints in a simple and faster way.

This object is attained by an apparatus for joining at least two plasterboard plates, comprising a handle (20), a spatula, an applicator device (3), a roll-out mechanism (15) with an adherent strip band (21), a coating system (10) and cutting means (6) for cutting the strip band and wherein,

- the roll-out mechanism (15) comprises an applicator device (3) placed on an axis and an adherent strip band

( 21 ) supported on a supporting means;

- the coating system (10) comprises a coating recipient (5) for receiving a coating material;

and

- the applicator device (3) is connected to the roll-out mechanism (15) by a transmission means; and

- the roll-out mechanism (15) is connected to the coating system by a notch (13) positioned at the back of the coating material recipient (5) where the strip begins to contact the coating material. The present invention also relates to a method for joining plasterboards plates in an easy and simultaneous way by using the apparatus as described above and wherein said apparatus is moved along the joint to be treated delivering an adhesive strip band covered with a coating material.

It is also provided by the present invention, the use of the apparatus as described above for bonding, covering and finishing the joints between plasterboard plates in a simultaneously way.

Brief description of the drawings:

Fig.l is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention:

The present invention relates to an apparatus to bond the joints between the plasterboard plates, to cover and to finish them in a simultaneously way. For this purpose, the apparatus comprises a handle (20), a spatula having rounded edges (2), an applicator roll (3), a roll-out mechanism (15) with an adherent strip band (21), a coating system (10) and cutting means (6).

According to some embodiments, the rounded edge spatula (2) is replaced by a spatula with ends of 90° and the applicator roll (3) is replaced by an applicator device bent at 90° comprising two cylindrical cones (e.g. two cylinders) assembled at said angle.

According to some embodiments, the supporting means may comprise a crank and reel (22) . According to some embodiments, the coating system may comprise a pump (26) . In some embodiments, this pump, preferably a hydraulic pump, my be driven by the transmission means. According to some embodiments, the cutting means (6) may comprise at least a blade. In a preferred embodiment, the cutting means may comprise a pair of scissors.

According to some embodiments, the transmission means comprises one or more transmission belts and accompanying wheels. In an alternative embodiment, the transmission means comprises a plurality of gear wheels. According to some embodiments, the transmission mean comprises at least two wheels (8), which are located at the ends of the axis (4) and are provided with depressions/recessions in their circumference allowing to accommodate corresponding driving belts (9).

According to some embodiments, the coating system may comprise a spatula with rounded ends of 90°.

According to some embodiments, the coating system may comprise an applicator device, said device comprising two cylindrical cones assembled at a 90° angle. According to some embodiments, the handle (20) may be a tubular telescopic handle allowing to join plasterboard plates in higher places and to adjust the bands height without scaffolding without the need to use a ladder. According to some embodiments, the spatula, optionally the rounded edge spatula (2), may be articulated by springs (11) for pressing the strip band already soaked with the coating material during its application, thus smoothing and finishing the plasterboard plates joint. The spatula slides in a case (14) when is in the resting position. According to some embodiments, the roll-out mechanism (15) may comprise an applicator roll (3) or a similar device placed on an axis; the supporting means for supporting the adherent strip band (21) may be provided with a crank and reel (22) allowing to rewind the band to the roll if necessary.

According to some embodiments, the coating system (10) may comprise a coating recipient (5) for receiving a coating material and a pump (26), preferably a hydraulic pump for delivering the coating material.

According to some embodiments, there may be a controller (23) located on the handle (20) to open and close the coating system and allows to cover the strip with a coating material on both sides and on the spatula.

According to some embodiments, the coating material may be taken automatically from the recipient (5) to the tape through the pump (26) also located on the handle (20) and activated by the device itself without the need of using any energy other than its strength traction .

According to some embodiments, the coating material system (10) may comprise an anti-overflow edge (7) made in a flexible and made from a flexible but strong material, such as flexible stainless steel and alike, polypropylene, polyvinylcarbonate or polivinlylethyl-teraphtalate and alike. The anti-overflow edge may have the shape of a fan. A cutting system (6), comprising e.g. a blade or a pair of blades, may cut the already placed, glued and coated strip bands. This cutting system can comprise a command placed on the handle, preferably disposed between the applicator roll (3) and the coating system (10) . It cuts the strips once adhered and covered with a coating material allowing to have rectilinear strips with the same charge of coating over the entire length of the strip. The apparatus of the present invention may also comprise:

• At least two wheels (8) at the ends of the axis (4) and enabling to unwind and/or drive the applicator roll (3) provided with depressions/recessions in their circumference allowing to accommodate corresponding driving belts (9);

• A notch (13) positioned at the back of the coating material recipient (5) where the strip begins to contact the coating material ;

• The belts (9) which allow during the application movement, a circular movement to an axe provided with gears (16) to guide a roll-out mechanism of the strip (15) and at the same time a drainage coating pump (26) ;

In a second embodiment of the invention, the applicator roll (3) is replaced by a similar device but forming a 90° angle and having two cylindrical cones assembled at the said 90° angle. This device allows to lay the strips in the angles or corners of the plasterboard plates. The present embodiment comprises a handle (20), which is preferably tubular and telescopic, in which the coating material can pass through its downstream (25), driven by a hydraulic or mechanical system, preferably by a hydraulic pump (26) placed on the same shaft and actuated by the device itself.

In this way, the device becomes completely independent of any outside power, gas or electricity. This can be done through the belts (9) connecting the wheels (8) fixed on an axis (4) with an applicator roll (3) and a gear (16), responsible for the scroll strip band (21) and for the activation of the pump (26), placed on the handle (20) . During the movement of the strip band, the wheels actuate the movement of the strip and the feed pump.

The amount necessary to recovery and bonding of the strip can be provided by setting the pump flow. Therefore, the force generated during the laying of the strip by the wheels (8) is egual to the force of drainage of the coating, the gears between the pump and the belts are multiplied as many times as necessary.

As for pulleys, each added gear splits the drainage of the coating in two. In this way the device can be connected to a seal simply by using a pipe which delivers the coating material onto its distribution system (10) .

A controller (23) can be located on the handle (20) to open and close the coating system. There is also a reel (22) adapted to be provided with a strip roll joint that allows to roll out or rewind according to maneuver what is needed. In this way the user can unroll the strip and control the opening and closing of the arriving of the coating material to the strip band.

Furthermore, the applicator roller (3) completely pressures the soaked strip against the joint area (1), which eliminates the excess of coating that may exists. Sequentially, the spatula (2) with rounded edge simply covers the strip simultaneously.

The spatula (2) is also pressed against the joint through springs (11) . The spatula (2) is positioned out of its case (14), in the beginning of the application and retracts into its case whenever the strip rises.

Therefore, the applicator roll the spatula are pressed against the wall and so the wheels as well, which facilitate the roll-out of the strip .

This includes that the circular movement carried by the user at the grip of the handle (20) is canceled by the rounded board and the slide of the spatula at the covering of the strip with the pasting.

The result is a totally straight collage and cover of the strip band (24) from the bottom to the top without the user having to use a scaffold. In the case, the edges, made in a soft and strong material in a fan-shaped (7), facilitate the movement (12) of the spatula (2) and smoothing the edges, starting from the edges of the spatula to the ends of the axis (4) allowing the spatula to slide inside its case ( 14 ) . In the second part of the device, the tape is rolled out by a mechanism designed for this purpose (15). In this mechanism the strip joint is clamped between two conveyor belts with reverse rotation relative to the other (17). One of the conveyor belts is set in motion by straps or belts (9) connected to the wheels (8) so that, when the tape is applied on the joint to perform the required work, it is simultaneously rolled out in the device and therefore, removing any air bubbles that may appear when the strip band is not rolled out in a perfect way to fill the joint.

The second belt is actuated by the first through the gears (17) connecting them. This belt rotating inverse guides the strip band from entering this mechanism to the entry of the notch (13) in the second.

In this second mechanism, the strip band is hosted on an access ramp where it passes through the coating system for the first time (10) to coat the side of the strip, which is applied on the joint (1) .

In a second time, the band passes through the cutting system (6) that will be activated by the handle (18) once the task is completed . In a third time, the band passes onto the roller applicator where it will be pressured against joint to be filled. The exceeding material is removed through the sides of the strip band .

Fourthly, the band passes by the rounded edge spatula to cover and bind the joint. Any excess of material is removed by the applicator roller at the time of pressuring and by the coating system (5) . The coating system can be produced by nozzles. This whole second mechanism is contained in a recipient adapted to receive the coating material. All operations are performed in the same movement and in simultaneously way. The apparatus of the present invention may have a working surface (front of the spatula) of the same size of the treated joint, i.e. about twenty centimeters in width and not more than three centimeters in height, to access these parts difficult to access therefore, allowing to result in a finished work without the need to finish it by hand in a later phase .

In a second embodiment , the apparatus of the present invention also allows to treat joint with closed angles using the same method as for the flat angles but with a 90° angle bend . This means that it is provided a smoothing spatula with rounded ends of 90 ° , i.e. the ends of the spatula form an angle of 90° with each other, sliding in a suitable case and instead of applicator roll (3) it is also provided a device comprising 2 cylindrical cones , e.g. cylinders, with a straight angle formed base . Therefore, this invention also provides a replacement of the part of the apparatus that lays the strips flat to a part which poses the angles easily .

This replacement can occur at the end of the handle (20) and can eventually be equipped with a curved system. Thus it is possible to bond strips bands to the gaps between the plates as well as to cover them with the same coating and thus fixing the disadvantages of existing machines with the extra advantage of reducing effort and increasing productivity. This invention is presented in a simplified manner as it is obvious that it is not limited to the embodiment described but it encompasses all the variants of these kinds of achievement .

Overview of reference signs used in the figure(s):

1. Joint to be bond or glued, covered and finished, i.e. a void space between the edges of plasterboard plates;

2. Rounded edge spatula (also referred as spatula or smoothing spatula) ;

3. Applicator roll with a strip band (also referred as tape, adhesive tape or band) already soaked with coating material;

4. Axis supporting the applicator roll;

5. Coating material recipient to distribute and spread the coating material (also referred to as joint filler of filler coating) to the face of the jointing strip band and to the spatula;

6. Cutting means, ex. a blade or a pair of blades;

7. Edges preventing overflow of the coating material being fan- shaped and made from a flexible but strong material, such as flexible stainless steel and alike, polypropylene, polyvinylcarbonate or polivinlylethyl-teraphtalate and alike ;

8. Wheels at the ends of the axis provided with depressions/recessions in their circumference enabling to unwind and/or drive the applicator roll allowing to accommodate corresponding driving belts;

9. Belts to provide a circular motion to a gear mechanism for the unwinding of the tape and simultaneously acting on the hydraulic pump for providing the coating material to the tape when the apparatus is being subjected to a working movement;

10. Coating material system allowing to distribute the coating material to the tape before its application to the joint;

11. Springs allowing the spatula to remain in position at the moment of applying the tape and allowing the spatula to retract in its casing (rest position) during lifting the device;

12. Movement of the spatula relative to the axis for converting the circular motion at the handle during use of the device in a rectilinear movement along the joint to be filled;

13. Notch at the rear side of the device for the passage of strip band; Casing (case) wherein the spatula slides - the wheels placed inside the casing facilitate the back and forward movement; Unwinding mechanism or roll-out mechanism for unwinding the tape from its support up to the cutting device positioned at the rear side of the device where the tape begins to make contact with the coating material;

Gear mechanism suitable for unwinding the tape by means of the belts;

Gear mechanism in the upper part of the unwinding mechanism of the tape;

Controller (two dimensional displacement system) to actuate the cutting device for cutting the tape;

Strip band or tape already placed, adhered and soaked with the coating material and covering the joint between plasterboard plates;

Handle (preferably a tubular and telescopic handle) allowing to conduct the coating material to the tape and to bond and to adjust the bands height without scaffolding;

Roll with strip band or adhesive tape;

Crank or reel to rewind the tape if necessary;

System to open and close the coating system;

Edge of the strip band or tape already placed, adhered and soaked with the coating material and covering the joint between plasterboard plates;

Downstream the handle;

Hydraulic or mechanical pump (preferably hydraulic pump) to drain the coating material.