DISTRIBUTOR APPARATUS FOR GEL OR PASTY PRODUCTS Field of application

This invention refers to a paste or gel product distribution device, that is to say a device suitable for use with the most varied products, but with a limited fluidity and that require a precise and punctual distribution on the surface areas affected by application of the product.

Known art

The status of the technique essentially includes manual use of the product containers in paste or gel, be it a food product or simply a chemical product to be positioned on the surface on which to perform the function.

In reality, the paste or gel products in question may be different as in the case of glues, chemical products, to be distributed on the objects so that they can carry out their function, and the food products, to decorate food products often used in patisseries. Said products are currently distributed by hand if the operator carries out this job on an artisan level, therefore without the use of any expert machinery and programmable due to identification of the exact position in an automatic form, or if use is performed in an on-going manner during the shift and not in an extemporaneous form. The equipment currently used by the user for distribution, so- called manual, are summarised here below.

In reality, in the field of patisseries cake decorations are normally done by hand and the operator has to fill the sacks of products to be distributed on a regular basis, not frequently used by the confectioners. In the same field of constructions, distribution of various kinds of glue in a fluid-paste form requires the injection from a container, normally a tube, a compression tube or a tube with an extrusion piston, for example silicon, the product to be distributed and its perfect application to the surface in question. Furthermore, a similar use to the ones indicated above occurs in the field of chemical gel products that need to be applied to the surface area of intervention; this is the case of gel of chemical and pickling on metal surfaces on which it is important to clean said surfaces, as in the case of welds, in order to make them perfectly finished.

In the field of techniques there are many well known manual means for distribution of the paste or gel product, starting with a tube to be squeezed as

normally occurs for sacks for confectioners or even by squeezing a tube with the product, as normally occurs for glues.

From prior document US 2,357,351 is known a tube squeezer for dispensing the contents of collapsible tubes that shows a squeezer mechanism with two pressure rollers and a trigger mechanism to control the squeezing process. All weight of the tube is supported by the user, through the pistol gripping handle, so with the same hand the user have to drive the contents on a surface to be dispensed with and support weight and strength to squeeze the tube.

From another prior document, US 4,421 ,251 , is known a motorized apparatus for dispensing cake icing comprising a hand-held power unit including an electric motor and controls to squeeze a detachable connectable cartridge to it. A cartridge including a rotatable member, drivable by the motor, and a collapsible icing bag having a nozzle and containing icing, such bag being detachably connectable to the rotatable member and windable by it, so, when the bag is connected to the rotatable member and winded, the icing is extruded from the nozzle. Each cartridge includes a device to prevent unwinding of the bag when the cartridge is removed from the power unit. In the same way of the previous document the apparatus of this prior document is heavy weight as the user have to support and drive all the motorized apparatus with the cartridge in use on the cake to be iced. Thus, the apparatus when used need strenuous and tiring work by the user. Moreover, a known device used to distribute silicone or other similar products, that is to say a tube with a piston and internal thrust, always requires a thrust device within the tube in the known silicone extraction guns, so that when the user must, at the same time and with one hand, push on the grip handle of the gun and guide the nozzle in distribution of the product on the surface in question, in order to position the product, this is not easy considering the contrasting efforts that the users hand is subject to, who normally has to use both hands to perform an acceptable distribution. Furthermore, the known guns with piston and compressed air, for expulsion of the product from the aforementioned tube, are heavy and awkward and must be positioned with both hands of the user.

Similarly in the field of food products, the known sack as well as the tubes of product to be squeezed in order to distribute them on the surface in question, the precision of the application is rather slack considering, as indicated in the

combination of squeezing efforts and guiding of the distribution nozzle of the paste or gel product, that normally require the use of both hands.

In this way, also as in the field of distribution of paste or gel chemical products, in order to achieve a chemical action on the surface in question, distribution is currently performed by hand using spatulas, brushes or other means, as the user cannot touch the product due to its aggressive nature. In reality the application of the product on the surface to be treated is often for much broader areas than the areas strictly necessary: the welds and relative edges. The users, considering the strong aggressive nature of the products used, distribute the chemical gel or paste on the entire surface of the object in question, so as to create a balanced colour, brightness or partial opaqueness on the entire surface and not only on the specific welded edge to be treated, depending on the material and chemical product used. The costs and times of a similar operation are rather high in terms of the quantity of the product used and the application and washing time. Furthermore, an ecological damage occurs in consideration of the use of such a large quantity of chemical agents that should it end up in the environment.

This state of the technique is susceptible to drastic improvements with reference to the possibility of creating a distribution device of paste or gel products that overcome the aforementioned problems and allows for the creation of a precise and accurate distribution of the product in the point of the surface area desired by the user without getting tired.

Therefore the technical problem that lies at the basis of this invention is to create a distribution device of paste or gel products or fluid/pasty products, allowing the user to guide the distribution of the product in an accurate and precise manner on the surface without having to depend on the user's squeezing action of the container of the product.

Furthermore, an important part of the technical problem is the squeezing operation that must be controlled by the user in an easy manner in order to avoid distraction of the user from the correct distribution with the creation of effort for expulsion from the container.

Furthermore, another objective of the technical problem faced by the invention is to simplify handling of a container with volume reduction, typically a small tube or squeezable tube, also in the presence of uses not extended in time or little more than extemporaneous, in the accurate distribution of the fluid/pasty product contained within it.

No less important, another part of the technical problems lies in the need to create a versatile device with regards to the product used and distributed, that is to say allowing for a regular or uninterrupted distribution, and also allowing for replacement of the product distributed, creating it in a simple and economic manner, due to termination of the container or due to the change of the product used in distribution, therefore making it competitive with distribution of the manual product, as known in the technique.

Finally, another objective faced by the invention is to distribute the product in a balanced manner on irregular surfaces such as on edges of the welds in metal carpentry with chemical products.

Summary of the invention

This technical problem is solved, according to this invention, by a distribution apparatus for paste or gel products, comprising: squeezing/expulsion mechanism of the paste or gel product, or in any case fluid-paste products, in a tube or sack, in which the squeezing/expulsion action is controlled by the user; means act as a mechanical multiplier of the squeezing/expulsion action given by the user, also controlling the direction of the squeezing/expulsion action of the product from the tube or from the sack or expulsion of the tube or of the sack of said means; squeezing means are embody in a squeezing mechanism of the tube or sack includes a pair of counter-rotating rollers controlled in rotation by the user through an actuator means; characterised in that the squeezing means are embody in a squeezing mechanism separated from the grip handle, in turn in form of a gun, for the distribution of the product; furthermore, the product to be distributed is channelled towards the machine's dispensing nozzle by means of a hose that connects the non-squeezing end, of the tube or sack, in opposition to the squeezing end, and the nozzle itself, joined to said grip handle.

Advantageously, in specific forms of implementation, the squeezing components of the product have a decreasing distance in action on said tube or sack with the product to be squeezed and, furthermore, they are connected with a single direction mechanism for control of the squeezing movement to embody said actuator means.

Furthermore, in further forms of implementation, a grip handle of the apparatus includes a selector of the direction of activation for equiversal movement; or also the action of the user occurs by means of a lever directly on the single direction mechanism.

Furthermore, in a preferred form by the distribution apparatus, the action of the user is assisted by an implementation component, in activation of the squeezing components of the tube or sack or expulsion of the product from the tube, consisting of a geared motor connected with the squeezing or expulsion components as actuator means.

Another form of implementation includes: a mechanical transmission is implemented by a traction wire between a reaction sheath; a spring provides to retract the wire; or said geared motor is electric and in a preferred embodiment powered by a source of electricity hold together with the squeezing mechanism in a separated way from the product distribution grip handle.

A preferred embodiment of the distribution apparatus for paste or gel products features: the product to be distributed is channelled towards the machine's dispensing nozzle by means of a hose that connects the non-squeezing end, that is the tube's or sack's expulsion end, with the nozzle itself; furthermore, between the nozzle and the connecting hose a head is inserted with a hole through which the fluid/pasty product to be delivered flows; this head is interchangeable and inserted on the body of a grip handle device used in delivering the product; moreover, the nozzle is connected to the head by means of a ball-and-socket joint that makes it possible to adjust the nozzle as required with respect to the position of the head and, thus, with respect to the above-mentioned grip handle; in addition, the product is dispensed by means of a suitably shaped nozzle in order to achieve a uniform

distribution of the product as desired.

Finally, the distribution apparatus for paste or gel products features in a new nozzle, hollow in form, to distribute the fluid/pasty product wherein the nozzle presents lateral faces that are longer than the front and rear faces; furthermore, it features a notch on the edge of the front and rear faces so as to allow the product to flow straight in the direction in which it is to be distributed, as is the case with a length of welding bead; moreover, the edge of the front end is longer than the edge of its rear end.

Further features and benefits of the invention, as constructed for a machine for distributing cream or gel products, in all events of a fluid/pasty consistency, will become apparent from the following description of a constructed model which is submitted as an illustrative and not definitive example with reference to the four enclosed drawing tables.

Brief description of drawings

- Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the machine for dispensing pasty or gel products, in all events of fluid/pasty consistency, as per the invention; - Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of the mechanical device for squeezing the container of the product to be dispensed;

- Figure 3 is a lateral schematic view of the dispensing gun and nozzle of the dispensing machine for cream or gel products, part of the machine in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a front schematic view of the gun and nozzle in the foregoing figure; - Figure 5 shows in schematic section with trace section V-V indicated above in Figure 4;

Figure 6 presents a schematic perspective view of the gun as per the foregoing figures and shows the selection buttons and switches, as well as the dispensing head for distributing the product with the delivery hose connecting the same to the head;

- Figure 8 presents a schematic view of a distribution nozzle for a fluid/pasty product adapted for use with chemical products and used, to advantage, on lengths of welding bead;

- Figure 9 presents a schematic perspective view of a device for manually dispensing a fluid/pasty product, showing a gun with manual trigger for non occasional delivery;

Figure 10, the concluding figure, presents a schematic perspective view of the manual gun, as per the foregoing figure, equipped with a head and interchangeable/replaceable nozzle and delivery hose for the product to be dispensed.

Detailed description of the preferred forms of execution In Figure 1 , in an initial embodiment of the invention, the machine 1 for dispensing a cream or gel comprises a gun 2 which can be gripped by the user and angled in the best way for dispensing the product in question. The machine contains a mechanical device 3 for squeezing the tube 4 or bag containing the product to be dispensed; one end 5 of the squeezing tube 4 goes into the mechanical device 3 between the squeezing components 6 which come closer together as the tube 4 enters the mechanical device 3 and is withdrawn or sucked out by them or between these components. The mechanical device features a body 7 and two covers, one rear 8 and one front 9 on two sides opposite the body, the rear cover 8 features an electrical connection with the gun described above 2, by means of a flex 10, which house the electrical wires connecting the controls to the gun 2 of the mechanical device 3; the front cover 9 features a housing 11 for the electric current that powers the machine 1.

The gun 2 is also connected to a flexible hose 12 which connects the opposite end 13 to the squeezing one 5, of the tube or containment sack, to transfer the paste or gel, or in any case fluid/pasty, product, from said tube or sack to a product distribution head 14 by means of a nozzle 15, with a shape that allows the product to be distributed in the desired way.

In Figure 2 the mechanical squeezing device 3 is shown without the body casing 7 in order to show the composition of the squeezing components 6 in this embodiment realised here with two counter-rotating cylinders 16, S in squeezing and E in expulsion, activated by means of a gear transmission 17 by an electrically operated geared motor 18 housed inside the said body as actuator means.

Figures 3 to 6 also show the additional parts composing the gun 2. These include: a selector 19 for the movement of the of the squeezing components, the forward motion and continuation or return of the squeezing motion; a start/stop button 20 for the squeezing components 6 and a lid 21 for closing the electrical compartment in which the selector and button are housed. In the grip handle 22 of the gun there is a groove 23 for introducing the flexible hose 12 for transferring the product to the head 14; in turn, this head is composed of a body 24 which is attached to and supported by the gun 2, above the grip handle 22, by means of a notch 25. Inside the body 24 of the head is a hollow ball pin 26, upon which is positioned a spherical groove 27 and the nozzle 15, so as to make the nozzle adjustable, in any direction with respect to the head 14, and replaceable with other differently shaped nozzles, which may be required for specific distribution of the product in a different way and/or different paste or gel, or in any case fluid/pasty, products. The nozzle 30 shown in Figure 8 is advantageously designed for the distribution of the fluid/pasty product for the chemical treatment of seals in steel structures. This has lateral faces 31 that are longer than the front 32 and rear 33 faces, also the front 34 and rear 35 edges have a notch 36 for the passage of the length of welding bead, which is not shown here. To facilitate the distribution of the correct quantity of product around the length of welding bead the front edge 34 can be placed closer to the length of welding bead on the rear edge 35, so a layer of fluid-pasty product with a uniform thickness is released with the linear motion of the nozzle along the welding.

Figures 9 and 10 show a simplified embodiment 40, which is not motorised and similar to that shown in Figures 1-6; it is equipped with light traction mechanical transmission in a reaction sheath 41, to embody the actuator means, from the movement of a lever 42 to the squeezing device 43, similar to that in Figure 2, but without motor. The gun 44 with light traction control has a lever 42 that, when moved by the user, acts on a shaft 85 that, pulls taut the wire inside the sheath 41 to bring about the traction in the squeezing component mechanism 6 inside the squeezing device 43; a loose trigger and spring mechanism, also not shown, enable the alternate motion of the wire to control the roller rotation, not shown here, in the squeezing motion S and in the tube 4 expulsion motion of the fluid/pasty product,

similarly to what was described for the device 1. The cladding 46 has a front lid 47, to cover the wire transmission and loose trigger 48, and a rear lid 49 to contain the supports for said squeezing components. The cladding is designed to have a nozzle 50 for the passage of the squeezed tube or sack. The transfer mechanism for the movement of the shaft 45 to the wire, in the gun 44, is guarded by the lid 51.

The distributor apparatus 1 for gel or pasty products described for the first embodiment functions as indicated below.

The user places in the product exit hole of the tube 4 or containment sack the flexible hose 12 at one end, while placing the other squeezing end 5 between the squeezing components 6 of the apparatus 1.

The flexible hose 12 is connected to the body 24 of the head 14, which is placed in the notch 25 of the gun 2. A nozzle 15, with a suitable shape for the distribution requirements of the desired product, is positioned with its spherical groove 27 on the hollow ball pin 26 and adjusted so as to facilitate the product distribution, therefore as the user prefers.

Therefore, the user, by selecting the squeezing mode with the selector 19 can start the distribution by pressing the squeezing component 6 stop/start button 20. In the embodiment shown, said components 6, having a cylindrical shape, are made to turn in direction S so as to pull together and squeeze the tube or sack 4, acting radially with their wheelbase on the thickness of the end 5 of the tube or product containment sack. The product is therefore pushed by the squeezing under pressure into the flexible hose 12 up to the head 14, to the hollow ball pin 26 and the nozzle 15. Pressing the button 20 enables the user to easily control the quantity of gel or paste, or in any case fluid/pasty, product. When the distribution stage has been completed, the product is still inside the tube or sack 4, the flexible hose 12 and the head 14, and the user removes the used nozzle and closes the hole in the hollow ball pin 26 with a plug, not shown. In this way, the product, whether it is a highly aggressive chemical or a food substance and therefore perishable in air or also viscous, which must also be kept airtight, can be removed from the apparatus 1 , by removing the tube or sack 4 by means of reverse rotation E of the cylinders of the mechanical squeezing device 3. When the tube or sack 4 has

been removed, the flexible hose 12 and head, closed with said plug, can be placed in an environment that suitable for storing the product contained.

In this way, a different type of product to be distributed can be placed in the apparatus 1, which will then be placed in the mechanical squeezing device 3 and the gun 2 as described above.

Furthermore, as far as what is described above is concerned, it is possible to replace the nozzle 15 at any time as required, with one that has a suitable shape for the type of distribution required by the user. Further still, the product distributed can be replaced at any time, or rather, the user can interrupt the product distribution action as required and replace it with another. The only precaution to be taken is in the storage of the product, if it is to be left for longer than the minimum degradation time, as for example occurs with adhesives, which, if not kept airtight, start to solidify, or silicone which polymerizes, or food products, which start to oxidize with subsequent loss of specific organoleptic characteristics, or finally as may occur with chemical gel, which if not properly closed may leak into the surrounding area, damaging the objects that it comes into contact with.

The distributor apparatus 1 is, advantageously, designed to be portable, naturally the gun 2, being very light, can be handled by the user with one hand; the mechanical squeezing device 3 is designed to be easily attached or carried by the user, for example attached to the user's belt. In this way and when an electricity supply 11 is available, which ensures that the mechanical squeezing device is suitably autonomous, the user is free to move around in the workplace: in the building industry, during mechanical work or even in the field of food production without having to be connected with a fixed workplace. This transportability is extremely advantageous when the user has to work over large surfaces or areas, but at the same time having to distribute small quantities of product as may occur in the distribution of aggressive chemicals or in the distribution of adhesives.

The functioning of the wired embodiment, shown in Figures 9 and 10, takes place similarly to the embodiment of the device 1 without the motorisation, or rather, only with the manual force provided by the user on the lever 42 of the wire control mechanism. The squeezing device 43 is similar to that of the preceeding

manual embodiment and the only difference is that it is controlled remotely by the wire stretched inside the sheath 41 on the loose trigger mechanism 48.

The advantages, in the embodiments shown can be summarised as the simple manufacture of the gun 2, 44, which enables easy handling also with just one hand as the effort required to press the tube or sack 4 is decreased by the composition of the squeezing components, which are advantageously hold in the mechanical device 3, 43 and composed of counter-rotating cylinders 16; in fact, the reduction in the effort applied by the user to the lever 42 is implemented in the grip and squeezing between the cylinders 16 on the end of the tube or sack 4 by the reduction of the loose trigger mechanism 48 or by the geared motor 18 action. The manual gun of this invention enables a user to work safely and without the problems in distributing fluid/pasty products that are encountered in the prior art. In fact, the manual gun facilitates the handling of a container with a reduced volume, typically a small tube or compressible tube, also when use is not prolonged over time or is little more than extemporary, enabling precise and punctual distribution of the fluid/pasty product contained to be carried out.

Further, the device of the invention presents the possibility of using a head 14 with a nozzle that can adjusted and replaced as required 15, so as to enable more precise product distribution;; thus the possibility of replacing the product being distributed results more practical with the use of the head 14 and the connection of the hose 12 from the head to the squeezing tube or sack.

The embodiment of the device 40 with manual activation of the squeezing device 43, shown in Figures 9-10, or driven by motor of the device 1 , Figures 1-6, frees the user from having to carry the mass of the squeezing tube or sack 4 attached to the gun, so as to be able to properly carry out and avoid worrying about prolonging the work phases in the distribution of the fluid/pasty product. So said the practicality of the product and/or nozzle replacement allows even occasional or interrupted distribution, as well as allowing replacement of the product being distributed, realising it in a simple and economical way, on both emptying the original container and changing the product used in the distribution. The squeezing device 43, manual, or 3, driven by motor, can be transported by the user attached to their belt, so as to use it to support the weight of the squeezing device itself and the

squeezing tube or sack.

Finally, the embodiment shown in Figures 1-6, having motorised squeezing action by means of an electrically-operated geared motor 18, frees the user from any pressing effort and the user's action on the gun 2 is only necessary to correctly aim it for the distribution of he fluid/pasty product. The mechanical squeezing device 1 , complete with geared motor 18 and electricity supply 11 , can be easily transported by the user attached to their belt, so as to be free from any fixed attachments in the workplace.

With regard to the specific shape of the nozzle 30, shown in Figure 8, the shape is designed for the distribution of a uniform layer of chemical cleaning product on the welding work. With the longer lateral faces 31 to determine the width of the layer, the edges of the front and rear faces are of different heights so as to avoid leaking from the area before the nozzle and adjust the height of the layer in the area behind the nozzle. Therefore the user is aided in guiding the gun with the nozzle 30 along the welding involved in the distribution of the chemical cleaning product.

Naturally, in order to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, a person skilled in the art may apply numerous modifications to the above-described distribution apparatus for gel or paste products, al of which, however, are included within the scope of protection of the present invention as defined by the following claims. Thus, even if less advantageously, in the embodiment with the geared motor, the motor may not be electric; or in the embodiment with the loose trigger mechanism 48 may be positioned directly inside the gun 44.