Title:
DISPENSER FOR FLEXIBLE WALL TUBE CONTAINERS
United States Patent 3628696
Abstract:
A dispenser especially adapted for the controlled extrusion of relatively viscous materials from heavy-duty plastic tubes. The tube is simultaneously collapsed and wound upon a mandrel in such a manner that once collapsed, it will not expand; and once wound, it will not unwind. A tube-collapsing roller is mounted for planetary movement relative to a winding mandrel through the intermediary of a spring wire. The spring wire is formed with looplike projections on either end of the roller to bias the same toward the mandrel which has angularly offset turning lugs at either end of a tube-engaging periphery. Simultaneous counterrotative manual manipulation of one of the lugs and projections results in the collapse and winding of a tube about the mandrel. The offset relationship of the lugs insures that one or the other of the same will always be in position for ready manipulation and the loop projections impart a sufficient resilient bias to the roller to maintain the tube in a wound, collapsed position on the mandrel.
US Patent References:
Supporting and dispensing device for flexible tubes
Sachs - April 1936 - 2037824
Winding key for collapsible wall type containers
Regan - September 1959 - 2903162
Supporting and dispensing device for flexible tubes
Sachs - April 1936 - 2037824
Winding key for collapsible wall type containers
Regan - September 1959 - 2903162
Application Number:
05/058954
Publication Date:
12/21/1971
Filing Date:
07/28/1970
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
242/600, 242/405, 242/389
International Classes:
B65D35/32; B65D35/24; B65D35/32
Field of Search:
222/97-103,212,213,214,386.5,206 221/60 254/186HC 242/85,85.1,96,85.5,55
Primary Examiner:
Tollberg, Stanley H.
Assistant Examiner:
Martin, Larry
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. A dispenser for flexible wall tube containers, comprising; a winding mandrel having a central tube-engaging periphery and angularly offset lugs at opposite ends thereof, a tube-collapsing assembly mounted on said mandrel and rotatable relative thereto for concomitantly collapsing, winding and retaining the collapsed portion of a tube on said tube-engaging periphery, said tube-collapsing assembly including means biasing a tube-collapsing roller toward the tube engaging periphery of said mandrel, and said means including upstanding projections at opposite ends of said roller and adjacent said lugs whereby counterrotative motion may be imparted to the mandrel and tube-collapsing assembly by the simultaneous manipulation of one of said lugs and the adjacent projection.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said mandrel includes means for restraining the closed end of a tube against circumferential movement relative to the tube-engaging periphery of the mandrel.
3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said means comprises a spring wire having opposite ends thereof journaled on the rotational axis of said mandrel.
4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said projections comprise wire loops.
1. A dispenser for flexible wall tube containers, comprising; a winding mandrel having a central tube-engaging periphery and angularly offset lugs at opposite ends thereof, a tube-collapsing assembly mounted on said mandrel and rotatable relative thereto for concomitantly collapsing, winding and retaining the collapsed portion of a tube on said tube-engaging periphery, said tube-collapsing assembly including means biasing a tube-collapsing roller toward the tube engaging periphery of said mandrel, and said means including upstanding projections at opposite ends of said roller and adjacent said lugs whereby counterrotative motion may be imparted to the mandrel and tube-collapsing assembly by the simultaneous manipulation of one of said lugs and the adjacent projection.
2. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said mandrel includes means for restraining the closed end of a tube against circumferential movement relative to the tube-engaging periphery of the mandrel.
3. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said means comprises a spring wire having opposite ends thereof journaled on the rotational axis of said mandrel.
4. The dispenser of claim 3 wherein said projections comprise wire loops.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Collapsible tube containers have been in use for many years and have, in the past, consisted primarily of nonresilient, thin-walled metal structures which, when collapsed and/or wound on a dispensing mandrel, had no tendency to reassume their original tubelike form. The low rupture strength of such tube constructions generally limited their use to the containment of low-viscosity materials such as dentrifice and the like. Many new tube container applications became feasible with the advent of the plastics age when tough, resilient plastics such as clear vinyl and opaque polyethylene, characterized by their high rupture strength, became readily available at low cost. The very characteristics that make these materials most desirable for the containment of relatively viscous materials in industrial and other heavy duty application, i.e. their tough, resilient nature, creates substantial problems in their dispensement and particularly where an extended, closely controlled extrusion rate is desired such as in the expression of a tube-contained caulking compound for example. Exemplary of the foregoing is the tendency of a tough, flexible wall tube container to reassume its original shape after being manually collapsed or to unwind, in a manner analogous to a coil spring, after being rolled either upon itself or on a conventional tube winding mandrel. Upon such an occurrence, a reverse flow toward the closed partially emptied end of the tube occurs which not only makes it necessary to again squeeze the full length of the tube during a subsequent extrusion operation but also makes it virtually impossible to obtain an even rate of extrusion. When extruding by hand, a point is reached at which a new grip must be taken on the tube to continue the extrusion and it is at this time when a back flow will occur accentuating the uneven extrusion rate that is characteristic of attempted hand-controlled extrusions. This problem is partially overcome by the use of a conventional winding mandrel, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,038, since it is unnecessary to release pressure on the tube during one continuous extrusion; however when one extrusion is finished and the tube released prior to a subsequent usage, the tube unwinds under its own inherent bias.
The tube-collapsing assemblies that have previously been used in conjunction with winding mandrels have not been capable of inducing complete tube collapse simultaneously with tight securement of the collapsed tube portion against subsequent enlargement which would produce an intake of air into the tube and consequent caking of the material. Exemplary are the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,941,631 and 3,371,823.
Another problem that has, apparently, gone unrecognized in connection with the controlled collapse of tough, resilient tubes containing highly viscous materials relates to the magnitude of physical strength required to extrude the contents, even at an uncontrolled rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an improved combination of winding mandrel and tube-collapsing assembly which are mounted for counterrotative movement. The mandrel and tube collapsing assembly have projecting portions, at opposite ends thereof, providing lever arms which may be grasped and squeezed to produce a mechanical advantage in the expression of the tube contents. The lever arms on opposite ends of the mandrel are angularly offset so that one or the other of these arms is constantly in an advantageous position for a manual squeezing action in conjunction with one of the projecting portions on the tube-collapsing assembly.
The tube-collapsing assembly is formed from a spring wire whose opposite inturned ends are journaled on the axis of mandrel rotation so that the aforesaid squeezing action of the lever arms results in counterrotative movement of the parts and a tube-collapsing roller journaled on the spring wire undergoes a planetary movement with respect to the mandrel. The wire is so bent, in the formation of the projecting portions, as to produce a bias on the roller to maintain the tube collapsed thereby in the wound collapsed position at all times.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tube dispenser and partially collapsed tube;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a part sectional and part elevational view as taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings are illustrated a flexible wall container 10 whose closed end 12 has been inserted in a slot 14 formed in the central tube-engaging portion 16 of a winding mandrel 18 having angularly offset lever arms or turning lugs 20, 22 at either end thereof. A tube-collapsing assembly 24 consists of tube-collapsing roller 26 journaled on the central portion of a spring wire 28 whose inturned ends 30 are journaled in blind bores 32 formed on the axis of mandrel 18. Intermediate the roller 26 and each of the inturned ends, wire 28 is formed with projecting loop portions 34, 36 which have a greater radial extent, relative to the axis of mandrel 18, than do the corresponding mandrel lugs 20, 22 so that the lugs and projections may undergo relative rotation.
The initial formation of spring wire 28 is such that, in the initial unflexed condition of loops 34, 36, roller 26 will engage the surface 16 of mandrel 18. It will be apparent that as a tube is wound about periphery 18, as shown in the drawings, loops 34, 36 will flex to accommodate the increased effective radius thereof and exert a centrally directed radial bias on roller 26 that increases as the effective radius of the tube-engaging portion of the mandrel increases. This bias clamps roller 26 against the collapsed tube portion and is sufficiently strong to resist the tendency of the collapsed tube wall to reassume its original shape. Similarly, the clamping force applied is sufficient to resist that force component derived from the collapsed resilient tube wall acting to move roller 26 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3.
In operation, the closed end 12 of a flexible wall tube 10 is inserted in slot 14 and assembly 24 is rotated, relative to the mandrel, to initially clamp the tube end between surface 16 and roller 26. Thereafter, the thumb and forefinger of both hands are alternately used to impart relative counterrotation to the mandrel and the tube collapsing assembly. Thus, with reference to FIG. 3, when it is desired to extrude material from tube 10 loop 36 and lug 22 are simultaneously counterrotated by the left thumb and forefinger, respectively, in the directions indicated by arrows 38, 40. After approximately 90° of relative rotation, the lug 22 and projection 36 will have moved into substantial alignment as indicated by the relative positions of lugs 20 and projection 34 in FIG. 1 so that any further squeezing action applied by the left thumb and forefinger would be ineffective to impart further relative counterrotation. At this time, however, lug 20 will be positioned substantially at right angles to projection 34 so that the right thumb and forefinger may be used to continue the relative counterrotation. Thus it will be seen that a continuous and unvarying collapsing force may be applied to tube 10 by the alternate application of squeezing action at the opposite ends of the dispenser since it will be obvious that squeezing pressure should be commenced at one end of the dispenser before the squeezing action is completed at the other end thereof. When the dispenser and/or tube are released, the roller-clamping force applied by the bias of loops 34, 36 is sufficient to retain tube 10 in the wound, collapsed position prior to a subsequent use.
Collapsible tube containers have been in use for many years and have, in the past, consisted primarily of nonresilient, thin-walled metal structures which, when collapsed and/or wound on a dispensing mandrel, had no tendency to reassume their original tubelike form. The low rupture strength of such tube constructions generally limited their use to the containment of low-viscosity materials such as dentrifice and the like. Many new tube container applications became feasible with the advent of the plastics age when tough, resilient plastics such as clear vinyl and opaque polyethylene, characterized by their high rupture strength, became readily available at low cost. The very characteristics that make these materials most desirable for the containment of relatively viscous materials in industrial and other heavy duty application, i.e. their tough, resilient nature, creates substantial problems in their dispensement and particularly where an extended, closely controlled extrusion rate is desired such as in the expression of a tube-contained caulking compound for example. Exemplary of the foregoing is the tendency of a tough, flexible wall tube container to reassume its original shape after being manually collapsed or to unwind, in a manner analogous to a coil spring, after being rolled either upon itself or on a conventional tube winding mandrel. Upon such an occurrence, a reverse flow toward the closed partially emptied end of the tube occurs which not only makes it necessary to again squeeze the full length of the tube during a subsequent extrusion operation but also makes it virtually impossible to obtain an even rate of extrusion. When extruding by hand, a point is reached at which a new grip must be taken on the tube to continue the extrusion and it is at this time when a back flow will occur accentuating the uneven extrusion rate that is characteristic of attempted hand-controlled extrusions. This problem is partially overcome by the use of a conventional winding mandrel, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,038, since it is unnecessary to release pressure on the tube during one continuous extrusion; however when one extrusion is finished and the tube released prior to a subsequent usage, the tube unwinds under its own inherent bias.
The tube-collapsing assemblies that have previously been used in conjunction with winding mandrels have not been capable of inducing complete tube collapse simultaneously with tight securement of the collapsed tube portion against subsequent enlargement which would produce an intake of air into the tube and consequent caking of the material. Exemplary are the disclosures in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,941,631 and 3,371,823.
Another problem that has, apparently, gone unrecognized in connection with the controlled collapse of tough, resilient tubes containing highly viscous materials relates to the magnitude of physical strength required to extrude the contents, even at an uncontrolled rate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to an improved combination of winding mandrel and tube-collapsing assembly which are mounted for counterrotative movement. The mandrel and tube collapsing assembly have projecting portions, at opposite ends thereof, providing lever arms which may be grasped and squeezed to produce a mechanical advantage in the expression of the tube contents. The lever arms on opposite ends of the mandrel are angularly offset so that one or the other of these arms is constantly in an advantageous position for a manual squeezing action in conjunction with one of the projecting portions on the tube-collapsing assembly.
The tube-collapsing assembly is formed from a spring wire whose opposite inturned ends are journaled on the axis of mandrel rotation so that the aforesaid squeezing action of the lever arms results in counterrotative movement of the parts and a tube-collapsing roller journaled on the spring wire undergoes a planetary movement with respect to the mandrel. The wire is so bent, in the formation of the projecting portions, as to produce a bias on the roller to maintain the tube collapsed thereby in the wound collapsed position at all times.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tube dispenser and partially collapsed tube;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a part sectional and part elevational view as taken along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings are illustrated a flexible wall container 10 whose closed end 12 has been inserted in a slot 14 formed in the central tube-engaging portion 16 of a winding mandrel 18 having angularly offset lever arms or turning lugs 20, 22 at either end thereof. A tube-collapsing assembly 24 consists of tube-collapsing roller 26 journaled on the central portion of a spring wire 28 whose inturned ends 30 are journaled in blind bores 32 formed on the axis of mandrel 18. Intermediate the roller 26 and each of the inturned ends, wire 28 is formed with projecting loop portions 34, 36 which have a greater radial extent, relative to the axis of mandrel 18, than do the corresponding mandrel lugs 20, 22 so that the lugs and projections may undergo relative rotation.
The initial formation of spring wire 28 is such that, in the initial unflexed condition of loops 34, 36, roller 26 will engage the surface 16 of mandrel 18. It will be apparent that as a tube is wound about periphery 18, as shown in the drawings, loops 34, 36 will flex to accommodate the increased effective radius thereof and exert a centrally directed radial bias on roller 26 that increases as the effective radius of the tube-engaging portion of the mandrel increases. This bias clamps roller 26 against the collapsed tube portion and is sufficiently strong to resist the tendency of the collapsed tube wall to reassume its original shape. Similarly, the clamping force applied is sufficient to resist that force component derived from the collapsed resilient tube wall acting to move roller 26 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 3.
In operation, the closed end 12 of a flexible wall tube 10 is inserted in slot 14 and assembly 24 is rotated, relative to the mandrel, to initially clamp the tube end between surface 16 and roller 26. Thereafter, the thumb and forefinger of both hands are alternately used to impart relative counterrotation to the mandrel and the tube collapsing assembly. Thus, with reference to FIG. 3, when it is desired to extrude material from tube 10 loop 36 and lug 22 are simultaneously counterrotated by the left thumb and forefinger, respectively, in the directions indicated by arrows 38, 40. After approximately 90° of relative rotation, the lug 22 and projection 36 will have moved into substantial alignment as indicated by the relative positions of lugs 20 and projection 34 in FIG. 1 so that any further squeezing action applied by the left thumb and forefinger would be ineffective to impart further relative counterrotation. At this time, however, lug 20 will be positioned substantially at right angles to projection 34 so that the right thumb and forefinger may be used to continue the relative counterrotation. Thus it will be seen that a continuous and unvarying collapsing force may be applied to tube 10 by the alternate application of squeezing action at the opposite ends of the dispenser since it will be obvious that squeezing pressure should be commenced at one end of the dispenser before the squeezing action is completed at the other end thereof. When the dispenser and/or tube are released, the roller-clamping force applied by the bias of loops 34, 36 is sufficient to retain tube 10 in the wound, collapsed position prior to a subsequent use.