Applicator device for self-adhesive material strip

Abstract

 A device for applying a self-adhesive material strip (6) to a substrate (5), which self-adhesive material strip (6) has on one side an adhesive layer protected by means of a peel-off protective tape (7), comprising a guide track along which the material strip (6) is movable from a feed point (10), for feeding in the material strip (6) with protective tape (7), to a discharge point (8) for the material strip (6) with exposed adhesive layer, and peel-off means (11-19) for peeling off the protective tape (7) between the feed point (10) and discharge point (8).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for applying a self-adhesive material strip to a substrate, which self-adhesive material strip has on one side an adhesive layer protected by means of a peel-off protective tape, comprising a guide track along which the material strip is movable from a feed point, for feeding the material strip with protective tape to a discharge point for the material strip with exposed adhesive layer, and peel-off means for peeling off the protective tape, which peel-off means are carried out for gripping and driving the protective tape in the direction away from the material strip.

[0002] Such device is known from DE-A-3336926. This known device has a pressure roller at its discharge point, by means of which pressure roller the material strip can be pressed firmly onto the substrate and by means of which said strip can be applied progressively.

[0003] A driving belt has been provided around the pressure roller, which driving belt engages a set of feed rollers which are near the feed point of the device. As soon as the pressure rollers are set in motion, the feed rollers feed the material strip, with protected tape sticking thereto while the material strip is virtually free of pulling stresses; in this process, the protective tape is removed.

[0004] This known device has several disadvantages. First of all, the discharge point is rather sizeable due to the pressure roller at this point, which means that e.g. the corner regions of a window frame cannot be reached fully. Moreover, the mechanism is vulnerable and less reliable, having regard to the rather large number of rollers and the belt drive.

[0005] The object of the invention is therefore to provide a device by means of which a material strip such as a self-adhesive draught excluder strip can be applied more effectively and more efficiently. To that end, the invention relates to a device the peel-off means of which are situated remotely from the discharge point, and are drivable by means of the pulling force generated in the material strip upon progressively applying of said material strip on the substrate.

[0006] In the device according to the invention, the discharge point can be made narrow and tapered, which means that almost any location, including corners, can be reached. The peeling-off mechanism, which is driven by the pulling stress in the moving material strip with protective tape, can be situated at sufficiently large distance from said end, e.g. at the region of the gripping part.

[0007] It is preferable in this case to hold the device in the hand and keep it pressed down lightly at the position of the discharge point on the object to be treated. During the movement of the device along the desired track over said object, the material strip moves into its intended position, and the protective tape is peeled off automatically.

[0008] According to a variant of the method of application, the device according to the invention can, however, also be set up in a stationary position, in which case the object then has to be moved along the device set up in this way.

[0009] According to an advantageous embodiment, the device comprises at least two rotating elements, one of which is in contact with the material strip, between which elements the protective tape can be accommodated in such a way that when the rotating elements are driven the protective tape is moved off the material strip as a result of the movement of the material strip.

[0010] Said rotating elements can be designed in various ways. One possibility is two rotating endless belts such as toothed belts, the teeth of which mesh with each other, which are kept lightly pressed against each other, and between which the protective tape can be accommodated. However, it is preferable to use a device in which the rotating elements are rollers with a toothed periphery, and the teeth of the rollers mesh with each other in such a way that the protective tape can be gripped in the meshing region of the two rollers.

[0011] The protective tape can be gripped reliably by the meshing teeth, so that slipping is virtually ruled out. The teeth also produce a zigzag track for the protective tape, as a result of which the latter is stretched. The protective tape is consequently pulled off the material strip at slightly greater speed and under constant initial tension, with the result that the protective tape is prevented from lagging and ultimately hanging slack.

[0012] According to a preferred embodiment, three toothed rollers are provided, two of which rollers can be driven in the same direction of rotation by the material strip, and the third toothed roller of which is in mesh with the other two toothed rollers, in such a way that the protective tape can be gripped in the two meshing regions.

[0013] In the case of this embodiment, the protective tape is gripped in two places, namely at the position of the two meshings between the toothed rollers. The protective tape in this case is also conveyed along two zigzag routes, and is stretched twice, with the result that a very reliable peel-off effect is achieved.

[0014] In order to obtain a good grip between the material strip and the protective tape, a supporting roller is situated on the side of the other two rollers which faces away from the third toothed roller, in such a way that the material strip with protective tape can be held gripped between a toothed roller and a supporting roller in each case. A fixed guide is also possible.

[0015] In addition, a diversion roller can be situated past the toothed rollers in the direction of movement of the material strip, along which diversion roller the material strip can be guided and around which the protective tape can be peeled off and guided in the direction of the toothed rollers.

[0016] The rollers can be accommodated in a housing with a U-shaped cross-section, which rollers are rotatable about shafts suspended in at least one of the parallel walls of the housing.

[0017] The two walls of the housing are interconnected by a back part, in such a way that the material strip can be guided through the housing with its side opposite the adhesive layer facing the back part. Near the discharge point of the material strip, the back part of the housing in this case forms a pressure face for the material strip, for pressing the latter onto a substrate.

[0018] The invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in the figures.

[0019] Figure 1 shows the view in perspective according to the invention, during use.

[0020] Figure 2 shows a longitudinal section through the device according to the invention.

[0021] Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail according to Figure 2.

[0022] The device shown in the figures comprises a housing 1, consisting of two parallel walls 2, with a back part 3 between them. The housing also has a stop 4, by means of which the device can be guided, as shown in Figure 1, for example along a frame 5.

[0023] The device is used to apply a self-adhesive material strip 6 to the rebate of the frame. Said material strip 6 is fed together with a protective tape 7 to the device, during use the protective tape 7 being peeled off and emerging from the housing at the rear side. The remaining material strip 6 emerges at the front side of the housing, which forms a pressure face 8 by means of which the material strip 6 can be pressed into the rebate.

[0024] The mode of operation of this device will be explained further with reference to the sections shown in Figures 2 and 3.

[0025] As shown in Figure 2, the front part of the back 3 of the housing 1, also called the pressure face 8, presses the self-adhesive material strip 6 onto the substrate 5. At the same time the device is shifted backwards, indicated by arrow 9. As a result of this movement, the material strip 6 is pulled through the device, a new piece of material strip 6 with the protective tape 7 still adhering to it always being fed in through the rear side 10 of the device.

[0026] Material strip 6 and protective tape 7 run over two toothed rollers 11, 12 here, in particular through the double nip formed by said toothed rollers 11, 12 and the supporting rollers 13, 14. The nip determined between the tips of the teeth 15 of the toothed rollers 11, 12 and the supporting rollers 13, 14 is slightly smaller than the thickness of the material strip 6 and the protective tape 7, in such a way that the material strip 6 is compressed a little and the toothed rollers 11, 12 are driven by the moving material strip 6 and the protective tape 7.

[0027] The assembly, consisting of material strip 6 and protective tape 7, then continues up to the diversion roller 16, over which the protective tape 7 is diverted and continuously peeled off the material strip 6.

[0028] The peeling-off means that the protective tape 7 is continuously discharged, back in the direction of the feed point 10. As shown in Figure 3, for this purpose the protective tape 7 is guided between the toothed rollers 11, 12, and a further toothed roller 17, the teeth 19 of which mesh with the teeth 15 of the toothed rollers 11, 12.

[0029] The protective tape 7 thereby acquires a zigzag course between the teeth 15, 19, which has the following advantages. First of all, the protective tape 7 is gripped well, owing to its zigzag course, so that slipping cannot occur. A further advantage is that the protective tape 7 is tightened additionally, as a result of the additional length needed to allow it to follow the zigzag course. This means that the protective tape 7 is kept continually under initial tension while it is being peeled off the material strip 6, in such a way that protective tape 7 is constantly kept around the diversion roller 16.

[0030] The advantage of this is that no surplus part of the protective tape 7 is left at the position of the diversion roller 16. For the problem about that could be that the surplus part goes between the material strip 6 and the substrate 5, causing the application to stop.

[0031] A guide 18 is fitted at the rear side of the toothed roller 12, the purpose of which guide is to divert the protective tape 7 reliably without it being able to creep up along the toothed roller 12.

[0032] The guide bar 4 is accommodated in a slit 24 extending through the back 3 and part of the walls 2 of the device. The guide bar 4 is held in place by the hook-shaped end 25. A U-shaped spring 20, passed around the support points 21, 22, is also provided. Said spring rests against the lug 23 of the guide rod 4, in such a way that the latter is held in position. The guide rod can also be rotated into any desired position.

[0033] The front edge of the pressure face 8 is in the form of a cutting edge 26, in such a way that the material strip can be severed at the desired point.

[0034] The material strip can also be driven by a motor, for example by means of an electric motor.

Claims

1. Device for applying a self-adhesive material strip (6) to a substrate (5), which self-adhesive material strip has on one side an adhesive layer protected by means of a peel-off protective tape (7), comprising a guide track along which the material strip (6) is movable from a feed point (10), for feeding the material strip (6) with protective tape (7) to a discharge point (8) for the material strip (6) with exposed adhesive layer, and peel-off means (11-19) for peeling off the protective tape (7), which peel-off means (11-19) are carried out for gripping and driving the protective tape (7) in the direction away from the material strip (6), characterized in that the peel-off means (11-19) are situated remotely from the discharge point (8), and are drivable by means of the pulling force generated in the material strip (6) upon progressively applying of said material strip on the substrate (5).

2. Device according to Claim 1, in which the peel-off means comprise at least two rotating elements (11, 12, 17), one (11, 12) of which is in contact with the material strip (6) with protective tape (7), between which elements (11, 12, 17) the protective tape can be accommodated in such a way that when the rotating elements (11, 12, 17) are driven, as a result of the movement of the material strip (6), the protective tape (7) is moved off the material strip (6).

3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the rotating elements are rollers (11, 12, 17) with a toothed periphery, and the teeth (15, 19) of the rollers (11, 12, 17) mesh with each other in such a way that the protective tape can be gripped in the meshing region of the two rollers (11, 12).

4. Device according to Claim 1, 2 or 3, in which three toothed rollers (11, 12, 17) are provided, two of which rollers (11, 12) can be driven in the same direction of rotation by the material strip (6) with protective tape (7), and the third toothed roller (17) of which is in mesh with the other two toothed rollers (11, 12), in such a way that the protective tape (7) can be gripped in the two meshing regions.

5. Device according to Claim 4, in which a supporting roller (13, 14) is situated on the side of the other two toothed rollers (11, 12) which faces away from the third toothed roller (17), in such a way that the material strip (6) with protective tape (7) can be held gripped between a toothed roller (11, 12) and a supporting roller (13, 14) in each case.

6. Device according to Claim 3, 4 or 5, in which a diversion roller (16) is situated past the toothed rollers (11, 12) in the direction of movement of the material strip (6), along which diversion roller the material strip can be guided and around which the protective tape (7) can be peeled off and guided in the direction of the toothed rollers (11, 12, 17).

7. Device according to Claim 3, 4, 5 or 6, in which in the peel-off direction the last toothed roller (12) which interacts with the material strip (6) with protective tape (7) is covered over part of its periphery.

8. Device according to one of Claims 3 - 7, in which the rollers (11-14, 16, 17) are accommodated in a housing with a U-shaped cross-section, and the rollers are rotatable about shafts suspended in at least one of the parallel walls (2) of the housing.

9. Device according to Claim 8, in which the two walls (2) of the housing are interconnected by a back part (3), and the material strip (6) can be guided through the housing with its side opposite the adhesive layer facing the back part (3).

10. Device according to Claim 9, in which near the discharge point of the material strip (6) the back part (3) of the housing forms a pressure face (8) for the material strip (6), for pressing the latter onto a substrate (5) or a glazing bead.

11. Device according to Claim 10, in which the front side of the pressure face (8) forms a cutting edge (26).

12. Device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the end near the discharge point is tapering into a sharp end.

13. Device according to Claim 10, 11 or 12, in which the housing has a lateral stop (4) for positioning the device along an edge of an object to be treated, such as a frame (5) or glazing bead.

Drawing