Hardware assembly adhesive applicator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018243784-A1
Application number	US-201715442201-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2017
Priority date	Feb 24, 2017
Publication date	Aug 30, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

An applicator for a reversible dry adhesive is provided with a flexible substrate with a convex application surface in an unloaded condition of the flexible substrate. A reversible dry adhesive is spread across the application surface to provide a focused partial contact with a generally flat target support surface. Compression of the substrate expands contact of the reversible dry adhesive with the target support surface outward from the focused contact. A hardware assembly is provided with a hardware component for installation to the target support surface upon the reversible dry adhesive. A method of installing the reversible dry adhesive applies the focused partial contact of the reversible dry adhesive to the generally flat target support surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An adhesive applicator comprising:
a flexible substrate with a convex application surface in an unloaded condition of the flexible substrate; and a reversible dry adhesive spread across the application surface to provide a focused partial contact with a generally flat target support surface, and whereby compression of the substrate expands contact of the reversible dry adhesive with the target support surface outward from the focused contact.

2 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the reversible dry adhesive has a generally uniform thickness.

3 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the reversible dry adhesive comprises styrene ethylene butylene styrene.

4 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the reversible dry adhesive comprises silicone.

5 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the substrate is formed from an elastomeric material.

6 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the substrate collapses to result in a generally planar application surface during deformation for installation of the reversible dry adhesive.

7 . The applicator of claim 1 further comprising a handle extending from the flexible substrate opposed from the application surface.

8 . The applicator of claim 7 wherein the handle is tubular and detachable from the flexible substrate.

9 . The applicator of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a receptacle to receive hardware.

10 . A shower rod assembly comprising:
a shower rod with a pair of terminal ends; and a pair of applicators, each according to claim 9 , and each of the pair of applicators in receipt of one of the pair of shower rod terminal ends in the corresponding receptacle.

11 . A towel bar assembly comprising:
a towel bar with at least one terminal post; and at least one applicator according to claim 9 in receipt of the at least one towel bar terminal post in the receptacle.

12 . A mirror assembly comprising:
a mirror with at least one terminal post; and an applicator according to claim 9 in receipt of the at least one terminal post in the receptacle.

13 . A basket assembly comprising:
a basket with at least one terminal post; and an applicator according to claim 9 in receipt of the at least one terminal post in the receptacle.

14 . A method of installing an adhesive comprising:
providing an applicator with a convex application surface; providing a reversible dry adhesive on the convex application surface; and applying a focused partial contact of the reversible dry adhesive to a generally flat target support surface.

15 . The method of claim 14 further comprising applying a force to the applicator to deform the application surface and the reversible dry adhesive to expand contact of the reversible dry adhesive with the target support surface.

16 . The method of claim 14 further comprising assembling hardware to the reversible dry adhesive.

17 . The method of claim 14 further comprising assembling hardware to the applicator.

18 . The method of claim 14 further comprising packaging the applicator and the reversible dry adhesive with hardware for retail.

19 . A hardware assembly comprising:
an applicator with a flexible substrate with a convex application surface in an unloaded condition of the flexible substrate; a reversible dry adhesive spread across the application surface to provide a focused partial contact with a generally flat target support surface, and whereby compression of the substrate expands contact of the reversible dry adhesive with the target support surface outward from the focused contact; and a hardware component for installation to the target support surface upon the reversible dry adhesive.

20 . The hardware assembly of claim 19 further comprising retail packaging sized to collectively retain the applicator, the reversible dry adhesive and the hardware component.

Assignees

• Liberty Hardware Mfg Corp

Inventors

• Schultz Nathaniel Faltin Dutton

Classifications

• A47K10/04 Primary

  Towel racks; Towel rails; Towel rods; Towel rolls, e.g. rotatable · CPC title

• A47K3/38

  Arrangements for curtains · CPC title

• A47G1/17

  using adhesives, suction or magnetism {(A47G1/168 takes precedence; suction cups for attaching purposes, equivalent means using adhesives F16B47/00)} · CPC title

• A47K2201/02

  Connections to a wall mounted support · CPC title

• B65D1/38

  Baskets or like containers of skeleton or apertured construction {(crates for bottles or like containers B65D1/243)} · CPC title