Glitter glue tube dispensing apparatus

Abstract

Dispensing apparatus for dispensing glue from a tube, such as a glitter glue tube, includes a housing, a cover member movably connected to the housing and defining a tube-receiving compartment with the housing which is opened upon movement of the cover member relative to the housing, an actuatable trigger arranged on the housing, and a compression mechanism arranged in the housing for engaging the tube when in the compartment and compressing the tube upon actuation of the trigger in order to cause glitter glue from the tube to be pushed out of a dispensing opening at a front end of the tube. Actuation of the trigger by the user therefore provides for a controlled dispensing of glue from the tube.

1 . A dispensing apparatus for dispensing glue from a tube, comprising:
 a housing;   a cover member movably connected to said housing and defining a tube-receiving compartment with said housing, said compartment being opened upon movement of said cover member relative to said housing;   an actuatable trigger arranged on said housing; and   compression means arranged in said housing for engaging the tube when in said compartment and compressing the tube upon actuation of said trigger.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said compression means comprise a motor, a screw, a gear arrangement for converting rotational power from said motor into rotation of said screw and a compression member threaded onto said screw and extending partly into said compartment, said compression member being adapted to engage with the tube when in said compartment. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said compression member has a thread-engaging portion defining a threaded aperture with which said screw engages and a compressive portion extending into said compartment and adapted to engage with the tube, whereby upon actuation of said trigger, said screw rotates in a first direction causing lateral displacement of said compression member in a direction toward a front end of said housing and compression of the tube by said compressive portion. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said compressive portion includes a base, a rotatable roller and a support structure for rotatably supporting said roller at a distance from said base, whereby when a rear end portion of the tube is placed between said roller and said base, the lateral displacement of said compression member causes said roller to rotate and press the tube against said base and glue to flow toward a dispensing opening at a front end of the tube. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said support structure comprises a pair of brackets extending upward from edges of said base, each of said brackets including an aperture, said roller being mounted at its axial ends in said apertures. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said compression means are arranged to cause rotation of said screw in a second direction opposite to said first direction when actuation of said trigger stops to thereby cause a slight rearward lateral displacement of said compressive portion. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising a latch for releasably securing said cover member to said housing, said compression means being arranged to cause rotation of said screw in a second direction opposite to said first direction when said latch is actuated to enable pivotal movement of said cover member relative to said housing and then released, to thereby cause rearward lateral displacement of said compressive portion into a position allowing for disengagement of the tube from said compressive portion. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising latch means for releasably securing said cover member to said housing. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein said latch means comprise a movable latch arranged on said housing and a projection arranged on said cover member and arranged to be situated under said latch when said cover member is secured to said housing. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cover member includes a transparent window at least partially alongside said compartment. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said housing includes a support platform defining a bottom of said compartment for supporting the tube when in said compartment. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cover member includes an opening through which a dispensing nozzle of the tube projects when in said compartment. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cover member includes a truncated conical portion at its front end for accommodating a dispensing nozzle of the tube. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said housing is elongate and comprises a front part and a rear part, said cover member being pivotally connected to a front end portion of said front part, said trigger being arranged under said cover member on an opposite side of said housing from said cover member. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said cover member is pivotally connected to said housing. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising mounting means for pivotally mounting said cover member to said housing, said mounting means comprising pivot pins formed on said housing and corresponding apertures formed on said cover member, said pivot pins being accommodated in said apertures. 
   
   
       17 . A dispensing apparatus for dispensing glue from a tube, comprising:
 a housing;   cover means for selectively covering an interior space in said housing to thereby define a tube-receiving compartment;   compression means arranged in said housing for engaging with the tube when in said compartment and compressing the tube; and   trigger means arranged on said housing for initiating said compression means.   
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein said compression means comprise a motor, a screw, a gear arrangement for converting rotational power from said motor into rotation of said screw and a compression member threaded onto said screw and extending partly into said compartment, said compression member having a thread-engaging portion defining a threaded aperture with which said screw engages and a compressive portion extending into said compartment and adapted to engage with the tube when in said compartment, whereby upon actuation of said trigger means, said screw rotates in a first direction causing lateral displacement of said compression member in a direction toward a front end of said housing and compression of the tube by said compressive portion. 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said compression means are arranged to cause rotation of said screw in a second direction opposite to said first direction when actuation of said trigger means stops to thereby cause a slight rearward lateral displacement of said compressive portion. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising a latch for releasably securing said cover member to said housing, said compression means being arranged to cause rotation of said screw in a second direction opposite to said first direction when said latch is actuated to enable pivotal movement of said cover member relative to said housing and then released, to thereby cause rearward lateral displacement of said compressive portion into a position allowing for disengagement of the tube from said compressive portion.