Non-stick epoxy applicator and method of making

Abstract

A reusable applicator for epoxy application and a method of manufacture are disclosed herein. The reusable applicator having a rigid portion configured to support a handle attached thereto, the rigid portion having a first durometer. The reusable applicator having a flexible portion extending from said rigid portion, the flexible portion having a second durometer, said first durometer being greater than said second durometer. The flexible portion further includes an interaction surface located on a first side of the flexible portion, an opposite surface located opposite the interaction surface of the flexible portion, and a permanently lubricating film extending along said interaction surface and said opposite surface, the interaction surface spaced from the opposite surface by the flexible portion, the permanently lubricating film providing the interaction and opposite surfaces with a lower coefficient of friction than the rigid surface. The reusable applicator manufactured using a single extrusion head.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reusable applicator for epoxy application, the applicator comprising:
 a) a rigid portion configured to support a handle attached thereto, the rigid portion having a first durometer;   b) a flexible portion extending from said rigid portion, the flexible portion having a second durometer, said first durometer being greater than said second durometer, said flexible portion further comprising:
 i) an interaction surface located on a first side of the flexible portion; 
 ii) an opposite surface located opposite the interaction surface of the flexible portion, the interaction surface spaced from the opposite surface by the flexible portion; and 
 iii) a permanently lubricating film extending along said interaction surface, the permanently lubricating film providing the interaction surface with a lower coefficient of friction than the rigid surface; 
   c) wherein said permanently lubricated film is embedded within said interaction surface.   
     
     
         2 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said permanently lubricated film is embedded within said interaction surface and said opposite surface. 
     
     
         3 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said permanently lubricated film is embedded within an entire surface of the flexible portion. 
     
     
         4 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the permanently lubricated film is a polyethylene film. 
     
     
         5 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises one of a blade or a roller. 
     
     
         6 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator is formed by co-extrusion of the flexible and rigid portions. 
     
     
         7 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator is formed by tri-extrusion of the flexible portion, the rigid portions, and the permanently lubricated film. 
     
     
         8 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible portion terminates in a triangular tip opposite the rigid portion. 
     
     
         9 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first durometer is between 50 and 80 on a Shore D scale and the second durometer is between 40 and 60 on a Shore A scale. 
     
     
         10 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator comprises a blade that defines a bend along a lateral axis, the bend extends at a bend angle, wherein the bend angle is a degree of deviation from a base axis of the blade, further wherein the bend angle is between about 20° to about 60°, the base axis is perpendicular to the lateral axis. 
     
     
         11 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the permanently lubricated film has a coefficient of friction (COF) 0.5 or less. 
     
     
         12 . The reusable applicator assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the permanently lubricated film is between about 0.003″ to about 0.005″ thick. 
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a reusable applicator for epoxy application, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing a first lubricated material comprising a permanently lubricated film having a low coefficient of friction (COF);   (b) providing a second material comprising a thermoplastic polyolefin;   (c) providing a third material comprising a thermoplastic vulcanizate elastomer;   (d) loading a respective extruder with said first, second, and third materials;   (e) heating said first, second, and third materials within a heating section of the respective extruders;   (f) feeding said first, second, and third materials from said heating sections into a die head; and   (g) forming a single extrusion from said first, second, and third materials, the extrusion having said permanently lubricated film confined along a select portion of the applicator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the permanently lubricated film has a COF 0.5 or less. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein forming the single extrusion comprises extruding said second material to form a rigid portion of the applicator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein forming the single extrusion comprises extruding said third material to form a flexible portion of the applicator, the flexible portion extending from said rigid portion, said flexible portion defining an interaction surface located on a first side of the flexible portion and an opposite surface located opposite the interaction surface of the flexible portion. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the single extrusion comprises extruding the first lubricated material onto at least one of the interaction surface or the opposite surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein forming the single extrusion comprises extruding one of a blade or a roller. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the second material has a durometer between 50 and 80 on a Shore D scale and the third material has a durometer between 40 and 60 on a Shore A scale. 
     
     
         20 . A reusable applicator for epoxy application, the applicator comprising a blade and a handle, the blade comprising:
 a) a rigid portion configured to support a handle attached thereto, the rigid portion having a durometer between 50 and 80 on a Shore D scale;   b) a flexible portion extending from said rigid portion, the flexible portion having a durometer between 40 and 60 on a Shore A scale, the flexible portion terminating in a triangular tip opposite the rigid portion, said flexible portion further comprising:
 i) an interaction surface located on a first side of the flexible portion; 
 ii) an opposite surface located opposite the interaction surface of the flexible portion; and 
 iii) a permanently lubricating film extending along said interaction surface and said opposite surface, the interaction surface spaced from the opposite surface by the flexible portion, the permanently lubricating film having a coefficient of friction (COF) 0.5 or less and being between about 0.003″ to about 0.005″ thick; 
   c) wherein said permanently lubricated film is embedded within said interaction surface.