Tool for squeezing out high-viscosity liquid from tube container

Abstract

A tool for squeezing out a high-viscosity liquid from a flexible plastic tube container includes a spool having a slot in which the bottom of the tube container is received and locked, and a container holder having a pair of opposed bearing portions frictionally and rotatably supporting thereon a body of the spool, and a pair of opposed engagement portions engageable with a body of the tube container as the tube container is wound on the spool body from the bottom thereof. When a rotational force or torque on the spool is released, the spool is urged to rotate in the reverse direction by a resilient force stored in a portion of the flexible plastic tube container wound on the spool body. However, partly due to a friction acting between the spool body and the bearing portions, and partly due to the engagement between one of the engagement portions and the tube container, the spool is held immovable relative to the container holder against the resilient force of the tube container.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A tool for squeezing out a high-viscosity liquid from a soft plastic tube container, said tool comprising: a spool having a longitudinal slot for receiving and locking therein a bottom of the soft plastic tube container;   a pair of opposed bearing portions formed so as to frictionally engage and rotatably support said spool; and   a pair of opposed engagement portions integral with said bearing portions and engageable with the tube container wherein said bearing portions in conjunction with said engagement portions keep the tube container immovable against rotation about a longitudinal axis of said spool when the flexible plastic tube container is wound on said spool from the bottom thereof, wherein   each of said bearing portions has a bearing hole opposingly aligned with each other, each bearing hole having a diameter slightly smaller than the outside diameter of said spool and a plurality of slits extending radially outwardly therefrom, and   said bearing portions and engagement portions are formed of a resiliently deformable material.   
     
     
       2. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said engagement portions include a pair of opposed elongate strips and a pair of opposed side plates interconnecting the elongate strips at opposite ends, said bearing portions projecting contiguously from the side plates of said engagement portions. 
     
     
       3. A tool according to claim 2, wherein one of the elongate plates is detachably connectable to one of the side plates and lockable when connected to the one side plate. 
     
     
       4. A tool according to claim 1, further comprising: a pair of opposed elongate plates wherein said bearing portions include a pair of opposed side plates interconnecting said elongate plates at opposite ends, and said engagement portions include a pair of opposed engagement wings each projecting from a forward side edge of a corresponding elongate plate.   
     
     
       5. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said spool includes a tubular body and is resiliently contractible in a radial direction. 
     
     
       6. A tool according to claim 1, wherein said spool has an integral handle at one end thereof. .Iadd. 
     
     
       7.  A tool for squeezing out a high-viscosity liquid from a soft plastic tube container, said tool comprising: a spool having a longitudinal slot for receiving and locking therein a bottom of the soft plastic tube container;   a pair of opposed bearing portions formed so as to frictionally engage and rotatably support said spool;   a pair of opposed engagement portions integral with said bearing portions and engageable with the tube container wherein said bearing portions in conjunction with said engagement portions keep the tube container immovable against rotation about a longitudinal axis of said spool when the flexible plastic tube container is wound on said spool from the bottom thereof;   said bearing portions being generally C shaped, each of said C shaped bearing portions having a bearing hole and a cutout recess contiguous to the bearing hole, said spool being snap-fitted into the bearing hole through the cut-out recess; and   friction means disposed on at least one of said spool and said bearing portions for producing friction acting between said spool and said bearing portions, said friction means being formed so as to prevent said spool from rotating in an opposite direction relative to said bearing portions. .Iaddend..Iadd.8. A tool according to claim 7, wherein said friction means includes a roughened outer surface of a portion of said spool supported by each of said bearing portions. .Iaddend..Iadd.9. A tool according to claim 7, wherein said friction means includes a row of teeth formed on a peripheral wall of said bearing holes. .Iaddend..Iadd.10. A tool according to claim 7, wherein said friction means includes a roughened outer surface of a portion of said spool supported by each of said bearing portions and a row of teeth formed on a peripheral wall of said bearing holes. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. A tool according to claim 7, wherein said engagement portions includes a pair of opposed elongate strips and a pair of opposed side plates interconnecting the elongate strips at opposite ends, said bearing portions projecting contiguously from the side plates of said engagement portions. .Iaddend.