DEVICE FOR INSERTING A PLUGGING COMPOUND INTO AN OPENING

Abstract

A device (1) for introducing a plugging compound (20) into a borehole (21), the device having a sleeve (2) with a cavity (3) for receiving the plugging compound (20). On one side, the sleeve (2) has a discharge opening (5), corresponding to the cavity (3), for discharging the plugging compound (20), and a support section (7), projecting laterally from the sleeve, for providing a support option for the sleeve (2) during introduction of the plugging compound (20). On the opposite side of the sleeve (2), an upper opening (4) is provided, through which a piston (16) together with a feed plate (18) protrudes into the cavity (3). The piston (16) is movable relative to the sleeve (2) in such a way that the feed plate (18) can be displaced in the cavity (3), for example to allow the plugging compound (20) to be received and dispensed.

Claims

1. A device for introducing a plugging compound into a borehole, the device having a sleeve with a cavity for receiving the plugging compound, on one side the sleeve having a discharge opening, corresponding to the cavity, for discharging the plugging compound, and a support section, projecting laterally from the sleeve, for providing a support option for the sleeve during introduction of the plugging compound, wherein on the opposite side of the sleeve an upper opening is provided, through which a piston together with a feed plate protrudes into the cavity, the piston being movable relative to the sleeve in such a way that the feed plate can be displaced in the cavity in order to allow the plugging compound to be received and dispensed.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cavity has a cylindrical shape, at least in the area in which the feed plate can be displaced in the cavity.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge opening is aligned with an inner wall which delimits the cavity.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the piston is movable on both sides relative to the sleeve to allow the plugging compound to be received into the cavity and discharged for introduction into a borehole.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support section has a support surface, whereby the support surface and an end face which delimits the discharge opening lie in a plane.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support section has the support surface, a free space being provided between the support surface and the end face which delimits the discharge opening.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support surface is provided on a circumferential support edge, and the end face is provided on the opening edge, whereby the support edge and the opening edge are spaced apart from one another in such a way that a free space is provided, at least in areas, between the support surface and the end face.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve has a retaining means for the piston in order to provide an option for delimiting the relative movement of the piston with respect to the sleeve.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the retaining means is designed as a projection which protrudes from the inner wall of the sleeve.

10. A method for introducing a plugging compound into a borehole, using a device according to claim 1, characterized by the following steps: introducing the plugging compound into the cavity in the sleeve; placing the device with the support surface on a substrate in such a way that the discharge opening is situated above the borehole; bringing about a relative movement of the piston with respect to the sleeve in order to displace the feed plate within the cavity in the direction of the discharge opening and to transfer the plugging compound from the cavity into the borehole; removing the device from the substrate, initiated by an initial movement substantially in parallel to the plane of the substrate in order to allow shearing of the plugging compound from the feed plate.

Description

[0028] One preferred embodiment is described below with reference to figures, which show the following:

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device according to the invention,

[0030] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the device from FIG. 1,

[0031] FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of the device from FIG. 1, with a plugging compound placed on a substrate,

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the device from FIG. 3,

[0033] FIG. 5 shows a sectional side view of the device from FIG. 3 during introduction of the plugging compound into a borehole, and

[0034] FIG. 6 shows a sectional side view of the device from FIG. 3 after introduction of the plugging compound into a borehole.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a device 1 according to the invention for introducing a plugging compound, not shown in FIG. 1, into a borehole, the device having a sleeve 3 which surrounds a cavity 3 for receiving the plugging compound. The sleeve 2 has a largely hollow cylindrical shape, and the cavity 3 has a substantially cylindrical basic shape. On the distal front side, the sleeve 2 has a discharge opening 5, corresponding to the cavity 3, for discharging the plugging compound, the cross section of the discharge opening 5 corresponding to the cross section of the cavity 3. In addition, in the area of the discharge opening 5, a support section 7 is integrally molded onto the outer side of the sleeve 2 for providing a support option for the sleeve 3 during introduction of the plugging compound. The sleeve 2 and the support section 7 are made of the same plastic material, and have been manufactured in an injection molding process. In the present exemplary embodiment, a transparent plastic material is used, on the one hand to be able to view the cavity 3, and on the other hand to be able see through the support section 7 during application in order to ensure secure positioning of the device 1.

[0036] In addition, an upper opening 4 is provided on the proximal side of the sleeve 2, opposite from the discharge opening 5, through which a punch 14 containing a piston 16 together with a feed plate 18 facing in the distal direction protrudes into the cavity 3. On the proximal side, the punch 14 has a flat, oval-shaped pressure plate 15 which is situated essentially at right angles to the piston 16, via which the user by a pushing or pulling action may move the piston 16 relative to the sleeve 3 in such a way that the feed plate 18 is displaceable in the cavity 3 in the direction of the discharge opening 5 or in the opposite direction, so that the plugging compound may be received or dispensed, for example. The punch 14 is likewise made of a plastic material; the piston is not made of a uniformly solid material, but instead has numerous ribs 17 which extend in parallel to one another in the longitudinal direction of the piston.

[0037] FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the device 1 from FIG. 1. The circular discharge opening 5, which allows access to the cylindrical cavity 5 at the distal side of the device 1, is apparent. The discharge opening 5 is delimited by an opening edge 6 that is formed by the section of the sleeve 2 which protrudes in the distal direction; in the present case an end face 12 is provided.

[0038] The projecting support area 7 has an oval shape, and protrudes laterally from the sleeve 2. A support or bearing option for the device 1 is hereby provided by a circumferential support edge 8 around the sleeve which follows the oval basic shape of the support area 7, forms the outer edge of the support area 7, and projects in the distal direction and ends at a support surface 10 at that location. The support surface 10 and the end face 12 lie in a plane. In addition, the support edge 8 and the opening edge 6 are designed in such a way that at the narrow side of the oval of the support area 7, the support edge 8 and the opening edge 6 come into contact in such a way that the support surface 10 and the end face 12 merge into one another. On the wide side of the oval, once again the support edge 10 and the opening edge 6 are spaced apart from one another in such a way that a free space 9 is provided on both sides between the support surface 8 and the end face 12, which may result in the advantages described above. In addition, FIG. 1 shows the oval pressure plate 15, which in the exemplary embodiment shown and in the view shown protrudes laterally beyond the support area 7.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a sectional side view of the device 1 from FIG. 1, with a plugging compound 20 within the cavity 3, the device being placed on a substrate, in the present case a wall 23 made of masonry, into which a borehole 21 has been introduced. The user has mixed together the components of the two-component plugging compound 20, based on epoxy resin, by manually kneading in a method step not depicted. In the position shown, the piston 16, if not already in the shown position, together with the molded-on feed plate 18 has been displaced in the proximal direction in order to provide space for receiving the plugging compound 20. The user has subsequently formed the plugging compound 20 into a suitable shape and introduced it into the cavity 3 in the sleeve 2. In the figure shown, the user has already placed the device 1 above the borehole 21, the support surface 8 of the support edge 10 resting on the outer side of the wall 23 and the discharge opening 5 being situated above the borehole 21. The opening edge 6 with its end face 12 is still situated on the outer side of the wall 23. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the diameter of the borehole 21 approximately corresponds to the diameter of the discharge opening 5, and thus also to the diameter of the cavity 3, so that a borehole wall 22 which delimits the borehole 21 is approximately aligned with the inner wall 11 of the cavity 3. It is particularly easy to introduce the plugging compound 20 with such a configuration. Of course, differences in diameter and shape are also conceivable. However, the borehole 21 is preferably larger than the discharge opening 5 and/or the cross section of the cavity 3.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a detail A of the device 1 from FIG. 3, the distal section of the piston 16 together with the molded-on feed plate 18 being apparent. The feed plate 18 has a collar that protrudes radially from the outer area of the piston 16, and which is in circumferential contact with the inner wall 11 of the sleeve 2. As described above, the piston 16 is illustrated displaced in the proximal direction, i.e., in the direction of the upper opening 4. To prevent the piston 16 from being pulled out further from the sleeve 2, the sleeve 2 has a protruding projection 13 on its inner wall 11 which is used as a stop for the protruding collar of the feed plate 18. This projection 13 is provided circumferentially over the entire inner wall 11 of the sleeve 2.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows a sectional side view of the device 1 from FIG. 3 during the introduction of the plugging compound 20 into a borehole 21. For this purpose, the user exerts pressure on the pressure plate 15 in the direction of the wall 23 or in the direction of the discharge opening 5, so that the piston 16 together with the feed plate 18 is displaced relative to the sleeve 2, the feed plate 18 due to its displacement being moved within the cavity 3 and pressing the plugging compound 20 from the cavity 3 into the borehole 21. Since the feed plate 18 with its protruding collar 18 is in contact with the inner wall 11 of the sleeve 2 during the displacement within the cavity 3, it scrapes or shears off any plugging compound 20 adhering to the inner wall 11 from the inner wall, so that no residues remain within the cavity.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a sectional side view of the device from FIG. 3 after the plugging compound 21 has been introduced into a borehole. The entire borehole 21 is preferably filled with plugging compound 20, and the user has also been able to bring the plugging compound 20 into contact with the borehole wall 22 by exerting pressure on the punch plate. In the end position shown, the surface of the feed plate 18 facing in the distal direction preferably lies in a plane with the end face 12 to allow easy removal of the device 1 from the wall 23. The removal is preferably initiated by an initial movement in the lateral direction, i.e., substantially in parallel to the outer side of the wall 23, to allow the plugging compound 20 to be sheared off from the surface of the feed plate 18 facing in the distal direction. If a residue of plugging compound 20 should remain on the feed plate 18 or the end face 12, for example, this residue may be transported into the free space 9 from the support edge 8, for example, during this shearing movement, without soiling the surroundings.

[0043] After the removal, the surface of the plugging compound 20 in the borehole 21 is smoothed and/or the structure is adapted to the outer side of the wall 23. The support edge 8 or the pressure plate 15, for example, may be used for this purpose. A connecting means, such as a wood screw, may subsequently be introduced as described above into the plugging compound 20, which is preferably partially cured.

List of Reference Numerals

[0044]

TABLE-US-00001 1 Device 2 Sleeve 3 Cavity 4 Upper opening 5 Discharge opening 6 Opening edge 7 Support section 8 Support surface 9 Free space 10 Support edge 11 Inner wall 12 End face 13 Projection 14 Punch 15 Pressure plate 16 Piston 17 Ribs 18 Feed plate 19 Collar 20 Plugging compound 21 Borehole 22 Borehole wall 23 Wall