Tool for shaping sealant

#The present invention relates to a tool for shaping sealant.

#Sealant is often used in building work when it is necessary to close joints and gaps between masonry, tile, timber and other materials. This is particularly the case where it is desirable to make a gap or joint substantially water impermeable such as the gap between a bath and an adjacent, tiled wall. Traditionally, sealant or caulk is applied as a bead along a gap or joint using a caulking gun which usually comprises a cylindrical chamber for containing the sealant, a nozzle from which the sealant may be dispensed from the chamber and a plunger for forcing the sealant in the chamber out through the nozzle.

#A problem many caulking guns is that the sealant is not always dispensed in a uniform manner and this can lead to an unsightly, irregular bead of sealant being applied that either does not entirely fill the joint or that spills over and around the joint, thereby creating mess. Caulking guns are also not very effective at urging the bead of sealant into the joint to create a neat finish which means that the user must often resort to using a finger to shape the bead and smooth it out. Not only is this procedure messy but even when using a finger, the applied sealant can still be unsightly with non-uniform edges.

#In order that the invention may be more clearly understood embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

#FIG. 1 is a plan view of a tool according to the invention when flattened out;

#FIG. 1a is an enlarged view of a leading edge of the tool shown in FIG. 1;

#With reference to the drawings, there is shown a sealing tool 1 made from polypropylene plastics material comprising a substantially flat, triangular sheet forming a body 3 and a pair of wings 5, 7 that are hingedly attached to opposite sides respectively of the body 3. The wings 5, 7 are tapered and arranged such that they converge toward one corner of the body 3 which has an edge 9 for smoothing sealant. In this embodiment, the smoothing edge 9 has a substantially flat edge to aid in the application of a bead of sealant of substantially uniform width having a substantially flat surface.

#The wings 5, 7 each have three sides (including the side which is attached to the body 3). The free side 16, 17 or leading edge of each wing 5, 7 that converges toward the tip 9 is curved to help urge the sealant toward the tip 9. The two leading edges 16, 17 are tapered like the edge of a blade to assist in the removal of unwanted sealant when the tool is passed over a bead of sealant. The body 3 part and wing parts 5, 7 are formed by taking a blank of appropriately shaped polypropylene plastic and cutting two converging grooves across the blank from one side to another to form hinges between the body 3 and the wings 5, 7. The grooves may be concave to encourage movement of the wings 5, 7 relative to the body in a particular direction as shown in FIGS. 10a and 10b. The depth of the grooves is chosen to create tension between the body 3 and the wings 5, 7 so that, in use, pressure is applied and maintained against the smoothing edge 9 and leading edges 16, 17, thereby ensuring effective shaping of the bead and removal of residual sealant.

#The wings 5, 7 can be arranged to be substantially coplanar with the body 3 or to extend from the body 3 through a range of angles from zero degrees up to 180 degrees. Thus, the body 3 and wings 5, 7 can be arranged to be substantially flat so that the space occupied by the sealing tool 1 can be kept to a minimum for transportation, storage and packing. The ability to flatten the tool 1 also makes it easier to clean. Both wings 5, 7 hinge in the same direction away from the body and therefore may be closed in toward one another to define a space between the body 3 and the wings 5, 7 in which sealant may collect.