초록 ▼

A transport puck vertically aligns a caulking cartridge, nozzle-down. The puck includes (i) a substantially solid lower plug portion, having a lead face and a bottom face and an center passageway that is at least partially inverted frustum-shaped that forms a side contact face that tapers from a wid

A transport puck vertically aligns a caulking cartridge, nozzle-down. The puck includes (i) a substantially solid lower plug portion, having a lead face and a bottom face and an center passageway that is at least partially inverted frustum-shaped that forms a side contact face that tapers from a wider lead face opening to a narrower bottom face opening; and or to a tubular sleeve from the side contact face to the bottom face opening; (ii) an upper sleeve, shaped to receive the caulking cartridge in a desired vertical alignment to the lower plug portion; and (iii) at least one funnel-shaped bore into the bottom face with an inserted connector comprising a head and stem, the head spaced within the bore to define a spacing that has been determined to identify bottom face wear.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A nozzle-down cartridge transport puck to detect surface wear, comprising: (i) an upper sleeve, shaped to receive a caulking cartridge, nozzle-down in vertical alignment to a lower plug portion; and(ii) a substantially solid lower plug portion, comprisinga lead face and a bottom face for stable c

1. A nozzle-down cartridge transport puck to detect surface wear, comprising: (i) an upper sleeve, shaped to receive a caulking cartridge, nozzle-down in vertical alignment to a lower plug portion; and(ii) a substantially solid lower plug portion, comprisinga lead face and a bottom face for stable contact and frictional engagement with level planar surface;a center passageway at least partially shaped with a side contact stop collar that includes a surface that tapers from a wider lead surface opening to a narrower bottom surface opening or to a tubular sleeve from the side contact face to the bottom face opening; andat least one funnel-shaped bore into the bottom face with an inserted connector comprising a head and stem, the head spaced within the bore to define a spacing that has been determined to identify bottom face wear. 2. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein the head of the connector has an indicator that visually contrasts with the bottom face surface. 3. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein the substantially solid lower plug portion having a lead face and a bottom, includes a nozzle receiving channel having a shaped center passageway that defines an inclined side contact face tapering from a wider lead face opening to a narrower bottom face opening. 4. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein the substantially solid lower plug portion having a lead face and a bottom includes a nozzle receiving channel in the form of an inverted frustum-shaped or modified frustum shaped center passageway that defines an inclined side contact face that tapers from a wider lead face opening to as narrower bottom face opening and the tapering contact face defines a plane that forms an acute angle at least greater than 15° at intersection with a plane of the lead face. 5. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein the substantially solid lower plug portion having a lead face and a bottom defines a nozzle receiving channel in the form of an inverted frustum-shaped or modified frustum shaped center passageway that defines an inclined side contact face that tapers from a wider lead face opening to a narrower bottom face opening and the tapering contact face defines a plane that forms an acute angle between 20° to 75° at intersection with a plane of the lead face. 6. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein the substantially solid lower plug portion having a lead face and a bottom defines a nozzle receiving channel in the form of an inverted frustum-shaped or modified frustum shaped center passageway that defines an inclined side contact face that tapers from a wider lead face opening to a narrower bottom face opening and the tapering contact face defines a plane that forms an acute angle between 40° to 60° at intersection with a plane of the lead face. 7. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein an intersection of a plane of the lead face and the plane of the side contact face defines an acute between 20° to 75°. 8. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1, wherein an intersection of a plane of the lead face and the plane of the side contact face defines an acute angle between 40° to 60°. 9. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the lower plug portion has a weight and the bottom face has a breadth to maintain a center of gravity of the puck and a filled caulking cartridge, below a plane passing through any single fulcral point or edge of the bottom face and extending upward through the sleeve from the level planar surface at an angle of about 60°. 10. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the lower portion comprises a material having a specific gravity greater than about 2. 11. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the upper sleeve comprises a material having a specific gravity of less than 2. 12. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the upper sleeve to lower portion weight ratio is a maximum of about 2/3. 13. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the upper sleeve to lower portion height ratio is greater than about 3/2. 14. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the lower portion comprises materials selected from the group consisting of metal filled plastic. 15. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the upper sleeve comprises materials selected from the group consisting of plastic and wood. 16. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the ratio of maximum height to maximum width exceeds about 1/1. 17. The nozzle-down cartridge transport puck of claim 1 wherein the head is signified by a contrasting head surface material or by an added pigment, paint or chalk. 18. A nozzle-down tilling system for filling cartridges with a viscous material, comprising a cartridge loading station comprising a transport puck adapted to receive the cartridge in a nozzle-down vertical alignment, the transport puck comprising (i) a substantially solid lower plug portion, having a lead face and a bottom face and a center passageway that is at least partially in the form of a side contact stop collar having a face that tapers from a wider lead face opening to a narrower bottom face opening or to a tubular sleeve from the side contact face to the bottom face opening; (ii) an upper channel, shaped to receive the caulking cartridge in the vertical alignment to the lower plug portion; and (iii) at least one funnel-shaped bore into the bottom face with an inserted connector comprising a head and stem, the head spaced within the bore to define a spacing that has been determined to identify bottom face wear; a filling station adapted to receive the cartridge with a viscous material;a capping station to cap the cartridge; anda conveyor adapted to receive a cartridge dispensed by the loading station and for conveying the cartridge in turn to the filling station and then the capping station. 19. A method for filling a nozzled caulking cartridge comprising: vertically aligning the cartridge in a transport puck, nozzle down, by an apparatus to unscramble and load the puck comprising (i) a substantially solid lower portion, having a bottom face for stable contact and frictional engagement with level planar surfaces, and attached thereto, opposite the bottom face, (ii) an upper sleeve, shaped to receive the caulking cartridge in a nozzle-down alignment; and (iii) at least one funnel-shaped bore into the bottom face with an inserted connector comprising a head and stem, the head spaced within the bore to define a spacing that has been determined to identify an extent of bottom face wear; wherein the lower portion has a weight and the bottom face has sufficient breadth to maintain the center of gravity of the puck and filled caulker, below a tipping plane;transporting the puck to an apparatus for filling the caulking cartridge;filling the cartridge; andcapping the cartridge. 20. The nozzle-down filling system for filling cartridges with a viscous material of claim 18, wherein the head of the connector has an indicator that visually contrasts with the bottom face surface.