Hot melt adhesive supply and methods associated therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10357796-B2
Application number	US-201615043285-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A melter for heating and melting particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form is disclosed. The melter includes a heated receiving device having an interior with an inlet configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive and an outlet. A flexible hopper holds a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive and a particulate hot melt adhesive feed device allows the particulate hot melt adhesive to be directed from the flexible hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A melter for heating and melting particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form, the melter comprising:
a heated receiving device having an interior with an inlet configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive and an outlet, the heated receiving device operative to heat and melt the particulate hot melt adhesive, and to direct the liquified hot melt adhesive to the outlet;
a hopper configured to hold a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive, the hopper being at least partially defined by a movable wall;
an articulation device comprising a driven element configured to move the movable wall to move the particulate hot melt adhesive adjacent to the movable wall toward a central interior location of the hopper; and
a particulate hot melt adhesive feed device configured to allow the particulate hot melt adhesive to be directed from the hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

2. The melter of claim 1 , wherein the hopper is a bag.

3. The melter of claim 2 , wherein the bag further comprises a fabric.

4. The melter of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the articulation device is operatively coupled to an exterior of the movable wall.

5. The melter of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the articulation device is operatively coupled to an interior of the movable wall.

6. The melter of claim 1 , further comprising a driven device positioned within the hopper, the driven device configured to move the particulate hot melt adhesive within the hopper.

7. The melter of claim 6 , wherein the driven device comprises at least one rotating element configured to stir the particulate hot melt adhesive.

8. The melter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a driven feed element positioned within the particulate hot melt adhesive feed device, the driven feed element configured to move the particulate hot melt adhesive from the hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device; and
a cover mounted for movement adjacent to the inlet of the heated receiving device between an open condition and a closed condition, wherein the cover is in the open condition when the adhesive feed device is activated to move the particulate hot melt adhesive to the inlet, and the cover is in the closed condition when the adhesive feed device is not moving the particulate hot melt adhesive to the inlet.

9. The melter of claim 8 , wherein the driven feed element further comprises at least one of a rotating wheel, an auger, or a conveyor.

10. The melter of claim 8 , wherein the cover is heated and, in the closed condition, particulate hot melt adhesive will melt and flow past the cover into the interior of the heated receiving device.

11. The melter of claim 1 , further comprising:
an inlet opening within the heated receiving device, the inlet opening configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive;
a driven feed element positioned within the particulate hot melt adhesive feed device, the driven feed element configured to move the particulate hot melt adhesive from the hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device; and
an air mover device positioned proximate the inlet opening of the heated receiving device, the air mover device configured to direct air across the inlet opening.

12. The melter of claim 8 , wherein the cover further comprises a rupturable element.

13. The melter of claim 1 , wherein the hopper is a prepackaged container.

14. The melter of claim 13 , further comprising:
a container mounting component positioned adjacent the heated receiving device, wherein the prepackaged container is directly connected to the container mounting component, and wherein the prepackaged container is configured to be connected to and disconnected from the container mounting component to allow removal of one prepackaged container and replacement by a different prepackaged container.

15. The melter of claim 1 , wherein the hopper is a hopper.

16. The melter of claim 1 , wherein the hopper is a rigid container.

17. The melter of claim 1 , wherein the driven element is configured to move the movable wall inward and outward.

18. A method for heating and melting particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form, the method comprising:
holding a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive in a hopper being at least partially defined by a movable wall and including an outlet coupled in fluid communication with a pathway leading to an inlet of a heated receiving device;
moving the movable wall of the hopper to move the particulate hot melt adhesive adjacent to the movable wall toward a central interior location of the hopper;
feeding the particulate hot melt adhesive from the outlet of the hopper through the inlet of the heated receiving device;
heating and melting the particulate hot melt adhesive in an interior of the heated receiving device;
directing liquefied hot melt adhesive from the interior of the heated receiving device to an outlet of the heated receiving device; and
pumping the liquefied hot melt adhesive from the outlet to a hot melt adhesive dispenser.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising moving the particulate hot melt adhesive in the hopper by moving a device within the hopper.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein moving the particulate hot melt adhesive by moving a device further comprises rotating the device within the hopper.

21. The method of claim 18 , wherein moving the movable wall comprises moving the movable wall with respect to another wall portion of the hopper.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein moving the movable wall comprises engaging an interior surface of the movable wall with a driven device.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein moving the movable wall comprises engaging an exterior surface of the movable wall portion with a driven device.

24. The method of claim 18 , wherein the hopper is a first prepackaged container, and the outlet is a first outlet.

25. The method of claim 24 , further comprising:
removing the first prepackaged container from fluid communication with the pathway;
replacing the first prepackaged container with a second prepackaged container of particulate hot melt adhesive including a second outlet;
feeding the particulate hot melt adhesive from the second outlet of the second prepackaged container through the inlet of the heated receiving device;
heating and melting the particulate hot melt adhesive from the second prepackaged container in an interior of the heated receiving device;
directing liquefied hot melt adhesive from the interior of the heated receiving device to an outlet of the heated receiving device; and
pumping the liquefied hot melt adhesive from the outlet to a hot melt adhesive dispenser.

26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the first and second prepackaged containers further comprise flexible bags, and the method further comprises:
opening respective first and second covers disposed over the first and second outlets either during or after coupling the first and second prepackaged containers, respectively, to a melter.

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Chastine Christopher R
• Clark Justin A
• Estelle Peter W
• Evans Howard B
• Ganzer Charles P
• Guerrero Manuel A
• Ramosevac Enes
• Riney John M
• Shin Sang Hyub
• Varga Leslie J

Classifications

• F27B1/00

  Shaft or like vertical or substantially vertical furnaces · CPC title

• B29B13/022

  Melting the material to be shaped · CPC title

• B05B15/25

  using moving elements, e.g. rotating blades · CPC title

• B05B7/1472

  Powder extracted from a powder container in a direction substantially opposite to gravity by a suction device dipped into the powder · CPC title

• F27D3/0033

  charging of particulate material · CPC title