Laminated slot die assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11453026-B2
Application number	US-201716315949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2017
Priority date	Jul 14, 2016
Publication date	Sep 27, 2022
Grant date	Sep 27, 2022

Abstract

A slot die assembly for dispensing a fluid onto an article includes an adapter body, a shim package and a die plate. The adapter body includes an adapter conduit configured to receive a fluid. The shim package includes a plurality of shim plates having a shim conduit disposed in fluid communication with the adapter conduit and configured to receive the fluid from the adapter conduit. The shim package further includes a connecting conduit disposed in fluid communication with the shim conduit, a reservoir disposed in fluid communication with the connecting conduit, and a slot disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir. The slot is configured to dispense the fluid onto an article. The die plate is disposed in abutting relationship to the shim package.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A slot die assembly for dispensing a hot melt adhesive onto an article, comprising:
an adapter having a body having an adapter conduit configured to receive the hot melt adhesive;
a shim package comprising a plurality of shim plates having a shim conduit disposed in fluid communication with the adapter conduit and configured to receive the hot melt adhesive from the adapter conduit, the shim package further comprising a connecting conduit disposed in fluid communication with the shim conduit, a reservoir disposed in fluid communication with the connecting conduit, and a single elongated slot disposed in direct fluid communication with the reservoir, the single elongated slot configured to dispense the hot melt adhesive from the slot die assembly; and
a die plate disposed in abutting relationship to the shim package,
wherein the shim conduit defines a portion of a hot melt adhesive flow path to direct the hot melt adhesive in a first direction from the adapter toward the die plate, the reservoir defining another portion of the hot melt adhesive flow path in a downward direction, the flow path defining a third, horizontal direction opposite to the first horizontal direction, and a further portion of the flow path out of the slot die assembly in a downward direction, and wherein the adhesive flow path is devoid of flow in an upward direction.

2. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hot melt adhesive flow path is defined by the adapter conduit, the shim conduit, the connecting conduit, the reservoir and the slot, and the hot melt adhesive flow path is not formed in the die plate.

3. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shim plates of the shim package are formed by one or more of laser cutting, die cutting, water jet cutting, blade cutting, milling and drilling.

4. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shim plates are made from stainless steel.

5. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the body of the adapter and the die plate are made from hardened metal.

6. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the body of the adapter and the die plate are made from tool steel.

7. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connecting conduit is configured to direct the hot melt adhesive substantially in a height direction.

8. The slot die assembly of claim 7 , wherein the connecting conduit is configured to direct the hot melt adhesive substantially in a transverse direction.

9. The slot die assembly of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir is configured to direct the hot melt adhesive substantially in a transverse direction.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Ayers Andrew S

Classifications

• B05C5/0254 Primary

  Coating heads with slot-shaped outlet (B05C5/0283 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C48/3003

  Materials, coating or lining therefor · CPC title

• B29C48/305

  having a wide opening, e.g. for forming sheets · CPC title

• B29C48/2566

  Die parts · CPC title

• B29C48/25686

  for dies · CPC title