Foam-in-bag systems and components thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12030221-B2
Application number	US-202016998047-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 20, 2020
Priority date	Feb 23, 2018
Publication date	Jul 9, 2024
Grant date	Jul 9, 2024

Abstract

A system for opening and closing a mixing manifold includes a drive motor, a cam plate, and a valving rod connector. The drive motor imparts movement in first and second directions. Movement imparted in the first direction causes the cam plate to move linearly in a third direction and movement imparted in the second direction causes the cam plate to move linearly in a fourth direction. Movement of the cam plate in the third direction causes the valving rod connector to move linearly in a fifth direction and movement of the cam plate in the fourth direction causes the valving rod connector to move linearly in a sixth direction. Movement of the valving rod connector in the fifth direction causes retraction of a valving rod of the mixing manifold and movement of the valving rod connector in the sixth direction causes extension of the valving rod.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for opening and closing a mixing manifold, the mixing manifold including a valving rod, wherein the mixing manifold is open when the valving rod is retracted and the mixing manifold is closed when the valving rod is extended, the system comprising:
a drive motor configured to selectively impart movement in a first direction and in a second direction;
a cam plate coupled to the drive motor such that movement imparted by the drive motor in the first direction causes a linear movement of the cam plate in a third direction and movement imparted by the drive motor in the second direction causes a linear movement of the cam plate in a fourth direction; and
a valving rod connector engaged with the cam plate such that linear movement of the cam plate in the third direction causes linear movement of the valving rod connector in a fifth direction and linear movement of the cam plate in the fourth direction causes linear movement of the valving rod connector in a sixth direction;
wherein the valving rod connector is configured to be coupled to the valving rod such that linear movement of the valving rod connector in the fifth direction causes the valving rod to be retracted to open the mixing manifold and linear movement of the valving rod connector in the sixth direction causes the valving rod to be extended to close the mixing manifold.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the third and fourth directions are opposite of and parallel to each other, and wherein the fifth and sixth directions are opposite of and parallel to each other.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth directions are substantially perpendicular to the fifth and sixth directions.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first and second directions are rotational directions that are opposite of each other.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the system comprises the mixing manifold.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein the mixing manifold includes at least two inlets and a mixing chamber, wherein the at least two inlets are configured to permit flow of two chemical precursors into the mixing chamber.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the mixing manifold further includes an outlet configured to permit flow of the chemical precursors out of the mixing chamber.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the chemical precursors are configured to begin to react to form urethane foam in response to mixing in the mixing chamber, and wherein the flow of the chemical precursors out of the mixing chamber includes at least some of the urethane foam formed in the mixing chamber.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein, when the mixing manifold is closed, the valving rod is extended through the mixing chamber and the outlet, and wherein, when the mixing manifold is open, the valving rod is retracted back from the outlet and the mixing chamber.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the drive motor is configured to impart sufficient driving force when extracting or retracting the valving rod through the mixing chamber to overcome an adhesion force between the valving rod and the mixing chamber due to remnants of the urethane foam in the mixing chamber.

11. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a drive coupling assembly coupled to the drive motor and to the cam plate, wherein the drive coupling assembly is configured to convert rotational motion of the drive motor into linear motion of the cam plate.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the drive coupling assembly comprises:
a drive screw coupled to a shaft of the drive motor, wherein the drive screw is configured to rotate in response to rotation of the shaft of the drive motor;
a nut configured to engage with the drive screw, wherein the nut is configured not to rotate when the drive screw rotates such that the nut moves linearly when the drive screw rotates; and
a nut extender coupled to the nut and coupled to the cam plate, wherein the nut extender translates linear movements of the nut to linear movements of the cam plate.

13. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of rollers configured to support and to guide the cam plate as the cam plate moves linearly in the third and fourth directions.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein:
at least one of the rollers is a grooved roller;
at least one surface of the cam plate is a V-shaped surface; and
the grooved roller is configured to engage the V-shaped surface.

15. A method for opening and closing a mixing manifold, the mixing manifold including a valving rod, wherein the mixing manifold is open when the valving rod is retracted and the mixing manifold is closed when the valving rod is extended, the method comprising:
selectively operating a drive motor to impart movement in a first direction, wherein a cam plate is coupled to the drive motor such that the movement imparted by the drive motor in the first direction causes a linear movement of the cam plate in a third direction, wherein a valving rod connector is engaged with the cam plate such that linear movement of the cam plate in the third direction causes linear movement of the valving rod connector in a fifth direction, and wherein the valving rod connector is configured to be coupled to the valving rod such that linear movement of the valving rod connector in the fifth direction causes the valving rod to be retracted to open the mixing manifold; and
selectively operating the drive motor to impart movement in a second direction, wherein the cam plate is coupled to the drive motor such that the movement imparted by the drive motor in the second direction causes a linear movement of the cam plate in a fourth direction, wherein the valving rod connector is engaged with the cam plate such that linear movement of the cam plate in the fourth direction causes linear movement of the valving rod connector in a sixth direction, and wherein the valving rod connector is configured to be coupled to the valving rod such that linear movement of the valving rod connector in the sixth direction causes the valving rod to be extended to close the mixing manifold.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the third and fourth directions are opposite of and parallel to each other, and wherein the fifth and sixth directions are opposite of and parallel to each other.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the third and fourth directions are substantially perpendicular to the fifth and sixth directions.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second directions are rotational directions that are opposite of each other.

Assignees

• Sealed Air Corp

Inventors

• Bertram George
• Walker Douglas

Classifications

• B29C66/91421

  of the joining tools · CPC title

• B29C65/18

  using heated tools · CPC title

• B01F2101/2204

  Mixing chemical components in generals in order to improve chemical treatment or reactions, independently from the specific application · CPC title

• B01F2035/99

  Heating · CPC title

• B01F35/71805

  using valves, gates, orifices or openings · CPC title