Hot melt adhesive supply and methods associated therewith

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016236231-A1
Application number	US-201615043373-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 12, 2016
Priority date	Feb 13, 2015
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A flexible bag system can dispense particulate hot melt adhesive. The flexible bag system includes an articulation device in contact with the flexible bag body and manipulates the flexible bag body to maintain fluidity of the particulate hot melt adhesive out of the outlet. A system for supplying particulate hot melt adhesive is also disclosed. The system includes an outer housing, a flexible inner housing disposed inside the outer housing that receives the particulate hot melt adhesive, a transfer opening disposed inside the flexible inner housing and through which the particulate hot melt adhesive is transferred, and an agitator in contact with the flexible inner housing, where the agitator applies a lateral force to a surface of the flexible inner housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A flexible bag system configured to dispense particulate hot melt adhesive, the flexible bag system comprising:
a flexible bag body having an outer surface and an inner surface, the flexible bag body being configured to hold the particulate hot melt adhesive; an outlet in fluid communication with the interior of the flexible bag body, the outlet being configured to output particulate hot melt adhesive to a melter; and an articulation device in contact with the flexible bag body, and configured to manipulate the flexible bag body to maintain fluidity of the particulate hot melt adhesive out of the outlet.

2 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the articulation device is within the flexible bag body and contacts the inner surface of the flexible bag body.

3 . The flexible bag system of claim 2 , wherein the articulation device comprises one or more end pieces connected to a drive mechanism by one or more corresponding arms, the one or more end pieces being coupled to the inner surface of the flexible bag body.

4 . The flexible bag system of claim 3 , wherein the drive mechanism is an eccentric drive mechanism that rotates the one or more arms to manipulate the flexible bag body.

5 . The flexible bag system of claim 3 , wherein the drive mechanism is a vibrator mechanism that vibrates the one or more arm to manipulate the flexible bag body.

6 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the articulation device is outside of the flexible bag body and contacts the outer surface of the flexible bag body.

7 . The flexible bag system of claim 6 , wherein the articulation device comprises one or more elongate elements connected to a drive mechanism, the one or more elongate elements contacting the outer surface of the flexible bag body.

8 . The flexible bag system of claim 7 , wherein the drive mechanism is a pneumatic cylinder that linearly shifts the one or more elongate elements to manipulate the flexible bag body.

9 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the outlet comprises one or more paddles radially extending from a central shaft that, when rotated, disrupt the particulate hot melt adhesive.

10 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bag body defines an upper opening configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive.

11 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bag body defines an opening to release the particulate hot melt adhesive.

12 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein the flexible bag body is prepackaged with the particulate hot melt adhesive.

13 . The flexible bag system of claim 12 , wherein the flexible bag body is sealed enclosing the particulate hot melt adhesive.

14 . The flexible bag system of claim 1 , wherein flexible bag body is made of a fabric.

15 . The flexible bag system of claim 14 , wherein the fabric is a woven fabric embedded in a polymer.

16 . A system for supplying particulate hot melt adhesive, the system comprising:
an outer housing comprising a transfer opening through which the particulate hot melt adhesive is transferred; and the flexible bag system of claim 1 connected to the outer housing, wherein the transfer opening is in fluid communication with the outlet in fluid communication with the interior of the flexible bag body.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the transfer opening is configured to output particulate hot melt adhesive to a melter.

18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the flexible bag system is removably connected to the outer housing.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the removably connected flexible bag body is prepackaged with the particulate hot melt adhesive.

20 . The system of claim 19 , wherein the outer housing further comprises a piercing element that is configured to form an opening in the flexible bag body when the flexible bag system is connected to the outer housing.

21 . 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 direct the hot melt adhesive as a liquefied form to the outlet; and the flexible bag system of claim 1 connected to the heated receiving device.

22 . The melter of claim 21 , wherein the flexible bag system is outside of a heated flow path of the heated receiving device.

23 . The melter of claim 22 , wherein the outlet of the flexible bag system is thermally insulated from the inlet of the heated receiving device.

24 . The melter of claim 21 , wherein the flexible bag system is located above the inlet of the heated receiving device, and the outlet of the flexible bag system is in intermittent fluid communication with the inlet of the heated receiving device.

25 . The melter of claim 21 , further comprising a rotary valve located between the outlet of the flexible bag system and the inlet of the heated receiving device, the rotary valve configured to intermittently provide some of the particulate hot melt adhesive to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

26 . The melter of claim 25 , wherein the rotary valve is configured to thermally insulate the outlet of the flexible bag system from the inlet of the heated receiving device.

27 . The melter of claim 26 , wherein the rotary valve comprises one or more flexible paddle elements that are configured to thermally insulate the outlet of the flexible bag system from the inlet of the heated receiving device.

28 . The melter of claim 21 , wherein the flexible bag system is located of a side of the heated receiving device, and the outlet of the flexible bag system is adjacent to and in fluid communication with the inlet of the heated receiving device.

29 . The melter of claim 21 , wherein the flexible bag system is within the interior of the heated receiving device.

30 . The melter of claim 21 , wherein the flexible bag system is removably connected to the heated receiving device.

31 . The melter of claim 30 , wherein the removably connected flexible bag body is prepackaged with the particulate hot melt adhesive.

32 . The melter of claim 31 , wherein the heated receiving device further comprises a piercing element that is configured to form an opening in the flexible bag body when the flexible bag system is connected to the heated receiving device.

33 . A system for supplying particulate hot melt adhesive, the system comprising:
an outer housing; a flexible inner housing disposed inside the outer housing and configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive; a transfer opening disposed inside the flexible inner housing and through which the particulate hot melt adhesive is transferred; and an agitator in contact with the flexible inner housing, the agitator configured to apply a lateral force to a surface of the flexible inner housing.

34 . The system of claim 33 , wherein the agitator comprises an agitator plate operatively coupled with an actuator.

35 . The system of claim 34 , wherein the agitator plate comprises a first agitator

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

• B05B15/25

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

• F27D27/00

  Stirring devices for molten material (charging or discharging liquid or molten material F27D3/14) · CPC title

• F27D3/0033

  charging of particulate material · CPC title

• F27B1/00

  Shaft or like vertical or substantially vertical furnaces · CPC title

• B05C11/1042 Primary

  provided with means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material in the supplying means upstream of the applying apparatus · CPC title