Adhesive dispensing system and method with melt on demand at point of dispensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016332187-A1
Application number	US-201615218065-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 24, 2016
Priority date	Oct 26, 2012
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An adhesive dispensing system and method are configured to melt adhesive on demand and maintain the adhesive in a liquid state between dispensing cycles. The dispensing system includes a dispensing applicator with a manifold passage, a receiving device including a receiving chamber for holding a small amount of solid adhesive at the dispensing applicator and a first heating device for melting the adhesive on demand, and a second heating device at the manifold to maintain the temperature of the melted adhesive before dispensing. The receiving device is positioned adjacent to or partially nested within a manifold of the dispensing applicator such that the melted adhesive is delivered directly into the dispensing applicator. The second heating device applies heat energy to maintain the adhesive in the manifold passage as a liquid.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for dispensing adhesive with an adhesive dispensing system including a receiving device and a dispensing applicator having a manifold with a manifold passage, the method comprising:
supplying solid adhesive to the receiving device; heating the solid adhesive within the receiving device to melt the adhesive; delivering the melted adhesive directly from the receiving device into the manifold; applying heat energy at the manifold to maintain the melted adhesive as a liquid in the manifold passage; and dispensing the melted adhesive from the dispensing applicator.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the solid adhesive within the receiving device comprises:
inducing a susceptor electromagnetically with an induction coil to heat the susceptor; and applying heat energy from the susceptor to the solid adhesive to melt the solid adhesive.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the solid adhesive within the receiving device comprises:
actuating a heating element to heat up a heater unit; and passing solid adhesive through a plurality of openings to apply heat energy from the heater unit to the solid adhesive in the plurality of openings to melt the solid adhesive.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the manifold includes a cartridge receptacle communicating with the manifold passage, the receiving device is a cartridge filled with solid adhesive, and the method further comprises:
inserting the cartridge into the cartridge receptacle to provide the solid adhesive for melting of the solid adhesive.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving device is coupled to the dispensing applicator, the receiving device includes an outlet located adjacent or nested within the dispensing applicator, and delivering the melted adhesive directly from the receiving device into the manifold comprises:
discharging adhesive through the outlet immediately into the manifold after the adhesive is melted.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying heat energy at the manifold comprises:
actuating a heater cartridge to apply heat energy to the melted adhesive passing through the manifold passage.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying heat energy at the manifold comprises:
actuating an etched resistance heater to apply heat energy to the melted adhesive flowing past the etched resistance heater.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein dispensing the melted adhesive from the dispensing applicator comprises:
jetting minute droplets of the melted adhesive from the dispensing applicator.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the solid adhesive within the receiving device to melt the adhesive and applying the heat energy at the manifold to maintain the melted adhesive as a liquid in the manifold passage are performed in response to actuations of the dispensing applicator to dispense adhesive.

10 . An adhesive dispensing system, comprising:
a dispensing applicator for dispensing an adhesive, said dispensing applicator including a manifold with a manifold passage and a dispensing module coupled to said manifold passage; a receiving device positioned proximate to said dispensing applicator, said receiving device including a receiving chamber which is configured to receive a small amount of solid adhesive, and an outlet that is positioned to deliver melted adhesive from said receiving device into said manifold immediately after melting; a first heating device positioned proximate to said manifold and said receiving device, said first heating device operable to rapidly melt the small amount of solid adhesive in said receiving device on demand; and a second heating device positioned within said manifold and configured to apply heat energy to maintain the adhesive as a liquid in said manifold passage.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said first heating device further comprises:
a susceptor positioned adjacent to said outlet of said receiving device; and an induction coil located proximate to said susceptor such that said induction coil electromagnetically induces said susceptor to heat and rapidly melt the adhesive.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the first heating device further comprises:
a heater unit defining a plurality of openings and including a heating element configured to apply heat energy to the adhesive in said plurality of openings, said heater unit positioned such that the adhesive melted by said heater unit moves through said outlet of said receiving device and into said manifold.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said first heating device is located within said manifold.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said first heating device is located within said receiving device.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said first heating device includes a first portion located within said receiving device and a second portion located within said manifold.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said manifold includes a cartridge receptacle communicating with said manifold passage, and wherein said receiving device is a cartridge filled with solid adhesive and inserted into said cartridge receptacle such that the solid adhesive may be rapidly melted by said first heating device.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said receiving device includes a nose assembly defining said outlet, and a portion of said nose assembly nests at least partially into said manifold such that said outlet of said receiving device is located within said manifold and such that both of said first and second heating devices transmit heat energy to the adhesive within said portion of said nose assembly which is nested into said manifold, and wherein said first heating device is positioned adjacent said portion of said nose assembly which is nested into said manifold such that at least a portion of said first heating device extends into said manifold.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said receiving device is coupled to said manifold such that said outlet of the receiving device feeds directly into said manifold.

19 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said second heating device further comprises:
a heater cartridge extending through said manifold and configured to heat said manifold and said manifold passage.

20 . The system of claim 10 , wherein said second heating device further comprises:
an etched resistance heater positioned adjacent to said manifold passage and configured to heat said manifold passage.

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Varga Leslie J

Classifications

• 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

• B05C11/1034

  specially designed for conducting intermittent application of small quantities, e.g. drops, of coating material (B05C5/0225, B05C11/1026 take precedence) · CPC title

• B05C11/1047

  Apparatus or installations for supplying liquid or other fluent material comprising a buffer container or an accumulator between the supply source and the applicator · CPC title

• B05C11/1044

  Apparatus or installations for supplying liquid or other fluent material to several applying apparatus or several dispensing outlets, e.g. to several extrusion nozzles · CPC title