Fluid applicator having a valve module with a floating member and the valve module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018071769-A1
Application number	US-201615264589-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 13, 2016
Priority date	Sep 13, 2016
Publication date	Mar 15, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A valve module with floating member for use in a fluid applicator and a fluid applicator comprising said valve module are disclosed. The fluid applicator further includes a valve module that is configured to control a flow of fluid from the chamber to the cavity. The valve module includes an upper valve seat and a valve stem operatively coupled to the drive pin and extending from the chamber to the cavity. The valve module further includes a retaining tip attached to the valve stem and a floating member disposed in the cavity between the opening and the retaining tip such that the valve stem passes through the floating member and the floating member is movable along a longitudinal axis of the valve stem.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A valve module for controlling a flow of fluid from a chamber of a fluid applicator to a cavity of said fluid applicator having an outlet through which said fluid is dispensed, said valve module comprising:
an upper valve seat; a valve stem having a longitudinal axis, configured for reciprocal movement along said longitudinal axis, and extending from said chamber to said cavity; a retaining tip attached to said valve stem; and a floating member disposed in said cavity between said upper valve seat and said retaining tip, wherein said valve stem passes through said floating member and said floating member is movable along said longitudinal axis of said valve stem.

2 . The valve module of claim 1 , wherein said valve module has a closed position and said floating member is flush with said upper valve seat and said retaining tip while said valve module is in said closed position.

3 . The valve module of claim 2 , wherein said valve module has a first open position and said floating member is configured to remain flush with said retaining tip and disengage with said upper valve seat when said valve stem moves away from said upper valve seat during a transition of said valve module from said closed position to said first open position.

4 . The valve module of claim 3 , wherein said valve module has a second open position occurring after said first open position and said floating member is configured to disengage with said retaining tip and move toward said upper valve seat in said second open position and when a fluid pressure in said cavity exceeds a fluid pressure in said chamber.

5 . The valve module of claim 4 , wherein said valve module has a third open position occurring after said second open position and, in said third open position, said floating member is configured to remain disengaged from said retaining tip and re-engage with said upper valve seat due to said fluid pressure in said cavity exceeding said fluid pressure in said chamber.

6 . The valve module of claim 5 , wherein said valve module has a fourth open position occurring after said third open position and, in said fourth open position, said floating member is configured to disengage from said upper valve seat and float between said upper valve seat and said retaining tip when said valve stem stops and said fluid pressure in said cavity equals said fluid pressure in said chamber.

7 . The valve module of claim 6 , wherein said valve module has a fifth open position occurring after said third open position and, in said fifth open position, said floating member is configured to engage with said retaining tip when said fluid pressure in said cavity exceeds said fluid pressure in said chamber and until the floating member is returned to said closed position.

8 . The valve module of claim 1 , wherein said floating member has an inner surface and a spacing is defined between said inner surface of said floating member and said valve stem.

9 . The valve module of claim 1 , wherein:
said cavity comprises a lower valve seat; said valve stem comprises a terminal end; and said retaining tip is attached to said terminal end of said valve stem and comprises:
a conical bottom surface generally parallel with the surface of said lower valve seat of said cavity; and
a flat upper surface generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said valve stem.

10 . A fluid applicator comprising:
a chamber; an inlet supplying said chamber with fluid; an actuator; a drive pin having a longitudinal axis and being coupled to said actuator, said drive pin configured for reciprocal movement along said longitudinal axis of said drive pin; a cavity in fluid communication with said chamber, said cavity having an outlet through which said fluid is dispensed; and a valve module configured to control a flow of fluid from said chamber to said cavity, said valve module comprising:
an upper valve seat;
a valve stem having a longitudinal axis and being connected to said drive pin and extending from said chamber to said cavity;
a retaining tip attached to said valve stem; and
a floating member disposed in said cavity between said upper valve seat and said retaining tip, said valve stem passes through said floating member and said floating member is movable along said longitudinal axis of said valve stem.

11 . The fluid applicator of claim 10 , wherein said valve module has a closed position and said floating member is flush with said upper valve seat and said retaining tip while said valve module is in said closed position.

12 . The fluid applicator of claim 11 , wherein said valve module has a first open position and said floating member is configured to remain flush with said retaining tip and disengage with said upper valve seat when said valve stem moves away from said upper valve seat during a transition of said valve module from said closed position to said first open position.

13 . The fluid applicator of claim 12 , wherein said valve module has a second open position occurring after said first open position and said floating member is configured to disengage with said retaining tip and move toward said upper valve seat in said second open position and when a fluid pressure in said cavity exceeds a fluid pressure in said chamber.

14 . The fluid applicator of claim 13 , wherein said valve module has a third open position occurring after said second open position and, in said third open position, said floating member is configured to remain disengaged from said retaining tip and re-engage with said upper valve seat due to said fluid pressure in said cavity exceeding said fluid pressure in said chamber.

15 . The fluid applicator of claim 14 , wherein said valve module has a fourth open position occurring after said third open position and, in said fourth open position, said floating member is configured to disengage from said upper valve seat and move towards said retaining tip when said valve stem stops and said fluid pressure in said cavity equals said fluid pressure in said chamber.

16 . The fluid applicator of claim 15 , wherein said valve module has a fifth open position occurring after said fourth open position and, in said fifth open position, said floating member is configured to engage with said retaining tip when said fluid pressure in said cavity exceeds said fluid pressure in said chamber and until the floating member is returned to said closed position.

17 . The fluid applicator of claim 10 , wherein said floating member has an inner surface and a spacing is defined between said inner surface of said floating member and said valve stem.

18 . The fluid applicator of claim 10 , wherein:
said cavity comprises a lower valve seat; said valve stem comprises a terminal end; and said retaining tip is attached to said terminal end of said valve stem and comprises:
a conical bottom surface generally parallel with the surface of said lower valve seat of said cavity; and
a flat upper surface generally perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of said valve stem.

19 . The fluid applicator of claim 10 , wherein the diameter of a portion of said valve stem upon which said floating member is positioned is less than the diameter of a portion of said drive pin within said chamber.

20 . A fluid applicator comprising:
a chamber receiving a supply of fluid; a cavity having an outlet through which the fluid is dispensed; and a valve module according to claim 1 , wherein said valve module controls the flo

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Gould Mark Aaron
• Saidman Laurence B

Classifications

• B05C5/0237

  Fluid actuated valves · CPC title

• B05C11/1028

  Lift valves · CPC title

• B05C5/0225 Primary

  characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036) · CPC title