Adhesive buffer unit and associated fill systems and methods for storing and moving adhesive particulate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9470368-B2
Application number	US-201414491019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 19, 2014
Priority date	Sep 20, 2013
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A buffer unit is configured to store and transfer adhesive particulate to at least one adhesive melter. The buffer unit includes a buffer bin defining an interior space configured to hold a bulk supply of adhesive particulate with an agitator plate positioned within the housing at a non-horizontal orientation. A vibration generating mechanism is coupled to the agitator plate so that vibration is transmitted into the adhesive particulate to form a flow of fluidized adhesive particulate which flows toward at least one pump inlet. The buffer unit breaks up clumps of coalesced adhesive particulate to avoid clogging the pump inlet, while also ensuring that all adhesive particulate in the buffer bin can be removed at the pump inlet. Additionally, makeup air used by pumps to generate vacuum at the pump inlet does not need to be drawn through the entire bulk supply of adhesive particulate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A buffer unit configured to store and transfer adhesive particulate to an adhesive melter, the buffer unit comprising:
a buffer bin defined by a housing including a bottom wall and a sidewall extending from said bottom wall to form an interior space;
an agitator plate positioned within said buffer bin so as to be angled from a horizontal orientation, said agitator plate including an upper end operatively coupled to said sidewall and a bottom end operatively coupled to said bottom wall, said agitator plate dividing said interior space into a lower chamber portion and an upper chamber portion configured to receive a bulk supply of adhesive particulate;
a vibration generating mechanism operatively coupled to said agitator plate and configured to selectively vibrate said agitator plate to produce a relative motion between said agitator plate and the bulk supply of adhesive particulate, the relative motion configured to agitate the bulk supply to generate a flow of fluidized adhesive particulate which moves towards said bottom end of said agitator plate;
a pump inlet chamber located in said buffer bin proximate to said bottom end of said agitator plate, said pump inlet chamber configured to receive the flow of fluidized adhesive particulate moving towards said bottom end to be transferred to the adhesive melter; and
a flow control element defining a gap for communication of adhesive particulate from said upper chamber portion to said pump inlet chamber, said gap controlling the flow of adhesive particulate to avoid flooding said pump inlet chamber.

2. The buffer unit of claim 1 , said buffer bin including a top opening configured to provide an inlet for the adhesive particulate to be delivered into said interior space, and said buffer bin further including a lid pivotally coupled to said housing and configured to selectively open and close access to said interior space through said top opening.

3. The buffer unit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a platform operatively coupled to said bottom wall of said buffer bin, said platform supporting said buffer bin on a floor surface; and
a lift mechanism connecting said platform to said bottom wall, said lift mechanism operating to move said buffer bin upwardly relative to said platform to selectively engage a mobile bin configured to refill said upper chamber portion with the adhesive particulate.

4. The buffer unit of claim 3 , said lift mechanism further comprising:
at least one compression spring extending between said bottom wall of said buffer bin and said platform, said at least one compression spring biasing said buffer bin to move upwardly away from said platform; and
an air cylinder connected to said bottom wall of said buffer bin and said platform, said air cylinder being actuated to move said buffer bin downwardly toward said platform against the bias of said at least one compression spring.

5. The buffer unit of claim 1 , said vibration generating mechanism being located within said lower chamber portion such that said vibration generating mechanism is isolated from the adhesive particulate.

6. The buffer unit of claim 1 , said sidewall of said buffer bin including a front side defining an outlet for the adhesive particulate at said pump inlet chamber, said sidewall including a rear side opposite said front side, and said buffer bin further comprises a support bracket coupled with said rear side of said sidewall at a position above said bottom wall, said support bracket engaging said upper end of said agitator plate to support said agitator plate at an angle from a horizontal orientation, the angle configured to promote flow of fluidized adhesive particulate toward said outlet.

7. The buffer unit of claim 6 , said agitator plate defining a periphery with a resilient cushion surrounding said periphery, said resilient cushion configured to prevent leakage of adhesive particulate into said lower chamber portion and also dampening transmission of vibrations from said vibration generating mechanism to said sidewall and said bottom wall.

8. The buffer unit of claim 1 , wherein said flow control element comprises a flow control plate, said flow control plate coupled to said sidewall and including a leading end spaced apart from said agitator plate by said gap.

9. The buffer unit of claim 8 , said flow control plate being angled transversely to said agitator plate to collectively define a funnel shape leading toward said gap.

10. The buffer unit of claim 8 , said flow control plate including an adjustable gate portion defining said leading end, said adjustable gate portion moveably mounted to a remainder of said flow control plate to adjust a size of said gap.

11. The buffer unit of claim 8 , said agitator plate including a plurality of pins projecting upwardly into said upper chamber portion proximate said flow control plate, said plurality of pins transferring vibrations from said vibration generating mechanism into the bulk supply of adhesive particulate to encourage breaking up of any coalesced clumps of the adhesive particulate in the bulk supply before such clumps could flow through said gap into said pump inlet chamber.

12. The buffer unit of claim 11 , said plurality of pins including multiple rows of pins, with said pins increasing in length in said rows closer to said gap, said pins in each said row of pins being positioned laterally offset from said pins in adjacent rows of pins such that the fluidized adhesive particulate flows adjacent to at least one of said plurality of pins to break up clumps before passing through said gap and into said pump inlet chamber.

13. The buffer unit of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one pneumatic transfer pump coupled to said pump inlet chamber, said at least one pneumatic transfer pump configured to remove the adhesive particulate from said pump inlet chamber and deliver the adhesive particulate to the adhesive melter.

14. The buffer unit of claim 13 , wherein said sidewall of said buffer bin comprises air vents located between said flow control plate and said at least one pneumatic transfer pump, said air vents providing makeup gas to said at least one pneumatic transfer pump without requiring the makeup gas to travel through the bulk supply of adhesive particulate in said upper chamber portion.

15. The buffer unit of claim 14 , further comprising:
a divider plate located within said pump inlet chamber and extending between said flow control plate and said sidewall to divide said pump inlet chamber into an air channel communicating with said air vents and an adhesive outlet portion communicating with said gap and said pump inlet chamber.

16. The buffer unit of claim 15 , further comprising:
a filter covering a flow path through said divider plate between said air channel and said adhesive outlet portion, said filter configured to prevent adhesive particulate from entering and blocking said air channel and said filter configured to prevent contamination of adhesive with air drawn through said air channel and said air vents by said at least one pneumatic transfer pump.

17. A method of transferring adhesive particulate to an adhesive melter with a buffer unit including a buffer bin defining an interior space, an agitator plate positioned within the buffer bin at a non-horizontal orientation, a vibration generating mechanism coupled to the agitator plate, a pump inlet chamber including at least one pump inlet and communicating with the interior space, the pump inlet chamber configured to receive a flow of fluidized adhesive particulate and coupled with at least on

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Ganzer Charles P
• Ramosevac Enes

Classifications

• B05C11/1002 Primary

  Means for controlling supply, i.e. flow or pressure, of liquid or other fluent material to the applying apparatus, e.g. valves · CPC title

• B05C11/1042

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

• F17D1/088 Primary

  for solids or suspensions of solids in liquids, e.g. slurries (F17D1/086 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10T137/0391

  Affecting flow by the addition of material or energy · 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