Applicator and method for dispensing a viscous fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527106-B2
Application number	US-201414516886-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 17, 2014
Priority date	Oct 31, 2013
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

An applicator for dispensing a first viscous fluid includes a support structure, a cartridge including a first wall and a first interior space. The first interior space receives a first collapsible tube holding the first viscous fluid. The first collapsible tube is formed from a flexible material and has a length with generally opposite sidewall portions defined along the length. The first collapsible tube is positioned against the first wall and further includes a closed end and a dispensing end. An actuator is operatively coupled to the support structure and moves through the interior space of the cartridge along the length of the collapsible tube and against one of the generally opposite sidewall portions to compress the one generally opposite sidewall portion against the other sidewall portion along the length and squeeze the viscous fluid from the dispensing end.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An applicator for dispensing a first viscous fluid, the applicator comprising:
a support structure;
a cartridge including a first wall and a first interior space, the first interior space receiving a first collapsible tube holding the first viscous fluid, said first collapsible tube formed from a flexible material and having a length with generally opposite sidewall portions defined along said length, said first collapsible tube positioned against the first wall and further including a closed end and a dispensing end; and
an actuator operatively coupled to said support structure, said actuator movable through said first interior space of said cartridge along said length of said first collapsible tube and against one of said generally opposite sidewall portions to compress said one sidewall portion against said other sidewall portion and said first wall along said length and squeeze the first viscous fluid from said dispensing end,
wherein a gap is defined by said actuator and said first wall for receiving said compressed collapsible tube therebetween.

2. The applicator of claim 1 , wherein said generally opposite sidewall portions have a uniform thickness, said uniform thickness being greater than 0.003 inches.

3. The applicator of claim 1 , wherein said cartridge further comprises:
a first rigid tube having said first wall and defining said first interior space sized for receiving said first collapsible tube therein, said first rigid tube having a first distal end and a first proximal end.

4. The applicator of claim 3 , wherein said cartridge further comprises:
a first piston sized for insertion into said first interior space, said first piston movably positioned within said first interior space from said first proximal end toward said first distal end and configured to flatten said one generally opposite sidewall portion against said other sidewall portion.

5. The applicator of claim 4 , wherein the gap is defined by said first piston and said first rigid tube, and said first piston selectively slides over said flattened collapsible tube.

6. The applicator of claim 4 wherein the gap is defined by said first piston and said first rigid tube, and at least a portion of said first piston selectively rolls over said flattened collapsible tube.

7. The applicator of claim 4 , wherein the cartridge further includes a second wall and a second interior space, said second interior space receiving a second collapsible tube holding a second viscous fluid, said second collapsible tube formed from a flexible material and having a length with generally opposite sidewall portions defined along said length, said second collapsible tube positioned against the second wall and further including a closed end and a dispensing end.

8. The applicator of claim 7 , further comprising a static mixer operatively connected to the cartridge for mixing the first and second viscous fluids.

9. The applicator of claim 7 , wherein said cartridge further comprises:
a second rigid tube having said second wall and defining said second interior space sized for receiving said second collapsible tube therein, said second rigid tube having a second distal end and a second proximal end; and
a second piston sized for insertion into said second interior space, said second piston movably positioned within said second interior space from said second proximal end toward said second distal end and configured to flatten said one generally opposite sidewall portion against said other sidewall portion,
wherein said first and second rigid tubes are positioned side-by-side and rigidly secured together.

10. The applicator of claim 9 , wherein said cartridge further comprises:
a slot extending from said first rigid tube to said second rigid tube and extending at least partially along said length of said first and second rigid tube; and
a carriage member connecting said first piston to said second piston through said slot for synchronizing movement of said first and second pistons.

11. A cartridge for holding a first viscous fluid, the cartridge comprising:
a first wall and a first interior space, the first interior space receiving a first collapsible tube holding the first viscous fluid, said first collapsible tube formed from a flexible material and having a length with generally opposite sidewall portions defined along said length, said first collapsible tube positioned against the first wall and further including a closed end and a dispensing end;
a first rigid tube having said first wall and defining said first interior space sized for receiving said first collapsible tube therein, said first rigid tube having a first distal end and a first proximal end; and
a first piston sized for insertion into said first interior space, said first piston movably positioned within said first interior space from said first proximal end toward said first distal end and configured to flatten one sidewall portion against said other sidewall portion and said first wall,
wherein a gap is defined by said first piston and said first rigid tube for receiving said flattened collapsible tube therebetween.

12. The cartridge of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of said first piston selectively rolls over said flattened collapsible tube.

13. The cartridge of claim 11 , further comprising:
second wall and a second interior space, said second interior space receiving a second collapsible tube holding a second viscous fluid, said second collapsible tube formed from a flexible material and having a length with generally opposite sidewall portions defined along said length, said second collapsible tube positioned against the second wall and further including a closed end and a dispensing end;
a second rigid tube having said second wall and defining said second interior space sized for receiving said second collapsible tube therein, said second rigid tube having a second distal end and a second proximal end; and
a second piston sized for insertion into said second interior space, said second piston movably positioned within said second interior space from said second proximal end toward said second distal end and configured to flatten one sidewall portion against said other sidewall portion,
wherein said first and second rigid tubes are positioned side-by-side and rigidly secured together.

14. The cartridge of claim 13 , further comprising:
a slot extending from said first rigid tube to said second rigid tube and extending at least partially along said length of said first and second rigid tube; and
a carriage member connecting said first piston to said second piston through said slot for synchronizing movement of said first and second pistons.

15. A method of dispensing a first viscous fluid from an applicator having a cartridge, the cartridge including a first collapsible tube within a first interior space of a first rigid tube, the first rigid tube having a first wall, and the first collapsible tube having a first sidewall and holding the first viscous fluid, the method comprising;
moving an actuator through the first interior space of the cartridge along a length of the first collapsible tube;
compressing a portion of the first sidewall against an opposite portion of the first sidewall supported by the first wall to flatten at least a portion of the first collapsible tube against the first wall;
receiving a flattened portion of the first collapsible tube within a first gap defined by the actuator and the first wall within the first interior space; and
squeezing the first viscous fluid from a first dispensing end of the first collapsible tube.

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Ngu Peter
• Springhorn Robert W

Classifications

• B05C17/00583

  the container for the material to be dispensed being deformable · CPC title

• B05C17/00566 Primary

  with a dynamic mixer in the nozzle · CPC title

• B05C17/00576

  characterised by the construction of a piston as pressure exerting means, or of the co-operating container · CPC title

• B05C17/00553

  with means allowing the stock of material to consist of at least two different components · CPC title

• B05C17/01

  with {manually} mechanically or electrically actuated piston or the like {(B05C17/00533 takes precedence)} · CPC title