Method for formation and application of adhesive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9879162-B2
Application number	US-201414186585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 22, 2013
Publication date	Jan 30, 2018
Grant date	Jan 30, 2018

Abstract

An improved approach toward the formation of an adhesive comprising a separated liquid component and solid component and application of the adhesive to a substrate immediately upon mixing the liquid and solid components.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for forming an adhesive for applying to a substrate comprising:
providing a first component in a liquid state, the first component including a curing agent accelerator;
providing a second component in a solid state and having a pre-determined softening temperature of at least about 40° C. that includes at least one polymeric ingredient, the second component including a curing agent;
locating the second component into an application device that causes heating, so that the second component is heated to a temperature above the softening temperature, but below an activation temperature that would cause premature curing of the second component;
locating the first component into the application device, the first component having a viscosity of at least about 0.001 Pa·s at 23° C. as measured by viscometer, the viscosity being sufficient to cause mixing of the first and the softened second component in a metered system so that a predetermined amount of the first component is mixed with a predetermined amount of the second component to define a homogeneous mixture;
extruding the homogeneous mixture onto a metallic component of an automotive structure to form an uncured activatable adhesive that upon cooling to room temperature is dry to the touch;
wherein the uncured activatable adhesive includes both the curing agent and curing agent accelerator, but the adhesive remains uncured until exposed to a temperature above the softening temperature of the second component;
wherein the uncured activatable adhesive has a viscosity that allows robotic application to a substrate yet is substantially free of smearing after application to the substrate;
wherein the adhesive is applied to the substrate at a first location, shipped to a second location, and activated to cure at the second location; and
wherein the second component is transported in pellet form separate from the first component prior to mixing.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the uncured activatable adhesive is applied to a substrate prior to cooling to room temperature.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the activatable adhesive is expandable.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the first component of the adhesive and second component of the adhesive contains more than one curing agent.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second component of the adhesive is free of any curing agent accelerator.

6. The method of claim 1 , including mixing the first component and second component in an extruder.

7. The method of claim 1 , including applying the uncured activatable adhesive to a surface using robotic application.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the uncured activatable adhesive is applied to join a first substrate and a second substrate formed of dissimilar materials.

9. The method of claim 1 , including applying the uncured activatable adhesive to the substrate while in a fluidic state prior to cooling to room temperature.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the adhesive is applied to a metallic door beam.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is adhered to a polymeric substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of the first component of the adhesive or second component of the adhesive includes a curing agent and is substantially free of a curing agent accelerator.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is applied to a member for reinforcing a vehicle roof.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component and second component are shipped in separate containers.

15. A method for forming an adhesive for applying to a substrate comprising:
providing a first component in a liquid state, the first component including a curing agent accelerator;
providing a second component in a solid state and having a pre-determined softening temperature of at least about 40° C. that includes an epoxy based material and at least one polymeric ingredient and a curing agent;
locating the second component into an application device that causes heating, so that the second component is heated to a temperature above the softening temperature, but below an activation temperature that would cause premature curing of the second component;
locating the first component into the application device, the first component having a viscosity of at least about 0.001 Pa·s at 23° C. as measured by viscometer, the viscosity being sufficient to cause mixing of the first and the softened second component in a metered system so that a predetermined amount of the first component is mixed with a predetermined amount of the second component to define a homogeneous mixture;
extruding the homogeneous mixture onto a metallic component of an automotive structure to form an uncured activatable adhesive that upon cooling to room temperature is dry to the touch;
wherein the first component and second component are mixed immediately prior to application of the resulting adhesive to a substrate;
and
wherein the application process is facilitated by an automated application device and wherein the application device is a robotic device.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the uncured activatable adhesive is applied to join a first substrate and a second substrate, the first and second substrate being formed of dissimilar materials.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adhesive is dry to the touch, such that substrates upon which the adhesive is applied can be packed, shipped, and installed without tacky material.

Assignees

• Zephyros Inc

Inventors

• Synnestvedt Blake
• Knepper Craig
• Egle David
• Moore Patrick
• Bednarski Jeanne
• Sheasley David

Classifications

• C08L51/00

  Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds (for ABS polymers C08L55/02); Compositions of derivatives of such polymers · CPC title

• C08L71/12

  Polyphenylene oxides · CPC title

• C09J163/00 Primary

  Adhesives based on epoxy resins; Adhesives based on derivatives of epoxy resins · CPC title

• C09J4/00

  Adhesives based on organic non-macromolecular compounds having at least one polymerisable carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bond {; adhesives, based on monomers of macromolecular compounds of groups C09J183/00 - C09J183/16} · CPC title

• C08F220/32

  containing epoxy radicals · CPC title