This application claims priority to China Application No. 202210474893.8, having a filing date of Apr. 29, 2022, filed in China State Intellectual Property Administration, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporate by reference. This application is also related a co-pending U.S. patent application of Attorney Docket No. US88388, each entitled “LIQUID INTRODUCTION APPARATUS, ADHESIVE DISPENSING APPARATUS AND LIQUID INTRODUCTION METHOD”, and each invented by XIAO-PING CHEN et al. These applications have the same assignee as the present application. The above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The subject matter relates to glue or adhesive filling technologies, and more particularly, relates to a liquid introduction apparatus and an adhesive dispensing apparatus.
A filling machine for glue or adhesive is generally used for filling glue or adhesive into space of products, then the glue is cured in the products by light. However, when the glue is being filled into the product by the glue filling machine, the glue flows slowly into the space of the products due to its viscosity, resulting in a low production efficiency. Further, any air in the space within products may be easily trapped inside the glue, which brings poor filling saturation, insufficient compactness of the glue, and low yield rate of the products.
Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
An objective of the present disclosure is achieved by providing a liquid introduction apparatus configured for introducing liquid into a product. The liquid introduction apparatus includes a platform, an introduction mechanism, and a housing. Specifically, the platform is configured for supporting the product, the introduction mechanism is arranged on the platform, the housing is mounted to the platform and defines a confined space, the introduction mechanism and the product are received in the confined space. The introduction mechanism is configured for introducing liquid into the product after the confined space has a vacuum environment.
Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures.
It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous components. The description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts may be exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure.
It should be understood that, the terms “first” and “second” are used to distinguish between elements and are not used to denote a particular order or imply a number of technical features, therefore, unless specifically defined, features described as “first” and “second” may expressly or implicitly include one or more of the stated features. In the description of the present application, “plurality” means “two or more”, unless otherwise expressly and specifically defined.
In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described.
The term “comprising,” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series, and the like.
A description of the hereinafter described embodiments of the disclosure is presented herein with reference to the figures by way of exemplification and not as a limitation.
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The product 200 is supported on the platform 10. The platform 10 is further used for supporting the introduction mechanism 20 and the housing 30. The introduction mechanism 20 is arranged on the platform 10 and configured to inject liquid into the product 200. The housing 30 is mounted on the platform 10, and a confined space 31 is defined by the housing 30 and the platform 10. The introduction mechanism 20 and the product 200 are both located in the confined space 31. The introduction mechanism 20 begins to dispense liquid into the product 200 after the confined space 31 has a vacuum environment.
According to some embodiments, an extraction port 40 is provided in the liquid introduction apparatus 300. The extraction port 40 is connected to a device such as an air extracting apparatus (not shown) for discharging air from the confined space 31. In this embodiment, the extraction port 40 is formed in the platform 10. It should be noted that, the extraction port 40 may be formed in the housing 30 in other embodiments. The air extracting apparatus can discharge the air from the confined space 31 via the extraction port 40 to allow the confined space 31 to have a vacuum environment.
Since the liquid introduction apparatus 100 works in a vacuum environment, the fluid introduction process avoids influences by outer environment changes. In addition, the vacuum environment eliminates influence of air or air flow affecting the flow or introduction of the liquid, the liquid can flow smoothly in the product 200 at a higher speed in the vacuum environment than that in a non-vacuum environment, thus the efficiency of introduction and the production efficiency of the products 200 can be improved. Furthermore, the vacuum environment helps to avoid generating bubbles in the liquid, the liquid can be filled more uniformly in the product 200, which is beneficial to eliminate defects such as poor filling saturation or insufficient compactness after the liquid is cured in the product 200, so that the yield rate of the production can be improved.
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The liquid introduction apparatus 300 may further include a second valve 60. A vacuum breaking port 11 may be defined in the platform 10. The second valve 60 is connected to the vacuum breaking port 11. The second valve 60 communicates the vacuum breaking port 11 with an external atmosphere to break the vacuum environment in the confined space 31. It allows the confined space 31 to be easily opened in vacuum-breaking environment so that the product 200 can be put into/removed from the confined space 31. In this embodiment, the second valve 60 can be a solenoid valve or any other apparatus having an on-off function.
Alternatively, the second valve 60 and the first valve 50 may be both connected to the air extraction port 40, and the vacuum breaking port 11 can be omitted.
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Alternatively, the introduction mechanism 20 may further include a third introduction mechanism 23 and a fourth introduction mechanism 24. At least one of the first introduction mechanism 21, the second introduction mechanism 22, the third introduction mechanism 23, and the fourth introduction mechanism 24 can be used for introducing liquid in the product 200.
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According to further embodiments, the number of the nozzle driving mechanisms 90 may be equal to the number of the introduction mechanisms 20, and each nozzle driving mechanism 90 is arranged to correspond to one introduction mechanism 20. Therefore, each nozzle driving mechanism 90 moves the respective introduction nozzle 201 to connect the introduction nozzle 201 to different portions of the product 200, as different types of products 200 may require to be introduced at different portions.
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According to a further embodiment, both of the periphery of the first wiping member 114 and the periphery of the second wiping member 115 are provided with multiple protrusions 116. The multiple protrusions 116 can wipe up the outer surface of the introduction nozzle 201. The liquid is hardly sticked to the protrusions 116 of the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115, which enhances service life of the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115. It should be noted that, the protrusions 116 of the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115 may be sponges or any other suitable member capable of wiping up liquid. The periphery of the first wiping member 114 and the periphery of the second wiping member 115 may be preferably made of elastic material, which can be deformed when in contact with the introduction nozzle 201 so as to be in close contact with introduction nozzle 201, so that the liquid on the outer surface of the introduction nozzle 201 can be wiped up more easily. At the same time, when the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115 leave the outer surface of the introduction nozzle 201, the elastic recovery force of the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115 is conducive to shaking off the liquid from the outer surface of the introduction nozzle 201.
According to further embodiment, the wiping mechanism 110 may further include a frame 117 and a transmission assembly 118. The frame 117 is mounted on the platform 10, and the wiping driver 111, the first gear 112, the second gear 113, the first wiping member 114, the second wiping member 115, and the transmission assembly 118 are mounted on the frame 117, so that it is convenient to mount, remove, or replace the wiping mechanism 110. The wiping driver 111 is connected to the first gear 112 via the transmission assembly 118, and the transmission assembly 118 may include multiple gears engaged with each other, so that the wiping speed of the first wiping member 114 and the second wiping member 115 on the introduction nozzle 201 can be adjusted by the transmission assembly 118.
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In an alternative embodiment, the liquid introduction apparatus 300 may further include a pair of sliding rails 150 arranged on the housing 30 and located on opposite sides of the opening 32, the cover 140 is driven by the pair of drivers 130 to move along the sliding rails 150 to cover the opening 32 to define the confined space 31, and to expose the opening 32 for picking and placing the product 200 via the opening 32.
In an alternative embodiment, a guiding groove 151 may be defined in each rail 150 for receiving the wheels. When the cover 140 is driven by the drivers 130, the wheels of the cover 140 rolls in the guiding grooves 151, and the cover 140 moves along the second guiding rails 150 to cover or expose the opening 32. The wheels rolling in the guiding groove 151 provides smooth movement of the cover 140. In this embodiment, the driver 130 can be a telescopic pole. It should be noted that, the driver 130 can be a linear cylinder or any other apparatus capable of reciprocating movement. In an alternative embodiment, only one driver 130 is arranged.
According to a further embodiment, the cover 140 is made of light transmitting materials or includes a portion made of light transmitting materials. Therefore, the user can observe a current situation in the confined space 31 via the cover 140.
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The operation of the liquid introduction apparatus 300 according to some embodiments may be as follows: the driver 130 drives the cover 140 to expose the opening 32, the product 200 is placed on the transfer mechanism 70 via the opening 32, and the driver 130 drives the cover 140 to cover the opening 32 to define the confined space 31, the air extracting apparatus extracts air from the confined space 31 to create a vacuum environment. Then the transfer mechanism 70 and the nozzle driving mechanism 90 cooperate with each other to connect the introduction nozzle 201 to the product 200, the introduction mechanism 20 injects liquid into the product 200 after the introduction nozzle 201 is connected to the product 200, and the nozzle driving mechanism 90 moves the introduction nozzle 201 away from the product 200 after the product 200 is injected, the transfer mechanism 70 moves the injected product 200 to the opening 32. After that, the second valve 60 breaks the vacuum environment and the confined space 31 can be at atmospheric pressure, the driver 130 drives the cover 140 to expose the opening 32, and the injected product 200 can be picked up via the opening 32.
According to the embodiment, the liquid introduction apparatus 300 operates by cooperation of the platform 10, the introduction mechanism 20, the housing 30, the extraction port 40, and other mechanisms. The opening 32 defined on the housing 30 provides access to pick up and place the product 200, the cover 140 covers the extraction port 40 to define a confined space 31, the air extracting apparatus extracts air from the confined space 31 to form a vacuum environment. The introduction mechanism 20, the product 200, and other mechanisms, and the introduction mechanism 20 can introduce liquid into the product 200 in the vacuum environment. The vacuum environment eliminates influences of air affecting the flow or introduction of the liquid, the liquid can flow smoothly in the product 200 at higher speed than that in non-vacuum environment, the efficiency of introduction and the production efficiency of the products 2 are improved. Further, the vacuum environment avoids creation of bubbles in the liquid, the liquid will uniformly fill in the product 200 as required, which avoids the defects of poor filling saturation or insufficient compactness, and improves the yield rate of the production. In addition, the confined space 31 provides a vacuum environment for operation of the introduction mechanism 20 and the product 200, the entire liquid introduction and curing processes can be performed in the vacuum environment, which avoids influences of environment changes affecting the fluid introduction or distribution.
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While the disclosure has been described in detail with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood for the skilled in the art that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
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Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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202210474893.8 | Apr 2022 | CN | national |