Patent Application
20140166125
Hot melt dispensing systems are typically used in manufacturing assembly lines to automatically disperse an adhesive used in the construction of packaging materials such as boxes, cartons and the like.
Hot melt dispensing systems conventionally comprise a material tank, heating elements, a pump and a dispenser. Solid polymer pellets are melted in the tank using a heating element before being supplied to the dispenser by the pump. Because the melted pellets will re-solidify into solid form if permitted to cool, the melted pellets must be maintained at temperature from the tank to the dispenser. This typically requires placement of heating elements in the tank, the pump and the dispenser, as well as heating any tubing or hoses that connect those components. Furthermore, conventional hot melt dispensing systems typically utilize tanks having large volumes so that extended periods of dispensing can occur after the pellets contained therein are melted. However, the large volume of pellets within the tank requires a lengthy period of time to completely melt, which increases start-up times for the system. For example, a typical tank includes a plurality of heating elements lining the walls of a rectangular, gravity-fed tank such that melted pellets along the walls prevents the heating elements from efficiently melting pellets in the center of the container. The extended time required to melt the pellets in these tanks increases the likelihood of “charring” or darkening of the adhesive due to prolonged heat exposure. Additionally, the adhesive that does liquefy can cling to the walls along the periphery of the tank and does not drain to the pump as well as would be desired. The clinging of adhesive to the walls increases the likelihood of charring.
According to the present invention, a melter for a melt system includes a tank, a vibration generating device, and a heater. The tank has a wall for containing a hot melt adhesive, and the vibration generating device vibrates the wall. The heater transfers heat to the tank.
In another aspect, a hot melt dispensing system includes a hopper, a melter, a vibration generating device, a feed system, and a dispenser. The hopper stores hot melt pellets for use in the system. The melter is capable of heating hot melt pellets into a liquid and defines a tank for containing the hot melt pellets and the liquid. The vibration generating device vibrates the melter. The feed system transports hot melt pellets from the hopper to the melter. The dispenser administers the liquid from the melter.
In another aspect, a method of melting hot melt pellets into a liquid includes delivering hot melt pellets into a tank of a melter, vibrating the tank, and heating the melter to liquefy the pellets into a melt liquid.
System 10 for dispensing hot melt adhesive is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/660,421, entitled “MELTER”, which is incorporated herein by reference. Components of cold section 12 can be operated at room temperature, without being heated. Container 20 can be a hopper for containing a quantity of solid adhesive pellets for use by system 10. Suitable adhesives can include, for example, a thermoplastic polymer glue such as ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or metallocene. Feed assembly 22 connects container 20 to hot section 14 for delivering the solid adhesive pellets from container 20 to hot section 14. Feed assembly 22 includes vacuum assembly 24 and feed hose 26. Vacuum assembly 24 is positioned in container 20. Compressed air from air source 16 and air control valve 17 is delivered to vacuum assembly 24 to create a vacuum, inducing flow of solid adhesive pellets into inlet 28 of vacuum assembly 24 and then through feed hose 26 to hot section 14. Feed hose 26 is a tube or other passage sized with a diameter substantially larger than that of the solid adhesive pellets to allow the solid adhesive pellets to flow freely through feed hose 26. Feed hose 26 connects vacuum assembly 24 to hot section 14.
Solid adhesive pellets are delivered from feed hose 26 to melt system 30. Melt system 30 can include a tank and resistive heating elements for melting the solid adhesive pellets to form a hot melt adhesive in liquid form. Melt system 30 can be sized to have a relatively small adhesive volume, for example about 0.5 liters, and configured to melt solid adhesive pellets in a relatively short period of time.
As will be discussed subsequently, vibration generating device 31 is mounted to the melt system 30 and is driven to vibrate one or more components of the melt system 30 to reduce the likelihood of liquid hot melt adhesive clinging to the walls of the melt system 30 and becoming char.
Pump 32 is driven by motor 36 to pump hot melt adhesive from melt system 30, through supply hose 38, to dispenser 34. Motor 36 can be an air motor driven by pulses of compressed air from air source 16 and air control valve 17. Pump 32 can be a linear displacement pump driven by motor 36. In the illustrated embodiment, dispenser 34 includes manifold 40 and dispensing module 42. Hot melt adhesive from pump 32 is received in manifold 40 and dispensed via dispensing module 42. Dispenser 34 can selectively discharge hot melt adhesive whereby the hot melt adhesive is sprayed out outlet 44 of dispensing module 42 onto an object, such as a package, a case, or another object benefiting from hot melt adhesive dispensed by system 10. Dispensing module 42 can be one of multiple modules that are part of dispenser 34. In an alternative embodiment, dispenser 34 can have a different configuration, such as a handheld gun-type dispenser. Some or all of the components in hot section 14, including melt system 30, pump 32, supply hose 38, and dispenser 34, can be heated to keep the hot melt adhesive in a liquid state throughout hot section 14 during the dispensing process.
System 10 can be part of an industrial process, for example, for packaging and sealing cardboard packages and/or cases of packages. In alternative embodiments, system 10 can be modified as necessary for a particular industrial process application. For example, in one embodiment (not shown), pump 32 can be separated from melt system 30 and instead attached to dispenser 34. Supply hose 38 can then connect melt system 30 to pump 32.
In
Base 46 also includes base outlet 62 to allow fluid flow from melter 48 to pump 32. Band heater 50 is attached to melter 48 for heating melter 48, and base heater 63 is attached to base 46 for heating base 46. Base heater 63 is an electrically powered resistive heating element in a rod-form. Band heater 50 is an electrically powered resistive heating element wrapped circumferentially around and in contact with melter 48 for conducting heat from band heater 50 to melter 48. Melter 48 forms a tank or container for melting adhesive pellets into a liquid state, and for holding the adhesive pellets and the hot melt adhesive in the liquid state.
In the illustrated embodiment, melter 48 is substantially cylindrical. In alternative embodiments, melter 48 can have a different shape, such as oval, square, rectangular, or another shape suitable for the application. Similarly, although only one vibration generating device 31 is shown in the FIGURES, in other embodiments more than one vibration generating device can be used on different components of the melt system 30 (such as base 46) as criteria dictate.
Thermal break 52 is a connector that connects feed cap 54 to melter 48. Thermal break 52 can reduce heat conduction from relatively hot melter 48 to relatively cool feed cap 54. Thermal break 52 can be made of silicone or another material having a relatively low thermal conductivity. In alternative embodiments, thermal break 52 can be omitted and feed cap 54 can be connected to melter 48 either directly or via another suitable mechanism.
Feed cap 54 is a cover for melter 48 and melt system 30, and is connected to a top of melter 48. In one embodiment, feed cap 54 can be made of a polymer material. In alternative embodiments, feed cap 54 can be made of another material, such as a metal. Feed cap 54 includes cap top 64 and cap side 66. In the illustrated embodiment, cap side 66 is substantially cylindrical and cap top 64 has a substantially circular shape when viewed from above. Feed cap 54 can have a shape that is similar to that of melter 48, or can have a shape that differs from that of melter 48.
Feed inlet 68 is positioned on cap top 64 and includes inward projection 70, extending downward from cap top 64. Feed inlet 68 is a hole through cap top 64 and is connected to feed hose 26 for receiving a supply of adhesive pellets and air supplied by feed assembly 22 (shown in
In
In
Melt system 30 includes vibration generating device 31 mounted to the exterior of melter 48. As previously discussed, melter 48 comprises tank 87 for containing liquid adhesive. Walls 91 of tank 87 form the interior of melter 48, and define chamber 90, channels 94, and container 100.
Tank 87 includes chamber 90 at the upper end of the interior of melter 48. Chamber 90 is a cylindrical volume for receiving pellets. Below chamber 90 is divider 92 with walls (part of walls 91) that define a plurality of channels 94. Divider 92 is a solid cylindrical body that includes a plurality of circularly cylindrical channels 94. Each channel 94 is fluidly connected to chamber 90 and extends downwards through melter 48.
At the bottom end of channels 94 is collector 100. In the illustrated embodiment, collector 100 is formed by walls 91 and comprises a plain cylindrical volume that is positioned for receiving melt liquid from channels 94. In addition, collector 100 is a counterbore that surrounds and is coaxial with cartridge bore 83. Collector 100 is also fluidly connected to basin 78 of base 46 on the bottom side. Basin 78 is also a plain cylindrical volume, although outlet 62 is cut into the rear side of basin 78 so that basin 78 and outlet 62 are fluidly connected.
In the illustrated embodiment, stacking axis 74 begins at base 46 and extends upwards. Base 46 has a plurality of internal reliefs including heater bore 76, basin 78, and ledge 80. More specifically, heater bore 76 is a threaded aperture that passes through base 46 and is concentric with and extends along stacking axis 74. Above heater bore 76 is basin 78. Above basin 78 is ledge 80, which has a shallow, disc shape that is concentric with and extends along stacking axis 74. Heater bore 76 is for attaching cartridge heater 82 within base 46. Cartridge heater 82 is an electrically powered resistive heating element in a rod-form for heating melter 48, and, more specifically, cartridge heater 82 includes an aluminum thermal housing with an electric heater cartridge inside of the housing. Ledge 80 is for locating melter 48 within base 46. Specifically, rim 84 of melter 48 interfaces with ledge 80 when melter is adjacent to base 46.
To assemble the illustrated embodiment of melt system 30, cartridge heater 82 is moved toward base 46 along stacking axis 74 and is screwed into heater bore 76 until cartridge heater 82 is fully seated in base 46. Cartridge heater 82 is electrically connected to controller 18 (shown in
To complete assembly of melt system 30, thermal break 52 is placed at the top of melter 48, and moved down stacking axis 74 until it is seated. Finally feed cap 54 is moved along stacking axis 74, seating feed cap 54 within thermal break 52.
The components and configuration of melt system 30 allow for melter 48 to be releasably attached to base 46, band heater 50, and cartridge heater 82. This permits melter 48 to be exchanged if melter 48 needs cleaning or if system 10 (shown in
Depicted in
While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
