BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Various other features and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a new and improved hot melt adhesive material dispensing system constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention and showing the cooperative parts thereof; and
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the new and improved hot melt adhesive material dispensing system as disclosed within FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, a new and improved hot melt adhesive material dispensing system, constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, is disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference character 10. More particularly, it is seen that the new and improved hot melt adhesive material dispensing system 10 comprises an inlet port 12 which is adapted to be fluidically connected, by means of a suitable supply hose, not illustrated, to a remotely located adhesive supply unit (ASU), also not illustrated, whereby a supply of hot melt adhesive material is able to be supplied to the hot melt adhesive material dispensing system 10. The inlet port 12 is mounted upon a filter block 14 within which there is disposed a pair of filter assemblies 16,18, and the filter block 14 is mounted upon a drive gear manifold 20 upon which a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 are mounted so as to collectively effectively form or define a remote, hot melt adhesive material metering station 23. While any number of rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 may be mounted upon the drive gear manifold 20, eight rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 are illustrated, it being further appreciated that each one of the rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 effectively comprises a three-piece or three-plate sandwich construction within which the various gear members, comprising each one of the rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22, are disposed. It is also seen that a plurality of pressure monitoring devices or mechanisms 24 are disposed atop the drive gear manifold 20, and that a plurality of hot melt adhesive material outlet port housings or transfer blocks 26, that is, eight outlet port housings or blocks, are adapted to be respectively fluidically connected to each one of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 through means of suitable fluid passageways, not illustrated, which are defined within the drive gear manifold 20. Still further, a drive motor 28 is adapted to be operatively connected, through means of a gear box 30 and a coupling 32, to a drive shaft, not illustrated, which is disposed within the drive gear manifold 20 and which is adapted to be operatively connected to each one of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22, and it is also seen that an electrical junction box 34, for providing electrical power to the drive motor 28, and a pressure transducer 36 are operatively associated with the motor drive system.
Continuing further, it is also seen that a plurality of hot melt adhesive material applicator heads 38 are adapted to be respectively fluidically connected to selected ones of the hot melt adhesive material outlet port housings 26 by means of suitable hose connections 40, and that each one of the hot melt adhesive material applicator heads 38 is seen to comprise a module 42, a dispensing nozzle 44, and a strand guide 46. A first supply air coupling 48 is provided upon each one of the applicator heads 38 so as to respectively supply air into each applicator head 38 for mixture with the incoming hot melt adhesive material being supplied to each one of the applicator heads 38 from a respective one of the rotary, gear-type metering pump assemblies 22, and a first electrical connector for electrical connection to a supply air pre-heater mechanism, not illustrated, is disclosed at 50. Each applicator head 38 also comprises a hot melt adhesive material manifold 52, and a filter block 54, having a filter assembly 56 mounted thereon, is fixedly mounted upon the hot melt adhesive material manifold 52. In addition, a second electrical connector for electrical connection to a hot melt adhesive material pre-heater mechanism, not illustrated, is disclosed at 58, and second and third air couplings 60,62 are provided for conducting control air into the hot melt adhesive material manifold 52 in order to control the disposition of the hot melt adhesive material dispensing control valve mechanism, not illustrated, disposed within the hot melt adhesive material manifold 52 for controlling the dispensing of the hot melt adhesive material to the output or dispensing nozzle 44.
As can readily be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2, each one of the hose connections 40 respectively fluidically connecting a selected one of the rotary gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 of the hot melt adhesive material remote metering station to one of the applicator heads 38 is characterized by means of a relatively short or small length dimension, such as, for example, within the range of four inches (4.00″) to four feet (4.00″). It will be recalled that the hose connections or structures which fluidically interconnect the rotary gear-type metering pump assemblies 22 and the applicator heads 38 should preferably not have substantially large or elongated length dimensions in that predeterminedly desired pressure levels, and precisely metered or predetermined volumes, of the hot melt adhesive material, are difficult to attain and maintain within such hose structures or connections when the hose structures or connections comprise substantial or significant length dimensions. It is therefore desirable to utilize relatively short hose connections or structures such that predeterminedly desired pressure levels, and precisely metered or predetermined volumes of the hot melt adhesive material, can in fact be achieved and maintained whereby, in turn, precisely metered or predetermined volumes of hot melt adhesive material can in fact be dispensed onto predetermined substrate locations.
The use of relatively short hose structures or connections, however, nevertheless ordinarily results in the manifestation of additional problems. For example, it is often the case that the applicator heads 38 need to be moved from one position to another depending upon the different products or substrates, and the inherent structural regions or locations onto which the hot melt adhesive material is to be dispensed or deposited. Alternatively, the applicator heads 38 may need to be moved from one position to another depending upon the size or configuration of the different products or substrates, or still yet further, the applicator heads 38 may need to be moved from one position to another depending upon the particular pattern of hot melt adhesive material to be applied or deposited onto the specific product or substrate. However, the problem that arises in connection with the use of such relatively short hose structures or connections is that they are inherently relatively inflexible, and therefore, the various applicator heads 38 are not always able to be readily or easily moved to their desired positions or locations in order to in fact perform or achieve the desired dispensing or deposition of the hot melt adhesive material onto the particular regions of the particularly configured or particularly sized products or substrates, or in accordance with particularly desired or required hot melt adhesive material deposition patterns.
In accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, however, the aforenoted difficulties, normally heretofore encountered in connection with the use of such relatively short hose structures or connections, are advantageously resolved in view of the fact that, as can best be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the oppositely disposed terminal end portions 64,66 of each one of the hose structures or connections 40 are respectively provided with swivel connectors. More particularly, each one of the swivel connectors comprises a universal connector comprising, for example, a ball member disposed within a spherical socket or housing 68,70 wherein, for example, each one of the universal ball and socket housings 68 is fixedly attached to or mounted upon a respective one of the applicator heads 38 so as to also be fluidically connected thereto, while each one of the universal ball and socket housings 70 is fixedly attached to, mounted upon, or incorporated within each one of the hot melt adhesive material outlet port housings or transfer blocks 26 so as to likewise be fluidically connected thereto. Each one of the ball and socket housings or assemblies 68, 70 therefore permits the ball member thereof, fixedly mounted upon each oppositely disposed terminal end portion 64, 66 of each one of the hose structures or connections 40 to be movable within a field or range of movement comprising six degrees of freedom, as defined about or around three mutually orthogonal axes.
Accordingly, as can best be appreciated from FIG. 1, each one of the hose structures or connections 40 is able to be independently movable relative or with respect to its respective applicator head 38 as a result of the universal connection of its terminal end portion 64 to the applicator head 38 as permitted by means of the ball and socket housing assembly 68, while simultaneously therewith, each one of the hose structures or connections 40 is likewise able to be independently movable relative or with respect to the remote metering station 23 as a result of the universal connection of its terminal end portion 66 to the remote metering station 23 as permitted by means of the ball and socket housing assembly 70. It can therefore be appreciated still further that each one of the applicator heads 38 is able to be moved within the aforenoted field or range of movement, comprising the six degrees of freedom, with respect to the remote metering station 23, as a result of the compound movements of the hose structures or connections 40 as facilitated by means of the universal connectors 68,70. Considered from an alternative, but similar, point of view, the applicator heads 38 are effectively provided with a requisite amount of flexibility so as to be capable of being moved to various different positions or locations, as required or desired, depending upon the various different requirements or parameters attendant particular hot melt adhesive material deposition operations, so as to in fact achieve hot melt adhesive dispensing at various different product locations or in accordance with various different hot melt adhesive deposition patterns.
Thus, it may be seen that in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, there has been provided a new and improved hot melt adhesive material dispensing system wherein the oppositely disposed terminal end portions of the plurality of relatively short hose structures or connections, for respectively fluidically interconnecting the output ports of the remote metering station to the input ports of the plurality of applicator heads, are provided with universal ball and socket housings, assemblies, or connectors so as to provide such relatively short hose structures or connections, which are normally inherently inflexible, with enhanced flexibility characteristics. Accordingly, the plurality of applicator heads are able to be moved to various different positions or locations depending upon the various different requirements or parameters attendant particular hot melt adhesive material deposition operations.
Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
Patent Application
20080023489
