Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Daniel D Bourget

Edward Wayne Bolyard, Jr

Mairi MacLean

Paul J Donley

Grant McGuffey

Dieter Bernhard Heerdt

Mel Steven Lesley

Mel Steven Lessley

Christopher D Bryan

Christof Schotten

Grant Mcguffey

Edward W Bolyard

Mairi C Maclean

Dieter B Heerdt

Mairi Maclean

A hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly, and an integral reservoir tank fluidically connected thereto and the hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon a drive gear manifold. All of the driven gears of pumps are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears which are rotatably mounted upon a common motor-driven rotary drive shaft rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold, and a first side wall member of a base portion of the reservoir tank is integrally connected to a side wall portion of the drive gear manifold, while a second side wall member of the base portion of the reservoir tank is provided with a plurality of hose connections to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected so as to respectively convey the precisely metered amounts of the hot melt adhesive material toward the applicator heads.

Hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly with integral reservoir tank

A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps () which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold () such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps () are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (). Hot melt adhesive material is supplied from a remotely located adhesive supply unit (ASU), to the drive gear manifold (), by an inlet supply port hose connection (), and all of the pump driven gears () of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps () are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears () which are all rotatably mounted upon a common, motor-driven drive shaft () rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold (). The drive gear manifold () is also provided with a plurality of outlet port hose connections () to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected.

Remote hot melt adhesive metering station

A new and improved hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system wherein two or more different hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material depositions, comprising, for example, two or more different types of patterns, two or more different types of application techniques or processes, or two or more different types of cyclical operations, can effectively be simultaneously achieved at substantially two or more different locations relative to an underlying substrate. The hybrid system comprises a metering station upon which is mounted a metering head comprising a plurality of metering head dispensing modules, and a pair or remote applicator heads comprising a pair of applicator head dispensing modules.

Hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system

A hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a hot melt adhesive hose core, and a pair of heater circuits wrapped around the external peripheral surface of the hose core. A first one of the heater circuits is electrically connected to the hose assembly electrical circuitry, and should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, an electrical switch mechanism is actuated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit from the hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits to the hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Hot melt adhesive hose assembly having redundant components

A modular system, for delivering hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic materials, comprises a modular metering assembly, having a plurality of metering stations disposed therein, which is able to be attachably and detachably mounted upon a modular tank or supply assembly. Alternatively, one or more of the plurality of metering stations may be disposed externally of the modular metering assembly, and alternatively still further, one or more additional modular metering assemblies may be attachably and detachably connected to the first modular metering assembly. In this manner, the entire modular system exhibits enhanced versatility and flexibility in order to effectively implement different material application procedures that may be required for different end-user customers.

Modular system for the delivery of hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic materials

A new and improved hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a hot melt adhesive hose core, a pair of heater circuits wrapped around the external peripheral surface of the hose core, and a pair of temperature sensors also disposed in contact with the external peripheral surface of the hose core. A first one of the heater circuits is initially electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors is electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. Should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, or within the first one of the temperature sensors, electrical switch mechanisms, which are fixedly mounted upon the hose assembly, can be actuated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit, or the first, failed temperature sensor from the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously therewith, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits, or temperature sensors, to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. The hot melt adhesive hose assembly, including the heater circuits, the temperature sensors, and the switch mechanisms, effectively comprises a self-contained, stand-alone, or independent operative component that can be utilized in conjunction with any adhesive supply unit (ASU) and its temperature controller.

A redundant control circuit comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly and to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits would initially be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors would likewise be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. Subsequently, should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, then an electrical switch mechanism would be activated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit from the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. Similar switching procedures would also be implemented in connection with the pair of temperature sensors should a failure occur within a first one of the temperature sensors initially incorporated within the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Redundant control circuit for hot melt adhesive hose assembly heater circuits and temperature sensors

A spool valve and valve seat assembly disposed in the control module of a hot melt adhesive dispensing system is uniquely structured so as to effectively prevent fluid communication or 'cross-talk' between a first dispensing outlet port and a second recirculation port, during those periods when the control module is effectively reciprocally cycling the spool valve between its oppositely disposed extreme conditions for alternatively permitting the hot melt adhesive material to be dispensed from the first outlet port or for re-routing the hot melt adhesive material through the recirculation passage so as to prevent the hot melt adhesive from being improperly dispensed as a result of being undesirably routed to the recirculation passage.

Spool valve and valve seat assembly for an intermittently operable hot melt adhesive material control module

A hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a redundant control circuit fixedly mounted thereon which comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly wherein the sensed temperature level will be used to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits is initially electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors is likewise electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. Should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, or within a first one of the temperature sensors, electrical switch mechanisms are activated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit or the first failed temperature sensor from the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously therewith, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits or the second one of the temperature sensors to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry. The hot melt adhesive hose assembly, with its redundant control circuit comprising the pair of heater circuits and the pair of temperature sensors, thus comprises a self-contained, stand-alone, independent operative component that can be utilized in conjunction with any hot melt adhesive supply unit (ASU).

Redundant control circuit for hot melt adhesive assembly heater circuits and temperature sensors

Strand coating methods having an applicator head pivotally mounted adjacent a substrate, a coating material dispenser mounted on the applicator head, a strand guide mounted on the applicator head, wherein the strand guide and the coating material dispenser are adjustably positionable in unison relative to the substrate by pivoting the applicator head to vary the spacing of the strands relative to the substrate.

Variable spacing strand coating method

A new and improved hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly comprises an adapter, a dispensing nozzle mounted within the adapter, a nozzle retainer threadedly engaged with the adapter for securing the dispensing nozzle within the adapter, an air inlet ring rotatably mounted upon the nozzle retainer and having an inlet air fitting fixedly mounted therein, and an end cap which is threadedly mounted upon the nozzle retainer. The end cap has swirl air passages integrally incorporated therein, and the end cap and air inlet ring are both fabricated from a suitable thermoplastic polymer material such that all exposed surfaces of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly are plastic and are therefore at substantially lower temperature levels than the metal brass components of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly. The external peripheral surface of the end cap is knurled so as to facilitate the manual removal of the end cap without the need for special tools, and most importantly, the dispensing tip portion of the dispensing nozzle is axially recessed with respect to the front surface of the end cap so as not to comprise a readily externally accessible surface portion. In this manner, the potential for burn and safety hazards to operator personnel has effectively been eliminated.

All plastic air cap for hot melt adhesive applicator

Strand coating methods and systems having an applicator head pivotally mounted adjacent a substrate, a coating material dispenser mounted on the applicator head, a strand guide mounted on the applicator head, wherein the strand guide and the coating material dispenser are adjustably positionable in unison relative to the substrate by pivoting the applicator head to vary the spacing of the strands relative to the substrate.

Variable spacing strand coating system and method

An applicator gun for dispensing hot melt adhesive comprises a hydraulic material supply hose connection, an electrical power cable connection, and a hanger bracket connection. The hose connection may be inverted, and the power cable and hanger bracket connections interchanged so as to provide the applicator gun with different orientation capabilities. The applicator gun may also alternatively accommodate four-finger and two-finger trigger members, and the gun may be connected to the hose connection so as to be movable in alternative modes comprising rotation around a single linear axis or universal movement within six degrees of freedom. The gun also comprises a trigger lock mechanism comprising detent members which provide the operator with tactile indications of the trigger lock mechanism being disposed at LOCKED and UNLOCKED positions, and an enclosed weep hole or window is provided within a side portion of the gun housing so as to alert the operator to hydraulic material leakage prior to the leaking hydraulic material fouling component parts of the gun.

Hot melt adhesive hand applicator

A hot melt adhesive dispensing valve assembly comprises a removable inline nozzle filter which is mounted within the hot melt adhesive dispensing valve assembly at a position or location which is immediately upstream of the hot melt adhesive dispensing valve assembly nozzle. The filter member or component is interposed between the valve seat for the hot melt adhesive dispensing valve which is formed within the hot melt adhesive dispensing valve assembly adapter and the hot melt adhesive dispensing valve assembly nozzle which is threadedly mounted within the adapter. As a result of this disposition of the inline nozzle filter, any residual or remaining particles or debris, which were not previously filtered, caught, or trapped by means of the primary filter component disposed within the filter block of the hot melt adhesive dispensing head assembly will, now be filtered, caught, and trapped by means of the inline nozzle filter component whereby clogging or blocking of the valve assembly dispensing nozzle is effectively prevented.

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Hendersonville, TN, United States of America

Daniel D Bourget