3m Innovative Properties Company

Gibson L Batch

Thomas Q Chastek

Garth V Antila

Ilya A Salnikov

Richard P Lovelien

Provided are an apparatus and methods for dispensing a composition, the apparatus includes a barrel () having an inlet () and an outlet (), a screw () received in the barrel, and a drive mechanism operatively coupled to a shank end () of the screw to rotate the screw. The screw is hollow and includes both interior and exterior surfaces, the interior surfaces defining a cavity () adjacent to the outlet, and wherein the screw further includes a plurality of apertures () through which the cavity and exterior surfaces communicate with each other. The apertures are located along a perforated portion () of the cavity, where the perforated portion can have a transverse dimension that increases with distance from the shank end. The apertures can also provide a hole area, relative to the exterior surface of the screw, that increases with distance from the shank end. The screw can also include a helical flight () having a raised flight section () and one or more lowered flight sections (), where the apertures are at least partially located on the lowered flight section.

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Saint Paul, MN, United States of America

Gibson L Batch