Abstract:
An adhesive dispensing device includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a fill system communicating with a receiving space for feeding the heater unit, and a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit. The dispensing device also includes a capacitive level sensor located along a sidewall of the receiving space such that the level of adhesive in the receiving space can be detected by sensing the difference in dielectric capacitance where the adhesive is located compared to where air acts as the dielectric. The size of the driven electrode produces a broader sensing window capable of generating multiple control signals corresponding to different fill levels of adhesive. The receiving space and reservoir are minimized in size so that adhesive is not held at elevated temperatures long enough to char or degrade.
Abstract:
An adhesive dispensing device (10) includes a melt module (12) including a housing (78) that defines a receiving space to receive adhesive and a heater (114) to heat the housing to melt the adhesive, and a control module (14) releasably connected to the melt module. The control module includes a controller (36) to automatically recognize a characteristic associated with the melt module and operate the melt module using instructions stored on the controller that correspond to the characteristic of the melt module. A method of operating the adhesive dispensing device is also disclosed.
Abstract:
FIG. 1 is a top front left side perspective view of a melter system; FIG. 2 is a left side elevation view thereof; FIG. 3 is a right side elevation view thereof; FIG. 4 is a front end elevation view thereof; FIG. 5 is a rear end elevation view thereof; FIG. 6 is a top end plan view thereof; and, FIG. 7 is a bottom end plan view thereof. The broken lines are for the purpose of showing environmental structure and form no part of the claimed design.
Abstract:
A device for dispensing a heated liquid, such as a hot melt adhesive, includes a vertically oriented mounting plate; a melter subassembly including an adhesive manifold, a heater, and a pump adapted to dispense the heated liquid; a control subassembly adapted to control one or more components of the melter subassembly; and a subassembly cover coupled to the mounting plate for movement between an open condition and a closed condition. The subassembly cover thermally insulates the melter assembly from the control assembly when in the closed condition.
Abstract:
A melter includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit, and a pump in fluid communication with the reservoir and located within a heated housing. The heated housing heats the pump during startup and regular operation of the adhesive melter, thereby reducing delays in operation caused by slow warming of adhesive within the pump. The heated housing may be a manifold in fluid communication with the reservoir and with fluid outlets in some embodiments, but the heated housing may also be a separate heat block. In either type of embodiment, the pump is configured to be inserted cartridge-style into the heated housing and held in position using a single locking fastener. Additional elements such as insulating external housings and mounting hooks may also be used to further encourage conductive heat transfer into the structure surrounding the pump.
Abstract:
A method of supplying adhesive particulates from a hopper to an adhesive melter is described. Initially, a flow tube is fluidly coupled between the adhesive melter and the hopper. Next, forced air is supplied through the flow tube to move the adhesive particulates from the hopper into the adhesive melter for melting the adhesive particulates into a fluid adhesive.