Coating apparatus – Immersion or work-confined pool type – Work-confined pool
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-11
2001-05-01
Lamb, Brenda A. (Department: 1734)
Coating apparatus
Immersion or work-confined pool type
Work-confined pool
C118S302000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224672
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to viscous material dispensing systems or apparatus, such as, for example systems or apparatus for dispensing and distributing adhesive or resin materials, and more particularly to a die plate which is adapted to be incorporated within the system or apparatus wherein the die plate is provided with structural means which permits the die plate to be rapidly and easily mounted upon and removed from, for example, the operatively associated glue block or adhesive manifold.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various viscous material dispensing systems or apparatus, such as, for example, systems or apparatus for dispensing and distributing adhesive or resin materials, whereby the adhesive or resin materials can be applied to or deposited upon a particular substrate, are of course well known. One such known system or apparatus is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,315 which was issued on Apr. 22, 1997 to the inventors Keane et al. As shown in FIG. 6 of the patent, the system or apparatus comprises an upper die half 12, a lower die half 14, a mouthpiece or die plate 22, and a shim 16 which, is interposed between and separates the upper and lower die halves 12, 14 so as to define a die opening 20 therebetween. The mouthpiece or die plate 22 is secured to the upper die half 12 by means of a plurality of threaded screws 124.
Another material dispensing system or apparatus for likewise dispensing and distributing materials of the afore-noted type for deposition upon a substrate is disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 5,478,224 which was issued on Dec. 26, 1995 to the inventor McGuffey, such patent being assigned to the assignee of the present invention. As best appreciated from FIGS. 2 and 3 of the patent, the system or apparatus similarly comprises a glue block or adhesive manifold 66, a mouthpiece or die plate 86, and a shim 88 interposed between the bottom surface of the glue block or adhesive manifold 66 and the mouthpiece or die plate 86. A plurality of fasteners, illustrated but not numbered, fixedly secure the mouthpiece or die plate 86, and the shim 88, upon the underside of the glue block or adhesive manifold 66.
FIG. 1
is also illustrative of a conventionally known die plate generally indicated by the reference character
10
. As is known, the die plate
10
comprises a plurality of laterally spaced material or fluid deposition channels
12
, into which, for example, the viscous fluid or material is initially charged or deposited, and a laterally extending distribution channel
14
which fluidically interconnects the plurality of fluid deposition channels
12
. A doctor blade or material application surface
16
is formed upon a leading edge portion of the die plate
10
, and a recessed lip region
18
is defined within the leading edge portion of the die plate
10
so as to permit defined or precisely controlled fluidic communication between the laterally extending distribution channel
14
and the doctor blade or material application surface
16
. A plurality of through bores
20
are defined within the die plate
10
so as to permit the die plate
10
to be fixedly secured to a glue block, adhesive manifold, or the like, by means of suitable threaded bolt fasteners, or the like, not shown.
FIG. 2
illustrates another conventionally known die plate which is similar to the die plate
10
of FIG.
1
and is generally indicated by the reference character
110
. In view of the similarity of the die plate
110
of
FIG. 2
to the die plate
10
of
FIG. 1
, like or corresponding parts of the die plate
110
have been designated by similar reference characters, within the
100
series, however, further detailed description of the same has been omitted herefrom in view of the fact that one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate the various similar operative components or elements of the die plate
110
.
In view of the threaded bolt fastening of the various die plates, or the like, to the associated support structures as disclosed within the patents of Keane et al. and McGuffey, as well as the die plates
10
and
110
illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, and in particular, as illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 3 of Keane et al. and McGuffey, respectively, it is readily appreciated that the number of bolt fasteners 124, for example, as shown in Keane et al., as well as those not numbered in McGuffey, which are used to fasten the die plates or the like to their support structures, is considerable. Accordingly, when a particular die plate is to be exchanged or replaced so as to, for example, alter the adhesive patterns or replace a worn die, the exchange or replacement operation is quite time-consuming and labor intensive in view of the considerable number of bolt fasteners which are required to be completely removed from the support structure in connection with the removal of the particular or original die plate, and subsequently, the replacement or reinsertion of such bolt fasteners back into the support structure in order to secure the newly exchanged or replacement die plate upon the support structure.
FIGS. 3 and 4
illustrate another conventional die plate assembly system or apparatus, manufactured by the NORDSON CORPORATION, which was designed to overcome the operative drawbacks characteristic of the die plates illustrated within
FIGS. 1 and 2
, as well as those illustrated within the foregoing patents to Keane et al. and McGuffey. More particularly, with reference initially being made to
FIG. 3
, such apparatus or system
210
is seen to comprise a head
212
within which is mounted a cartridge heater
214
. An adhesive manifold
216
, through which a supply of adhesive
218
is conveyed, mounted upon the head
212
, and a doctor blade assembly
220
, which is shown enlarged in
FIG. 4
, is adapted to be mounted upon the head
212
. As shown in
FIG. 4
, the doctor blade assembly
220
comprises a pair of doctor blades
222
,
224
between which is mounted a shim
226
, the doctor blades
222
,
224
being fixedly secured together by means of a threaded fastener
228
. In order to mount the doctor blade assembly
220
upon the head
212
, a substantially C-shaped clamp
230
is bolted to head
212
by means of one or more bolt fasteners
232
. Consequently, as may be appreciated from
FIG. 3
, the doctor blade assembly
220
is clamped between a lower leg portion
234
of the C-clamp
230
and a lower dependent portion
236
of the head
212
. Accordingly, when it is desired to remove or exchange the die in order to change the adhesive patterns or replace a worn die, the one or more bolt fasteners
232
are simply loosened, but not removed, and the doctor blade assembly
220
is thereby permitted to be readily, simply, and quickly removed, and a new doctor blade assembly
220
is likewise able to be readily, simply, and quickly inserted. Bolt fasteners
232
are then re-tightened and the system or apparatus is back on line.
While the aforenoted NORDSON system thus overcomes the operative drawbacks characteristic of the prior art of Keane et al. and McGuffey, as well as the die plates
10
and
110
shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, in that the doctor blade assembly can be easily and rapidly exchanged or replaced without operator personnel having to perform the aforenoted time-consuming and tedious operations of completely removing the bolt fasteners mounting the die plates upon the support structure, the NORDSON system or apparatus exhibits its own operative drawbacks and has therefore not proven to be entirely satisfactory. For example, in view of the fact that the doctor blade assembly
220
is clamped between the C-clamp
230
and the head
212
, as opposed to being bolted upon the head
212
, the doctor blade assembly
220
may not be precisely positioned or oriented upon the head
212
whereby the resulting adhesive patterns, to be applied to a particular substrate, may not be achieved. In addition, if the doctor blade assembly
220
is not precisely or properly positioned or oriented upon the head
212
, the conveyed adhesiv
Breh Donald J.
Croll Mark W.
Illinois Tool Works Inc.
Lamb Brenda A.
O'Brien John P.
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