Segmented stackable head design

Details Segmented stackable head design Segmented stackable head design

2000-05-24

2001-07-17

Fox, John (Department: 3753)

Fluid handling

Systems

With flow control means for branched passages

C222S146500, C222S330000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06260583

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to fluid dispensing head assemblies, and more particularly to a new and improved fluid dispensing head segment or modular unit assembly which enables a plurality of fluid dispensing head segment or modular unit assemblies to be secured together so as to in effect customize the fabrication of a composite fluid dispensing head assembly such that the resulting assembly is optimally sized so as to be especially adapted for particularly desired or required customer applications.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fluid dispensing head assemblies, such as, for example, hot melt adhesive fluid dispensing head assemblies, are known to conventionally comprise an air heater block, a service block which is mounted atop the air heater block, a plurality of fluid dispensing valves which are mounted upon a front face of the service block, a filter block mounted upon a rear face of the service block, an air manifold which is mounted atop the service block for operative cooperation with the plurality of dispensing valves, and an air distribution block which is mounted upon a rear surface of the air heater block. It is also conventional to fabricate the air heater block, the service block, the air manifold, and the air distribution block components such that the same have respective width dimensions which can mount or accommodate, for example, six (6) dispensing valves.
While such fluid dispensing head assemblies are of course suitable or adequate for performing numerous fluid dispensing or deposition operations in accordance with specific fluid deposition applications or requirements, other fluid deposition applications may require the use of other fluid dispensing head assemblies which must accommodate or mount a number of dispensing valves which is different from the conventional fluid dispensing head assemblies housing or accommodating six fluid dispensing valves. Consequently, such other fluid dispensing head assemblies must have dimensions which are different from those of the aforenoted conventional fluid dispensing head assemblies which comprise six dispensing valves. Accordingly, such other fluid dispensing head assemblies must in effect be customized or fabricated in a custom-made manner so as to in fact comprise a greater number of dispensing valves whereby such customized or custom-made fluid dispensing head assemblies would then be suitable for accomplishing the desired dispensing or deposition operations. The customized or custom-made fabrication of such other fluid dispensing head assemblies, however, is quite time-consuming, whereby production of such other fluid dispensing head assemblies requires a considerable amount of time to achieve with the result that customer orders unfortunately require a considerable amount of time to fill.
A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly, and more particularly for a new and improved fluid dispensing head segment or modular unit assembly which enables a plurality of fluid dispensing head segment or modular unit assemblies to be readily secured together in predetermined multiples. In this manner, fluid dispensing head assemblies of predetermined sizes can in effect be rapidly fabricated or manufactured in order to readily meet customer's requirements for such predeterminedly sized fluid dispensing head assemblies without the need for customizing or custom-making such assemblies as original single integral assemblies having the desired or required sized dimensions.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly which comprises a fluid dispensing head assembly segment or modular unit.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly which comprises a fluid dispensing head assembly segment or modular unit which enables a plurality of such fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units to be secured together.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly which comprises a fluid dispensing head assembly segment or modular unit which enables a plurality of such fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units to be secured together so as to readily meet customer fluid deposition or dispensing application or operation requirements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved fluid dispensing head assembly which comprises a fluid dispensing head assembly segment or modular unit which is adapted so as to be able to be secured together with additional segments or modular units whereby resulting fluid dispensing head assemblies or predetermined sizes are able to be achieved in order to meet or satisfy customer dispensing or deposition application requirements. More particularly, each fluid dispensing head assembly segment or modular unit is fabricated so as to accommodate, house, or mount a predetermined number of dispensing valve components, such as, for example, six (6) dispensing valves, eight (8) dispensing valves, or ten (10) dispensing valves.
Accordingly, should a particular customer require a fluid dispensing head assembly which requires, for example, the incorporation therein of twelve (12), fourteen (14), sixteen (16), eighteen (18), twenty (20), or even a higher number of fluid dispensing valves to be incorporated therein, a plurality of the fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units can be secured together such that the resulting assemblage contains the desired or required number of fluid dispensing valves. For example, if a particular fluid dispensing head assemblage requires twelve (12) fluid dispensing valves in order to achieve a particular fluid dispensing or deposition operation or application, two fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units, each one of which comprises six (6) fluid dispensing valves, can be secured together. Similarly, if a particular fluid dispensing head assemblage requires, for example, eighteen (18) fluid dispensing valves in order to achieve another particular fluid dispensing or deposition operation or application, then three fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units, each one of which comprises six (6) fluid dispensing valves, can be secured together. In other words, by mixing and matching, in effect, any one of a plurality of the fluid dispensing head assembly segments or modular units, a resulting fluid dispensing head assemblage, having a predeterminedly desired or required number of fluid dispensing valves incorporated therein, can be achieved in order to readily and rapidly meet customer orders, needs, and requirements.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3115282 (1963-12-01), McKenzie
patent: 3457943 (1969-07-01), Kawabata
patent: 4082324 (1978-04-01), Obrecht
patent: 4874014 (1989-10-01), Grant et al.
patent: 5802720 (1998-09-01), Zook

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