Thermal measuring and testing – Temperature measurement – Combined with diverse art device
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-26
2003-11-04
Gutierrez, Diego (Department: 2859)
Thermal measuring and testing
Temperature measurement
Combined with diverse art device
C374S141000, C374S166000, C236S09300A
Reexamination Certificate
active
06641304
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to hoses for carrying heated liquids, such as hot melt adhesives.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various manufacturing processes involve the transmission of a heated liquid from a supply tank, through a hose, and to a liquid dispensing device which deposits the heated liquid into a container or onto a substrate. Some of the heated liquids are hot melt adhesives which solidify at room temperature. Accordingly, a hot melt adhesive must be heated and thus liquified so it can flow from the supply tank, through the hose, and out the liquid dispensing device. To liquify and subsequently maintain the hot melt adhesive within an appropriate temperature range, the supply tank, the hose, and the dispensing gun are selectively heated by individual heating devices operatively associated with each respective component. To monitor the temperature of the hot melt adhesive throughout the application process, each component further includes some form of temperature sensing device which operates in conjunction with at least one heating device. A controller operates the heating device in response to signals from the temperature sensing device to maintain the hot melt adhesive within a predetermined temperature range.
Generally, separate temperature controllers are provided for the dispensing gun, the hose, and the supply tank. The hose will often incorporate a single temperature sensing device and a single heating device which are coupled to a wire harness extending from one end of the hose. This wire harness has a connector which connects to a complementary connector on the controller. The controller monitors the temperature detected from the temperature sensing device and activates the heating device as necessary. If the hose becomes clogged or otherwise damaged, any replacement hose must have an appropriate wire harness to fit the complementary connector of the controller.
In addition, care must be taken when replacing a pre-existing hose with a replacement hose as the single temperature sensing device in the replacement hose must be compatible with the controller used with the prior temperature sensing device in the pre-existing hose. For example, one particular temperature sensing device is a resistance temperature detector (RTD) which may be made from different materials, such as nickel or platinum. A nickel RTD must be connected to a controller compatible with a nickel RTD. If the RTD in the replacement hose is not matched to the appropriate, material-specific controller, the controller will provide erroneous temperature information about the hot melt adhesive in the hose and may cause the heating device to operate at dangerously high output levels based on the erroneous temperature information. Thus, a pre-existing hose having a nickel RTD must be replaced by a hose also having a nickel RTD in order that the pre-existing controller will remain compatible with the nickel RTD.
Occasionally, a change in the manufacturing process will require dispensing a different heated liquid at a substantially higher or lower temperature range than that used for a prior heated liquid. In this situation, the prior temperature sensing device in the heated hose may not be suited for measuring those higher or lower temperatures. Because the heated hose includes only a single temperature sensing device, the heated hose must be replaced by a different heated hose having a different temperature sensing device suited for measuring the different liquid temperatures. If a different temperature sensing device is used, the existing controller must also be changed to match the different temperature sensing device. A controller may also have to be replaced if it becomes damaged or inoperative. Unfortunately, if the replacement controller has a connector which does not match the connector of the wire harness on the hose, the user must install a new hose with the appropriate connector. Thus, a manufacturer must maintain a large inventory of heated hoses and controllers to accommodate different manufacturing processes.
In light of the drawbacks discussed above, it would be desirable to provide a heated hose for connecting a supply tank to a liquid dispensing unit where the heated hose incorporates a plurality of different types of temperature sensing devices, such as RTDs made of different materials or thermocouples. It would also be desirable if the heated hose had an adapter cable which was configured to connect the wire harness of the hose to the controller. As such, the single hose could be used with a variety of different controllers configured to operate with the plurality of different temperature sensing devices and only the adapter cable would have to be modified or replaced as opposed to the entire hose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a hose which overcomes the drawbacks associated with previous heated hoses connecting supply tanks to liquid dispensing devices. The hose includes a tube or body portion which has an inlet end adapted to connect to a source of liquid, such as a supply tank, and a discharge end adapted to a connect to a liquid dispensing apparatus, such as an adhesive dispensing gun. At least two temperature sensing devices, each having an output end, are also operatively associated with the tube to sense the temperature of the liquid therein. An adapter has a first end selectively connected to the output end of the first temperature sensing device. The adapter also has a second end adapted to connect to a controller which is compatible with the first temperature sensing device and not the second temperature sensing device. With the first temperature sensing device connected to the adapter, it is operative to sense the temperature of the liquid in the tube. In contrast, because the second temperature sensing device is not connected to the adapter, it is inactive and provides no temperature information concerning the liquid in the tube.
In one embodiment, the temperature sensing devices are RTDs with at least one RTD constructed of platinum and at least one RTD constructed of nickel. However, the temperature sensing devices could also be thermocouples or any other suitable temperature sensing device. In addition to having only one type of temperature sensing device per hose, the hose could include a combination of different types of temperature sensing devices, such as a mix of RTDs and thermocouples on the same hose.
In one aspect of the invention, the hose includes a wire harness which has a connector coupled to the output ends of the first and second temperature sensing devices. The adapter is connected to the connector such that only one of the first and second temperature sensing devices is active while the other temperature sensing device is inactive.
In another aspect of the invention, the hose includes a second adapter which is capable of replacing the first adapter. Like the first adapter, the second adapter has first and second ends. However, the first end of the second adapter is selectively connected to the output end of the second temperature sensing device, not the first temperature sensing device. The second end is adapted to connect to a controller compatible with the second temperature sensing device, but not the first temperature sensing device. As such, the second temperature sensing is operative to sense the temperature of the liquid in the tube and the first temperature sensing device is inactive and provides no temperature information about the liquid in the tube.
In further accordance with the principles of the present invention, an adapter is provided for electrically coupling a hose having at least first and second temperature sensing devices to a controller compatible with only one of the first and second temperature sensing devices. The adapter includes an adapter cable with first and second ends and a connector. The connector is adapted to selectively mate with only the first temperature sensing device so that the first temperature sensing device is operatively coupled to the adapte
Ang Jonathia
Richardson Randall
Schmidt Paul
DeJesús Lydia M.
Gutierrez Diego
Nordson Corporation
Wood Herron & Evans LLP
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