METHOD FOR DOSING AND APPLYING A SMALL QUANTITY OF PARTICULAR MATERIAL

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for dosing and applying a small quantity of a particulate material in a high-speed manufacturing machine for absorbent hygiene products, wherein components of the hygiene products to be manufactured are successively fed and conveyed in the manufacturing machine as the target structure for the particulate material to be applied, wherein a metering roller with cavities provided in its outer circumferential surface for receiving the particulate material is used, wherein the successively fed components are guided past and preferably below the metering roller and preferably at a distance from the metering roller.

[0002] Methods and devices for metering and applying superabsorbent particles using continuously driven metering rollers are known, for example, from WO 13 / 0084311 A1, EP 1 655 007 A1, and EP 2 583 648 A1. In these methods, considerable quantities of superabsorbent granules are introduced between flat materials to form a SAP laminate. In another method according to EP 2 777 664 B1, a superabsorbent particle material is placed in a container, and an outlet opening from the container is alternately opened and closed by means of a pivotable wedge-shaped element, so that a uniform and predetermined quantity of material can trickle out and reach a conveyor belt or a target structure conveyed thereon.

[0003] When superabsorbent particulate material is applied to components of hygiene articles, this typically involves rather substantial quantities of at least 5.0 g, in particular at least 8.0 g, and especially at least 10.0 g of particulate material. In contrast, the present invention relates to a method for dosing and applying a smaller quantity of, for example, at most 2.0 g or at most 1.0 g of particulate material. This material may, for example, be a pH regulator, in particular an acid or its salts or a mixture thereof, in particular monosodium citrate or disodium citrate, which is to be supplied to and applied to a rather narrowly defined area of ​​an absorbent component. A method with the features of the preamble of claim 1 is known from EP 0 347 544 A2.

[0004] Typically known devices and methods for dosing and applying larger quantities of superabsorbent material per article are not suitable for precisely applying very small quantities of a potentially unfree-flowing, i.e., fine-grained or powdered, particulate material in a predetermined small amount. With these known devices and methods, particulate material is either dispensed more or less continuously, or only broad Gaussian distributions of particle quantities can be applied, resulting in a non-constant application quantity and an unsatisfactory distribution or application of the material on the target structure.

[0005] When metering rollers are used, they are operated at a constant speed and usually roll opposite the component being fed. Their cavities are either evenly distributed around the outer circumference of the roller or arranged in groups to apply particulate material to components spaced apart along the machine direction. This means, however, that depending on the extent of the target area along the machine direction and the spacing of the components along the machine direction, individually adapted metering rollers must be manufactured, kept in stock, and used.

[0006] Based on this, the present invention aims to provide a method and a device for more precise dosing and targeted application of a small amount of particulate material in a high-speed manufacturing machine for absorbent hygiene products.

[0007] This task is solved by a method of the type mentioned above, which is characterized in that the metering roller is controlled in a clocked manner, i.e., accelerated according to the movement of the components being passed and decelerated to a standstill in each clock cycle, so that with each clock cycle a number of cavities are brought into a dispensing position for the component that has just been passed and the particulate material contained therein is applied to the component.

[0008] It has been found according to the invention that the problem of dosing and precisely applying small quantities of particulate material can be satisfactorily solved by a clocked, i.e., intermittent, operation of the dosing roller, and that this also enables economical operation of the manufacturing machine for hygiene products. With a clocked drive, a greater or lesser number of cavities filled with particulate material can be brought into the dispensing position by using one and the same dosing roller, depending on the angle of rotation.In this context, a discharge position of the cavities of the metering roller is understood to mean that these cavities are exposed to the target structure, i.e., they are no longer covered by device components, in particular a doctor blade device preventing their emptying, so that the particulate material contained therein is discharged with the aid of gravity and / or centripetal accelerations of the metering roller and / or acceleration and deceleration of the metering roller, and preferably reaches or is directed directly or indirectly onto the target structure.

[0009] Such a clocked, and therefore intermittent, drive of the metering roller allows a predetermined quantity of particulate material to be applied precisely and at the right moment to a target structure. It proves advantageous that the metering roller is decelerated to a standstill in each cycle. This is associated with high accelerations and decelerations, which have a beneficial effect on, or support, the complete emptying of the cavities. It is also advantageous that, using the method according to the invention, even particulate material with less than optimal flowability can be completely dispensed from the cavities and applied to the target component.While typical superabsorbent particulate materials have a particle size predominantly larger than 300 µm and can be considered free-flowing (for example, at least 80% by weight of a particle fraction is retained by a sieve with 300 µm openings during a residue analysis), this can be problematic with finer, more powder-like particulate materials. Nevertheless, the clocked, intermittent drive of the metering roller allows for the application of particulate materials with a particle size predominantly smaller than 300 µm (at least 80% by weight of a particle fraction passes through a sieve with 300 µm openings during a residue analysis) with high metering accuracy, as the material is dispensed from the cavities without leaving any residue for practical applications.

[0010] Furthermore, the same dosing roller can be used for the production of hygiene products with varying amounts of particulate material to be applied to each product. Depending on the desired dose or quantity of particulate material, a rotation angle of the dosing roller is selected for each cycle. The larger the rotation angle per cycle, the more cavities filled with particulate material reach the dispensing position and are emptied. This allows the dosage quantity for each product to be selected almost continuously. Since the cavities can also be made very small, even small quantities of particulate material can be precisely dosed and applied.

[0011] When controlling the metering roller, it proves advantageous if the angle of rotation is chosen between 5° and 30°, in particular between 10° and 25°.

[0012] The present invention proves to be particularly advantageous when a machine speed of at least 100 components of the hygiene articles to be manufactured per minute, in particular at least 200 components of the hygiene articles to be manufactured per minute, in particular at least 300 components of the hygiene articles to be manufactured per minute, in particular at least 400 components of the hygiene articles to be manufactured per minute, in particular about 500 components of the hygiene articles to be manufactured per minute is operated.

[0013] In particular, it proves advantageous if the machine speed during component feeding is at least 1 m / s, particularly at least 2 m / s, particularly at least 3 m / s, particularly at least 4 m / s, and further, particularly at least 5 m / s. This results in the target area of ​​the component being located vertically below the metering roller for only 20–100 ms, particularly 40–60 ms, and typically only 50 ms. Accordingly, the metering roller must be controlled in a timed manner.

[0014] Furthermore, with regard to precise positioning and in view of a tangential component of the particulate material when dispensing or ejecting it from the cavities at the dispensing position, it proves advantageous if a guiding arrangement is located downstream of the dispensing position of the cavities, by means of which particulate material ejected from the cavities is directed towards the target structure or a target area of ​​the target structure.

[0015] In this context, it proves advantageous if the guide arrangement has a baffle or guide wall which forms an angle between 90° and 20°, in particular between 90° and 25°, in particular between 80° and 25°, in particular between 60° and 25° and further in particular between 50° and 25° with a horizontal plane.

[0016] It is also conceivable and advantageous if the impact or guide wall, depending on its positioning relative to the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller in the dispensing position, includes different angles to the horizontal plane.

[0017] The cavities in the metering roller are designed to precisely receive and completely dispense particulate material when moved into the dispensing position and, in particular, decelerated until stationary. They should therefore be designed with a well-defined receiving volume. Furthermore, good emptying capability should be ensured. With regard to this aspect in particular, it proves advantageous to incorporate inwardly tapered cavities, especially rounded or dome-shaped cavities, in the metering roller.

[0018] Furthermore, it proves advantageous if the receiving volume of a cavity is at least 6 mm³, in particular at least 8 mm³, in particular at least 10 mm³, and further, in particular, at most 20 mm³, in particular at most 15 mm³, in particular at most 13 mm³.

[0019] Furthermore, it proves advantageous if the depth of a cavity is at least 1.0 mm, in particular at least 1.5 mm, in particular at most 4.0 mm, in particular at most 3.0 mm.

[0020] Furthermore, it proves advantageous if a largest dimension of a clear cross-sectional area of ​​a cavity in the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller is at least 2.5 mm, in particular at least 3.0 mm, in particular at most 5.0 mm, in particular at most 4.5 mm, in particular at most 4.0 mm.

[0021] To support complete emptying of the cavities in the dispensing position, it proves advantageous if the cavities in a transition to the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are bounded by a wall with an opening angle of at most 60°, in particular at most 50°, in particular at most 45° and at least 25°, in particular at least 30°, in particular at least 35°.

[0022] With regard to achieving high metering accuracy, it proves advantageous for the cavities to be designed and arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller in such a way that they are fully exposed in the dispensing position, i.e., not partially covered and partially exposed by a doctor blade or its cutting edge. This can be achieved very easily, for example, if the cavities on the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are arranged in rows parallel to a drive axis of the metering roller.

[0023] The cavities do not necessarily have to be arranged in a strict square pattern. It can also be advantageous to arrange the cavities in the outer circumferential surface staggered from row to row in the direction of the drive axis. In this way, a higher density of cavities can be achieved on the outer circumferential surface.

[0024] It can also prove conceivable and advantageous if the cavities in the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are arranged in groups spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction. This allows for a cavity-free web to be formed between these groups in the circumferential direction. A doctor blade can then be positioned and resting on this web between two successive groups of cavities, with one group in the dispensing position and the other group still in front of the dispensing position and covered by the doctor blade.

[0025] It may prove advantageous if the outside diameter of the metering roller is at least 60 mm, in particular at least 70 mm, in particular at least 80 mm, and in particular at most 350 mm, in particular at most 320 mm, in particular at most 300 mm, in particular at most 250 mm, in particular at most 200 mm, in particular at most 150 mm.

[0026] As mentioned at the outset, the present invention relates in particular to a method in which a small amount of particulate material of at most 2.0 g, in particular at most 1.5 g, in particular at most 1.2 g, in particular at most 1.0 g, in particular at most 0.8 g is applied per component and cycle.

[0027] The invention further relates to a device for dosing and applying a small quantity of a particulate material in a high-speed manufacturing machine for absorbent hygiene products, wherein components of the hygiene products to be manufactured are successively fed and conveyed in the manufacturing machine as a target structure for the particulate material to be applied. with a metering roller having cavities provided in its outer circumferential surface for receiving the particulate material, and with a doctor blade device with a doctor blade edge bearing against the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller, wherein the successively fed components are guided past and preferably below the metering roller and preferably at a distance from the metering roller, and with a control and drive device for the metering roller, characterized in that the control and drive device is designed such that the metering roller can be controlled in a pulsed manner, i.e., accelerated according to the movement of the components being guided past and decelerated to a standstill in each pulse, so that with each pulse a number of cavities are brought into a dispensing position towards the component that has just been guided past and the particulate material contained therein is applied to the component.

[0028] The device can advantageously be designed such that, depending on the amount of particulate material to be applied, a rotation angle of the metering roller per cycle, in particular between 5° and 30°, can be selected.

[0029] A vertical distance between the components passing the metering roller and the metering roller can advantageously be 1.0 - 15.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 10.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 7.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 5.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 4.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 3.0 cm, in particular 2.0 - 3.0 cm.

[0030] The device can advantageously be designed such that a guide arrangement is arranged downstream of the dispensing position of the cavities, by means of which particulate material dispensed from the cavities is guided in the direction of the target structure or a target area of ​​the target structure.

[0031] The device can advantageously be designed such that the guide arrangement has a baffle or guide wall which forms an angle between 90° and 20°, in particular between 90° and 25°, in particular between 80° and 25°, in particular between 60° and 25° and further in particular between 50° and 25° with a horizontal plane.

[0032] The device can advantageously be designed such that the metering roller has tapered cavities, in particular rounded cavities, and in particular spherical cavities.

[0033] The device can advantageously be designed such that the receiving volume of a cavity is at least 6 mm³, in particular at least 8 mm³, in particular at least 10 mm³ and further in particular at most 20 mm³, in particular at most 15 mm³, in particular at most 13 mm³.

[0034] The device can advantageously be designed such that the depth of a cavity is at least 1.0 mm, in particular at least 1.5 mm, in particular at most 4.0 mm, in particular at most 3.0 mm.

[0035] The device can advantageously be designed such that a maximum dimension of a clear cross-sectional area of ​​a cavity in the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller is at least 2.5 mm, in particular at least 3.0 mm, in particular at most 5.0 mm, in particular at most 4.5 mm, in particular at most 4.0 mm.

[0036] The device can advantageously be designed such that the cavities in a transition to the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are bounded by a wall with an opening angle of at most 60°, in particular at most 50°, in particular at most 45° and at least 25°, in particular at least 30°, in particular at least 35°.

[0037] The device can advantageously be designed such that the cavities in the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are arranged in rows running parallel to a drive axis of the metering roller.

[0038] The device can advantageously be designed such that the cavities in the outer circumferential surface are arranged offset from each other from row to row in the direction of the drive axis.

[0039] The device can advantageously be designed such that the cavities in the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller are arranged in groups that are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction, so that a cavity-free web area is formed between these groups in the circumferential direction.

[0040] The device can advantageously be designed such that the outside diameter of the metering roller is at least 60 mm, in particular at least 70 mm, in particular at least 80 mm, and in particular at most 350 mm, in particular at most 320 mm, in particular at most 300 mm, in particular at most 250 mm, in particular at most 200 mm, in particular at most 150 mm.

[0041] The device can advantageously be designed such that a small amount of particulate material of at most 2.0 g, in particular at most 1.5 g, in particular at most 1.2 g, in particular at most 1.0 g, in particular at most 0.8 g is applied per component and cycle.

[0042] The invention further relates to a manufacturing machine for absorbent hygiene articles with a device for dosing and applying a small quantity of a particulate material, as described above and claimed in the attached patent claims.

[0043] Further features, details, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the attached claims and from the accompanying drawings and the following description of the invention. The drawing shows: Figure 1 a sectional view through a device according to the invention for dosing and applying a small quantity of a particulate material, with components of a hygiene article to be manufactured passed below the device and downstream topsheet feeding; Figure 2 a view of a metering roller unit of the device according to Figure 1 seen in the direction of arrow II in Figure 1 ; Figure 3a perspective view of the metering roller unit after Figure 2 ; Figure 4 another perspective view of the metering roller unit after Figure 2 ; Figures 5 and 6 various patterns of cavity arrangement on the metering roller; Figures 7 ad Various views of the metering roller with drive shaft and details of the cavities; Figures 8a-h Further exemplary arrangements of the cavities by a top view in radial direction onto a respective metering roller.

[0044] Figure 1Figure 2 shows a device, designated in its entirety by reference numeral 2, for dosing and applying a small quantity of a particulate material 3, for example, in the form of a pH regulator, in a manufacturing machine 4 for absorbent hygiene products, which is only partially indicated. Only a portion of this manufacturing machine 4 is shown, in which a carrier material web 8, fed continuously in a machine direction 6, for example, to form a backsheet of the hygiene product, is fed with absorbent bodies 10 arranged at intervals from each other in the machine direction 6 and is passed, by way of example and preferably, below the device 2. Downstream of the device 2, another continuous material web 12, for example, in the form of a liquid-permeable topsheet of the hygiene product, is then fed, so that each absorbent body 10 is sandwiched between the carrier material web 8 and the material web 12.

[0045] Each absorption body 10, fed in the machine direction 6, forms a component 14 of a hygiene article to be manufactured, into or onto which a specific predetermined quantity of the particulate material 3 is to be applied as precisely as possible as a target structure 16. For this purpose, the device 2 includes a storage container 18 for receiving the material. Figure 1 only indicated particulate material 3 and a metering roller 20, which is attached in or at a lower opening 19 of the storage container 18 in such a way that it is exposed to the particulate material 3 inside the storage container 18 with a part of its outer circumferential surface 22 and seals the opening 19 of the storage container 18 in a substantially particle-tight manner in the remainder and together with a doctor blade device 24 or its doctor blade cutting edge 26.

[0046] As mentioned, the metering roller 20 has an outer circumferential surface 22 in which a multitude of cavities 28 are formed for receiving the particulate material 3.

[0047] The Figures 2 to 4 Further illustrations show device 2 for better visualization, omitting other components of the Figure 1 It can be seen that the storage container 18 together with the dosing roller 20 rotatably mounted therein forms a modular-looking dosing unit 30, which as a whole can be attached to or integrated into the high-speed production machine 4.

[0048] When the metering roller 20 with its cavities 28 comes into contact with the particulate material 3 inside the storage container 18, the cavities 28 fill with this particulate material 3. The release of this material 3 outside the metering unit 30 is achieved by the doctor blade 24, located below the metering roller 20, with its doctor blade 26, and by a sealing element 32 in the respective area of ​​the transition between the outer circumferential surface 22 and the adjacent axial end face of the metering roller 20. The sealing element 32 is advantageously designed as a somewhat flexible plastic sealing element and consists only of Figures 2 to 4As can be seen, the interior of the device 2, or rather its storage container 18, is effectively sealed against the environment and the manufacturing machine 4. Only when the respective cavities 28 of the metering roller 20 are released by the doctor blade 26 can the small and precisely metered quantity of particulate material contained therein be dispensed towards the component 14 of the hygiene product. In the case of the component 14 being passed below and at a vertical distance of 1-15 cm from the metering roller 20, this can be gravity-assisted. Furthermore, centripetal accelerations occur as a result of the rotation of the metering roller 20, which will be explained later. Tangential components also arise with respect to this rotation when the particulate material 3 is dispensed from the cavities 28 as they are rotated into a dispensing position 40 immediately following the doctor blade assembly 24.Therefore, the particulate material 3 does not flow from the cavities 28 onto the components 14 along a dashed arrow 42, i.e., exactly in a vertical direction, but rather follows a path more or less oblique to this direction, which is only schematically indicated by a slanted arrow 44. The material can and likely will follow an arc-shaped path (not shown). To support precise application, a guide arrangement 46 with a baffle or guide wall 48 is also provided, which has different angles of inclination α to the horizontal. For example, the angle of inclination α of the baffle or guide wall 48 is almost 90° in an upper region, and approximately 40° in a lower region.

[0049] According to the invention, the metering roller 20 is not driven at a constant continuous rotational speed, but is controlled in a clocked manner and thereby accelerated according to the movement of the components 14 being passed by, and decelerated to a standstill according to the invention, so that with each clock cycle a number of cavities 28 are brought into the dispensing position 40 with respect to the component 14 that has just passed by, and the particulate material 3 contained therein is applied to the component 14. It was found that this allows for a much more precise metering of particulate material and its dispensing to a respective component. By means of a correspondingly clocked control by means of an electronic control device 50 and a drive device 52 (in Figure 2(As schematically indicated) it can be achieved that a predetermined number of cavities 28, corresponding to a rotation angle selected for each cycle for the metering roller 20, reach the dispensing position 40. The resulting high accelerations and decelerations ensure the complete dispensing of the particulate material 3 from each cavity 28 brought into the dispensing position 40. This can be further enhanced by a shape of the cavities 28 (to be described later) and by making the surface of the metering roller 20, which forms the cavities, from polished hard metal.

[0050] As in Figure 1 as exemplified and also in Figures 5 and 6 As shown, the cavities 28 are arranged in rows 58 parallel to a geometric drive axis 56. Furthermore, it can be seen in Figure 1 and 6, that the cavities are arranged in groups 60 of three rows 58 each, which are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction 61. Figures 2-4 The figures show exemplary groups of two rows each. In this way, a cavity-free web area 62 is formed between the groups 60, which is suitable for the positioning of the doctor blade 26 after an incremental movement of the metering roller 20. However, it is also conceivable and advantageous if the cavities 28 are arranged in a more or less uniform distribution on the outer circumferential surface 22. It proves advantageous if the arrangement is such that a doctor blade can bear against the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller at a multitude of incremental rotational positions of the metering roller without overlapping a cavity. In this way, a defined number of cavities 28 can then be completely brought into the dispensing position 40.

[0051] The Figures 7a to 7dFigure 1 shows the metering roller 20 with bearing sections 66 of its drive shaft 68. It is preferably designed as a hollow roller. The arrangement of the cavities 28 is again exemplified in groups 60 of, for example, two rows 58 of cavities 28 each, wherein the groups 60 are spaced apart from each other by a cavity-free web area 62. Figure 7c (Sectional view according to level BB in Figure 7a The division of a circle segment is given as an example. The rotation angle of the metering roller 20 is, for example, 22.5°, which corresponds to 1 / 16 of a full revolution of the metering roller.

[0052] Detail C according to Figure 7dFigure 1 shows that the cavities 28 taper radially inwards. Advantageously, they are rounded and, in their radially inward apex region, are spherical, particularly in some sections. It can also be seen that the cavities 28 are bounded at a transition to the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller by a wall with an opening angle of 40°, given here as an example. However, the dimensions (in millimeters) of the cavities in the figures are purely illustrative.

[0053] The Figures 8a-hFurther exemplary cavity arrangements are shown by a radial view of a respective metering roller. The closer the cavities are arranged to each other, the more application volume of particulate material is available per revolution of the metering roller, or the shallower the cavities can be, which can prove advantageous with regard to complete emptying in the dispensing position.

Claims

1. Method for dosing and applying a small amount of a particulate material in a high-speed manufacturing machine (4) for absorbent hygiene articles, in the manufacturing machine (4) components (14) of the hygiene articles to be produced being successively supplied and conveyed as target structure (16) for the particulate material to be applied, a metering roller (20) which has cavities (28) provided in its outer circumferential surface (22) being used to receive the particulate material, the successively supplied components (14) being guided past and preferably below the metering roller (20) and preferably at a distance from the metering roller (20), characterized in that the metering roller (20) is controlled in a clocked manner, i.e. is accelerated in accordance with the movement of the components (14) being guided past and is decelerated to a standstill in each cycle, so that with each cycle a number of cavities (28) are brought into a dispensing position (40) to the component (14) just being guided past and particulate material contained therein is applied to the component (14).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that depending on the quantity of particulate material to be applied, a rotation angle of the metering roller (20) is selected per cycle, the rotation angle being preferably selected between 5° and 30°, in particular between 10° and 25°.

3. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that a guide arrangement (46) is arranged downstream of the dispensing position (40) of the cavities, by means of which particulate material dispensed from the cavities (28) is guided in the direction of the target structure (16) or a target region of the target structure (16).

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide arrangement (46) has a baffle or guide wall (48) which encloses an angle of between 90° and 20°, in particular between 90° and 25°, in particular between 80° and 25°, in particular between 60° and 25° and further in particular between 50° and 25°, with a horizontal plane.

5. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that inwardly tapering cavities (28), in particular rounded inwardly tapering cavities (28), in particular dome-shaped cavities (28) are provided in the metering roller.

6. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavities (28) are bounded in a transition to the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20) by a wall with an opening angle of at most 60°, in particular of at most 50°, in particular of at most 45° and of at least 25°, in particular of at least 30°, in particular of at least 35°.

7. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavities (28) in the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20) are arranged in rows (58) running parallel to a drive axis (56) of the metering roller (20).

8. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavities (28) in the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20) are arranged in groups (60) which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction, so that a cavity-free web region (62) is formed between these groups (60) in the circumferential direction.

9. Device (2) for dosing and applying a small amount of a particulate material in a high-speed manufacturing machine (4) for absorbent hygiene articles, in the manufacturing machine (4) components (14) of the hygiene articles to be produced being successively supplied and conveyed as target structure (16) for the particulate material to be applied, comprising a metering roller (20) which has cavities (28) provided in its outer circumferential surface (22) for receiving the particulate material, and comprising a doctor blade mechanism (24) with a doctor blade edge (26) resting against the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20), the successively supplied components (14) being guided past and preferably below the metering roller (20) and preferably at a distance from the metering roller (20), and comprising a control device (50) and drive device (52) for the metering roller (20), characterized in that the control device (50) and drive device (52) are designed such that the metering roller (20) can be controlled in a clocked manner, i.e. is accelerated in accordance with the movement of the components (14) being guided past and is decelerated to a standstill in each cycle, so that with each cycle a number of cavities (28) are brought into a dispensing position (40) to the component just being guided past and particulate material contained therein is applied to the component (14).

10. Device according to claim 9, characterized in that a particularly vertical distance between the components guided past the metering roller and the metering roller is 1.0 - 15.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 10.0, in particular 1.0 - 7.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 5.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 4.0 cm, in particular 1.0 - 3.0 cm, in particular 2.0 - 3.0 cm.

11. Device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that a guide arrangement (46) is arranged downstream of the dispensing position (40) of the cavities (28), by means of which particulate material dispensed from the cavities (28) is guided in the direction of the target structure (16) or a target region of the target structure (16).

12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the guide arrangement (46) has a baffle or guide wall (48) which encloses an angle of between 90° and 20°, in particular between 90° and 25°, in particular between 80° and 25°, in particular between 60° and 25° and further in particular between 50° and 25°, with a horizontal plane.

13. Device according to one or more of claims 9-12, characterized in that in the metering roller (20) inwardly tapering cavities (28), in particular rounded inwardly tapering cavities (28), in particular dome-shaped cavities (28) are formed.

14. Device according to one or more of claims 9-13, characterized in that the cavities (28) are bounded in a transition to the outer circumferential surface of the metering roller (20) by a wall with an opening angle of at most 60°, in particular of at most 50°, in particular of at most 45° and of at least 25°, in particular of at least 30°, in particular of at least 35°.

15. Device according to one or more of claims 9-14, characterized in that the cavities (28) in the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20) are arranged in rows (58) running parallel to a drive axis (56) of the metering roller (20).

16. Device according to one or more of claims 9-15, characterized in that the cavities (28) in the outer circumferential surface (22) of the metering roller (20) are arranged in groups (60) which are spaced apart from one another in the circumferential direction, so that a cavity-free web region (62) is formed between these groups (60) in the circumferential direction.