Metering Device with External Latching for Viscous Adhesives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metering devices for highly viscous products, such as assembly adhesives, face challenges with air and moisture tightness, leading to premature hardening and clogging issues, and are often cumbersome and inefficient for small-scale applications.
Innovation Solution
A metering device with a housing and cartridge system featuring a latching mechanism where latching elements and recesses are outside the product mass, ensuring airtightness and water vapor tightness, combined with a spring-driven piston movement for precise dosing without direct contact, allowing for easy handling and reuse.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the guide rod is positioned within the product mass to enable dispensing, then the dispensing function is achieved, but air and moisture inclusions cause the adhesive to harden via capillary or bridging action
Solution Approach 1:
The latching mechanism (detent element and detent recess) is extracted from the product mass and positioned on the outer housing and piston respectively. This separation eliminates the risk of adhesive hardening within the latching components while preserving the dispensing function through external mechanical actuation.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston acts as an intermediary component that transmits the actuation force from the external latching mechanism to the adhesive product. By mediating between the external housing movement and the internal product, it enables dispensing without requiring internal latching elements that would compromise airtightness.
2Duration of action of stationary object
If standard cartridges with large fill quantities are used, then the product is available for extended use, but the amount is too large for smaller DIY projects leading to waste
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is segmented into a replaceable container that holds the adhesive product and a reusable housing that contains the dosing mechanism. This allows users to purchase only the required amount of product in appropriately sized cartridges while reusing the expensive housing, reducing waste for small projects.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables discarding only the empty cartridge while recovering and reusing the housing with the integrated dosing mechanism. This selective replacement strategy reduces material waste and cost for users with small-scale needs.
3Ease of operation
If tube squeezers are used to apply adhesive from partially empty tubes, then complete application is possible, but additional tools are required increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The dosing mechanism, piston, and cartridge are merged into a single integrated unit within the housing. This combination eliminates the need for separate tube squeezers or additional tools, as the piston directly pushes the adhesive from the cartridge through the dispensing opening.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing serves multiple functions: it contains the latching mechanism for actuation, houses the piston for dosing, and provides structural support. This multi-functionality replaces the need for separate application tools, simplifying the overall system.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device provides precise, airtight dispensing of highly viscous products, preventing premature curing and clogging, and allowing for easy handling and reuse, making it suitable for small-scale applications and reducing waste.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element which is arranged between the inside of the housing and the cartridge and which, when the metering device is actuated, is pre-tensioned by the movement of the housing relative to the cartridge such that, after actuating the metering device, a restoring force of the spring element moves the housing back to its initial position relative to the cartridge
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a metering device (1) for the metered application of a highly viscous product onto a substrate (2), comprising a housing (3) with an inner side (7) and an outer side (6), a cartridge (10) forming a receiving space (14) for the highly viscous product to be metered, a piston (20) and a spring element (17), wherein at least one engaging element (22) is formed on the inner side (7) of the housing (3) and a row of neighbouring engaging recesses (21) is formed on the piston (20), wherein both the engaging element (22) and the engaging recesses (21) are arranged outside of the receiving space (14), and wherein the engaging element (22) engages into an engaging recess (21) on the piston (20) with an actuation of the metering device (1), and wherein, after an actuation of the metering device (1), a returning movement of the housing (3) into the starting position thereof brings about a transition of the engaging element (22) from the engaging recess (21) into a neighbouring engaging recess (21).