Modular Hot Melt Adhesive Delivery System with Pressure Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hot melt adhesive and thermoplastic material delivery systems are inflexible and costly to adapt to different application procedures, requiring multiple systems for various deposition or application processes, which is economically unviable and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
A modular system with detachable and attachable metering assemblies and a closed-loop fluid pressure control system that allows for different working pressures at each metering device, enabling versatile and flexible deployment of hot melt adhesive or thermoplastic materials across various application procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional fixed delivery systems are used for different application procedures, then each specific application can be reliably served, but the system lacks flexibility and requires multiple separate systems
Solution Approach 1:
The delivery system is divided into modular components including a supply unit, multiple detachable metering assemblies, and interchangeable applicators. Each metering assembly can be independently attached or detached to match specific application requirements, allowing the system to adapt to different procedures without requiring complete system replacement or complex reconfiguration.
Solution Approach 2:
The modular metering assemblies are designed with universal interfaces that allow them to be attached to different supply units and configured for various application procedures. A single metering assembly can serve multiple applications by adjusting settings or attaching different applicators, eliminating the need for multiple dedicated systems.
2Reliability
If multiple fixed delivery systems are installed for various application procedures, then each procedure has dedicated equipment, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, fixed configurations to dynamic, reconfigurable setups. Metering assemblies can be detached and reattached to different supply units, and parameters such as flow rate and pressure can be adjusted in real-time to match application requirements, providing dedicated performance for each procedure without requiring separate physical systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The metering assemblies incorporate adjustable parameters including flow rate, pressure, and temperature control. By changing these parameters rather than changing the entire system, the same hardware can reliably serve multiple application procedures with different performance requirements, reducing the need for multiple expensive dedicated systems.
3Adaptability or versatility
If metering devices are located remotely from the supply unit, then spatial flexibility is improved, but pressure control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
detachable connection elements and pressure control mechanisms serve as intermediaries between the supply unit and remotely located metering assemblies. These intermediaries maintain pressure integrity across the connection interface and allow remote positioning while preserving pressure control capability through integrated pressure regulation in the metering assemblies.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates pressure sensors and control mechanisms that provide feedback loops to maintain optimal pressure at each metering device regardless of its distance from the supply unit. Pressure readings from remote metering assemblies feed back to the supply unit or local control mechanisms, enabling automatic adjustment to compensate for pressure losses in the fluid lines.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A modular system (100), for delivering hot melt adhesive materials, comprises a modular metering assembly (104), having metering stations disposed therein, that is able to be attachably and detachably mounted upon a modular tank assembly (102). Alternatively, one or more of the metering stations may be disposed externally of the modular metering assembly, and alternatively still further, one or more additional modular metering assemblies may be attachably and detachably connected to the first modular metering assembly. Also disclosed is a closed-loop fluid pressure control system, for independently controlling the pressure of the hot melt adhesive material being conveyed to the metering devices, whereby the working pressures of the hot melt adhesive materials being conveyed to the metering devices can have different working pressures.