Pivoting Application Nozzle for Wide Beads and Lower Motor Power
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing apparatuses for applying viscous materials to workpieces, such as adhesives or insulation materials, face challenges in achieving a wider surface coverage due to air inclusions when using spiral-shaped beads, and require high motor power for deflecting flexible material lines under pressure.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus employs a pivoting application nozzle with a rigid material line configuration, allowing the material to enter and exit in different directions, guided by a pivot axis, to form a zigzag bead without complex robot movements, using a motor with lower power requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If a spiral-shaped material bead is applied using an eccentric mechanism, then the material bead width is significantly widened, but air inclusions are formed between the circles of the applied material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional spiral application approach by using a zigzag pattern instead. The application nozzle is pivoted back and forth about a pivot axis to deposit material in alternating directions, creating a zigzag bead that allows air to escape laterally rather than being trapped between overlapping circular paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The application nozzle is made dynamically pivotable about a pivot axis that extends transversely to the material line. This dynamic pivoting motion enables the nozzle to alternate between left and right deflections, creating the zigzag pattern that eliminates air inclusions while maintaining wide surface coverage.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a flexible material line is deflected under high material pressure to achieve zigzag pattern, then air inclusions are avoided, but great motor power is required
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of deflecting the flexible material line in the horizontal plane (requiring high power against material pressure), the invention pivots the entire application nozzle assembly about a transverse pivot axis. This dimensional change moves the deflection mechanism to a different spatial dimension where the pivot can efficiently guide the rigid material line with minimal power.
Solution Approach 2:
The pivot axis acts as an intermediary mechanism between the motor and the material line. Rather than directly deflecting the high-pressure material line, the motor pivots the application nozzle about the pivot axis, which then naturally guides the material in a zigzag pattern. This intermediary reduces the direct mechanical load on the motor.
3Productivity
If the application nozzle is mounted on a robot arm for guided movement, then continuous material application along an application path is achieved, but complex robot movements are required to create zigzag pattern
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into two independent functions: the robot arm handles the primary application path movement (maintaining productivity), while the application nozzle handles the secondary zigzag deflection motion (reducing complexity). This segmentation allows each component to perform its specialized function with simpler control.
Solution Approach 2:
The application nozzle is made dynamically pivotable about a pivot axis that is fixed to the robot arm. This dynamic capability is built into the nozzle assembly itself, allowing it to independently execute zigzag motions while the robot arm maintains the application path, thereby reducing the complexity of robot movement programming and control.
Data Source
AI summary
A device for applying a viscous material to workpieces, has a nozzle holder and an applicator nozzle which is arranged on the nozzle holder and has a material line extending from a material inlet, for introduction of the viscous material, to a nozzle opening for emergence of the viscous material. The material line has an inlet portion, extending in a first direction from the material inlet, and an outlet portion, extending to the nozzle opening in a second direction transverse to the first direction, and the applicator nozzle is mounted on the nozzle holder pivotably about a pivot axis forming a longitudinal center axis of the inlet portion.