Method and adapter for conveying plural liquid streams

Abstract

A method and an adapter for improving the efficiency of a static mixer being used to mix reactive fluids such as epoxy adhesives. This allows either a small static mixer to be employed, or a smaller purge flow during dispensing operations.

Claims

1. A system for mixing and delivery of a reactive composition formed from at least a first composition and a second composition, comprising: a first supply and a second supply for the first composition and the second composition, the first supply and the second supply having a first dispensing port and a second dispensing port respectively; a flow splitting adapter comprising: a body having at least a first inlet port and a second inlet port, each inlet port corresponding with and in fluid communication with at least two outlet ports, wherein the first inlet port and the second inlet port are adapted to mate with the first dispensing port and the second dispensing port respectively; and a static mixer adapted to separably mate with the first dispensing port and the second dispensing port.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the reactive composition comprises an epoxy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The disclosure may be more completely understood in consideration of the following detailed description of various embodiments of the disclosure in connection with the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a plan exploded view of a system for the mixing and delivery of a reactive composition according to the present disclosure.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the flow splitting adapter of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2, with hidden lines of internal structures revealed.

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the second portion of the flow splitting adapter of FIG. 3, taken along section lines 4-4 in FIG. 3, and tilted.

(6) In the drawings, like reference numerals indicate like elements. While the above-identified drawing, which may not be drawn to scale, sets forth various embodiments of the present disclosure, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the Detailed Description. In all cases, this disclosure describes the presently disclosed disclosure by way of representation of exemplary embodiments and not by express limitations. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art, which fall within the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) For the following Glossary of defined terms, these definitions shall be applied for the entire application, unless a different definition is provided in the claims or elsewhere in the specification.

Glossary

(8) Certain terms are used throughout the description and the claims that, while for the most part are well known, may require some explanation. It should understood that, as used herein:

(9) The terms “(co)polymer” or “(co)polymers” includes homopolymers and copolymers, as well as homopolymers or copolymers that may be formed in a miscible blend, e.g., by coextrusion or by reaction, including, e.g., transesterification. The term “copolymer” includes random, block and star (e.g., dendritic) copolymers.

(10) The term “adjoining” with reference to a particular layer means joined with or attached to another layer, in a position wherein the two layers are either next to (i.e., adjacent to) and directly contacting each other, or contiguous with each other but not in direct contact (i.e., there are one or more additional layers intervening between the layers).

(11) By using terms of orientation such as “atop”, “on”, “over,” “covering”, “uppermost”, “underlying” and the like for the location of various elements in the disclosed coated articles, we refer to the relative position of an element with respect to a horizontally-disposed, upwardly-facing substrate. However, unless otherwise indicated, it is not intended that the substrate or articles should have any particular orientation in space during or after manufacture.

(12) The terms “about” or “approximately” with reference to a numerical value or a shape means+/−five percent of the numerical value or property or characteristic, but expressly includes the exact numerical value. For example, a viscosity of “about” 1 Pa-sec refers to a viscosity from 0.95 to 1.05 Pa-sec, but also expressly includes a viscosity of exactly 1 Pa-sec.

(13) The term “substantially” with reference to a property or characteristic means that the property or characteristic is exhibited to a greater extent than the opposite of that property or characteristic is exhibited. For example, a substrate that is “substantially” transparent refers to a substrate that transmits more radiation (e.g., visible light) than it fails to transmit (e.g., absorbs and reflects). Thus, a substrate that transmits more than 50% of the visible light incident upon its surface is substantially transparent, but a substrate that transmits 50% or less of the visible light incident upon its surface is not substantially transparent.

(14) As used in this specification and the appended exemplary embodiments, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to fine fibers containing “a compound” includes a mixture of two or more compounds. As used in this specification and the appended embodiments, the term “or” is generally employed in its sense including “and/or” unless the content clearly dictates otherwise.

(15) As used in this specification, the recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.8, 4, and 5).

(16) Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing quantities or ingredients, measurement of properties and so forth used in the specification and embodiments are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the foregoing specification and attached listing of embodiments can vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by those skilled in the art utilizing the teachings of the present disclosure. At the very least, and not as an attempt to limit the application of the doctrine of equivalents to the scope of the claimed embodiments, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

(17) Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure may take on various modifications and alterations without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure are not to be limited to the following described exemplary embodiments, but is to be controlled by the limitations set forth in the claims and any equivalents thereof.

(18) Exemplary Apparatus and Processes

(19) Various exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will now be described with particular reference to the Drawings.

(20) Referring now to FIG. 1, a plan exploded view of system 20 for the mixing and delivery of a reactive composition according to the present disclosure is illustrated. The system 20 includes a first 22 and a second supply 24 for first and second compositions. In the illustrated embodiment, these supplies are integrated into a dual syringe 26. In this embodiment, the first and second compositions are impelled from the first 22 and a second supply 24 by the action of a dual plunger 28, although other expedients for accomplishing this action will be known to the routine practitioner. The first 22 and the second supply 24 have a first 30 and second dispensing port 32, respectively. In this embodiment, dual syringe 26 has a first 34 and a second 36 locking projection. These serve to interact with locking flanges 38 and 40 on connector 42 to provide a releasable attachment. Connector 42 in turn can releasably connect with a static mixer 50. Connector 42 is shaped internally to receive flow splitting adapter 44 and to hold it in fluid communication with dual syringe 26 and static mixer 50, as will be described with more particularity in connection with FIG. 2 below.

(21) Referring now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a flow splitting adapter 44 is illustrated. Flow splitting adapter 44 includes a body having a first portion 60a and a second portion 60b, conveniently joined at parting line 60c. First portion 60a includes a first inlet port 62 and a second inlet port 64. In the illustrated embodiment, first portion 60a includes studs 66 and 68 to index and/or interlock with, e.g., a dual syringe. Second portion 60b includes a first outlet port 72 and a second inlet port 74, which can interface with a static mixer such as seen in FIG. 1.

(22) Flow splitting adapter 44 is comprised in one embodiment of a suitable polymer material, metal, ceramic, or some hybrid combination thereof. In one embodiment, it may be manufactured by additive manufacturing processes, also known as 3D printing. Depending on the design of the flow splitting adapter, it may also be made by way of injection molding, using thermoplastics, thermosets, photocured polymers, metals, etc). Alternatively, the flow splitting adapter may be injection molded over a material that is later dissolved out. Or it could be fabricated as sub-assemblies and then those sub-assemblies joined together by a suitable method (e.g. by adhesive, welding, pressure, mechanical coupling, laser welding, etc.). Additionally, manufacture of the flow splitting adapter may employ 3D sintering or selective laser sintering. In one embodiment, the process of making a flow splitting adapter as described herein comprises: using an additive manufacturing process to build up a body having at least a first and a second inlet port and at least a first and a second outlet port, wherein a first flow passage provides fluid communication between the first inlet port and both the first and a second outlet ports, and wherein a second flow passage provides fluid communication between the second inlet port and both the first and a second outlet ports.

(23) Referring now to FIG. 3, is side view of the flow splitting adapter 44 of FIG. 2 is illustrated, only with hidden lines of internal structures revealed. In the illustrated embodiment, first inlet 62 has tapered walls 62′ to conveniently form a taper seal with, e.g., a dual syringe. A first flow passage 82 provides fluid communication between the first inlet port 62 and both first outlet port 72 and a second outlet port 74. First flow passage 82 conveniently includes four sections. First section 82a conveys fluid from first inlet 62 to a second section 82b. Second section 82b is a manifold dividing the flow and delivering it to third and fourth sections 82c and 82d. Third and fourth sections 82c and 82d, are in fluid communication with outlet ports 72 and 74 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, first and second outlets 72 and 74 have tapered walls 72′ and 74′ respectively, to conveniently form a taper seal with, e.g., a static mixer.

(24) A second flow passage 84 provides fluid communication between the second inlet port 64 (hidden on the far side of first inlet port 62 in this view) and both first outlet port 72 and a second outlet port 74. Second flow passage 84 conveniently includes four sections. First section 84a (hidden on the far side of first section 82a in this view) conveys fluid from first inlet 64 to a second section 84b. Second section 84b is a manifold dividing the flow and delivering it to third and fourth sections 84c and 84d. Third and fourth sections 84c and 84d, are in fluid communication with outlet ports 72 and 74 respectively.

(25) Referring now to FIG. 4, a perspective view of the second portion 60b of flow splitting adapter 44 of FIG. 3, taken along section lines 4-4 in FIG. 3 and tilted slightly, is illustrated. In this view, the arrangement of second sections 82b and 84b are more conveniently visualized.

(26) In the illustrated embodiment, as in many convenient embodiments, the fluid flows in third sections 82c and 84c are kept entirely separate until they release into a static mixer taper fit with first outlet port 72. Similarly, the fluid flows in fourth sections 82c and 84c are kept entirely separate until they release into a static mixer taper fit with first outlet port 74. This prevents any reaction between the two fluids from occurring within flow splitting adapter 44. Therefore even should the static mixer need replacing during a dispensing operation, the adapter will still be usable.

(27) If additional pre-mixing should prove desirable, embodiments are possible where more than one flow passage originates at an inlet port, each destined to arrive separately at the same outlet port. It is still desirable that all flows remain isolated from each other when they end at their respective outlet ports.

(28) The operation of certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be further described with regard to the following non-limiting detailed Examples. These Examples are offered to further illustrate the various specific and preferred embodiments and techniques. It should be understood, however, that many variations and modifications may be made while remaining within the scope of the present disclosure.

EXAMPLES

(29) The following Examples are merely for illustrative purposes and are not meant to be overly limiting on the scope of the appended claims.

Example 1

(30) An apparatus generally as depicted in FIG. 2 was assembled. The flow splitting adapter was fabricated using conventional additive manufacturing techniques. A dual syringe filled with a two-part epoxy adhesive, commercially available as DP405LH Black from 3M Company of St. Paul, Minn., was coupled to the inlet ports of the flow splitting adapter. A several lengths of T-mixer type static mixer commercially available as MIXPAC from Sulzer AG of Winterthur, CH was connected to the outlet ports of the flow splitting adapter in turn.

(31) For each length of static mixer, a test was performed, dispensing the epoxy adhesive onto a metal plate while the backpressure on the plungers was measured. A control dispensing was similarly performed without the flow splitting adapter. Each metal plate was adhered to a similar plate before the adhesive was set, and a pull test of the shear strength of the bond was performed. The shear strength was taken as a proxy for the completeness of the mixing of the two parts of the two-part adhesive.

(32) It was found that for a given dispensing rate, the back pressure was within only between about 5 to 10 percent for the test sample compared with its control. For any given length of static mixer, the shear strength of the bond was noticeably higher for the run with the flow mixing adapter than for its control. Alternatively, it could be said that a much smaller static mixer may be successfully employed for the same degree of cure when a flow splitting adapter according to the present disclosure is used.

(33) Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “certain embodiments,” “one or more embodiments” or “an embodiment,” whether or not including the term “exemplary” preceding the term “embodiment,” means that a particular feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus the appearances of the phrases such as “in one or more embodiments,” “in certain embodiments,” “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment of the certain exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, materials, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

(34) While the specification has described in detail certain exemplary embodiments, it will be appreciated that those skilled in the art, upon attaining an understanding of the foregoing, may readily conceive of alterations to, variations of, and equivalents to these embodiments. Accordingly, it should be understood that this disclosure is not to be unduly limited to the illustrative embodiments set forth hereinabove. In particular, as used herein, the recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints is intended to include all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5). In addition, all numbers used herein are assumed to be modified by the term “about.”

(35) Furthermore, all publications and patents referenced herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. Various exemplary embodiments have been described. These and other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.