Device for accommodating an adhesive application unit and method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device and a method for storing adhesive application units, with the device comprising a vacuum container (10) for hermetically accommodating at least one adhesive application unit (2), with the vacuum container (10) having: a passage (22) for evacuating the vacuum container (10), a container housing section (11) having a loading/unloading opening (12) and a closing device (13) for hermetically closing the loading/unloading opening (12).

Claims

1. A device (1) for accommodating at least one adhesive application unit (2) for edge banding machines, comprising: at least one adhesive application unit (2) which is part of an edge banding machine, said adhesive application unit comprising a roller system or nozzle application system configured to apply adhesive; a vacuum container (10) for hermetically accommodating the adhesive application unit (2), wherein the vacuum container (10) comprises a passage (22) for evacuating the vacuum container (10) and further comprises: a container housing section (11) having a loading/unloading opening (12), a closing device (13) for hermetically closing the loading/unloading opening (12); and a holding device (15) configured to hold and optionally securing the adhesive application unit (2) in the container housing section (11), a vacuum generation device (20) which is formed as a venturi nozzle (21), said vacuum generation device (20) being connected to the passage (22), a compressed air connection for connecting the vacuum generation device (20) to a compressed air source, and a vacuum monitoring device (30) comprising a manometer provided on the vacuum container (10) for measuring pressure in the vacuum container (10), wherein the pressure measurement is used for monitoring a vacuum level in the vacuum container (10), wherein the vacuum level in the vacuum container (10) is adjustable from 0.3 bar to 0.1 bar.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive application unit is a PUR-adhesive application unit.

3. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a sealing device for hermetically sealing the loading/unloading opening.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the passage on or in the container housing section comprises a vacuum connection.

5. The device according to claim I, wherein the vacuum generation device and the vacuum monitoring device are provided on the vacuum container in order to form the vacuum container as an integrated device for storing the adhesive application unit.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the holding device has an opening into which the adhesive application unit can be inserted in sections, wherein the adhesive application unit can be held in the holding device in a form-fit.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the passage and/or the vacuum monitoring device are provided in a closure lid of the container housing section.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the manometer has an alarm function.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the device of the present invention, in which the vacuum generation device is provided on the vacuum container.

(2) FIG. 2 shows one alternative embodiment of the device of the present invention, in which a base station is provided in which autarkic vacuum containers can be placed and evacuated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(3) Preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below in detail by means of the enclosed figures. Further modifications of certain features cited in this context can each be combined with one another in order to form new embodiments.

(4) In FIG. 1, one embodiment of a device 1 of the present invention is shown in which a vacuum connection 22 is provided on a vacuum container 10. As revealed in FIG. 1, the device of the present embodiment has a vacuum container 10 which is formed from a container housing section 11 having a loading/unloading opening 12 and a holding device 15. The vacuum connection 22 is hereby attached to an outer side of the container housing section 11.

(5) The holding device 15 serves to hold and secure an adhesive application unit 2, with the vacuum container 11 also being able fundamentally to be configured in its dimensioning such that a plurality of adhesive application units 2 can be held. However, for handling reasons the dimensioning could be advantageous for only one adhesive application unit 2.

(6) The adhesive application unit 2 is held in the holding device 15 preferably in a form-fit and optionally held in order to prevent unnecessary fastening devices and to simplify the holding of the adhesive application unit 2 in the vacuum container 10.

(7) The vacuum container 10 further has a closing device 13, with which the loading/unloading opening 12 of the vacuum container 10 can be hermetically sealed. To hermetically seal the loading/unloading opening 12, the vacuum container 10 further has a sealing device 14. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the loading/unloading opening 12 is formed on an upper side of the container housing section 11. Accordingly, the closing device 13 is formed in the form of a closure lid 13 having a sealing device 14 or O-ring.

(8) In the shown embodiment, the adhesive application unit 2 is inserted into a holding plate 15 which has a holding bore therefor which horizontally fixes the adhesive application unit. The adhesive application unit 2 is also vertically fixed due to its own weight. If desired, a vertical fixing of the adhesive application unit 2 can additionally occur by means of a fixing element, for example, in the form of a rubber element which is attached to an underside of the closure lid 13.

(9) After inserting the adhesive application unit 2 into the vacuum container 10 and placing the closure lid 13 on the vacuum container 10, this can be secured to the vacuum container, for example, by means of tension levers, and the air-tight seal can be ensured by means of the sealing device 14. The adhesive application unit 2 for edge banding machines is used for gluing workpieces which, for example, consist at least in sections of wood, wood materials or wood substitute materials, and to this end has common roller systems or application nozzle systems.

(10) Even if the loading/unloading opening 12 is provided on the upper side of the container housing section 11 in the present embodiment by way of example, it can also be provided on a side wall or peripheral wall of the container housing section 11. Furthermore, in contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum container 10 can also be carried out in the form of a cover (bell jar).

(11) The vacuum connection 22 can furthermore be formed as a check valve 22 which allows an exchange of air between the interior of the vacuum container 10 and the ambient air in the outward direction, which however, stops a backflow of air into the vacuum chamber 10. However, as a rule, a control valve 22 is used with the de-aeration/aeration and locking positions. An outlet of the check valve 22 or the control valve 22 (vacuum connection) is directly connected to an inlet of a vacuum generation device 20 which, in the shown embodiment, is formed in the form of a Venturi nozzle 21 and is attached to the outer side of the vacuum container 10. Furthermore, the Venturi nozzle is provided with an air connection 24 which in turn can be connected to a compressed air source or a compressed air supply. The compressed air provided by the compressed air source or the compressed air supply provides the necessary flowing air (driving power) for the Venturi nozzle 21 by means of which the air (ambient air) present in the hermetically sealed vacuum container can be sucked out through the check valve 22 or the control valve 22 (vacuum connection).

(12) The vacuum container 10 further has a vacuum monitoring apparatus 30 in the form of a pressure manometer by means of which the vacuum in the vacuum container 10 generated by means of the Venturi nozzle 21 can be monitored. If the vacuum in the vacuum container 10 reaches a pre-determined necessary vacuum (V.sub.Not), the Venturi nozzle 21 can be disconnected from the compressed air source. In order to be able to build up the vacuum in the vacuum container 10 again later and to be able to open the closure lid 13, the vacuum container 10 can further be provided with a vent valve. This is particularly necessary if a check valve 22, and not a control valve 22, is used.

(13) In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the passage 22 (vacuum connection 22) and/or the vacuum generation device 20 and/or the vacuum monitoring apparatus 30 can also be provided in the closure lid 13 or in a cover (bell jar).

(14) As the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 shows, the vacuum container 10 can be provided with a moisture sensor 40 by means of which the air humidity in the closed vacuum container 10 is detectable. Furthermore, if desired, the vacuum container 10 can be provided with a temperature sensor in order to detect the temperature of the ambient air.

(15) An alternative embodiment of the device 1 according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The device shown here generally corresponds to the configuration of the device shown in FIG. 1. Identical or equivalent components are provided with the same reference number.

(16) The embodiment shown here differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in that not all components of the device are provided on the vacuum container, but rather, a base station 100 is provided instead. The base station 100 provides a holding device 110 for the vacuum container 10 as well a vacuum generation device 50. Furthermore, in contrast to the embodiment example of FIG. 1, the base station 100 can also comprise the moisture sensor 40 as well as optionally the temperature sensor.

(17) The vacuum generation device 50 of the base station 100 can be simply connected by means of a flexible air hose 120 to the check valve 22 or control valve 22 (vacuum connection) which functions as a suction connection in this case. In this manner, a higher-quality control technology and suction technology (for example, a vacuum pump) can be used and the individual vacuum containers 10 can be designed more easily and consequently more cost-efficiently. This embodiment is especially useful if a large amount of vacuum containers is required.