INDUSTRIAL THERMOPLASTIC ADHESIVE APPLICATOR

Abstract

The present application for patent of invention refers to an industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator, having portable and hand-held characteristics, being essentially comprised of a central heating and cooling control unit (1) of the hand-held applicator per se (3), which is housed in said heating and cooling unit (1), at least one hand-held applicator (3) being envisaged in each said unit. The invention pertains to the segment of the industry of thermoplastic adhesives, particularly for leather, rubber, fabrics, synthetic laminates, paper and cardboard, wood, metal and the like. The present invention refers to the constructive form of a hand-held applicator of thermoplastic adhesives, portable, cordless, the design of which was developed to handle like a pencil or marker or writing pen, with a broad degree of freedom of movement when applying adhesives.

Claims

1-9. (canceled)

10. An industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator, comprising a central heating and cooling control unit on which there are disposed housings for hand-held applicators with an adhesive reservoir, and the central heating and cooling control unit is configured to receive at least one hand-held applicator where they are kept at rest, each one with applicator tip with wedge-end adhesive release device, and the control of the heating and cooling parameters being carried out electronically by way of electronic integration of the components.

11. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, wherein the heating and cooling control unit collects the thermal energy in the heated support with a thermal energy accumulator of the hand-held applicator and cools the cover of the body by active cooling induced by air circulation.

12. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, wherein the applicator tip has a wedge-shaped three-dimensional form located between a transfer roll and a roll support formed by the parts; and a dynamic result of the elements inside the nozzle, when in motion, in the respective direction added to the shape at the wedge-end, results in the pumping or compression of adhesive.

13. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, wherein the heating system of the hand-held applicator is made by resistance RES1 or electromagnetic inductance GI1 and L1 installed in the central heating control unit.

14. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 13, wherein the heating control of the applicator nozzles is carried out by electronic temperature thermo-regulator RT1, with electronic temperature feedback sensor, or infrared ST IR and also by bi-metal thermo-regulator or with gas or thermostat-type temperature sensor.

15. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, wherein the electronic circuitry symbolizes a minimum requirement for protection and functionality resources, where the power uses a 3A fuse, master switch CG1, ventilator V1, signal lamp L1, thermo-regulator RT1 or thermostat, and in a case of electromagnetic inductance, an inductor coil BL1.

16. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, wherein the hand-held applicator is provided with an insulated knob body which is separated from the inner heated area, from where there is projected a ferrule which receives the applicator tip, region where the support of the applicator tip is threaded, to make the transfer of thermoplastic adhesive.

17. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 13, wherein the hand-held applicator contains a system of fins and inner ducts for thermal insulation and heating on the outer handling surface, or an insulated knob body induced by air circulation system.

18. The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator according to claim 10, further comprising a thermal energy accumulator system for cordless portable thermoplastic adhesive applicator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0068] The invention will now be described in terms of a preferred embodiment, and for improved understanding, references will be made to the accompanying drawings, wherein the following is represented:

[0069] FIG. 1: Bottom and top perspective views of the applicator;

[0070] FIG. 2: Perspective view of the applicator in use, forming straight (R1) and curved (S) images simply by handling the pen;

[0071] FIG. 3: Perspective top view of the applicator, with blown-up detail of the application tip;

[0072] FIG. 4: Perspective view of the temperature and heating unit, exemplifying the use of two applicators, one being coupled to its housing and the other outside the unit;

[0073] FIG. 5: Side view of the applicator nozzle with A-A cut-off indication;

[0074] FIG. 5A: Side view of the A-A section of the preceding figure, with the applicator applied to the heating unit;

[0075] FIG. 6: Perspective bottom view of the applicator, with the applicator tip blown up;

[0076] FIG. 7: Perspective view of the applicator, highlighting the knob and the other components;

[0077] FIG. 7A: Perspective view of the applicator of the preceding figure mounted;

[0078] FIG. 8: Perspective view of the applicator in use;

[0079] FIG. 9: Exemplifies design made by the applicator tip, in texturized (T1) form;

[0080] FIG. 10: Shows exchangeable applicator nozzles in perspective;

[0081] FIG. 11: Shows the applicator roll of bipartite adhesive and composed of mirrored parts;

[0082] FIG. 11A: Shows the tip in cutaway, with the roll forming the texturization;

[0083] FIG. 12: Top and side view of an applicator with B-B cutaway line and B-B section;

[0084] FIG. 13: Perspective view of the applicator in use, forming a design (D) and showing one type of applicator tip;

[0085] FIG. 14: Shows the electronic heating circuit of the hotmelt applicator pens, which can be effected through generating sources such as electrical resistance RES1;

[0086] FIG. 15: Shows the electronic heating circuit of the hotmelt applicator pens, which can be effected through electromagnetic inductance GI1 and L1 installed in the central heating control unit;

[0087] FIG. 16: Shows the electronic heating circuit of the hotmelt applicator pens, by bi-metal thermo-regulator or with gas or thermostat-like temperature sensor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0088] The industrial thermoplastic adhesive applicator, object of this application for patent of invention, comprises a central heating and cooling control unit (1), on which there are disposed housings (2) for the hand-held applicators (3) with adhesive reservoir (3B), wherein the central heating and cooling control unit (1) is designed to receive at least one hand-held applicator (3), and may follow to two, three, four or more, all kept at rest. The heating and cooling control unit (1) is endowed with a display (4) for recording and evaluating the heating data, and also has a master electric switch (5) and signal (6).

[0089] The heating and cooling control unit (1) collects the thermal energy in the heated support (7), with thermal energy accumulator of the hand-held applicator (3), and cooling the cover of the body (8), by active cooling induced by air circulation (9).

[0090] The heating system of the hand-held applicator (3) is carried out by electromagnetic induction, electrical resistance (10) or others, depending on the application for which it is intended.

[0091] The hand-held applicator (3) is provided with an insulated knob body (11), which is separated from the internal heated area (12), from where there is projected a ferrule (13) which receives the applicator tip (14) per se, where the support (15) of the applicator tip (14) is threaded which may be cylindrical, spherical or otherwise that enables it to be rolled like a pen, to make the transfer of thermoplastic adhesive.

[0092] The hand-held applicator (3) contains a system of fins and inner ducts (16), with the purpose of thermal insulation and heating on the outer handling surface, or insulated knob body (11), induced by air circulation system (9).

[0093] One of the important characteristics of the invention refers to the fact that the system and technology of the thermal energy accumulator for portable thermoplastic adhesive applicator is cordless.

[0094] The adhesive applicator roll, or applicator tip (14), preferably has bipartite construction, comprising parts that are mirrored (17) and mounted on the adhesive transfer rolls (14A). These applicator tips (14) will comprise different designs, which obviously depend on the practical requirements.

[0095] As shown in FIGS. 11 and 11A, the design expressed in FIG. 11A depicts a three-dimensional wedge-shaped geometric form (18) located between the transfer roll (14A) and the roll support formed by the parts (17). The dynamic result of the elements, inside the nozzle, when in motion, in the respective direction (19)FIG. 11A, added to the shape at the wedge-end (18A), results in the pumping or compression of adhesive (20)

[0096] FIG. 11A. This way, the compressed adhesive is induced and anchored on the surface of the transfer roll (14A), generating continuous and uniform application (21)FIG. 11A, regardless of the speed of application handling.

[0097] The region (22)FIG. 11A depicts the containment area of the adhesive (20), where the size adjustment between the transfer roll (14A) FIG. 11 and the roll support (23) is minimal, so as to contain the flow of adhesive during the rest-time of the hand-held applicator (3)FIG. 4 in the central heating control unit (1)FIG. 4.

[0098] The hotmelt applicator pens can be heated through generating sources such as electrical resistance RES1FIG. 14 and FIG. 16, or electromagnetic inductance GI1 and L1FIG. 15 installed in the central heating control unit (1).

[0099] The heating control of these applicator nozzles can be performed by electronic temperature thermo-regulator RT1FIGS. 14 and 16 with electronic temperature feedback sensor, such as PT100 or J-type thermocouple or the like TP1 (32)

[0100] FIGS. 14 and 16 or infrared ST IR (31)FIG. 15 and also by bi-metal thermo-regulator or with gas or thermostat-type temperature sensor (T)FIG. 16.

[0101] The electronic circuitry of FIGS. 14, 15 and 16, depict or symbolize the minimum requirement for protection and functionality resources, where the power uses a 3A fuse (24), master switch CG1 (25), ventilator V1 (26), signal lamp L1 (27), thermo-regulator RT1 (28) or thermostat (T) and in the case of electromagnetic inductance an inductor coil BL1 (30).

[0102] The applicator is heated in the central heating control unit (1), where the applicator (3) is at rest, collecting the thermal energy in the heated support (7)FIG. 5, with thermal energy accumulator of the applicator (3), and cooling the cover (8) of the applicator body (3) by active cooling induced by air circulation (9)FIG. 5.

[0103] The thermoplastic adhesives used soften (liquefy), at temperatures over 100 degrees Celsius, according to the compound, and may reach temperatures close to 300 degrees Celsius, taking into account the physical characteristics of the products most used. Therefore, inside the applicator handle (3), the adhesive must reach these temperatures. As such, the central heating control unit (1) needs to generate this temperature and transmit to the applicator (3), which will retransmit to the adhesive, on its inside, in accordance with position (29) in FIG. 5. The applicator must also keep this heat on its inside, for a given period, equal to or greater than that required for the adhesive to be dispensed or applied, in accordance with FIG. 2.

[0104] At the same time, the outer surface of the portable, hand-held applicator handle (3) needs to be kept cooled during use, making human handling safe and comfortable. In order to maintain the heating of the thermal energy accumulator inside the hand-held applicator (3) and also the due cooling of the outer surface of the handle or cover (8) of the hand-held applicator (3), said cover (8) has been developed with a combination of thermal insulation material with longitudinal streaks (8A) FIG. 5.

[0105] According to the design of FIG. 5A, the air flow that cools the cover (8) of the hand-held applicator (3) when at rest does not affect the temperature in the adhesive reservoir of its inside, as this cover is made of low coefficient thermal conduction material.

[0106] Being free of electric wiring, handling in the application of the adhesive has a broad degree of freedom of movement and can be used in work performed on tabletops, on conveyor belts, product packaging lines or any other process that is compatible with thermoplastic adhesives (hotmelt).

[0107] The thermoplastic adhesives used in the portable applicator can be granulated, stick or sachets. The applicator was developed to apply thermally-activated adhesives by way of rotary nozzles, when applying on the surface of substrates to be bonded, such as leather, rubber, fabrics, synthetic laminates, paper and cardboard, wood, metal and the like.

[0108] The hand-held applicator (3) was designed to apply thermoplastic adhesive, in the form of a trail, with smooth design or texturized, being proportional to the design of the applicator nozzle or applicator tip (14). On the substrate that is to be bonded, the application can have a linear or curved design.

[0109] The resources and solutions in technology, safety and ergonomics of the product, suggests that it be used in industrial applications, but allows diverse generic use, such as household, school, laboratories etc., through optional exchangeable nozzles.