NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT FOR APPLYING FLUIDS, SYSTEM HAVING SUCH A NOZZLE ARRANGEMENT, AND METHOD FOR APPLYING FLUIDS

Abstract

A nozzle arrangement applies fluids, in particular thermoplastic adhesives, to a substrate. The nozzle arrangement and the substrate move relative to one another in a first direction. The nozzle arrangement has a main body which is exchangeably connected to a mounting region of a distributor and which has an end-side side surface extending in a second direction running at least substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The end-side side surface of the main body can have mutually adjacently arranged first outlet nozzles for the fluid to be applied formed in a first row extending along the second direction and mutually adjacently arranged second outlet nozzles for a second fluid formed in a second row extending along the second direction and that is parallel to the first row.

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for applying fluids first and second fluids to a substrate, wherein the nozzle arrangement and the substrate move relative to one another in a first direction, the nozzle arrangement including: a main body configured to be connected to a mounting region of a distributor and which has an end-side side surface which extends in a second direction, which runs at least substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the end-side side surface of the main body includes mutually adjacently arranged first outlet nozzles for the first fluid to be applied is formed in a first row extending along the second direction, wherein the end-side side surface of the main body includes mutually adjacently arranged second outlet nozzles for the second fluid is furthermore formed in a second row extending along the second direction, wherein the second row runs parallel to the first row.

2-4. (canceled)

5. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the first outlet nozzles and each of the second outlet nozzles has a nozzle opening with an effective surface of each of the nozzle openings of the first outlet nozzles being an equal size or at least substantially of an equal size to each other, and wherein the nozzle openings of the first outlet nozzles are larger than an effective surface of each of the nozzle openings of the second and/or third outlet nozzles.

6. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the first outlet nozzles and each of the second outlet nozzles has a nozzle opening, wherein a length of each of the nozzle openings of the first outlet nozzles is smaller than a length of each of the nozzle openings of the second outlet nozzles.

7. (canceled)

8. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the first outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing first fluid streams as the first fluid to the substrate, and wherein the second outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing a gas in second fluid streams as the second fluid such that each of the second fluid streams runs at least substantially parallel to at least one of the first fluid streams or each of the second fluid streams converges with at least one of the first fluid streams.

9-11. (canceled)

12. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement is in the form of a laminated nozzle assembly formed from sheet-like elements which are areally connected to one another.

13. A system for applying fluids to a substrate, the system comprising: a distributor head configured to be connected to an actuator and configured to be moved relative to the substrate along a direction of movement; and at least one nozzle arrangement of claim 1 which is configured to be connected to the distributor head in a mounting region of the distributor head, wherein the at least one nozzle arrangement is arranged in the mounting region of the distributor head such that the end-side side surface of the main body of the nozzle arrangement is oriented at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head, wherein the distributor head moves in the direction of movement when fluids are applied via the first outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement.

14. A method for applying fluids to a substrate, the method comprising: moving a nozzle arrangement according to claim 1 relative to the substrate in a direction of movement; and dispensing a fluid jet through the first outlet nozzles of the nozzle arrangement during the movement of the nozzle arrangement relative to the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the fluid jets dispensed through the first outlet nozzles are deflected by shaping air dispensed via the second outlet nozzles for creating an omega-shaped pattern of the fluid jet applied to the substrate.

16. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein, for each of the first outlet nozzles, at least one of the second outlet nozzles is provided and spaced apart from the first outlet nozzle in the first direction.

17. The nozzle arrangement of claim 16, wherein the first outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing the first fluid at an equal first fluid mass flow rate, wherein the second outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing the second fluid at an equal second fluid mass flow rate.

18. The nozzle arrangement of claim 17, wherein the end-side side surface of the main body includes mutually adjacently arranged third outlet nozzles for the second fluid, the third outlet nozzles formed in a third row extending along the second direction, wherein the first row, with the first outlet nozzles, is arranged between the second and third rows, with the second and third outlet nozzles, wherein the third outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing the second fluid as a gas at an equal third fluid mass flow rate.

19. The nozzle arrangement of claim 18, wherein the second and third fluid mass flow rates are equal; or wherein the second and third fluid mass flow rates are different from one another and vary with respect to time.

20. The nozzle arrangement of claim 18, wherein, for each of the first outlet nozzles, at least one of the third outlet nozzles is provided and spaced apart from the first outlet nozzle in the first direction.

21. The nozzle arrangement of claim 18, wherein an effective surface of nozzle openings of the second and third outlet nozzles is of an equal size or at least substantially of an equal size.

22. The nozzle arrangement of claim 18, wherein the first outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing the first fluid to the substrate in first fluid streams, and the third outlet nozzles are formed for dispensing pressurized air in third fluid streams such that each of the third fluid streams runs at least substantially parallel to at least one of the first fluid streams or each of the third fluid streams converges with at least one of the first fluid streams.

23. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first fluid or the second fluid is a thermoplastic adhesive.

24. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein each of the first outlet nozzles and each of the second outlet nozzles has a nozzle opening with a length of each of the nozzle openings of the first outlet nozzles being longer than a length of each of the nozzle openings of the second outlet nozzles.

25. The nozzle arrangement of claim 1, wherein the second fluid is pressurized air.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0056] In the figures:

[0057] FIG. 1 shows, schematically and in an isometric view, a conventional system for applying thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate;

[0058] FIG. 2 shows, schematically and in an isometric view, an example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the inventive subject matter;

[0059] FIG. 3 schematically shows a frontal view of the example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the inventive subject matter according to FIG. 2 on the end-side side surface of the main body of the nozzle arrangement;

[0060] FIG. 4 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 3, which is indicated in FIG. 3 by the circle identified by A;

[0061] FIG. 5 schematically shows the example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the inventive subject matter in an exploded illustration;

[0062] FIG. 6 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 5, which is indicated in FIG. 5 by the circle identified by A;

[0063] FIG. 7 schematically shows a frontal view of a further example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the inventive subject matter on the end-side side surface of the main body of the nozzle arrangement; and

[0064] FIG. 8 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 7, which is indicated in FIG. 7 by the circle identified by A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0065] It has been recognized for some time that thermoplastic adhesives 20 form good binders. This is because they cure rapidly, which is a particular advantage if the adhesive 20 is applied step-by-step and the bond of the parts to be adhesively bonded then takes place immediately, and the obtained adhesive bond is very strong. Furthermore, the selection of components from which thermoplastic adhesives 20 may be composed is sufficiently large that a corresponding adhesive composition can be produced easily for a given purpose.

[0066] Nonetheless, obstacles have arisen in the expanded usage of these adhesives 20 insofar as the thermoplastic adhesive 20 may sometimes be applied not at all or only with greater difficulties in an automated manner to specific, selected regions of a substrate 21, in particular having a complex geometry.

[0067] This also applies to applications in which, for example, decorative materials are to be applied to a substrate 21 of an interior trim part of a vehicle via an adhesive bond. In such applications, the risk exists in principle that the adhesive bond between the decorative layer, on the one hand, and the substrate 21, on the other hand, is still visible/recognizable and/or haptically perceptible from the visible side (=A side) of the interior trim part, in particular if the adhesive layer was not applied flatly enough and uniformly enough to the substrate 21 and/or the decorative layer.

[0068] A conventional system 150 is shown schematically and in an isometric view in FIG. 1, using which a thermoplastic adhesive 20 is applied in an automated manner to specific regions of a substrate 21 formed as a molded part. The conventional system 150 for applying thermoplastic adhesives 20 to a substrate 21 formed as a molded body has a distributor head 30, which is preferably connected or can be connected to a robot arm (not shown in FIG. 1) or such an actuator and which can be moved with the aid of the robot arm/actuator along a direction of movement relative to the substrate 21.

[0069] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional system 150 for applying thermoplastic adhesives 20 has a nozzle arrangement 101, which is connected, preferably exchangeably, to the distributor head 30 in a mounting region of the distributor head 30. This nozzle arrangement 101 is substantially formed by an approximately rectangular main body 102, via which the nozzle arrangement 101 is connected to the mounting region of the distributor head 30.

[0070] This substantially rectangular main body 102as viewed in a top viewof the nozzle arrangement 101 has an end-side side surface 103, in which a multiplicity of outlet nozzles 105 is formed. The main flow axes predetermined by the outlet nozzles 105 or the outlet openings of the outlet nozzles 105, along which the thermoplastic adhesive material 20 dispensed by the outlet nozzles 105 move, substantially enclose a right angle with the end-side side surface 103 of the main body 102 of the nozzle arrangement 101. Furthermore, the end-side side surface 103 of the main body 102 is oriented in the direction of movement of the distributor head 30.

[0071] To be able to form an application pattern of the adhesive 20 on the substrate 21 in the case of the conventional nozzle arrangement 101, both (first) outlet nozzles for the adhesive 20 to be applied, on the one hand, and (second) outlet nozzles for shaping air, on the other hand, are arranged alternating and in a row in the end-side side surface of the main body.

[0072] However, this structure only has limited suitability for certain applications, in which the flattest and most uniform possible application of the adhesive to the substrate 21 is important.

[0073] An optimized nozzle arrangement 1 is therefore proposed according to the inventive subject matter, where an example embodiment of this nozzle arrangement 1 is described in greater detail hereafter with reference to the illustration in FIGS. 2 to 6.

[0074] The nozzle arrangement 1 according to the inventive subject matter, as shown by way of example in FIGS. 2 to 6, has a main body 2, which can be connected, preferably exchangeably, to a mounting region of a distributor 30 or distributor head.

[0075] The main body 2 can have, for example, an at least substantially rectangular configuration having an end-side side surface 3. This end-side side surface 3 extends in a direction which, in operation of the nozzle arrangement 1, i.e., when the nozzle arrangement 1 is used to apply fluids 20 to a substrate 21, runs at least substantially perpendicularly to the direction in which the substrate 21 is moved relative to the nozzle arrangement 1.

[0076] In the end-side side surface 3 of the main body, a multiplicity of mutually adjacently arranged first outlet nozzles 4 for the fluid 20 to be applied to the substrate 21 is formed. The first outlet nozzles 4 are arranged in a first row extending along the longitudinal direction of the end-side side surface 3.

[0077] Furthermore, a multiplicity of mutually adjacently arranged second outlet nozzles 5 for a second fluid is provided. The second outlet nozzles 5 are formed in a second row extending along the longitudinal direction of the end-side side surface 3 of the main body 2.

[0078] As can be inferred in particular from the illustration in FIG. 3, the second row with the second outlet nozzles 5 runs parallel to the first row with the first outlet nozzles 4.

[0079] In the end-side side surface 3 of the main body 2, furthermore a multiplicity of mutually adjacently arranged third outlet nozzles 6 for a fluid, in particular a fluid which also flows via the second outlet nozzles 5, is formed. Specifically, the third outlet nozzles 6 are formed in a third row extending along the longitudinal direction of the end-side side surface 3 of the main body 2. It is provided in this case that the first row with the first outlet nozzles 4 is arranged between the second and third rows with the second and third outlet nozzles 6.

[0080] As can be inferred in particular from the partial view in FIG. 4, precisely one second and precisely one third outlet nozzle 5, 6, which are each spaced apart from the first outlet nozzle 4 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the end-side side surface 3 of the main body 2, are provided for each first outlet nozzle 4.

[0081] It can furthermore be inferred from the detail view of FIG. 4 that the effective surface of each nozzle opening of the first outlet nozzles 4 is of an equal size. In addition, the effective surface of each nozzle opening of the first outlet nozzle is preferably larger in size than the effective surface of each nozzle opening of the first and second outlet nozzles 5, 6.

[0082] The first nozzles 4 are formed in particular for dispensing a first fluid 20, which is preferably the fluid to be applied to the substrate 21, in the form of first fluid streams.

[0083] In the same manner, the second and third outlet nozzles 5, 6 are formed for dispensing a second fluid, which is preferably a gas, in particular compressed air, in the form of second and third fluid streams such that each second and third fluid stream runs at least substantially parallel to a first fluid stream dispensed by a first outlet nozzle 4 or converges with the first fluid stream.

[0084] It can be inferred from the illustration in FIGS. 5 and 6 that the nozzle arrangement 1 can be formed as a laminated assembly which consists of a multiplicity of sheet-like elements which are flatly connected to one another.

[0085] FIG. 7 schematically shows a frontal view of a further example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement 1 according to the inventive subject matter on the end-side side surface 3 of the main body 2 of the nozzle arrangement 1, while FIG. 8 shows an enlarged detail from FIG. 7, which is indicated in FIG. 7 by the circle identified by A.

[0086] On the basis of the illustrations of this example embodiment of the nozzle arrangement 1 according to the inventive subject matter, it is apparent thatas viewed in the longitudinal direction of the end-side side surface 3the length extent of each nozzle opening of the first outlet nozzle 4 is smaller than the length extent of the nozzle openings of the second and/or third outlet nozzles 5, 6.

[0087] Furthermore, it is apparent thatas viewed in the transverse direction of the end-side side surface 3the length extent of each nozzle opening of the first outlet nozzle 4 is greater than the length extent of the nozzle openings of the second and/or third outlet nozzles 5, 6.

[0088] In other words, in the nozzle arrangement 1 according to FIG. 7 and FIG. 8, the air openings are preferably wider than the adhesive openings to cover the adhesive filament well with an air jet. For this purpose, the air channels/air openings are kept narrower than the adhesive channels/adhesive openings to achieve a high air exit speed, which is important for a high oscillation frequency and for a fine spray picture.

[0089] The inventive subject matter is not restricted to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, but rather results from a consideration together of all features disclosed herein.