NOZZLE ASSEMBLY FOR APPLYING FLUIDS, SYSTEM COMPRISING SUCH A NOZZLE ASSEMBLY, AND METHOD FOR APPLYING FLUIDS

Abstract

The invention relates to a nozzle arrangement (1) for applying fluids (20), in particular thermoplastic materials, to a substrate (21), wherein the nozzle arrangement (1) comprises a base body (14), which can be connected, preferably exchangeably, to a mounting region of a distributor (30), and a front lateral surface. According to the invention, it is provided in particular that a recessing region (3) is configured in the front lateral surface of the base body (14), wherein at least one first outlet opening (4) and preferably a plurality of adjacently arranged first outlet openings (4) for the fluid (20) to be applied to the substrate (21) is configured in the recessing region (3) of the front lateral surface of the base body (14)

Claims

1. A nozzle arrangement for applying fluids to a substrate, the nozzle arrangement comprising: a base body with a front lateral surface, the base body configured to be connected to a mounting region of a distributor, the base body including a recessing region is configured in the front lateral surface of the base body, the recessing region including at least a first outlet opening in the front lateral surface of the base body for the fluid to be applied to the substrate.

2. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the front lateral surface extends in a first direction, and wherein the at least the first outlet opening is configured in the recessing region of the front lateral surface of the base body such that the fluid to be applied to the substrate is discharged or dischargeable from the at least one the first outlet opening in an oblique direction that extends obliquely with respect to the first direction.

3. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the recessing region comprises a first obliquely extending wall region extending obliquely with respect to the first direction, the first obliquely extending wall region connected via an edge or arc region to a first direction wall region extending in the first direction of the front lateral surface, wherein the at least the first outlet opening is positioned in the obliquely extending wall region of the recessing region.

4. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the first obliquely extending wall region of the recessing region does not project above a plane in which the front lateral surface lies.

5. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 3, wherein an angle between 35 and 75 is spanned between the first obliquely extending wall region of the recessing region and the first direction wall region of the front lateral surface extending in the first direction.

6. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the first obliquely extending wall region transitions in the recessing region into a third wall region substantially extending in the first direction.

7. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the third wall region extending at least substantially in the first direction transitions in the recessing region into a second obliquely extending wall region of the recessing region.

8. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein, in the recessing region of the front lateral surface of the base body, at least one second outlet opening is further configured for passage of a gas.

9. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 8, wherein, in the recessing region of the front lateral surface of the base body, a plurality of the first outlet openings is arranged adjacently in a first row, and wherein, in the recessing region of the front lateral surface of the base body, a plurality of the second outlet openings is arranged adjacently in a second row that is parallel to the first row.

10. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein, in the recessing region of the front lateral surface of the base body, a plurality of third outlet openings for a gas is arranged adjacently in a third row that is parallel to the first row for the gas, wherein the first row with the first outlet openings is arranged between the second and third rows with the second and third outlet openings.

11. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 9, wherein each of the first outlet openings is associated with one or more of a second outlet opening or a third outlet opening spaced apart from the first outlet opening transversely to a longitudinal extension direction of the first row.

12. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 10, wherein a first effective surface of each of the first outlet openings is at least substantially a same size, and wherein each of the first outlet openings is larger than a second effective surface of one or more of the second outlet openings or the third outlet openings.

13. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement is configured as a laminated nozzle construction unit including a plurality of planarly connected surface elements.

14. The nozzle arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the nozzle arrangement comprises outer clamping plates spaced apart from one another and between which a nozzle package is exchangeably received.

15. An apparatus for simulating an application or spray pattern achievable with a nozzle arrangement according to claim 1, the apparatus having a simulation nozzle comprising a tailing region having at least one strip or filament region extending in a direction in which the fluid is discharged from the first outlet opening toward the substrate for application on the substrate.

16. A system for applying fluids to a substrate, the system comprising: a distributor head connected or connectable to an actuator and which is movable along a direction of movement relative to the substrate; and at least one nozzle arrangement according to claim 1 and exchangeably 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 front face of the base body of the nozzle arrangement is aligned at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the distributor head.

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

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein fluid jets discharged through the first outlet openings are deflected from a mainstream axis with aid of shaping air discharged via one or more of second outlet openings or third outlet openings to generate an omega-shaped pattern of the fluid jet applied on the substrate.

Description

[0055] FIG. 1 shows schematically and in an isometric view, a conventional system for applying thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate;

[0056] FIG. 2 shows schematically and in an isometric view, an exemplary embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention;

[0057] FIG. 3 schematically shows a detailed view of the recessing region formed in a front lateral surface of the base body of the exemplary embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention;

[0058] FIG. 4 schematically shows the exemplary embodiment of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention in an exploded view;

[0059] FIG. 5 shows schematically and in an isometric view, an embodiment of the system according to the invention for applying thermoplastic adhesives to a substrate with a nozzle arrangement according to FIG. 2;

[0060] FIG. 6 schematically shows a first exemplary embodiment of a simulation nozzle for simulating the spray pattern of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention; and

[0061] FIG. 7 schematically shows a second exemplary embodiment of a simulation nozzle for simulating the spray pattern of the nozzle arrangement according to the invention.

[0062] It has long been recognized that thermoplastic adhesives form good binders. This is because they cure quickly, which is a particular advantage if the adhesive is applied step-by-step and the bond of the parts to be bonded then takes place immediately, and the bond obtained is very strong. Furthermore, the selection of components from which thermoplastic adhesives can be composed is so large that an appropriate adhesive composition can easily be produced for a given purpose.

[0063] Nevertheless, the widespread use of these adhesives has encountered certain difficulties in that the thermoplastic adhesive sometimes cannot be applied in an automated manner, or only with great difficulty, to specific selected regions of a substrate, in particular those with a complex geometry. This applies in particular to edge folding regions of substrates configured as molded bodies.

[0064] A conventional system 150 is shown schematically and in an isometric view in FIG. 1, with which system a thermoplastic adhesive 20 is applied in an automated manner to specific regions of a substrate formed as a molded part. The conventional system 150 for applying thermoplastic adhesive 20 to a substrate 21 formed as a molded body comprises a distributor head 30, which is preferably connected or connectable to a robotic arm not shown in FIG. 1, and which is movable by means of the robotic arm along a direction of movement relative to the substrate 21.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional system 150 for applying thermoplastic adhesives further comprises a nozzle arrangement 101 which is preferably exchangeably connected to the distributor head 30 in a mounting region of the distributor head 30.

[0066] The nozzle arrangement 101 is substantially formed by an approximately rectangular base body, via which the nozzle arrangement 101 is connected to the mounting region of the distributor head 30. This substantially rectangular base body of the nozzle arrangement 101, as viewed in a top view, comprises a front lateral surface 103, in which at least one outlet nozzle is configured. The main flow axes defined by the outlet nozzle or alternatively the outlet opening of the outlet nozzle, along which the thermoplastic adhesive material 20 dispensed by the outlet nozzle moves, substantially enclose an at least right angle with the front lateral surface 103 of the base body of the nozzle arrangement 101.

[0067] Further, the front lateral surface 103 of the base body is oriented in the direction of movement of the distributor 30.

[0068] In applications of the conventional system 150 for molded bodies with complex geometric structures and, in particular, edge folding regions, it is generally unavoidable that either parts of the system, in particular the distributor head or the nozzle arrangement, come into contact with regions of the molded body or alternatively that not all necessary regions of the molded body can be reached with the nozzle arrangement.

[0069] To solve this problem, an optimized nozzle arrangement 1 is proposed in accordance with the invention, wherein an exemplary embodiment of said nozzle arrangement 1 is hereinafter described in more detail with reference to the illustrations in FIG. 2 to FIG. 7.

[0070] The nozzle arrangement 1 according to the invention, as shown by way of example in FIG. 2 to FIG. 7, comprises a base body 14 which can be connected, preferably in an exchangeable manner, to a mounting region of a distributor or distributor head.

[0071] By way of example, the base body 14 may comprise an at least substantially rectangular configuration with a front lateral surface. The front lateral surface of the base body 14 preferably extends in a direction which, during operation of the nozzle arrangement 1, which is to say, when the nozzle arrangement 1 is used to apply fluids to a substrate 21, runs substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the substrate 21 is moved relative to the nozzle arrangement 1.

[0072] The nozzle arrangement 1 according to the invention is characterized in particular in that a recessing region 3 is formed in the front lateral surface of the base body 14. As can, in particular, be seen from FIG. 2 and the detailed view in FIG. 3, a plurality of first outlet openings 4 for the fluid 20 to be applied to the substrate 21 are formed in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14.

[0073] The front lateral surface of the base body 14 extends in a first direction, wherein the first outlet openings 4 are configured in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14 in such a way that the fluid 20 to be applied to the substrate 21 can be dispensed or is dispensed from the first outlet openings 4 in an direction that extends obliquely with respect to the first direction.

[0074] In detail, and as can be inferred in particular from the detailed view in FIG. 3, the recessing region 3 comprises a wall region 7 extending obliquely with respect to the first direction, which wall region is connected via an edge or arc region to a wall region 2 of the front lateral surface extending in the first direction. The first outlet openings 4 are thereby formed in the oblique wall region 7 of the recessing region 3.

[0075] It should be emphasized in this context that the obliquely extending wall region 7 of the recessing region 3 does not protrude beyond a plane in which the end-face side surface and, in particular, the wall region 2 of front lateral surface extending in the first direction lies. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment of the nozzle arrangement 1 according to the invention shown in the drawings, it is provided that an angle of about 50 is established between the obliquely extending wall region 7 of the recessing region 3 and the wall region 2 of front lateral surface extending in the first direction.

[0076] It can be inferred from the exploded view in FIG. 4 that in the recessing region 3 the obliquely extending wall region 7 merges into a wall region extending at least substantially in the first direction. It can, moreover, be inferred from the exploded view shown in FIG. 4 that in the recessing region 3, the wall region extending at least substantially in the first direction merges into a second obliquely extending wall region 7 of the recessing region 3.

[0077] It can, in particular, be inferred from the detailed view in FIG. 3 that second outlet openings 5 for forming air are moreover formed in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14. In detail, it is thereby provided that in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14, a plurality of first outlet openings 4 arranged side by side in a first row is formed, and that in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14, is formed a plurality of second outlet openings 5 arranged side by side in a second row running parallel to the first row.

[0078] In addition, it is provided in the embodiment shown in the drawings that a plurality of third outlet openings 6 for forming air, arranged side by side in a third row extending parallel to the first row, is moreover formed in the recessing region 3 of front lateral surface of the base body 14, wherein the first row with the first outlet openings 4 is arranged between the second and third rows with the second and third outlet openings 5, 6.

[0079] It can be inferred from the exploded view in FIG. 4 that the nozzle arrangement 1 is formed, in particular, as a laminated nozzle assembly, which consists of a plurality of surface elements connected to one another in a planar manner. In particular, in the exemplary embodiment of the nozzle arrangement 1 according to the invention, it is provided that the nozzle arrangement 1 comprises two outer clamping plates 10 which are spaced apart from one another and between which a nozzle assembly 11 is interchangeably accommodated, which nozzle assembly is preferably configured of a plurality of surface elements connected to one another in a planar manner.

[0080] To simulate the application of adhesive achievable with the nozzle arrangement according to the invention, instead of the nozzle arrangement 1 according to the invention, a simulation nozzle can also be used, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7.

[0081] The simulation nozzle 12 has a tailing region 13 with at least one strip-like or filament-like region which extends in the nozzle assembly 11 in the direction in which the fluid 20 to be applied to the substrate 21 is dispensed from the first outlet openings 4.

[0082] The simulation nozzle 12 and in particular the tailing region 13 of the simulation nozzle 12 is formed, in particular, from plastic, in particular from an elastic plastic.

[0083] The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment shown in the drawings, but rather results from a synopsis of all the features disclosed herein.

REFERENCE LIST

[0084] 1 Nozzle arrangement [0085] 2 Front lateral surface/wall region of front lateral surface [0086] 3 Recessing region [0087] 4 First outlet opening [0088] Second outlet opening [0089] 6 Third outlet opening [0090] 7 Obliquely extending wall region of the recessing region [0091] 10 Outer clamping plates [0092] 11 Nozzle package made up of surface elements connected to each other in a planar manner [0093] 12 Simulation nozzle [0094] 13 Tailing region [0095] 14 Base body [0096] 20 Thermoplastic adhesive [0097] 21 Substrate [0098] 30 Distributor head [0099] 101 Nozzle arrangement (prior art) [0100] 103 Front lateral surface of the base body (prior art) [0101] 150 System for the application of fluid (prior art)