APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR APPLYING VISCOUS MATERIAL IN A PATTERN ONTO ONE OR MORE MOVING STRANDS

• US 20040083958A1
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Inventors: Saidman, Laurence B., Crane, Patrick L., Zgonc, David
• Granted Patent: US 6,737,102 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 118/688
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/02 the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g. from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for monitoring the application of a viscous material onto at least one moving strand or other narrow substrates. A detection unit, such as a machine vision system, an infrared sensor, an ultraviolet detector, or a light curtain with multiple detectors, senses radiation originating from the viscous material after it is applied to the strand or strands and, typically, before each strand is contacted with a substrate. The detection unit determines a detected value representative of a characteristic of the pattern from the sensed radiation, compares the detected value with a reference value representative of a desired standard for the characteristic, and outputs a signal in accordance with the result of the comparison.

Claims

1. An apparatus for applying viscous material onto a moving strand for securing the strand to a substrate, comprising:

a coating applicator capable of applying viscous material in a pattern onto the moving strand; and

a detection unit capable of sensing radiation originating from at least the viscous material, determining a detected value representative of a characteristic of the pattern from the sensed radiation, comparing the detected value with a reference value representative of a desired standard for the characteristic, and outputting a signal in accordance with the comparison result.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detection unit comprises a machine vision system capable of sensing radiation to capture an image of the strand and the viscous material, said machine vision system being further capable of processing the captured image to determine the detected value of the characteristic.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said machine vision system includes:

a camera capable of capturing the image; and

a controller capable of processing the image to determine the detected value of the characteristic, said controller interfaced with said camera for transferring the captured image from said camera to said controller.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detection unit comprises an infrared sensor capable of detecting radiation in the form of heat energy originating from the viscous material.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detection unit comprises:

an emitter capable of irradiating the viscous material with radiation of a first wavelength to induce radiation in the form of fluorescence at a second wavelength different than the first wavelength; and

a detector capable of sensing radiation of the second wavelength.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the first wavelength is within the ultraviolet region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the second wavelength is within the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an alarm unit coupled electrically with said detection unit for receiving the signal, said alarm unit capable of providing at least one of a visual and/or an audible alarm to an observer upon receiving the signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an alarm unit coupled electrically with said detection unit for receiving the signal, said alarm unit capable of providing a deactivation signal to a parent machine associated with said apparatus upon receiving the signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detection unit has a field of view including a reference area in space which encompasses at least a portion of the moving strand after the pattern of the viscous material is applied onto the moving strand by said coating applicator.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the reference area of space is located before the strand is applied to the substrate.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said detection unit comprises:

an emitter capable of emitting radiation; and

a receiver aligned relative to said emitter such that the strand is positioned between said emitter and said receiver, said receiver capable of sensing radiation emitted by said emitter.

12. An apparatus for applying a viscous material onto a moving strand for securing the strand to a substrate, comprising:

a coating applicator capable of applying viscous material in a pattern onto the moving strand; and

a machine vision system including a camera capable of capturing an image of the strand and viscous material, and a controller capable of determining a detected value representative of a characteristic of the pattern from the image, comparing the detected value with a reference value representative of a desired standard for the characteristic, and outputting a signal in accordance with the comparison result.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an alarm unit coupled electrically with said detection unit for receiving the signal, said alarm unit capable of providing at least one of a visual and/or an audible alarm to an observer upon receiving the signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising an alarm unit coupled electrically with said detection unit for receiving the signal, said alarm unit capable of providing a deactivation signal to a parent machine associated with said apparatus upon receiving the signal.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said camera has a field of view including a reference area in space which encompasses at least a portion of the moving strand after the pattern of viscous material is applied onto the moving strand by said coating applicator.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reference area of space is located before the strand is applied to the substrate.

17. A method of applying viscous material onto a moving strand for securing the strand to a substrate, comprising:

moving the strand in a travel path;

applying a viscous material in a pattern onto the moving strand;

sensing radiation originating from at least the viscous material;

determining a detected value representative of a characteristic of the pattern from the sensed radiation;

comparing the detected value with a reference value representative of a desired standard for the characteristic; and

outputting a signal in accordance with the comparison result.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing an alarm to an observer upon receiving the signal.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the providing of the alarm includes providing at least one of a visible indication and an audible indication to an observer.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the providing of the alarm includes providing a deactivation signal to a parent machine for discontinuing the movement of the strand along the travel path.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensing of radiation further comprises capturing an image of the strand, and the determining of the detected value further comprises processing the captured image.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the processing of the captured image includes determining the volume of viscous material.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensing of radiation further comprises detecting heat emission from the viscous material.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising radiating the viscous material with radiation of a first wavelength, and wherein the sensing of radiation further comprises detecting fluorescence of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength emitted from the radiated viscous material.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensing of radiation occurs before the strand and the viscous material are applied to a substrate.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein the sensing of radiation further comprises:

radiating the strand and the viscous material with incident radiation; and

detecting the transmitted fraction of the incident radiation to determine the sensed radiation.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein the comparing of the detected and reference values further comprises sensing changes in the detected value of the characteristic relative to the reference value.