Material dispensing system

• US 5,319,568 A
• Filed: 07/30/1991
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jesco Products Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jesco Products Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Bezaire, Leon
• Primary Examiner(s): RUGGIERO, JOSEPH F
• Application Number:
  US07/738,198
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• Field of Search: 901/41-43, 901/50, 364/479, 364/509, 364/510, 364/558, 364/172, 364/173, 222/52, 222/55, 222/389, 222/394, 118/DIG. 2, 118/688, 118/692, 118/50, 118/696-698, 137/2, 137/8, 137/12, 137/14, 137/485, 137/487, 137/487.5, 137/497-504, 251/129.08, 73/861.42, 73/861.44, 73/861.53-861.58, 73/861.62
• US Class Current: 700/123
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1013 responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/0212 only at particular parts of the articles at particular part of web, band, strip, belt or ribbon B05C5/025
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/02 Bead coater

Abstract

A method and apparatus 10 are disclosed for applying a bead or strip of material 16 upon an object 18, such that the bead 16 has a desired cross-sectional area. Moreover, system 10 includes a source 30, controller 38, a dispensing apparatus 28, and a gun 14. In operation, controller 38, by controlling gun 14, ensures that a constant pressure of material is output from unit 28 to gun 14, for a variety of material flow rates from unit 28.

Claims

1. A material dispenser adapted to receive a pressurized stream of material, having a variable flow rate and to apply several separate portions of said received material to an object, said dispenser comprising:

applicator means, having a material reception orifice adapted to receive said stream of said material and to output said received material through an outlet orifice of variable size, for applying said separate portions of said received material to the surface of said object; and

control means, coupled to said applicator means and under stored program control, for forcing said flow rate to be substantially equal to a first flow rate value and for measuring a first pressure of said stream of material when said stream is made to flow at a rate substantially equal to said first flow rate value and for selectively changing said flow rate of said stream of material to a second flow rate value and for varying said size of said material outlet orifice in order to ensure that the pressure of said stream of material, flowing at a rate substantially equal to said second flow rate value, is substantially equal to said first pressure whereby, each of said applied material portions are made to be substantially similar.

2. A material dispensing system comprising:

dispensing means for receiving a quantity of material and for outputting a stream of said received material, at a certain selectable flow rate therefrom;

application means for receiving said stream of material at a certain pressure and for applying certain portions of said material to an object;

robot means, coupled to said application means, for moving said application means in a predetermined pattern, in close proximity to said object, effective to allow said application means to apply said certain portions of said material to said object and for outputting a signal representing a selected flow rate of said stream of material;

control means, coupled to said robot means, to said application means, and to said dispensing means, for receiving said selected flow rate signal and for forcing said dispensing means to output said stream of material at said selected flow rate and for causing said certain pressure to remain constant whereby, each of said applied portions are made to be substantially similar.

3. A material dispensing system as recited in claim 2, wherein said application means includes a material outlet orifice of variable size.

4. A material dispensing system as recited in claim 3, wherein said control means for causing said certain pressure to remain constant, under stored program control, includes means for varying said size of said material outlet orifice to maintain said certain pressure at said selected flow rate.