US-20260124636-A1 - Device for applying adhesives

US20260124636A1US 20260124636 A1US20260124636 A1US 20260124636A1US-20260124636-A1

Abstract

An application head, for dispensing adhesives (K) is provided. The device comprises valves associated with the adhesives, wherein the valves of the different adhesives are grouped into valve groups. The respective valve group comprises a chamber that can be flowed through by the adhesives, so that the adhesives can be dispensed by means of dispensation points connected to the chamber. Upstream of the chambers the flow paths of the adhesives are separated from one another. A plant having such a device is provided as well as a method for operating such a device.

Inventors

Alexander GRAMPP
Gerhard Walter

Assignees

OEST SYSTEMS GmbH & Co. KG

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251104
Priority Date: 20241107

Claims (16)

1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . An application head configured for applying a first adhesive and a second adhesive, comprising a plurality of first valves configured for dispensing a first adhesive, through which a first flow path of the first adhesive leads, a plurality of second valves configured for dispensing a second adhesive, through which a second flow path of the second adhesive leads, a plurality of valve groups, which each of the plurality of valve groups comprise at least one first valve of the plurality of first valves and at least one second valve of the plurality of second valves, wherein each of respective valve groups comprise a chamber, through which the first flow path leads downstream of the associated at least one first valve and the second flow path downstream of the associated at least one second valve, wherein the first and second flow paths are separated from one another upstream of the chamber, wherein each respective valve group of the plurality of valve groups comprises at least one associated dispensation point that is connected to the chamber or is part of the chamber, so that during the operation the adhesives leave the device via the respective at least one associate dispensation point of the valve group.
17 . The application head according to claim 16 , wherein each respective dispensation point forms an outermost point of the flow path of the respective adhesive in the device.
18 . The application head according to claim 16 , wherein the respective dispensation points of each of the respective plurality of valve groups are fluidically separated from one another.
19 . The application head according to claim 16 , further comprising a carrier with a plurality of mounts, in which the valves are received, wherein the respective flow paths and the respective second flow paths lead through the carrier, wherein the carrier for the respective valve group comprises at least one associated carrier outlet, through which the flow paths downstream of the valves of the valve group lead, so that the adhesives during the operation leave the carrier via the at least one carrier outlet, wherein each respective carrier outlet leads into the chamber of the associated valve group.
20 . The application head according to claim 19 , wherein the carrier for at least one of the valve groups, in particular for the respective valve group comprises a single carrier outlet, through which the first flow path and the second flow path lead and upstream of which the flow paths are separated.
21 . The application head according to claim 19 , further comprising an attachment that is attached to the carrier, wherein the attachment comprises a chamber to receive flowing adhesive from the at least one carrier outlet associated with each of the respective valve groups.
22 . The application head according to claim 19 , further comprising a first supply channel for supplying the first valves with the first adhesive, through which the first flow path upstream of the first valves leads, further comprising a second supply channel for supplying the second valves with the second adhesive, through which the second flow path upstream of the second valves leads.
23 . The application head according to claim 22 , wherein the carrier at least partly forms at least one of the first and second supply channels.
24 . The application head according to claim 19 , wherein the carrier comprises an extruded profile.
25 . The application head according to claim 16 , wherein at each of the plurality of valve groups comprises at least two dispensation points.
26 . The application head according to claim 25 , wherein at least one of the valve groups comprises an application segment that comprises the at least two dispensation points.
27 . A plant for applying a first adhesive and a second adhesive, comprising a device according to claim 16 , and further comprising a first delivery device, which during operation thereof delivers the first adhesive along the first flow path, and a second delivery device, which during the operation thereof delivers the second adhesive along the second flow path.
28 . A method for operating a device, in particular an application head, for applying a first adhesive and a second adhesive, comprising: operating a device that includes: a plurality of first valves configured for dispensing the first adhesive, through which a first flow path of the first adhesive leads, a plurality of second valves configured for dispensing the second adhesive, through which a second flow path of the second adhesive leads, a plurality of valve groups, wherein each of the plurality of valve groups comprise at least one first valve and at least one second valve, wherein each of the plurality of valve groups comprise a chamber, through which the first flow path downstream of the associated at least one first valve and the second flow path downstream of the associated at least one second valve lead, wherein the first and second flow paths are separated from one another upstream of the chamber, wherein each respective valve group of the plurality of valve groups comprises at least one associated dispensation point, which is connected to the chamber or is part of the chamber, so that during the operation the adhesives leave the device via the dispensation points of the valve groups, during a first operating mode dispensing the first adhesive via the dispensation points, during a second operating mode dispensing the second adhesive via the dispensation points, wherein upon a change from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, purging the chambers up to the dispensation points, wherein upon a change from the second operating mode to the first operating mode, purging the chambers up to the dispensation points.
29 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein upon a change from the first operating mode to the second operating mode purging the chambers with the second adhesive up to the dispensation points, and/or upon a change from the second operating mode to the first operating mode purging the chambers with the first adhesive up to the dispensation points.
30 . The method according to claim 28 , wherein in a rest mode, in which the device does not apply any adhesive, immersing the dispensation points in an internal medium, wherein the internal medium is an anhydrous oil.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from European Patent Application No. 24211463.5, filed on Nov. 7, 2024, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. The present invention relates to a device for dispensing a first adhesive and a second adhesive, which comprises valves for the purpose of dispensing the adhesives. In addition, the invention relates to a plant having such a device. In addition, the invention relates to a method for operating such a device. In numerous processes, the dispensing and in particular the applying of adhesives on substrates is necessary. For this purpose, devices having valves can be employed, which regulate the flow of the adhesives. Usually, such a device is designed for applying an adhesive. If another, second adhesive is to be applied the entire device has to be initially purged in order to prevent intermixing of the adhesives. For applying two adhesives it is also conceivable to combine two such devices in a unit, wherein the respective device is configured for applying an associated adhesive. When applying moisture-reactive adhesives it is necessary to prevent or at least reduce contact of the adhesive with moisture, i.e. in particular also with the ambient air when no adhesive dispensation takes place. The present invention deals with the object of stating improved or at least other embodiments for a device of the type mentioned above, for a plant having such a device and for a method for operating such a device. In particular, the present invention deals with the object of stating for the device, for the plant and for the method embodiments which are characterised by increased efficiency. According to the invention, this object is achieved through the subjects of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are subject of the dependent claims. Accordingly, the present invention is based on the basic idea of conducting adhesives to be dispensed in different operations substantially separately, but dispensing these via a common dispensation point, wherein the volume between the separate conduction and the joint dispensation point is kept as small as possible. This has the advantage that when changing from the dispensation of one adhesive, merely this volume has to be purged. This results in an economical operation and consequently an increased efficiency, wherein at the same time an improved ecological balance is achieved. In addition to this, the storage of the dispensation points in an inert medium for preventing reactions of the adhesive not currently required with the environment, in particular with moisture, can thus be omitted or at least reduced. The consequence is an improved efficiency and ecological balance. According to the inventive idea, a device for dispensing, in particular for applying two adhesives comprises valves for dispensing the adhesives. In the following, The adhesives are also referred to as first adhesive and second adhesive. A flow path of the first adhesive, which in the following is also referred to as first flow path, leads through the first valves. A flow path of the second adhesive, which in the following is also referred to as second flow path, leads through the second valves. The device comprises valve groups, wherein the respective valve group comprises at least one first valve and at least one second valve. The respective valve group comprises a chamber through which the two flow paths lead downstream of the respective associated valve. This means that the first flow path leads through the chamber downstream of the associated at least one first valve. In addition, the second flow path leads through the chamber downstream of the associated at least one second valve. The flow paths are separated from one another upstream of the chamber. The respective valve group additionally comprises at least one point for dispensing the adhesives, which in the following is also referred to as dispensation point. The at least one dispensation point is connected to the chamber of the associated valve group or is part of the chamber, so that during the operation the adhesives leave the device via the dispensation points of the valve groups and are thus dispensed. Practically, the respective chamber forms a volume up to the at least one dispensation point, through which both adhesives can flow. This means that during the operation, optionally the first adhesive or the second adhesive can flow through the chamber and via the at least one associated dispensation point and thus through the volume. Since the flow paths are separated from one another upstream of the chamber, this results in the reduction and shortening of the volume that can be jointly flowed through described above. This has the above mentioned advantages of the increased efficiency and of the ecological operation as a consequence, wherein the operation is simplified at the same time. Basically, the device can be configured arbitraril