Abstract: A hot glue gun is provided with a heating chamber having an annular-shaped liquid glue retention chamber which is defined to extend between a wall of the heating chamber and the periphery of a solid glue stick feed region of the heating chamber. The annular shaped liquid glue retention chamber is sized such that during operation of the glue gun, not substantially less than ten percent (10%) of the volume of the chamber will contain melted glue which is disposed between the periphery of the solid glue stick feed region and the interior surface of the heating chamber. The rearward end of the heating chamber is sealed by a bushing having an inner surface with an interior diameter which is slightly smaller to approximately the same size as the exterior diameter of the periphery of the glue sticks, and thereby provides a seal for sealing liquid glue within the heating chamber.

Abstract: A warming tray and removable heating cartridges of a glue gun system are provided. The warming tray has a base and a heating stand mounted to the base for holding the cartridges. The warming tray includes leads for connecting the cartridges to a source of electricity for heating the cartridges to operating temperatures. The glue gun system includes a gun having a barrel. A cartridge can be removably placed in the barrel. The cartridge has an open central passage to accept a glue stick and a tip to dispense the glue. Once received into the barrel the cartridge is heated, melting the glue therein. Additional cartridges can be placed in the warming tray such that they are electrically connected to a power supply and heated to a heated state. Thus, after one glue stick is used, a second can be immediately installed and used. An insulated tab allows for the easy handling of the cartridges.

Abstract: A removable cartridge barrel (20) of a hot glue dispenser (10) is removably secured to a feeder handle (16) by a releasable latch (24). The cartridge barrel (20) includes a protective housing (26) which includes an interior cavity (160) within which a heating cartridge (22) is mounted, with an air gap (170) extending substantially fully between the heating cartridge (22) and the protective housing (26) to provide a thermal barrier. Air ports (169) extend through a forward end of the cartridge barrel (20) to vent the air gap (170) exteriorly of the cartridge barrel (20). A feed passage (150) extends interiorly through the heating cartridge (22) for passing a glue stick (15) from the feeder handle (16) to a dispensing end of the heating cartridge (22). A nozzle (145) is provided on the discharge end of the heating cartridge (22) to provide a dispensing tip (147) for dispensing a melted end of the glue stick (15). A thermally protective shroud (172) is mounted to the exterior of the nozzle (145).

Abstract: A feeder handle (16) for a hot glue dispenser (10) has a main body portion (30) which defines a hand grip (35), and a forward end portion (32) which extends forward of the main body portion (30) for releasibly engaging a cartridge barrel (20) having a heating cartridge (22) for heating a stick of glue (15) and dispensing a melted end of the stick of glue (15) therefrom. The forward end portion (32) of the feeder handle (16) includes a protruding portion (34) which slidably engages within a mounting channel (28) formed into the cartridge barrel (20) to align the main body portion (30) of the feeder handle (16) and the cartridge barrel (20) when the cartridge barrel (20) is mounted to the feeder handle (16). A feeder mechanism (18) is mounted to the feeder handle (16), and includes a feed member (90) which is selectably moveable to advance the stick of glue (15) toward a dispensing end of the cartridge barrel (20).

Abstract: A hot glue dispenser (10) is disclosed having a dispenser section (12) and a removable heater section (14). The dispenser section (12) includes a feeder handle (16) having a main body portion (30) which extends to a provide a hand grip (35). A feeder mechanism (18) is mounted to the feeder handle (16). The feeder mechanism (18) is operable to feed glue sticks (15) from the dispenser section (12) into the heater section (14). The heater section (14) is removably secured to the feeder handle (16) of the dispenser section (12) by a releasable latch (24). The heater section (14) includes a heating cartridge (22) and a protective housing (26). The protective housing (26) includes an interior cavity (160) within which the heating cartridge (22) is mounted, with a gap (170) extending substantially fully between the heating cartridge (22) and the protective housing (26) to provide a thermal barrier.

Abstract: An adhesive composition is comprised of a mixture of an EVA copolymer and two tackifying resins, a high temperature tackifying resin and a low temperature tackifying resin. The viscosity of the adhesive composition is between 2,000 cps to 80,000 cps over a temperature range of 250.degree. F. to 380.degree. F. The composition comprises 60% by weight of the copolymer, 15% by weight of the low temperature tackifying resin and 25% by weight of the high temperature tackifying resin.

Abstract: The glue gun system includes a gun having a barrel. A cartridge can be removably placed in the barrel. The cartridge has an open central passage to accept a glue slick and a tip to dispense the glue. Once received into the barrel the cartridge is heated, melting the glue therein. Additional cartridges can be maintained in a heated state by a heating stand. Thus, after one glue stick is used, a second can be immediately installed and used. An insulated tab allows for the easy handling of the cartridges.

Abstract: An adhesive composition is comprised of a mixture of an EVA copolymer and two tackifying resins, a high temperature tackifying resin and a low temperature tackifying resin. The viscosity of the adhesive composition is between 2,000 cps to 80,000 cps over a temperature range of 250.degree. F. to 380.degree. F. The composition comprises 60% by weight of the copolymer, 15% by weight of the low temperature tackifying resin and 25% by weight of the high temperature tackifying resin.