Patents by Inventor Robert J. Woodlief
Robert J. Woodlief has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11958070Abstract: In one example, a melter has a housing, a heater, a vent, and a filter medium. The housing defines a receiving space that supports adhesive therein. The heater heats the receiving space of the housing to melt the adhesive. The melter defines an adhesive inlet therein that receives adhesive carried by a transport supply gas into the receiving space. The vent extends through a wall of the melter and permits the transport supply gas to escape from the melter. The filter medium is supported in the vent to capture particulates from the transport supply gas escaping the receiving space, and is positioned relative to the receiving space such that heat from the receiving space causes the particulates captured by the filter medium to melt and fall into the receiving space.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Robert J. Woodlief, Enes Ramosevac, Peter W. Estelle
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Patent number: 11745389Abstract: A melting unit melts a solid material into a molten material. The melt unit includes a reservoir, a hopper, and a melt grid disposed between the hopper and the reservoir. The melt grid heats the solid material into the molten material such that the molten material flows from the hopper to the reservoir. The melt unit includes a plurality of guide members, where the molten material flows through plurality of flow channels defined by the melt grid and along the plurality of guide members as the molten material flows from the hopper to the reservoir.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2018Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Charles P. Ganzer, Robert J. Woodlief, Hubert Kufner, Leslie J. Varga, Gerd Brockman, Laurence B. Saidman
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Publication number: 20220339662Abstract: An adhesive dispensing device (10) includes a melt module (12) including a housing (78) that defines a receiving space to receive adhesive and a heater (114) to heat the housing to melt the adhesive, and a control module (14) releasably connected to the melt module. The control module includes a controller (36) to automatically recognize a characteristic associated with the melt module and operate the melt module using instructions stored on the controller that correspond to the characteristic of the melt module. A method of operating the adhesive dispensing device is also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2020Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Robert J. WOODLIEF, David R. JETER, Brian R. SOSEBEE, Leonard J. LANIER, Enes RAMOSEVAC, Peter W. ESTELLE, Jeffrey E. OWEN, James R. BEAL, Leslie J. VARGA, John DANIELS, Ronald M. RAMSPECK, John M. RINEY
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Publication number: 20220339661Abstract: In one example, a melter has a housing, a heater, a vent, and a filter medium. The housing defines a receiving space that supports adhesive therein. The heater heats the receiving space of the housing to melt the adhesive. The melter defines an adhesive inlet therein that receives adhesive carried by a transport supply gas into the receiving space. The vent extends through a wall of the melter and permits the transport supply gas to escape from the melter. The filter medium is supported in the vent to capture particulates from the transport supply gas escaping the receiving space, and is positioned relative to the receiving space such that heat from the receiving space causes the particulates captured by the filter medium to melt and fall into the receiving space.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2020Publication date: October 27, 2022Inventors: Robert J. WOODLIEF, Enes RAMOSEVAC, Peter W. ESTELLE
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Patent number: 11110483Abstract: A dispensing system receives liquid material and process air. The dispensing system includes a manifold body having a liquid material passage and a process air passage. The dispensing system includes a heating member received in the manifold body. The heating member has an upper portion, a lower portion, an outer surface, and a groove in the outer surface. The groove may extend between the upper portion and the lower portion and form at least a portion of the process air passage. The dispensing system may further include a nozzle configured to dispense the liquid material. The heating member may be configured to heat the process air as the process air passes through the groove and heat the liquid material through contact of the outer surface of the heating member with the manifold body.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2018Date of Patent: September 7, 2021Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Charles P. Ganzer, Robert J. Woodlief, Sang H. Shin
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Publication number: 20200331168Abstract: A melting unit melts a solid material into a molten material. The melt unit includes a reservoir, a hopper, and a melt grid disposed between the hopper and the reservoir. The melt grid heats the solid material into the molten material such that the molten material flows from the hopper to the reservoir. The melt unit includes a plurality of guide members, where the molten material flows through plurality of flow channels defined by the melt grid and along the plurality of guide members as the molten material flows from the hopper to the reservoir.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2018Publication date: October 22, 2020Inventors: Charles P. Ganzer, Robert J. Woodlief, Hubert Kufner, Leslie J. Varga, Gerd Brockman, Laurence B. Saidman
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Publication number: 20200254476Abstract: A dispensing system receives liquid material and process air. The dispensing system includes a manifold body having a liquid material passage and a process air passage. The dispensing system includes a heating member received in the manifold body. The heating member has an upper portion, a lower portion, an outer surface, and a groove in the outer surface. The groove may extend between the upper portion and the lower portion and form at least a portion of the process air passage. The dispensing system may further include a nozzle configured to dispense the liquid material. The heating member may be configured to heat the process air as the process air passes through the groove and heat the liquid material through contact of the outer surface of the heating member with the manifold body.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2018Publication date: August 13, 2020Inventors: Charles P. Ganzer, Robert J. Woodlief, Sang H. Shin
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Patent number: 10639669Abstract: A hot melt dispensing system is described. The hot melt dispensing system includes a melter that melts solid material into hot melt, a pump that pumps the hot melt from the melter to at least one applicator, and a pressure control system that controls a pressure of pressurized air for operating the pump. The pressure control system includes a regulator assembly that controls the pressure of the pressurized air, and a drive component that actuates the regulator assembly. The hot melt dispensing system also includes a controller that determines a pressure setting for the pressurized air. The drive component receives the pressure setting from the controller and actuates the regulator assembly to a position associated with the pressure setting.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2019Date of Patent: May 5, 2020Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Robert J. Woodlief, Peter W. Estelle
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Publication number: 20190283072Abstract: A hot melt dispensing system is described. The hot melt dispensing system includes a melter that melts solid material into hot melt, a pump that pumps the hot melt from the melter to at least one applicator, and a pressure control system that controls a pressure of pressurized air for operating the pump. The pressure control system includes a regulator assembly that controls the pressure of the pressurized air, and a drive component that actuates the regulator assembly. The hot melt dispensing system also includes a controller that determines a pressure setting for the pressurized air. The drive component receives the pressure setting from the controller and actuates the regulator assembly to a position associated with the pressure setting.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 14, 2019Publication date: September 19, 2019Inventors: Robert J. Woodlief, Peter W. Estelle
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Patent number: 10099243Abstract: An adhesive dispensing device includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a fill system communicating with a receiving space for feeding the heater unit, and a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit. The dispensing device also includes a capacitive level sensor located along a sidewall of the receiving space such that the level of adhesive in the receiving space can be detected by sensing the difference in dielectric capacitance where the adhesive is located compared to where air acts as the dielectric. The size of the driven electrode produces a broader sensing window capable of generating multiple control signals corresponding to different fill levels of adhesive. The receiving space and reservoir are minimized in size so that adhesive is not held at elevated temperatures long enough to char or degrade.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Justin A. Clark, Steven Clark, Peter W. Estelle, Jeffrey E. Owen, Robert J. Woodlief, David R. Jeter
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Patent number: 9957118Abstract: Methods for storing and moving adhesive particulate to an adhesive melter are disclosed. An interior space of a supply hopper is filled with adhesive particulate. A transfer pump is actuated to generate a vacuum at an inlet of the transfer pump to actuate removal of the adhesive particulate from the supply hopper. A consistent minimized depth of the adhesive particulate located directly above the inlet is maintained with a shroud located within the interior space of the supply hopper. In addition, adhesive particulate can be received in an interior space of a container. An open space is maintained within the interior space of the container proximate the pump inlet, where the open space entrains gas to be drawn by the transfer pump. The transfer pump can be actuated to generate a vacuum at the pump inlet to cause removal of the adhesive particulate from the container.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 2017Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Andrew Chastain, Justin A. Clark, Barrington Richards, Robert J. Woodlief
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Publication number: 20170260012Abstract: Methods for storing and moving adhesive particulate to an adhesive melter are disclosed. An interior space of a supply hopper is filled with adhesive particulate. A transfer pump is actuated to generate a vacuum at an inlet of the transfer pump to actuate removal of the adhesive particulate from the supply hopper. A consistent minimized depth of the adhesive particulate located directly above the inlet is maintained with a shroud located within the interior space of the supply hopper. In addition, adhesive particulate can be received in an interior space of a container. An open space is maintained within the interior space of the container proximate the pump inlet, where the open space entrains gas to be drawn by the transfer pump. The transfer pump can be actuated to generate a vacuum at the pump inlet to cause removal of the adhesive particulate from the container.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 25, 2017Publication date: September 14, 2017Inventors: Andrew Chastain, Justin A. Clark, Barrington Richards, Robert J. Woodlief
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Patent number: 9688487Abstract: An adhesive bin (10) for storing and moving adhesive particulate (14) to an adhesive melter (12) includes a supply hopper (16), a transfer pump (62) operable to generate a vacuum, and a shroud (94). The supply hopper (16) has a sidewall (20, 22, 24, 26) and defines an interior space (36). The transfer pump (62) extends through the sidewall (22) and into the interior space (36). In addition, the shroud (94) is connected to the sidewall (22) and extends into the interior space (36) and at least partially surrounds an inlet (82) of the transfer pump (62).Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Andrew Chastain, Justin A. Clark, Barrington Richards, Robert J. Woodlief
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Publication number: 20160121359Abstract: An adhesive dispensing device includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a fill system communicating with a receiving space for feeding the heater unit, and a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit. The dispensing device also includes a capacitive level sensor located along a sidewall of the receiving space such that the level of adhesive in the receiving space can be detected by sensing the difference in dielectric capacitance where the adhesive is located compared to where air acts as the dielectric. The size of the driven electrode produces a broader sensing window capable of generating multiple control signals corresponding to different fill levels of adhesive. The receiving space and reservoir are minimized in size so that adhesive is not held at elevated temperatures long enough to char or degrade.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2016Publication date: May 5, 2016Inventors: Justin A. Clark, Steven Clark, Peter W. Estelle, Jeffrey E. Owen, Robert J. Woodlief, David R. Jeter
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Patent number: 9304028Abstract: An adhesive dispensing device includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a fill system communicating with a receiving space for feeding the heater unit, and a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit. The dispensing device also includes a capacitive level sensor located along a sidewall of the receiving space such that the level of adhesive in the receiving space can be detected by sensing the difference in dielectric capacitance where the adhesive is located compared to where air acts as the dielectric. The size of the driven electrode produces a broader sensing window capable of generating multiple control signals corresponding to different fill levels of adhesive. The receiving space and reservoir are minimized in size so that adhesive is not held at elevated temperatures long enough to char or degrade.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2013Date of Patent: April 5, 2016Assignee: NORDSON CORPORATIONInventors: Justin A. Clark, Steven Clark, Peter W. Estelle, Jeffrey E. Owen, Robert J. Woodlief, David R. Jeter
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Publication number: 20160001988Abstract: An adhesive bin (10) for storing and moving adhesive particulate (14) to an adhesive melter (12) includes a supply hopper (16), a transfer pump (62) operable to generate a vacuum, and a shroud (94). The supply hopper (16) has a sidewall (20, 22, 24, 26) and defines an interior space (36). The transfer pump (62) extends through the sidewall (22) and into the interior space (36). In addition, the shroud (94) is connected to the sidewall (22) and extends into the interior space (36) and at least partially surrounds an inlet (82) of the transfer pump (62).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2014Publication date: January 7, 2016Inventors: Andrew Chastain, Justin A. Clark, Barrington Richards, Robert J. Woodlief
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Publication number: 20140076923Abstract: An adhesive dispensing device includes a heater unit for melting adhesive, a fill system communicating with a receiving space for feeding the heater unit, and a reservoir for receiving melted adhesive from the heater unit. The dispensing device also includes a capacitive level sensor located along a sidewall of the receiving space such that the level of adhesive in the receiving space can be detected by sensing the difference in dielectric capacitance where the adhesive is located compared to where air acts as the dielectric. The size of the driven electrode produces a broader sensing window capable of generating multiple control signals corresponding to different fill levels of adhesive. The receiving space and reservoir are minimized in size so that adhesive is not held at elevated temperatures long enough to char or degrade.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: NORDSON CORPORATIONInventors: Justin A. Clark, Steven Clark, Peter W. Estelle, Jeffrey E. Owen, Robert J. Woodlief
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Patent number: D691184Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2012Date of Patent: October 8, 2013Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Justin A. Clark, David R. Jeter, Robert J. Woodlief
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Patent number: D693865Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2013Date of Patent: November 19, 2013Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Mark A. Gould, David R. Jeter, Mark G. Reifenberger, Paula E. Ruse, Robert J. Woodlief
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Patent number: D998008Type: GrantFiled: September 20, 2019Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: Nordson CorporationInventors: Christopher R. Chastine, David R. Jeter, Jeffrey Juskowich, Leonard J. Lanier, Enes Ramosevac, Brian R. Sosebee, Robert J. Woodlief