Abstract: A cartridge for a medium to be dispensed is disclosed. The cartridge includes a head part having a dispensing outlet, and a film forming a cartridge wall. The film bounds a cartridge chamber for the medium to be dispensed, and extends at least partially in a longitudinal direction of the cartridge. The film has a front end that is connected to the head part. The is a multilayer film having at least two layers formed from different materials. The front end of the film is sealingly and non-releasably embedded in the head part of the cartridge, such that an end face of the front end of the film is covered by the head part. A method of manufacturing a cartridge having a head part using a mold is also disclosed.

Abstract: A bond test apparatus, and a cartridge and a light guide for the bond test apparatus are disclosed. The bond test apparatus includes a stage for supporting a bond for testing, a test tool having a test tool tip, a drive mechanism for providing relative movement between the stage and the test tool during the bond test, one or more light sources fixed relative to the test tool, a light guide for directing light to the test tool tip. The cartridge includes a test tool having a test tool tip to contact the bond during a bond test, one or more light sources fixed to the test tool, and a light guide for directing light s to the test tool tip. The light guide includes a tubular body to fit around a test tool, and to direct light, using total internal reflection, from a proximal end of the light guide to a distal end of the light guide.

Abstract: A dispensing module includes a needle and an actuator housing defining an actuator cavity with an actuator disposed therein, a body cavity, and a needle passageway connecting the actuator cavity and the body cavity. A lower end of the needle defines a valve element, and an upper end of the needle is secured to the actuator. The dispensing module also includes a nozzle adapter releasably coupled to the actuator housing, where the nozzle adapter defines a seal seat, a fluid inlet, a fluid channel, and a fluid outlet in fluid communication with the fluid inlet and the fluid channel. The nozzle adapter is configured to be releasably coupled to the actuator housing using one or more fasteners, such that the needle extends into the fluid channel.

Abstract: A remote metering station for pumping a flow of adhesive to a dispensing module is disclosed. The remote metering station includes a manifold having a front surface, a back surface opposite to the front surface, a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a top surface, and a bottom surface opposite to said top surface. The remote metering station also includes a modular pump assembly removably mounted to the manifold, where the modular pump assembly includes a bottom surface, an outlet on the bottom surface, the outlet being in fluid communication with the manifold, and an inlet for receiving the adhesive. The modular pump assembly further includes a gear assembly and a drive motor coupled to the gear assembly. The gear assembly is operable for pumping the adhesive from the inlet to the outlet.

Abstract: A coextrusion feedblock is disclosed having a housing, a central extrusion channel, a coextrusion channel, a rotatable combining plane, a rotatable profile actuator, and a profiled bar mounted removably on the rotatable profile actuator. The central extrusion channel and the coextrusion channel pass through the housing. The rotatable combining plane and the rotatable profile actuator are positioned on opposite sides of the coextrusion channel so as to confront each other.

Abstract: A flow shifter baffle for mixing a fluid flow having at least two components, a static mixer, and method of mixing are described. The flow shifter baffle includes a double divider wall element adjacent to a leading edge and a plurality of occluding walls coupled to the double divider wall element. The double divider wall element includes first and second generally parallel walls which extend across the entire transverse flow cross-section. The double divider wall element is configured to divide the fluid flow into a central flow portion and first and second peripheral flow portions. This division of the fluid flow using the double divider wall element and the plurality of occluding walls improves the mixing of separate components by producing a greater number of layers with less jumbling of the layers, when a layered composition of multiple components is delivered into the flow shifter baffle.

Abstract: A device and method for dispensing a liquid with a gas includes an instrument having a cannula and a low-pressure tip. The low-pressure tip includes a tip housing that at least partially defines a high pressure chamber. A distal wall of the tip housing includes an aperture in fluid communication with the high pressure chamber. The low-pressure tip also includes a tube and a gas flow channel. The tube fluidly communicates liquid at a relatively low pressure from the cannula through the first aperture. The gas flow channel fluidly communicates gas from the cannula at a relatively high pressure and to the high pressure chamber for discharge from the aperture. The tube and aperture are adapted to dispense the liquid and the gas in order to create a low pressure zone distal of the tube to dispense droplets of the liquid.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product for optimizing the cooling of a UV bulb during a UV irradiation process is described. A power level in which to operate the UV bulb is received. In addition, a particular type of UV bulb being used in the UV irradiation process is received. Thereafter, at least one optimal UV cooling parameter that corresponds to the power level and the type of UV bulb is retrieved from a UV source parameters database. At least one control signal is then sent to a cooling device that is based on the retrieved optimal UV cooling parameter, and the control signal instructs the cooling device to cool the particular type of UV bulb according to the retrieved optimal UV cooling parameter during the UV irradiation process.

Abstract: An x-ray inspection system including a cabinet containing an x-ray source, a sample support for supporting a sample to be inspected, and an x-ray detector; an air mover configured to force air into the cabinet through an air inlet above the sample support, where the air mover and cabinet are configured to force air through the cabinet from the air inlet past the sample support to an air outlet in the cabinet below the sample support, and an assembly for positioning the sample support relative to the x-ray source and x-ray detector. The sample support includes an upper surface extending in a horizontal plane and the sample positioning assembly includes a vertical positioning mechanism for moving the sample support in a vertical direction, orthogonal to the horizontal plane, and a first horizontal positioning mechanism for moving the sample support and vertical positioning mechanism in a first horizontal direction.

Abstract: An adhesive dispensing system and method of dispensing liquid material are disclosed. The adhesive dispensing system includes an adhesive dispensing module receiving hot melt adhesive through the inlet at a low pressure and rapidly developing high pressure at an outlet to thereby jet the hot melt adhesive therefrom. The system also includes a pressure container containing a supply of hot melt adhesive and configured to melt or maintain a heated temperature of the hot melt adhesive. A low pressure liquid passageway communicates between the adhesive dispensing module and the pressure container. The system also includes a pressurized air source in fluid communication with the adhesive dispensing module to operate the adhesive dispensing module by moving a piston to generate high pressure at the outlet of a nozzle for jetting hot melt adhesive as a discrete volume toward a substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting thermoplastic material is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heated manifold and at least one heating element disposed within the heated manifold. The heated manifold defines a plurality of cavities, a pump supply passage, and a discharge passage. The plurality of cavities are spaced apart from one another, and each receives particles of thermoplastic material from a hopper. The particles of thermoplastic material are melted within the plurality of cavities. The pump supply passage receives molten thermoplastic material from the plurality of cavities and supplies the molten thermoplastic material to a pump. The discharge passage receives pressurized molten thermoplastic material from the pump and is in fluid communication with a dispenser. The heating element transfers heat substantially throughout the heated manifold.

Abstract: An entry mixing element is provided for mixing an incoming fluid flow having first and second unmixed components arranged so as to define a transverse flow cross-section perpendicular to a flow direction. The entry mixing element includes a central axis configured to be aligned with the flow direction of the incoming fluid flow, and an entry dividing wall extending parallel to the central axis and positioned to divide the incoming fluid flow into first and second fluid flow portions, each portion containing an amount of the first component and an amount of the second component. The entry dividing wall is configured to divide the incoming fluid flow into the first and second fluid flow portions in any rotational orientation of the entry mixing element about its central axis relative to the transverse flow cross-section of the incoming fluid flow. Related static mixers and methods of mixing are also provided.

Abstract: A melter for heating and melting particulate hot melt adhesive into a liquefied form is disclosed. The melter includes a heated receiving device having an interior with an inlet configured to receive the particulate hot melt adhesive and an outlet. A flexible hopper holds a supply of the particulate hot melt adhesive and a particulate hot melt adhesive feed device allows the particulate hot melt adhesive to be directed from the flexible hopper to the inlet of the heated receiving device.

Abstract: A fluid cartridge system and method of removing a closure assembly from a first cartridge and a second cartridge includes a first cartridge body and a second cartridge body. A neck projects from the first cartridge body with a first outlet of the first cartridge and a second outlet of the second cartridge. A first closure having a first plug is received within the first outlet and includes a first closure coupling element. In addition, a second closure having a second plug is received within the second outlet and includes a second closure coupling element. The first closure coupling element is configured to interlock with the second closure coupling element such that securing the first cartridge body against the second cartridge body also connects the first closure to the second closure. As such, the first and second closures form the closure assembly for being collectively removed by an operator.

Abstract: A sensor unit for measuring a mass flow rate of a liquid hot-melt adhesive is disclosed. The sensor unit includes a flow channel for the hot-melt adhesive, a first temperature measurement device positioned at a first position in the flow channel, a second temperature measurement device positioned at a second position in the flow channel and a heating device assigned to the second temperature measurement device, and a control unit for controlling the heating device and for measuring the mass flow rate. The controller is configured to adjust the temperature of the heating device assigned to the second temperature measurement device to a value, to determine the heating power for heating the heating device assigned to the second temperature measurement device, and to calculate the mass flow rate in the flow channel. The first and second temperature measurement devices are arranged substantially parallel to each other in the flow channel.