Abstract: A hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly, and an integral reservoir tank fluidically connected thereto and the hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon a drive gear manifold. All of the driven gears of pumps are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears which are rotatably mounted upon a common motor-driven rotary drive shaft rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold, and a first side wall member of a base portion of the reservoir tank is integrally connected to a side wall portion of the drive gear manifold, while a second side wall member of the base portion of the reservoir tank is provided with a plurality of hose connections to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected so as to respectively convey the precisely metered amounts of the hot melt adhesive material toward the applicator heads.

Abstract: A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (510), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold (512) such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (512).

Abstract: A new and improved hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system wherein two or more different hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material depositions, comprising, for example, two or more different types of patterns, two or more different types of application techniques or processes, or two or more different types of cyclical operations, can effectively be simultaneously achieved at substantially two or more different locations relative to an underlying substrate. The hybrid system comprises a metering station upon which is mounted a metering head comprising a plurality of metering head dispensing modules, and a pair or remote applicator heads comprising a pair of applicator head dispensing modules.

Abstract: A hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a hot melt adhesive hose core, and a pair of heater circuits wrapped around the external peripheral surface of the hose core. A first one of the heater circuits is electrically connected to the hose assembly electrical circuitry, and should a failure occur within the first one of the heater circuits, an electrical switch mechanism is actuated so as to effectively remove the first, failed heater circuit from the hose assembly electrical circuitry, and substantially simultaneously, electrically connect the second one of the heater circuits to the hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A modular system, for delivering hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic materials, comprises a modular metering assembly, having a plurality of metering stations disposed therein, which is able to be attachably and detachably mounted upon a modular tank or supply assembly. Alternatively, one or more of the plurality of metering stations may be disposed externally of the modular metering assembly, and alternatively still further, one or more additional modular metering assemblies may be attachably and detachably connected to the first modular metering assembly. In this manner, the entire modular system exhibits enhanced versatility and flexibility in order to effectively implement different material application procedures that may be required for different end-user customers.

Abstract: A new and improved hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a hot melt adhesive hose core, a pair of heater circuits wrapped around the external peripheral surface of the hose core, and a pair of temperature sensors also disposed in contact with the external peripheral surface of the hose core. A first one of the heater circuits is initially electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors is electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A redundant control circuit comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly and to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits would initially be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors would likewise be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A spool valve and valve seat assembly disposed in the control module of a hot melt adhesive dispensing system is uniquely structured so as to effectively prevent fluid communication or “cross-talk” between a first dispensing outlet port and a second recirculation port, during those periods when the control module is effectively reciprocally cycling the spool valve between its oppositely disposed extreme conditions for alternatively permitting the hot melt adhesive material to be dispensed from the first outlet port or for re-routing the hot melt adhesive material through the recirculation passage so as to prevent the hot melt adhesive from being improperly dispensed as a result of being undesirably routed to the recirculation passage.

Abstract: A hot melt adhesive hose assembly has a redundant control circuit fixedly mounted thereon which comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly wherein the sensed temperature level will be used to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits is initially electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors is likewise electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A new and improved remote, hot melt adhesive metering station (510), for supplying predetermined or precisely metered volumes of hot melt adhesive material toward applicator head or dispensing nozzle structures, comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon an axially elongated drive gear manifold (512) such that the rotational axes of the plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps (518) are disposed parallel and adjacent to one side of the axially elongated drive gear manifold (512).

Abstract: A hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly, and an integral reservoir tank fluidically connected thereto and the hot melt adhesive metering pump assembly comprises a plurality of rotary, gear-type metering pumps which are arranged in a compact, longitudinally spaced manner upon a drive gear manifold. All of the driven gears of pumps are respectively driven by manifold pump drive gears which are rotatably mounted upon a common motor-driven rotary drive shaft rotatably disposed within the drive gear manifold, and a first side wall member of a base portion of the reservoir tank is integrally connected to a side wall portion of the drive gear manifold, while a second side wall member of the base portion of the reservoir tank is provided with a plurality of hose connections to which hot melt adhesive delivery hoses are to be connected so as to respectively convey the precisely metered amounts of the hot melt adhesive material toward the applicator heads.

Abstract: A new and improved hybrid hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material dispensing system wherein two or more different hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic material depositions, comprising, for example, two or more different types of patterns, two or more different types of application techniques or processes, or two or more different types of cyclical operations, can effectively be simultaneously achieved at substantially two or more different locations relative to an underlying substrate. The hybrid system comprises a metering station upon which is mounted a metering head comprising a plurality of metering head dispensing modules, and a pair or remote applicator heads comprising a pair of applicator head dispensing modules.

Abstract: A modular system, for delivering hot melt adhesive or other thermoplastic materials, comprises a modular metering assembly, having a plurality of metering stations disposed therein, which is able to be attachably and detachably mounted upon a modular tank or supply assembly. Alternatively, one or more of the plurality of metering stations may be disposed externally of the modular metering assembly, and alternatively still further, one or more additional modular metering assemblies may be attachably and detachably connected to the first modular metering assembly. In this manner, the entire modular system exhibits enhanced versatility and flexibility in order to effectively implement different material application procedures that may be required by means of a particular end-user customer.

Abstract: A redundant control circuit comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly and to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits would initially be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors would likewise be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: A redundant control circuit comprises a pair of heater circuits for heating a hot melt adhesive hose assembly to a predetermined temperature level, and a pair of temperature sensors which are used to sense the temperature of the hot melt adhesive hose assembly and to control energization of the heater circuits in order to maintain the desired temperature level. A first one of the heater circuits would initially be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry, and in a similar manner, a first one of the temperature sensors would likewise be electrically connected to the hot melt adhesive hose assembly electrical circuitry.

Abstract: Strand coating methods having an applicator head pivotally mounted adjacent a substrate, a coating material dispenser mounted on the applicator head, a strand guide mounted on the applicator head, wherein the strand guide and the coating material dispenser are adjustably positionable in unison relative to the substrate by pivoting the applicator head to vary the spacing of the strands relative to the substrate.

Abstract: A new and improved hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly comprises an adapter, a dispensing nozzle mounted within the adapter, a nozzle retainer threadedly engaged with the adapter for securing the dispensing nozzle within the adapter, an air inlet ring rotatably mounted upon the nozzle retainer and having an inlet air fitting fixedly mounted therein, and an end cap which is threadedly mounted upon the nozzle retainer. The end cap has swirl air passages integrally incorporated therein, and the end cap and air inlet ring are both fabricated from a suitable thermoplastic polymer material such that all exposed surfaces of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly are plastic and are therefore at substantially lower temperature levels than the metal brass components of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly.

Abstract: A new and improved hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly comprises an adapter, a dispensing nozzle mounted within the adapter, a nozzle retainer threadedly engaged with the adapter for securing the dispensing nozzle within the adapter, an air inlet ring rotatably mounted upon the nozzle retainer and having an inlet air fitting fixedly mounted therein, and an end cap which is threadedly mounted upon the nozzle retainer. The end cap has swirl air passages integrally incorporated therein, and the end cap and air inlet ring are both fabricated from a suitable thermoplastic polymer material such that all exposed surfaces of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly are plastic and are therefore at substantially lower temperature levels than the metal brass components of the hot melt adhesive applicator nozzle assembly.

Abstract: Strand coating methods and systems having an applicator head pivotally mounted adjacent a substrate, a coating material dispenser mounted on the applicator head, a strand guide mounted on the applicator head, wherein the strand guide and the coating material dispenser are adjustably positionable in unison relative to the substrate by pivoting the applicator head to vary the spacing of the strands relative to the substrate.

Abstract: Strand coating methods having an applicator head pivotally mounted adjacent a substrate, a coating material dispenser mounted on the applicator head, a strand guide mounted on the applicator head, wherein the strand guide and the coating material dispenser are adjustably positionable in unison relative to the substrate by pivoting the applicator head to vary the spacing of the strands relative to the substrate.