Abstract: An apparatus includes a valveless cartridge assembly that has a housing with an opening at a proximal end and an outlet port for dispensing the liquid at a distal end, with the opening being configured to accept a cartridge of the liquid therethrough and communicating with an interior space of the housing. A metered dispensing device is coupled to the valveless cartridge assembly and includes a positive displacement pump in fluid communication with the interior space and the outlet port for selectively dispensing the liquid through the outlet port. The apparatus may be such that at least a portion of the metered dispensing device is disposed within the housing or it may alternatively be coupled to an exterior of the housing. The positive displacement pump may be a gear pump.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for producing a foamed material. Pressurized gas is introduced into a multiple-component mixture that contains a catalyst-containing component and a crosslinker-containing component. The multiple-component mixture may be directly mixed and combined with the gas in a mixing device. Alternatively, the multiple-component mixture may be combined in a first mixing device and this mixture may be subsequently combined with the gas in a second mixing device. When dispensed onto an application target, the gas entrained in the multiple-component mixture expands to form the foamed material.

Abstract: A nozzle for dispensing molten thermoplastic material includes non-circular outlets spaced apart from one another in a predetermined pattern. The nozzle may be used to dispense patterns of adhesive that form closed geometric shapes, such as for use in making hermetic seals.

Abstract: A liquid metering system is disclosed for pumping two components of an adhesive into a mixer. The liquid metering system uses gear pumps of certain dimensions to pump each component into a manifold which delivers the components to a mixer where the components become an adhesive. A fixed mass flow ratio related to the size of the gear pumps is automatically established because the gear pumps are driven by the same motor at a fixed speed ratio. The self-metering system eliminates the complexity of known adhesive pumping systems.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material is provided that includes an un-heated hopper having an inlet for receiving particles of a thermoplastic material and an outlet for discharging the particles and a heated manifold including at least one cavity formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet the inlet communicating with the outlet of the hopper for receipt of the particles from the hopper. The hopper is disposed external of the heated manifold. The heated manifold is effective for melting the particles into molten thermoplastic material therein. The apparatus further includes a pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. An outlet of the pump is in fluid communication with an inlet of a dispenser and an outlet of the dispenser is effective for dispensing the molten thermoplastic material therethrough.

Abstract: An adhesive liquid dispensing apparatus includes a gun manifold, a dispensing module, and a dispensing orifice. The inlet port of the gun manifold is directly coupled with a reservoir of adhesive hot melt liquid that is fixedly attached to the manifold. The contents of the reservoir are under pressure so that the adhesive hot melt liquid is dispensed from the adhesive liquid dispensing apparatus without the need for heated supply hoses to connect the inlet port of the manifold to a remote source of adhesive hot melt liquid. Preferably, the adhesive liquid dispensing system is coupled with a robot that controls the positioning of the system during an adhesive liquid dispensing operation.

Abstract: An adhesive liquid dispensing apparatus includes a gun manifold, a dispensing module, and a dispensing orifice. The inlet port of the gun manifold is directly coupled with a reservoir of adhesive hot melt liquid that is fixedly attached to the manifold. The contents of the reservoir are under pressure so that the adhesive hot melt liquid is dispensed from the adhesive liquid dispensing apparatus without the need for heated supply hoses to connect the inlet port of the manifold to a remote source of adhesive hot melt liquid. Preferably, the adhesive liquid dispensing system is coupled with a robot that controls the positioning of the system during an adhesive liquid dispensing operation.

Abstract: A system and method for applying adhesive to at least a first end of a rod-shaped member, such as a cotton swab stick includes a carrier, an adhesive applicator, and a rotator device. The carrier conveys the rod-shaped member or stick in a machine direction and also allows rotation of the rod-shaped member about its longitudinal axis. The adhesive applicator includes an application surface positioned to engage the first end of the rod-shaped member. The application surface includes at least one discharge passage for applying adhesive to the first end of the rod-shaped member. The rotator device rotates the rod relative to the application surface and about its longitudinal axis as the rod-shaped member is conveyed along the application surface.

Abstract: A system and method for applying adhesive to at least a first end of a rod-shaped member, such as a cotton swab stick includes a carrier, an adhesive applicator, and a rotator device. The carrier conveys the rod-shaped member or stick in a machine direction and also allows rotation of the rod-shaped member about its longitudinal axis. The adhesive applicator includes an application surface positioned to engage the first end of the rod-shaped member. The application surface includes at least one discharge passage for applying adhesive to the first end of the rod-shaped member. The rotator device rotates the rod relative to the application surface and about its longitudinal axis as the rod-shaped member is conveyed along the application surface.

Abstract: A system and method for applying adhesive to at least a first end of a rod-shaped member, such as a cotton swab stick includes a carrier, an adhesive applicator, and a rotator device. The carrier conveys the rod-shaped member or stick in a machine direction and also allows rotation of the rod-shaped member about its longitudinal axis. The adhesive applicator includes an application surface positioned to engage the first end of the rod-shaped member. The application surface includes at least one discharge passage for applying adhesive to the first end of the rod-shaped member. The rotator device rotates the rod relative to the application surface and about its longitudinal axis as the rod-shaped member is conveyed along the application surface.

Abstract: A system and method for applying adhesive to at least a first end of a rod-shaped member, such as a cotton swab stick includes a carrier, an adhesive applicator, and a rotator device. The carrier conveys the rod-shaped member or stick in a machine direction and also allows rotation of the rod-shaped member about its longitudinal axis. The adhesive applicator includes an application surface positioned to engage the first end of the rod-shaped member. The application surface includes at least one discharge passage for applying adhesive to the first end of the rod-shaped member. The rotator device rotates the rod relative to the application surface and about its longitudinal axis as the rod-shaped member is conveyed along the application surface.

Abstract: A method of applying a clear glass primer material and then a black glass primer material onto the marginal edge (40) of a vehicular window glass (42), such as a windshield and/or rear window of an automobile, in which a dispenser (38) is employed to discharge a clear primer material in discrete streams or drops and in which a black primer material is conformally coated onto the clear primer material by another dispenser (36). The clear and black primer materials are able to be applied to the window glass in a single pass operation.