Quasi-random dot pattern adhesive joining method
AssigneeSlautterback Corporation
InventorsDouglas E. Colton, Fred A. Slautterback
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of joining surfaces involving dispensing of hot-melt adhesive onto one of the surfaces in a pattern of quasi-random dots splattered onto the surface. The dots are made by breaking a fluid stream of hot-melt adhesive into irregular globules near the tip of a nozzle. The globules are sufficiently massive to remain molten yet will travel in a directed trajectory. Coverage in a stripe pattern has a quasi-random coverage feature where there is a more than likely probability of encountering a dot along any line parallel to the stripe direction within a distance less than the width of the stripe.
Claims16
A method of adhesively joining two surfaces comprising,
- directing a fluid stream of hot-melt adhesive toward a first surface,
- breaking the fluid stream into irregular molted globules sufficiently massive as to remain molten even after contact with the first surface, said breaking of the fluid stream occurring prior to contact with said first surface in a non-misting manner,
- covering a portion of the first surface with a stripe of said molten globules in the form of a quasi-random dot splatter pattern, said splatter pattern having voids between said globules, and
- bringing a second surface into pressure contact with the stripe while said globules are still molten.
A method of joining two surfaces comprising,
- dispensing in a non-misting airborne manner an areawise splatter pattern of molten hot-melt adhesive globules onto a first surface, the molten globules distributed in a splatter pattern such that on a straight line through the pattern there will be a quasi-random distribution of hot-molten globules and voids, with globules occupying between 15% and 75% of the distance along the line and the voids occupying the remainder, with the distribution on any other straight line through the pattern being different from said straight line, said globules having sufficient mass to remain molten after contact with the first surface, and
- bringing a second surface into contact with said molten hot-melt.
A method of joining two surfaces comprising,
- forming a flowable stream of hot-melt adhesive within a dispenser having a nozzle,
- aiming said nozzle at a surface,
- breaking up said flowable stream, in a non-misting manner, with a stream of gas into irregularly shaped molten globules at said nozzle, the irregular shape of said globules defining a dot splatter pattern on the surface consisting of a distribution of globules, the size of said globules being maintained within the range of one millimeter to two centimeters as measured on an any single direction, with voids between globules.
A method of adhesively joining two surface comprising,
- dispensing in an airborne non-misted manner a splatter pattern of molten hot-melt adhesive molten globules on a first surface in a stripe having a length and a width, the pattern having a irregular distribution of said molten globules of various non-uniform sizes such that the probability of encountering a globule along a straight line parallel to and anywhere within said stripe in a distance less than the width of the stripe is more likely than not, and
- bringing a second surface into pressure contact with the stripe while said globules are still molten.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.