Filter valve system for regulating, filtering, and dispensing a flow of hot melt materials and adhesives
AssigneeIllinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorsJon C. Zook, Larry Warden
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling and filtering the flow or viscous fluid in a material melting and dispensing device is disclosed. The apparatus includes a rotatable valve assembly having a filter plate and a flow stoppage plate. Rotation of the valve alternately allows or halts the flow of viscous fluid. The convenient ability to block the flow of viscous fluid such as hot melt adhesive at a point immediately downstream of a hopper or material melt space facilitates repair, maintenance, or removal of other downstream elements such as a pump without the need for draining the hopper, while avoiding excessive spillage of hot melt adhesive.
Claims11
An apparatus for regulating and filtering the flow of hot melt materials and adhesives in a material melting and dispensing apparatus, comprising:
- a circumferential filter screen;
- a non-perforated inlet sheet and a perforated inlet filter sheet disposed within the circumferential filter screen;
- a sheet connecting means for fastening the non-perforated inlet sheet and the perforated inlet sheet filter together at substantially right angles to one another to form a valve assembly,
- the valve assembly being rotatable upon application of torque to the sheet connecting means, and being positionable in a first position to block the flow of viscous fluids, and being positionable in a second position to permit the flow of viscous fluids,
- a hopper having a material melt space and a pump inlet passage, a lower seating surface disposed on a bottom surface of the material melt space, an upper seating surface disposed on a portion of the hopper adjacent the pump inlet, wherein the perforated inlet sheet filter and the non-perforated inlet sheet of the valve assembly are each positionable to alternately locate terminal longitudinal edges of each sheet simultaneously in sealing engagement against the upper and lower seating surfaces,
- wherein rotation of the valve assembly to a first position blocks the flow of viscous fluid from a material melt space to a pump inlet, and rotation of the valve assembly to a second position permits the flow of viscous fluid from a material melt space to a pump inlet passage.
In combination, an apparatus for regulating and filtering a flow of hot melt materials and adhesives in a material melting and dispensing apparatus, and a filter valve assembly, said melting apparatus having a bottom surface disposed on a bottom of a material melt space, said bottom surface being open between an upper contact surface and a lower contact surface, said contact surface defining a pump inlet passageway, said apparatus disposed along a longitudinal axis,
- said filter valve assembly comprised of a generally circumferential filter tube/valve assembly disposed along said bottom surface of said melt space, wherein said valve assembly is rotatable between a first position and a second position, said first position corresponding to a sealing position where hot melt material is retained within said material melt space and said second position corresponding to a flowing position where said hot melt material is allowed to flow from said melt space to a pump inlet passage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.