Hot melt mix applicator with electrically heated hose and wand with temperature-controlled electric generator

A hot melt mix applicator for dispensing material that is flowable when heated comprising:

• a. a frame having wheels;
• b. a source of material that is flowable when heated that is carried by said frame;
• c. a dispenser for selectively dispensing said material that is flowable when heated;
• d. a conduit of hollow and elongate tubular construction having a sidewall with said conduit having one end in communication with said source of material that is flowable when heated and its other end in communication with said dispenser for permitting the passage of said material that is flowable when heated through said conduit;
• e. a pump that is carried by said frame and in fluid flow communication with said source of said material that is flowable when heated for urging said material that is flowable when heated through said conduit to said dispenser;
• f. a source of three phase electrical current comprising a prime mover carried by said frame in operable communication with a three phase generator;
• g. an electric three phase heating element that 1) is wrapped around said sidewall of said conduit disposing for heating in said conduit said material that is flowable when heated and 2) is supplied with three phase electrical current from said three phase current source;
• h. a controller for controlling heating of said material that is flowable when heated in said conduit;
• i. a temperature sensor in thermal relation with said conduit and in electrical communication with said temperature controller for sensing the approximate temperature of said material that is flowable when heated in said conduit;
• and
• j. wherein said temperature controller is in electrical communication with said three phase generator for selectively energizing said generator in response to said temperature sensed by said temperature sensor.

A hot melt mix applicator for dispensing a heated, flowable material comprising:

• a. a source of heated flowable material;
• b. a dispenser for dispensing said flowable material;
• c. a flexible conduit disposed exteriorly of said source of flowable material having 1) one end in fluid flow communication with said source of heated flowable material and 2) its other end in fluid flow communication with said dispenser for permitting the passage of heated flowable material through said conduit from said source of flowable material to said dispenser;
• d. a pump for pumping said flowable material through said conduit to said dispenser;
• e. a source of three phase electrical current comprising an internal combustion engine operably coupled to a three phase current generator;
• f. an electric three phase heating element supplied with three phase electrical current from said three phase current source and in thermal relation with said conduit for heating flowable material in said conduit;
• g. a controller in operable communication with said internal combustion engine wherein said controller controls heating of said flowable material in said conduit by regulating the speed of said internal combustion engine to thereby control said three phase electrical current outputted by said three phase generator;
• h. wherein said three phase heating element comprises a cord having a first wire connected to said three phase electrical current source for receiving a phase of three phase current from said current source, a second wire connected said three phase current source for receiving another phase of three phase current from said current source, and a third wire connected to said three phase current source for receiving a still further phase of three phase current from said current source;
• i. wherein said conduit is of hollow and elongate construction having a sidewall of generally tubular cross section and wherein said three phase heating element cord is wrapped around said sidewall of said conduit for heating flowable material within said conduit;
• and
• j. wherein said internal combustion engine has a positionable throttle with engine speed directly proportional to throttle position and further comprising a solenoid in operable communication with said throttle and in electrical communication with said controller for enabling said controller to control engine speed by said solenoid controlling the position of said throttle and said controller controlling operation of said solenoid.

A hot melt mix applicator for dispensing a heated, flowable material comprising:

• a. a support frame;
• b. a source of heated, flowable material carried by said support frame;
• c. a flexible hose connected at one end to said source of heated, flowable material;
• d. a dispenser wand connected to the other end of said hose;
• e. an internal combustion engine carried by said support frame;
• f. a three phase generator operably connected to the engine for generating three phase electrical power and having a stator and a rotor with a control input for enabling the generator to be selectively energized when it generates electrical power;
• g. a three phase heating element supplied with three phase electrical current from said generator and in thermal relation with said hose and said wand for providing heat to flowable material in said hose and said wand, with said heating element comprising a cord having a first wire for receiving a phase of said three phase current, a second wire for receiving another phase of said three phase current, and a third wire for receiving a still further phase of said three phase current;
• h. a temperature sensor in thermal relation with one of said hose and wand for sensing approximately the temperature of heated, flowable material therewithin;
• i. a controller having an input connected to said temperature sensor and an output connected to said control input of said rotor for selectively energizing said generator in response to the temperature sensed by said sensor.

A method of heating a flowable hot melt mix material comprising:

• a. providing a source of heated, flowable material, a flexible hose having one end in communication with the flowable material source, a dispenser wand connected to the other end of the hose, a heating element in thermal relation with one of the hose and wand, a prime mover, a generator operably connected to the prime mover and electrically connected to the heating element with the generator having a stator and a rotor with a control input to enable the generator to be selectively energized to control when the generator generates and supplies power to the heating element, a temperature sensor in thermal relation with one of the hose and wand, and a controller in communication with the sensor and control input of the rotor and having an upper setpoint control temperature and a lower setpoint control temperature for selectively controlling operation of the generator;
• b. supplying power from the prime mover to the generator;
• c. sensing the temperature of flowable material in one of the hose or wand;
• d. comparing the flowable material temperature with the upper and lower setpoint control temperatures;
• e. energizing the generator if the flowable material temperature is less than or equal to the lower setpoint control temperature;
• and
• f. deenergizing the generator if the flowable material temperature is greater than or equal to the upper setpoint control temperature.

A method of heating a flowable hot melt mix material comprising:

• a. providing a source of heated, flowable material, a flexible hose having one end in communication with the flowable material source, a dispenser wand connected to the other end of the hose, a heating element in thermal relation with one of the hose and wand, an internal combustion engine having a throttle that is positionable and which controls engine speed, a generator operably connected to the engine and electrically connected to the heating element, a temperature sensor in thermal relation with one of the hose and wand, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the solenoid and having an upper setpoint control temperature and a lower setpoint control temperature for selectively controlling operation of the engine to control heating of the flowable material;
• b. supplying power from the engine to the generator;
• c. sensing the temperature of flowable material in one of the hose or wand;
• d. comparing the flowable material temperature with the upper and lower setpoint control temperatures;
• e. increasing engine speed if the flowable material temperature is less than or equal to the lower setpoint control temperature;
• and
• f. decreasing engine speed if the flowable material temperature is greater than or equal to the upper setpoint control temperature.

A method of heating a flowable hot melt mix material comprising:

• a. providing a source of heated, flowable material, a flexible hose having one end in communication with the flowable material source, a dispenser wand connected to the other end of the hose, an electrical heating element in thermal relation with one of the hose and wand, an internal combustion engine having a throttle that is positionable and which controls engine speed, a generator operably connected to the engine and having an output electrically connected to the heating element, and a controller (1) in communication with the generator output for sensing a measured value representative of the output voltage or output current of the generator, (2) in communication with the solenoid and (3) having an upper setpoint control value representative of an upper setpoint control output current or voltage and (4) a lower setpoint control value representative of a lower setpoint control output current or voltage for enabling operation of the engine to be selectively controlled to control heating of the flowable material in the hose and wand;
• b. supplying power from the engine to the generator;
• c. sensing a value representative of the output voltage or output current of the generator;
• d. increasing engine speed if the sensed value is below the lower setpoint control value;
• and
• e. decreasing engine speed if the generator output if the sensed value is above the upper setpoint control value.