Non-contact liquid material dispenser having a bellows valve assembly and method for ejecting liquid material onto a substrate

An apparatus for dispensing a liquid material onto a substrate comprising:

• a piston having an upper force receiving surface, a lower surface and a flow bore extending therein, said flow bore having an inlet for receiving the liquid material and an outlet;
• a compressible dispensing element having an upper surface in contact with said lower surface of said piston and having a liquid passage extending there through, said liquid passage having a liquid inlet in liquid communication with said outlet of said piston flow bore and a liquid outlet;
• said liquid passage of said dispensing element being capable of at least partially closing to expel at least a portion of the liquid material from said liquid outlet when said lower surface of said piston applies a force sufficient to compress said dispensing element;
• a nozzle in liquid communication with said liquid outlet of said liquid passage for guiding the liquid material expelled from said liquid outlet of said liquid passage towards a substrate;
• and
• a pressure plate disposed axially between said piston and said compressible dispensing element for applying the compressive force from said piston substantially uniformly across said upper surface of said compressible dispensing element;
• wherein said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle are adhered together as a unitary assembly.

An apparatus for dispensing liquid material onto a substrate comprising:

• a compressible dispensing element having a passage formed therein with an inlet to receive the material and an outlet to discharge at least a portion of the material;
• a piston having a flow bore in liquid communication with said passage inlet, said piston capable of applying a force to compress said dispensing element causing the walls of said passage to converge and expel material contained in said passage through said outlet;
• and
• a nozzle in liquid communication with said outlet for guiding the material ejected from said outlet onto the substrate.

Apparatus for dispensing liquid material onto a substrate comprising:

• a piston for applying a force and a liquid bore therein having an outlet;
• a compressible dispensing element having a liquid passage formed therein with an inlet to receive the material from said piston bore outlet and an outlet to discharge at least a portion of the material;
• said piston capable of applying a force to compress said dispensing element causing the walls of said passage to converge and expel at least a portion of said material contained in said passage through said outlet;
• and
• a nozzle in liquid communication with said dispensing element outlet for guiding the material ejected from said outlet onto the substrate.

A bellows valve assembly for dispensing liquid material onto a surface, comprising:

• a pressure plate having a bottom surface;
• a compressible dispensing element having a lower surface and an upper surface adjacent said pressure plate bottom surface;
• and
• a nozzle adjacent said dispensing element lower surface;
• said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle each having a respective bore therethrough that when assembled define a liquid passage through which material is dispensed when a force is applied to said pressure plate;
• said dispensing element being compressed between said pressure plate and said nozzle, when a force is applied to said pressure plate, to at least partially close said liquid passage to eject material from said nozzle.

A method for ejecting a liquid material from a dispenser having a compressible dispensing element with a passage formed therein, the passage having an inlet and outlet, the dispenser also having a piston positioned above the dispensing element, the method comprising the steps of:

• supplying the liquid material to the inlet of the passage;
• at least partially filling the passage with the liquid material;
• applying a compressive force to the dispensing element from the piston;
• maintaining contact between the piston and the dispensing element;
• at least partially closing the passage in the dispensing element;
• ejecting at least a portion of the liquid material from the outlet of the passage;
• at least partially reducing said compressive force to refill the passage with the liquid material while maintaining contact between the piston and the dispensing element.

A bellows valve assembly for dispensing liquid material onto a surface, comprising:

• a pressure plate having a bottom surface;
• a compressible dispensing element having a lower surface and an upper surface adjacent said pressure plate bottom surface;
• and
• a nozzle adjacent said dispensing element lower surface;
• said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle defining a liquid passage through which material is dispensed when a force is applied to said pressure plate;
• said dispensing element being compressed between said pressure plate and said nozzle, when a force is applied to said pressure plate, to at least partially close said liquid passage to eject material from said nozzle;
• wherein said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle are adhered together as a unitary assembly.

A bellows valve assembly for dispensing liquid material onto a surface, comprising:

• a pressure plate having a bottom surface;
• a compressible dispensing element having a lower surface and an upper surface adjacent said pressure plate bottom surface;
• and
• a nozzle adjacent said dispensing element lower surface;
• each of said pressure plate, compressible element and nozzle having a respective bore for the material to flow through;
• said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle when assembled defining a liquid passage through which material is dispensed when a force is applied to said pressure plate;
• said dispensing element being compressed between said pressure plate and said nozzle, when a force is applied to said pressure plate, to at least partially close said liquid passage to eject material from said nozzle;
• and
• a housing that encloses said dispensing to constrain radial expansion of said element so that an axial compressive force applied to said dispensing element causes said flow passage through said dispensing element to at least partially close.

A bellows valve assembly for dispensing liquid material onto a surface, comprising:

• a pressure plate having a bottom surface;
• a compressible dispensing element having a lower surface and an upper surface adjacent said pressure plate bottom surface;
• and
• a nozzle adjacent said dispensing element lower surface;
• each of said pressure plate, compressible element and nozzle having a respective bore for the material to flow through;
• said pressure plate, dispensing element and nozzle when assembled defining a liquid passage through which material is dispensed when a force is applied to said pressure plate;
• said dispensing element being compressed between said pressure plate and said nozzle, when a force is applied to said pressure plate, to at least partially close said liquid passage to eject material from said nozzle;
• and
• wherein said dispensing element flow passage closes at least part way under an applied force;
• said element remaining in an elastic condition so that said passage opens upon removal of said force.

An apparatus for dispensing a liquid material onto a substrate comprising:

• a piston having an upper force receiving surface, a lower surface and a flow bore extending therein, said flow bore having an inlet for receiving the liquid material and an outlet;
• a compressible dispensing element having an upper surface being capable of receiving a force from said piston and having a liquid passage extending there through, said liquid passage having a liquid inlet in liquid communication with said outlet of said piston flow bore and a liquid outlet;
• said liquid passage of said dispensing element being capable of at least partially closing to expel at least a portion of the liquid material from said liquid outlet when said lower surface of said piston applies a force sufficient to compress said dispensing element;
• and
• a nozzle in liquid communication with said liquid outlet of said liquid passage for guiding the liquid material expelled from said liquid outlet of said liquid passage towards a substrate.