Activator means for pre-applied adhesives

An apparatus adapted to activate a pre-applied adhesive or sealant composition on a substrate as said substrate continuously moves through said apparatus, said apparatus comprising:

• a workstation for receiving a substrate having applied to a surface thereof a pre-applied adhesive composition,
• a conveyance means for continuously moving the substrate into and through said workstation,
• and an activator means associated with the workstation, said activator means comprising an activator body and at least one activator face attached to, integrated into or forming a part of a surface of the activator body, said activator face characterized as (i) having a centerline axis and, perpendicular thereto, a transverse axis, said centerline axis being parallel to and aligned with the direction of the movement of the substrate through the workstation and (ii) a plurality of projections extending from the surface thereof, which projections are (a) adapted to engage and mobilize the pre-applied adhesive on the substrate as the substrate passes through the workstation and (b) aligned in such a way as to deposit or leave the adhesive in an activated state in a predetermined pattern or configuration and at a predetermined location on the substrate as it exits the workstation;
• wherein during operation of the apparatus, the activator means and conveyance means are configured so that the projections of the activator means engage and mobilize the preapplied adhesive or sealant composition on the substrate as the substrate moves through the workstation.