CA2329447C - Powder feed system - Google Patents

Powder feed system Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2329447C
CA2329447C CA002329447A CA2329447A CA2329447C CA 2329447 C CA2329447 C CA 2329447C CA 002329447 A CA002329447 A CA 002329447A CA 2329447 A CA2329447 A CA 2329447A CA 2329447 C CA2329447 C CA 2329447C
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
powder
housing
reservoir
discharge ports
powdered resin
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
CA002329447A
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
CA2329447A1 (en
Inventor
Mahmoud Arslanouk
Anthony Dimaio
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Nylok LLC
Original Assignee
Nylok LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Nylok LLC filed Critical Nylok LLC
Publication of CA2329447A1 publication Critical patent/CA2329447A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA2329447C publication Critical patent/CA2329447C/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05BSPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B7/00Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
    • B05B7/14Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas designed for spraying particulate materials
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05BSPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B7/00Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
    • B05B7/14Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas designed for spraying particulate materials
    • B05B7/1404Arrangements for supplying particulate material
    • B05B7/144Arrangements for supplying particulate material the means for supplying particulate material comprising moving mechanical means
    • B05B7/1445Arrangements for supplying particulate material the means for supplying particulate material comprising moving mechanical means involving vibrations

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a vibratory powder feeding and metering apparatus that achieves the above-mentioned requirements. Generally, the apparatus of the present invention includes a housing defining a powder reservoir, a powder storage hopper having an outlet disposed to deliver powdered resin to the reservoir, a powder distribution block having one or more generally vertical fill tubes, a plurality of discharge ports extending from the reservoir to the fill tubes in the distribution block, and a vibration device to which the housing is mounted. Typically, the fill tubes are in communication with individual spray nozzles for transmission of the powdered resin. The housing also carries an adjustable barrier which serves as a dam to control or meter the flow of powdered resin into the discharge ports.

Description

POWDER FEED SYSTEM
The present application is related to Canadian Patent Application No.
2,281,337 filed September 2, 1999.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to powder conveying systems. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a powder feeding and metering apparatus for use in delivering powdered resin to a powdered resin spray nozzle. The invention finds particularly advantageous application in processes for applying powdered resin to fasteners.
A variety of vibratory powder feed systems have been known in the art for many years. Such feeding systems, dating back to the 1950s and 1960s, have included both rotationally vibrated bowls and linearly vibrated channels or troughs.
In the field of threaded fasteners, a need exists for feed systems useful for the application of powdered resins onto the fasteners. These resins, once applied, may serve any of several functions, including locking, sealing, lubrication or masking.
Oftentimes the same feed apparatus will therefore be used with different resin powders, each having its own particle size distribution, specific gravity, coefficient of friction and perhaps other properties that affect its flow characteristics. Moreover, the same feed apparatus may be used with many different fastener sizes thereby requiring substantially different powder flow rates. Still further, the apparatus may be used with different spray assemblies, using one, two, three or even four spray nozzles.
As a result a need exists for a simple, efficient vibratory feed apparatus that offers great versatility while still accurately feeding and metering the powdered resin for spray application to threaded fasteners.

The present invention is directed to a vibratory powder feeding and metering apparatus that achieves the above-mentioned requirements.
Generally the invention herein provides an apparatus for feeding and metering powdered resin to a powder spray nozzle to thereby apply the resin to a fastener, comprising a housing defining a powder reservoir, the housing being mounted to a linear vibration device and having a generally horizontally oriented floor, a powder storage hopper having an outlet disposed to deliver the powdered resin to the reservoir, and a powder distribution block mounted to the housing and having at least one generally vertical fill tube with an upper powder receiving end and a lower powder distributing end. A plurality of generally horizontally oriented discharge ports extend through a wall of the housing, each port having an inner end in communication with the reservoir and an outer end located to deposit the powdered resin into the receiving end of a powder fili tube, the powder fill tube distributing end being in communication with the powder supply to the spray nozzle. A barrier is mounted to the housing to control powder flow from the reservoir to the discharge ports, and the barrier has at least one powder flaw aperture and a tube extending from the aperture toward the discharge ports.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
_2_ ?.002 Attorney Docket No. 2789CIP
The novel features which are characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and attendant advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGURE 1 is a side view of the powder feeding and metering apparatus of the present invention, also illustrating, in schematic fashion, the supply of powdered resin to a typical powder spray nozzle;
FIGURE 2 is an end view of the apparatus of FIGURE 1 having a powder distribution block used with a four nozzle application;
FIGURES 3 and 4 are each end views showing distribution blocks used, respectively, with one and two nozzle applications;
FIGURE 5 is a top view of another embodiment of the powder feeding and metering apparatus of the present invention; and FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As illustrated in the drawings, the powder feeding and metering apparatus of the present invention is designated generally as 10, and includes housing 12, storage or supply hopper 14, and distribution block 16. The housing 12 defines a powdered resin reservoir 18 having a generally horizontally oriented floor 20 between and walls 22 and 24.
Attorney Docket No. 2789CIP
Extending through end wall 24 are a plurality of generally horizontally oriented discharge ports 26, each having an inner end 30 in communication with the reservoir 18 and an outer end 32. The housing 12 also supports a generally vertical and adjustable barrier 34 which together with the floor 20 of the housing defines a metering orifice through which the powdered resin flows. Alternatively, the barrier 34 may be disposed in direct abutment with floor 20 and may have one or more metering apertures to meter powder flow.
Still other barriers with differently sized metering apertures or slots may also be used to vary the powder flow rate. For example, FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate a barrier 34 in abutment with floor 20 and having a series of one or more tubes 35 extending from the barrier 34 toward end wall 24. This arrangement has been found desirable when the powder flow rate through the devices is relatively low, for example in the range of abo~!t 2.0 to 15 grams per minute. At these lower flow rates, the barrier design illustrated in FIGURE 1 may be inconsistent because the powder has a tendency to agglomerate and flow inconsistently when the passageway between the barrier 34 and floor 20 is relatively small, i.e. less than about 1/8 or 1/16 inch.
The supply hopper 14 has an outlet 15 disposed to deliver powdered resin to reservoir 18. This form of powder delivery is conventionally known as a "flood fill"
technique and has been used in powder transfer apparatus for many years. As is well known in the art, the powder level in the reservoir 18 will be maintained at the level of the bottom of the outlet 15.
Attorney Docket No. 2789CIP
The powder distribution block 16 is mounted to housing 12. Block 16 includes a common passageway 42 and one or more powder fill tubes 44, each in communication with the passageway 42. The upper powder receiving end 45 of each fill tube is supplied powdered resin exiting the outer ends 32 of the discharge ports 26. The lower powder distributing end 46 of the fill tube is in communication with the powder supply port of a conventional powder spray nozzle to deliver powder for application to a fastener. The distribution block is configured for a particular number of fill tubes and may be interchanged with other distribution blocks, such as blocks 17 and 19, having different numbers of fill tubes as illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention may be adapted for use with one, two, three, four or even more spray nozzles. The distribution block 16 also includes one or more breathe ports 48 which communicate with the common passageway 42. Many conventional spray nozzles in use today use a high pressure air supply to entrain the powder. These nozzles are known to create a negative pressure in the powder supply. In other words, the nozzle tends to aspirate powder from the powder feed system. Port 48 insures that any aspiration effect caused by the spray nozzle will not act to increase the powder flow rate exiting the discharge ports.
Alternatively, the distribution block 16 may be constructed without breathe ports 48 or other openings, to thereby utilize negative pressure to assist the powder flow. Still further, the distribution block may be provided with an adjustable aspiration port, to thereby afford further control of powder flow rate.
Attorney Docket No. 2789CIP
The housing 12 is mounted to any conventional linear vibration device 49 well known to those of skill in the art. Typically, such vibrators includes frequency and/or amplitude controls allowing adjustment of the vibratory action.
Since the accurate metering of the powdered resin to independent nozzles may be important in some applications, it is desirable to level housing floor 20 and the inner openings of the discharge ports 26 so that powder flow into each port 26 is approximately equal. To that end, a visual level indicator 50 is mounted to end wall 24 to facilitate leveling adjustments.
For an alternative embodiment, a horizontal platform 52 may be mounted to barrier 34. This platform directs powder flow first toward wall 22, then down to floor 20 and then along floor 20 under barrier 34 into discharge ports 26. This arrangement has been found desirable for low volume flow rates.
In arrordance with the present invention, a wide range of powdered resin materials and flow rates can be accommodated. By adjustment of the vibration level, the powder height in the reservoir and the barrier metering aperture, the flow rate may be effectively controlled. Flow rates from about 0.10 grams per minute to as high as about 50.0 grams per minute may be achieved.
Of course, it should be understood that various changes and modifications to the preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without diminishing its attendant advantages. It Attorney Docket No. 2789CIP
is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the following claims:
_7_

Claims (7)

1. An apparatus for feeding and metering powdered resin to a powder spray nozzle to thereby apply the resin to a fastener, comprising:
a housing defining a powder reservoir, said housing being mounted to a linear vibration device and having a horizontally oriented floor;
a powder storage hopper having an outlet disposed to deliver the powdered resin to the reservoir;
a powder distribution block mounted to the housing and having at least one vertical powder fill tube with an upper powder receiving end and a lower powder distributing end;
a plurality of horizontally oriented discharge ports extending through a wall of the housing, each port having an inner end in communication with the reservoir and an outer end located to deposit the powdered resin into the receiving end of the at least one powder fill tube; and the at least one powder fill tube distributing end being in communication with the powder fed to the spray nozzle;
a barrier mounted to said housing to control powder flow from the reservoir to the discharge ports; and said barrier having at least one powder flow aperture and a tube extending from said at least one powder flow aperture toward said discharge ports.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the barrier is adjustably mountable to the housing.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distribution block is adjustably mountable to the housing.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the distribution block has at least one breathe port associated with each powder fill tube.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each discharge port is positioned adjacent the floor of the reservoir.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of distribution blocks, each being interchangeably mountable to the housing and having a number of fill tubes different from the number of fill tubes of other distribution blocks.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a visual indicator of the horizontal level of the discharge ports relative to one another.
CA002329447A 2000-01-24 2000-12-21 Powder feed system Expired - Fee Related CA2329447C (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/490,968 US6223953B1 (en) 1999-06-07 2000-01-24 Powder feed system
US09/490,968 2000-01-24

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2329447A1 CA2329447A1 (en) 2001-07-24
CA2329447C true CA2329447C (en) 2005-11-15

Family

ID=23950266

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002329447A Expired - Fee Related CA2329447C (en) 2000-01-24 2000-12-21 Powder feed system

Country Status (10)

Country Link
US (1) US6223953B1 (en)
EP (1) EP1120167B1 (en)
JP (1) JP3474540B2 (en)
KR (1) KR100708260B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE291966T1 (en)
BR (1) BR0100141A (en)
CA (1) CA2329447C (en)
DE (1) DE60109656T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2240381T3 (en)
TW (1) TW495484B (en)

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6648970B1 (en) 2002-06-24 2003-11-18 Nylok Corporation Method and apparatus for applying a powdered resin to fasteners
KR100904019B1 (en) 2007-10-22 2009-06-22 (주)북두엔지니어링 The powder supply unit for a tube that contain a getter materal
DE102009031178B3 (en) 2009-06-29 2010-09-16 Heraeus Medical Gmbh Device for mixing and delivering bone cement
US8720497B2 (en) * 2010-02-19 2014-05-13 Oriel Therapeutics, Inc. Direct fill dry powder systems with dosing heads configured for on/off controlled flow
JP5835008B2 (en) * 2012-02-28 2015-12-24 株式会社デンソー Powder feeder
US10414148B2 (en) 2016-11-16 2019-09-17 United Technologies Corporation Selective powder dosing for an additively manufacturing system
US11951543B2 (en) 2021-06-30 2024-04-09 General Electric Company Additive manufacturing machine and method with variable powder dispensing assembly

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2900138A (en) * 1954-04-05 1959-08-18 Frank R Strate Metal powder welding apparatus
US2779510A (en) * 1954-09-27 1957-01-29 Union Carbide & Carbon Corp Vibrational dispenser for forming solid gas mixtures
US3777874A (en) 1971-12-22 1973-12-11 Air Prod & Chem Powder deposition system
CS177864B2 (en) 1972-08-31 1977-08-31
FR2543675B1 (en) 1983-03-28 1987-02-27 Sfec POWDER DISPENSER, ESPECIALLY FOR HOT SPRAY GUN
US4627990A (en) 1984-03-07 1986-12-09 Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Method of and apparatus for supplying powdery material
US4712669A (en) 1986-12-30 1987-12-15 K-Tron International, Inc. Vibratory material feeder with vibrating gate
US4813818A (en) 1987-08-25 1989-03-21 Michael Sanzone Apparatus and method for feeding powdered materials
US5474609A (en) 1992-06-30 1995-12-12 Nordson Corporation Methods and apparatus for applying powder to workpieces
US5496465A (en) 1993-04-22 1996-03-05 Fraas; Arthur P. Vibrating bed coal pyrolysis system
US5607720A (en) 1994-08-03 1997-03-04 Nd Industries, Inc. Self locking internally threaded fastener and apparatus and process for making the same
US5908155A (en) 1997-07-02 1999-06-01 Nylok Fastener Corporation Powder discharge apparatus and method for using the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP3474540B2 (en) 2003-12-08
EP1120167A3 (en) 2003-11-26
KR100708260B1 (en) 2007-04-17
KR20010086302A (en) 2001-09-10
EP1120167A2 (en) 2001-08-01
ATE291966T1 (en) 2005-04-15
CA2329447A1 (en) 2001-07-24
TW495484B (en) 2002-07-21
BR0100141A (en) 2001-08-28
DE60109656D1 (en) 2005-05-04
JP2001252597A (en) 2001-09-18
ES2240381T3 (en) 2005-10-16
DE60109656T2 (en) 2006-02-09
US6223953B1 (en) 2001-05-01
EP1120167B1 (en) 2005-03-30

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6209758B1 (en) Powder feed system
US4770344A (en) Powder spraying system
US7938072B2 (en) Air pressure dissipator for air seed delivery system
EP0640402A1 (en) An apparatus for dispensing powder and generating a powder stream
CA2329447C (en) Powder feed system
US8292197B2 (en) Device for continuously metering and transporting a powder, the use of the device, and a coating powder sprayer installation including the system
US2987221A (en) Powder ejector assembly
GB2068058A (en) Lubricant distributor
EP0832695A2 (en) An electrostratic flavouring system
JP2000343005A5 (en)
KR19990013466A (en) Powder discharging device and method of using the device
US4090645A (en) Powder metering system
MXPA00000908A (en) Powder feed system
JPH06510015A (en) Granular material distributor
JPH075189B2 (en) Device and method for distributing solid granular powder
CN218173584U (en) Vibrating type accurate feeding mechanism based on automatic medicine weighing

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
EEER Examination request
MKLA Lapsed

Effective date: 20181221