Reversible flow inducer

Abstract

A hot melt dispensing system includes a container for storing adhesive pellets, a melt system for heating adhesive pellets into a liquid, and a feed system connecting the container to the melt system. The feed system includes a reversible flow inducer having a first position for directing air flow toward the melt system. The reversible flow inducer also has a second position for directing air flow toward the container.

1 . A hot melt dispensing system comprising:
 a container for storing adhesive pellets;   a melt system for heating adhesive pellets into a liquid; and   a feed system connecting the container to the melt system, the feed system comprising:
 a reversible flow inducer having a first position for feeding adhesive pellets from the container to the melt system and a second position for returning adhesive pellets from the feed system to the container. 
   
     
     
         2 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the reversible flow inducer is a Venturi vacuum assembly that creates a vacuum in the feed system for inducing flow of adhesive pellets. 
     
     
         3 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the reversible flow inducer is connected to an outlet of the container, and wherein the feed system further comprises:
 a feed hose connecting the reversible flow inducer to the melt system.   
     
     
         4 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the reversible flow inducer comprises:
 a nozzle for directing air flow; and   a handle for moving the nozzle between first and second directions.   
     
     
         5 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises a hopper with a pellet inlet at a top of the hopper and a pellet outlet at a bottom of the hopper. 
     
     
         6 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the container is substantially funnel shaped. 
     
     
         7 . A hot melt dispensing system comprising:
 a container for storing adhesive pellets;   a melt system for heating adhesive pellets into a liquid; and   a feed system connecting the container to the melt system, the feed system comprising:
 a reversible flow inducer having a first position for directing air flow toward the melt system and a second position for directing air flow toward the container. 
   
     
     
         8 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer is a Venturi vacuum assembly that creates a low pressure zone in the feed system for inducing flow of adhesive pellets. 
     
     
         9 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer is connected to an outlet of the container, and wherein the feed system further comprises:
 a feed hose connecting the reversible flow inducer to the melt system.   
     
     
         10 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer comprises:
 a nozzle for directing air flow; and   a handle for moving the nozzle between the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         11 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 10 , wherein the handle pivots the nozzle between the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         12 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer comprises:
 a reversible nozzle having a nozzle body defining a plurality of ports positioned circumferentially around a pellet passage.   
     
     
         13 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer comprises:
 a vacuum assembly housing having a Venturi air inlet; and   a reversible nozzle having a Venturi air outlet port in fluid communication with the Venturi air inlet.   
     
     
         14 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the container comprises a hopper with a pellet inlet at a top of the hopper and a pellet outlet at a bottom of the hopper. 
     
     
         15 . The hot melt dispensing system of  claim 7 , wherein the reversible flow inducer is connected to an outlet of the container. 
     
     
         16 . A method of operating a hot melt dispensing system, the method comprising:
 directing air toward a melt system via a reversible flow inducer when the reversible flow inducer is in a first position, wherein the reversible flow inducer is part of a feed system connecting a container of adhesive pellets to the melt system;   moving the reversible flow inducer to a second position; and   directing air toward the container via the reversible flow inducer when the reversible flow inducer is in the second position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , and further comprising:
 supplying air to the reversible flow inducer to create a Venturi vacuum to induce flow of adhesive pellets.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the reversible flow inducer creates a suction to draw adhesive pellets from the container to the reversible flow inducer and then blows the adhesive pellets from the reversible flow inducer to the melt system when the reversible flow inducer is in the first position. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a feed hose connects the reversible flow inducer to the melt system and wherein the reversible flow inducer creates a suction to draw adhesive pellets from the feed hose to the reversible flow inducer and then blows the adhesive pellets from the reversible flow inducer to the container when the reversible flow inducer is in the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the reversible flow inducer returns adhesive pellets to the container when the reversible flow inducer is in the second position, and further comprising:
 replacing the container with a replacement container after the adhesive pellets are returned to the container.