Hot melt systems, feeder devices and methods for moving particulate hot melt adhesive

Abstract

Systems, feeder devices and methods are disclosed for moving particulate hot melt adhesive from an adhesive supply to an adhesive melter. A hot melt adhesive system includes a melter configured to heat and melt particulate hot melt adhesive into liquid hot melt adhesive, an adhesive supply containing a bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive, and a feeder device configured to intermittently transfer some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive from the adhesive supply to the melter. An adhesive supply includes a body containing a bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive, and a feeder device integrated into the body and including a mechanical agitator configured to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive through the feeder device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hot melt adhesive system, comprising:
 a melter configured to heat and melt particulate hot melt adhesive into liquid hot melt adhesive;   an adhesive supply adjacent the melter, the adhesive supply containing a bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive; and   a feeder device configured to intermittently transfer some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive from the adhesive supply to the melter.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a vertical centerline of the melter is parallel to and offset from a vertical centerline of the adhesive supply. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive supply is in contact with the melter. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the melter comprises one or more heating elements for melting the particulate hot melt adhesive and a heated reservoir for containing the liquid hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more heating elements are configured to be cycled on and off to maintain a predetermined temperature of the heated reservoir. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , further comprising a pump configured to pump the liquid hot melt adhesive from the heated reservoir to a point of application. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the heated reservoir comprises a level sensor configured to sense the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive in the heated reservoir. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to:
 receive the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive in the heated reservoir from the level sensor;   compare the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive to an appropriate level of liquid hot melt adhesive; and   control, in response to the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive being below the appropriate level, the feeder device to transfer some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive from the adhesive supply to the melter.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a controller configured to:
 receive the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive in the heated reservoir from the level sensor;   compare the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive to an appropriate level of liquid hot melt adhesive; and   control, in response to the amount of liquid hot melt adhesive being at least the appropriate level, the feeder device to stop transfer of the particulate hot melt adhesive from the adhesive supply to the melter.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder device comprises a mechanical agitator configured to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive through the feeder device. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the mechanical agitator is a vibrating device configured to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder device has an inlet that is configured to mate with an outlet of the adhesive supply. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder device has an outlet that is configured to provide some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive to the melter. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the feeder device is positioned between the melter and the adhesive supply. 
     
     
         15 . An adhesive supply, comprising:
 a body containing a bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive; and   a feeder device integrated into the body and comprising a mechanical agitator configured to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive through the feeder device, the feeder device configured to intermittently transfer some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive from the body to a melter.   
     
     
         16 . The adhesive supply of  claim 15 , wherein the mechanical agitator is a vibrating device configured to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . The adhesive supply of  claim 15 , wherein the mechanical agitator is an impeller configured to rotate within the body to encourage movement of the particulate hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         18 . The adhesive supply of  claim 15 , wherein the body defines an outlet that is configured to provide some of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive to the melter. 
     
     
         19 . The adhesive supply of  claim 18 , wherein the body further defines an inlet that is configured to receive the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive, the inlet being larger than the outlet. 
     
     
         20 . The adhesive supply of  claim 19 , further comprising a lid covering the inlet of the body and being configured to open to allow the deposit of the bulk quantity of particulate hot melt adhesive into the inlet.