Bulk adhesive transfer devices, knife gate valve devices, and related systems and methods

Abstract

A bulk adhesive transfer system for transferring adhesive particulate to a melter includes a bulk supply and a transfer device, which may define a hopper of the melter, a mobile bin, and/or a buffer unit. The transfer device is configured to receive unmelted adhesive particulate from the bulk supply and then be selectively docked with the melter to transfer the adhesive particulate to the melter. The bulk adhesive transfer system may also include a knife gate valve device, which includes a plurality of ports that sequentially open and close to control flow of the adhesive particulate towards the melter. The bulk adhesive transfer system simplifies refilling operations for a melter while enabling continuous operation of the melter, even when the transfer device is undocked for removal from the melter.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile bin storing a supply of adhesive particulate, the mobile bin comprising:
 a container defining an inlet formed in an upper region of the container, the inlet configured to receive the supply of adhesive particulate from a bulk supply; and   a buffer unit configured to intermittently receive at least some of the adhesive particulate from the container and to supply adhesive particulate to a melter, the buffer unit comprising:   an outlet in fluid communication with the melter;   a pneumatic pump coupled to the outlet of the buffer unit, the pneumatic pump being configured to use pressurized air to produce a vacuum to move at least some of the adhesive particulate from the buffer unit towards the melter; and   an agitation device operatively coupled to the buffer unit and configured to agitate the adhesive particulate in the buffer unit.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , wherein the agitation device agitates the adhesive particulate in the buffer unit while the pneumatic pump removes the adhesive particulate from the buffer unit. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , wherein the outlet of the buffer unit is coupled to a hose that is also coupled to the melter. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , wherein the container comprises one or more viewing windows that allow the level or amount of adhesive particulate in the container to be viewed. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , further comprising wheels that allow the mobile bin to be movable. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , further comprising a handle coupled to the container and configured to provide an ergonomic gripping point for an operator to manipulate and move the mobile bin. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , wherein the buffer unit further comprises a sloped internal plate configured to direct the adhesive particulate toward the outlet of the buffer unit. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile bin of  claim 1 , wherein the buffer unit further comprises a level sensor configured to indicate when the level of adhesive particulate in the buffer unit is low and needs refilling. 
     
     
         9 . A knife gate valve device configured to be selectively operated to control a flow of adhesive particulate therethrough, the valve device comprising:
 a first plate having a plurality of first apertures; and   a second plate having a plurality of second apertures, said first and second plates mounted for movement relative to one another to selectively align said pluralities of first apertures and second apertures to define a plurality of ports, said plurality of ports providing a plurality of flow paths for the adhesive particulate through the valve device when said plurality of ports are open, said first and second plates cooperating to sequentially open and sequentially close said plurality of ports as said first and second plates move relative to one another.   
     
     
         10 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 9 , said plurality of first apertures each defining different opening sizes, and said plurality of second apertures each defining identical opening sizes. 
     
     
         11 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 9 , said plurality of first apertures being radially arranged around a center of said first plate and said plurality of second apertures being radially arranged around a center of said second plate such that said second plate can be rotated relative to said first plate to selectively align said pluralities of first and second apertures. 
     
     
         12 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 11 , said second plate further comprising a handle configured to enable an operator to manually rotate said second plate through a partial rotation relative to said first plate between an open position where said plurality of ports are open and a closed position where said plurality of ports are closed. 
     
     
         13 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a collar fixedly coupled to said first plate around an outermost peripheral portion of said first plate, said collar and said first plate sandwiching an outermost peripheral portion of said second plate therebetween such that said second plate remains adjacent and abutting said first plate.   
     
     
         14 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 11 , each of said plurality of first apertures and each of said plurality of second apertures defining a wedge-shaped opening or a frustum-shaped opening. 
     
     
         15 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 14 , said plurality of first apertures being defined by first aperture side edges and said plurality of second apertures being defined by second aperture side edges angled differently from said first aperture side edges, such that as said first and second plates rotate relative to one another, said first and second aperture side edges pass over each other at an angle so as to define a scissor-like action for opening and closing said plurality of ports. 
     
     
         16 . The knife gate valve device of  claim 14 , each of said plurality of first apertures defining a wedge-shaped opening spanning across an arc angle, said arc angle for each first aperture being different from said arc angle for each other first aperture, and each of said plurality of second apertures defining a frustum-shaped opening spanning across an arc angle, said arc angle for each second aperture being identical. 
     
     
         17 . A transfer device configured to move adhesive particulate from a bulk supply to a melter, the transfer device comprising:
 a container configured to hold a supply of the adhesive particulate from the bulk supply; and   an outlet associated with said container and configured to be opened and closed to control flow of the adhesive particulate out of said container, said outlet defined by a docking structure configured to selectively dock to at least one of: a part of the melter and an intermediate storage device proximate to the melter,   said container and said outlet collectively defining a moveable unit configured to be moved by an operator to the part of the melter or the intermediate storage device to selectively supply adhesive particulate to the melter and configured to be moved away from the part of the melter or the intermediate storage device, such as when said container is emptied of adhesive particulate by the melter.   
     
     
         18 . The transfer device of  claim 17 , said container defining a hopper of the melter when selectively docked to the part of the melter. 
     
     
         19 . The transfer device of  claim 18 , said hopper being removable from the part of the melter while the melter continues operating to melt adhesive particulate and supply liquid adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The transfer device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a valve device located at said outlet and configured to move between open and closed positions to open and close said outlet and control flow of the adhesive particulate from said container.   
     
     
         21 . The transfer device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a feeder element located at said outlet and configured to selectively agitate flow of the adhesive particulate through said outlet to thereby open and close said outlet and control flow of the adhesive particulate from said container.   
     
     
         22 . The transfer device of  claim 17 , wherein the melter includes a melt section contained within an enclosure, and said moveable unit defined by said container and said outlet is sized to fit within the enclosure when said docking structure is docked to the melt section. 
     
     
         23 . The transfer device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a framework supporting said container and including at least one wheel configured to enable rolling movement of the transfer device along a surface to move said container between the bulk supply and the melter,   said container, said outlet, and said framework collectively defining a mobile bin configured to move adhesive particulate between the bulk supply and the melter without requiring manual lifting of the adhesive particulate by an operator.   
     
     
         24 . The transfer device of  claim 23 , said framework elevating said container above the surface such that said container is configured to be moved into position above an inlet of a melt section or the intermediate storage device, thereby enabling docking of said outlet to the inlet of the melt section or the intermediate storage device. 
     
     
         25 . A bulk adhesive transfer system configured to deliver adhesive particulate to a melter, the bulk adhesive transfer system comprising:
 a bulk supply configured to contain unmelted adhesive particulate; and   a transfer device according to  claim 17 , said transfer device configured to move adhesive particulate from said bulk supply to the melter.   
     
     
         26 . The bulk adhesive transfer system of  claim 25 , said bulk supply further comprising a storage container supported on a framework so as to provide sufficient clearance underneath said storage container for said moveable unit to be positioned adjacent a bulk supply outlet defined by said storage container, to thereby be replenished with the adhesive particulate from said bulk supply. 
     
     
         27 . The bulk adhesive transfer system of  claim 25 , further comprising:
 a buffer unit operatively coupled to the melter and configured to receive the adhesive particulate from said transfer device and to hold a supply of the adhesive particulate for delivery to the melter, said buffer unit being located at a distance away from said bulk supply such that said transfer device must be moved by an operator between said bulk supply and said buffer unit after receiving the adhesive particulate from said bulk supply.   
     
     
         28 . The bulk adhesive transfer system of  claim 27 , said buffer unit including a buffer bin configured to contain the supply of the adhesive particulate such that said transfer device can be undocked from said buffer bin and moved to said bulk supply for refilling said container while the melter continues receiving adhesive particulate from said buffer bin, so as to continue operating to melt adhesive particulate and supply liquid adhesive. 
     
     
         29 . A melter, comprising:
 an inlet defining a docking structure configured to selectively dock to an outlet of a transfer device for receiving adhesive particulate; and   a melt section configured to receive adhesive particulate from said inlet and configured to apply heat to the adhesive particulate to melt the adhesive particulate into liquid adhesive,   said docking structure enabling disconnection and removal of the transfer device from said inlet so that the transfer device can be replaced or refilled while said melt section continues operating to melt the adhesive particulate into liquid adhesive.   
     
     
         30 . The melter of  claim 29 , said inlet and said docking structure being collectively defined by a feeder element configured to selectively supply a flow of the adhesive particulate received from the outlet of the transfer device to thereby control flow of the adhesive particulate from the transfer device. 
     
     
         31 . The melter of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 a hopper defined by the transfer device such that said hopper is selectively removable from said melt section when said hopper requires replacement or refilling with adhesive particulate.   
     
     
         32 . The melter of  claim 29 , wherein the transfer device is a hopper. 
     
     
         33 . The melter of  claim 32 , wherein the hopper is unheated. 
     
     
         34 . The melter of  claim 29 , wherein the transfer device comprises a framework supporting a container and at least one wheel such that the transfer device collectively defines a mobile bin. 
     
     
         35 . The melter of  claim 29 , wherein the transfer device comprises a valve device located at the outlet, the valve device configured to selectively open and close to allow the adhesive particulate to flow out of the transfer device. 
     
     
         36 . The melter of  claim 29 , wherein the transfer device comprises a feeder element located at the outlet, the feed element configured to agitate the adhesive particulate to selectively generate a flow of the adhesive particulate out of the transfer device. 
     
     
         37 . The melter of  claim 29 , further comprising a buffer unit operatively coupled to the melter and configured to hold a supply of the adhesive particulate for delivery to the melter. 
     
     
         38 . The melter of  claim 37 , wherein the buffer unit continues to supply adhesive particulate into the melter while the transfer device is replaced or refilled. 
     
     
         39 . The melter of  claim 29 , wherein the inlet defines a docking structure configured to selectively dock to the outlet of the transfer device.