Applicators and methods for dispensing a liquid material

Abstract

Applicators configured to dispense a hollow or shaped filament and methods of dispensing in which the hollow or shaped filament is impinged with gas jets. The applicator includes a dispenser body configured to discharge the hollow or shaped filament and a plurality of gas outlets arranged to impinge the filament in the space between the dispenser and the substrate.

1 . An applicator for dispensing at least one hollow filament of a liquid material, comprising: 
 a dispenser body including a first liquid material passage communicating with a first liquid material outlet and a plurality of first gas outlets positioned near said first liquid material outlet, said first liquid material passage configured to discharge a first stream of the liquid material from said first liquid material outlet as a first hollow filament, and each of said first gas outlets configured to emit a corresponding one of a first plurality of streams of a first gas that impinges the first hollow filament after discharge from said first liquid material outlet to cause movement of the first hollow filament.    
   
   
       2 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said first liquid material outlet is configured to introduce a stream of a second gas into an open core of the first stream of the liquid material to form the first hollow filament.  
   
   
       3 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said first liquid material outlet is annular and includes an outer perimeter and an inner perimeter, and said first gas outlets are arranged radially outside of said outer perimeter and angled generally tangentially relative to said outer perimeter.  
   
   
       4 . The applicator of  claim 3  wherein said dispenser body further includes a second gas outlet arranged radially inside said inner perimeter of said first liquid material outlet, said second gas outlet configured to discharge a stream of a second gas into an open core of the first stream of the liquid material to form the first hollow filament.  
   
   
       5 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said first liquid material outlet has an open planar geometrical shape with end points separated by a discontinuity to define a communication path for a second gas from an ambient environment surrounding the stream of the liquid material into an open core of the first stream of the liquid material to form the first hollow filament.  
   
   
       6 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body includes a removable nozzle carrying said gas outlets.  
   
   
       7 . The applicator of  claim 6  wherein said dispenser body includes a discharge tip, said first liquid material passage intersects said discharge tip to define said first liquid material outlet, and said nozzle includes a clearance opening through which said discharge tip protrudes.  
   
   
       8 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein said dispenser body includes a second liquid material passage communicating with a second liquid material outlet and a plurality of second gas outlets positioned near said second liquid material outlet, said second liquid material passage configured to discharge a second stream of the liquid material from said second liquid material outlet as a second hollow filament, and each of said second gas outlets configured to emit a corresponding one of a second plurality of streams of the first gas that impinges the hollow filament after discharge from said second liquid material outlet to cause movement of the second hollow filament.  
   
   
       9 . An applicator for dispensing a liquid material to form at least one filament having a plurality of lobes, the applicator comprising: 
 a dispenser body including a first liquid material passage with a first liquid material outlet configured to discharge a first stream of the liquid material and a plurality of first gas outlets positioned about said first liquid material outlet, said first liquid material outlet shaped to produce the lobes of a first filament as the first stream of the liquid material is discharged, and each of said first gas outlets emits a corresponding one of a first plurality of gas streams that impinge the lobes of the first filament after discharge from said first liquid material outlet to cause movement of the first filament.    
   
   
       10 . The applicator of  claim 9  wherein said dispenser body includes a removable nozzle carrying said gas outlets.  
   
   
       11 . The applicator of  claim 10  wherein said dispenser body includes a discharge tip, said liquid material passage intersects said discharge tip to define said liquid material outlet, and said nozzle includes a clearance opening through which said discharge tip protrudes.  
   
   
       12 . The applicator of  claim 9  wherein said dispenser body includes second liquid material passage with a second liquid material outlet configured to discharge a second stream of the liquid material and a plurality of second gas outlets positioned about said second liquid material outlet, said second liquid material outlet shaped to produce the lobes of a second filament as the second stream of the liquid material is discharged, and each of said second gas outlets emits a corresponding one of a second plurality of gas streams that impinge the lobes of the second filament after discharge from said second liquid material outlet to cause movement of the second filament.  
   
   
       13 . A method of forming a hollow filament of a liquid material, comprising: 
 extruding a stream of the liquid material;    introducing a gas into an open core of the stream as the stream is being extruded to form the hollow filament; and    impinging the hollow filament with a plurality of gas jets to cause movement of the hollow filament.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein introducing the gas into the open core of the stream further comprises: 
 injecting a stream of the gas into the open core.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein introducing the gas into the open core of the stream further comprises: 
 transferring the gas from an ambient environment surrounding the stream into the open core.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising: 
 moving a substrate relative to the hollow filament so that the hollow filament deposits with a desired pattern on the moving substrate.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said desired pattern is selected from the group consisting of overlapping patterns and non-overlapping patterns.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 13  wherein impinging the continuous hollow filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 increasing the amplitude of the movement of the hollow filament.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13  wherein impinging the continuous hollow filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 increasing the frequency of the movement of the hollow filament.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 13  wherein impinging the continuous hollow filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 impinging the continuous hollow filament generally tangentially with the plurality of gas jets.    
   
   
       21 . A method of forming a continuous filament of a liquid material, comprising: 
 extruding a stream of the liquid material with continuous filament having a plurality of lobes; and    impinging the lobes of the filament with a plurality of gas jets to cause movement of the filament.    
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the filament moves with a periodicity to provide a controlled pattern.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising: 
 moving a substrate relative to the filament so that the filament deposits with a desired pattern on the moving substrate.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein said desired pattern is selected from the group consisting of overlapping patterns and non-overlapping patterns.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 21  wherein impinging the lobes of the filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 increasing the amplitude of the movement of the filament.    
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 21  wherein impinging the lobes of the filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 increasing the frequency of the movement of the filament.    
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 21  wherein impinging the lobes of the filament with the plurality of gas jets further comprises: 
 impinging the lobes of the filament generally tangentially with the plurality of gas jets.