Hot Melt Apparatus and Method of Use

Abstract

In various embodiments, a hot melt device comprising a heating device that is automatically or manually triggered is configured so as to have its melt surface applied bringing a thermoplastic material in its solid form into contact with a surface via mechanical extrusion; using a heater to heat the thermoplastic material to a temperature above a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material while maintaining the contact of the thermoplastic material with the surface; allowing the heated thermoplastic material to cool to a temperature that is below the thermoplastic material's melting temperature; and allowing the heated thermoplastic material to bond the hot melt apparatus to the contacted surface without a solvent or use of a curing chemical reaction when the heated thermoplastic material is cooled to below the thermoplastic material's melting temperature while remaining connected to the structural body.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus comprising a structural body, a solid form thermoplastic material connected to the structural body, the solid form thermoplastic material mechanically extrudable onto a surface to be joined when the solid form thermoplastic material is heated where the solid form thermoplastic material solidifies while remaining connected to the structural body as the heated solid form thermoplastic material cools, and a controllable heater connected to the structural body and to the solid form thermoplastic material where the controllable heater comprises a heat generator which is adapted to actively heat the solid form thermoplastic material to a temperature above its melting temperature and which is able to actively cool to a temperature which allows the heated solid form thermoplastic material to cool and solidify without the use of a solvent, the method comprising:
 a. bringing the thermoplastic material in its solid form into contact with a surface to be joined;   b. using the controllable heater to actively heat the thermoplastic material to a temperature above a melting temperature of the thermoplastic material while maintaining the contact of the thermoplastic material with the surface;   c. mechanically extruding the solid form thermoplastic material when the solid form thermoplastic material is heated;   d. after being mechanically extruded, using the selectively controllable heater to actively cool the heated thermoplastic material to a temperature that is below the thermoplastic material's melting temperature;   e. as the heated solid form thermoplastic material cools, allowing the heated thermoplastic material to solidify while remaining connected to the structural body; and   f. allowing the heated thermoplastic material to bond the hot melt apparatus to the contacted surface without a solvent or use of a curing chemical reaction when the heated thermoplastic material is cooled to below the thermoplastic material's melting temperature while remaining connected to the structural body.   
     
     
         2 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic material in solid form further comprises a predetermined shape, the method further comprising selecting the predetermined shape as shape a that improves the bond of the thermoplastic material with the contacted surface, the shape comprising a geometric profile when the connection of complex surfaces are completed. 
     
     
         3 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the surface comprises a rough or uneven surface, the method further comprising varying a thickness of the selected shape of the thermoplastic material wherein the connection of rough or uneven surfaces are completed. 
     
     
         4 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , the hot melt apparatus further comprising a separable interface disposed intermediate the selectively controllable heater and the thermoplastic material, the separable interface comprising an upper portion connected to the heating mechanism and a lower portion selectively detachable from the upper portion, the lower portion permanently attached to the thermoplastic material, the method further comprising using the separable interface to create an evenly distributed thermal transfer of heat into the thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising reheating the cooled thermoplastic material to allow removal of the hot melt apparatus from the surface to which the thermoplastic material is bonded. 
     
     
         6 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a. allowing multiple heating and cooling cycles of the hot melt apparatus; and   b. reusing the hot melt apparatus a plurality of times.   
     
     
         7 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , the hot melt apparatus further comprising a mechanical integrator, the method further comprising mechanically integrating the hot melt apparatus to an object to become a tool or structural extension of the object. 
     
     
         8 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a. temporarily attaching the hot melt apparatus to a placement device using the mechanical integrator; and   b. disconnecting the placement device from the hot melt apparatus after the thermoplastic material bond is created to a surface.   
     
     
         9 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , the hot melt apparatus further comprising an electrical integrator, the method further comprising:
 a. electrically integrating the hot melt apparatus with an object; and   b. providing an electrical pathway from the object to support the operation of the hot melt apparatus.   
     
     
         10 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a. temporary attachment of the hot melt apparatus to any placement device using the electrical integrator; and   b. disconnecting the placement device from the hot melt device after the thermoplastic material bond is created to any object.   
     
     
         11 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 9 , further comprising using a pair of hot melt apparatuses, the method further comprising:
 a. using an electrically conductive cable to operatively interconnect the electrical integrator of a first hot melt apparatus of the pair of hot melt apparatus to electrical integrator a second hot melt apparatus of the pair of hot melt apparatus; and   b. creating an electrical ground path through the electrically conductive cable when the hot melt apparatuses are bonded separately to any object and any secondary object.   
     
     
         12 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hot melt apparatuses are connected by mechanical integrators and electrical integrators and used to bond the object to any other secondary object. 
     
     
         13 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a. integrating a pair of hot melt apparatus within a common structural body with thermoplastic material at both ends to create a double sided hot melt apparatus; and   b. using the double-sided hot melt apparatus to bond the object to any other secondary object.   
     
     
         14 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising using a plurality of pairs of hot melt apparatuses, the plurality of paired hot melt apparatuses equal in number to a number of objects to be joined. 
     
     
         15 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a. using a thermoplastic material that is electrically conductive; and   b. providing a grounding path through the electrically conductive thermoplastic material.   
     
     
         16 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , the selectively controllable heater comprising an electro-chemical heater, the method further comprising activating the electro-chemical heater using a low power electrical signal. 
     
     
         17 . The method of applying a thermoplastic material to a surface using a hot melt apparatus of  claim 1 , the selectively controllable heater comprising a chemical-based selectively controllable heater, the method further comprising activating the chemical-based selectively controllable heater through mixing of chemicals in the chemical-based selectively controllable heater.