Granted Patent B2

US 7,503,979 · App. 10/527,152 · Granted Mar 17, 2009

Abstract

Claims (29)

1. An apparatus for the application of a composition curable by irradiation to a fastener having an externally threaded stem, comprising:

a coating section, including:

a coating conveyor for conveying the fastener in a horizontal position to an application station, the coating conveyor comprising a rail parallel to, and horizontally separated from, an application surface and a first endless drive element vertically separated from the rail and the application surface, wherein the fastener stem spans the rail and the application surface and is rotated over the rail and application surface and under the first endless drive element, and

the application station from which the composition is dispensed onto the application surface, wherein the fastener stem is rotated through the dispensed composition by rolling movement over the rail and the application surface and under the first endless drive element for application of a circumferential band of composition to the fastener stem; and

a curing section, including:

a curing conveyor for conveying the fastener in a horizontal position to an irradiation station, the curing conveyor comprising two, parallel, horizontally separated rails and a second endless drive element vertically separated from the rails, wherein the fastener stem having the circumferential band of composition thereon spans the rails and is rotated over the rails and under the second endless drive element as it moves toward the irradiation station; and

the irradiation station for at least partially curing the composition applied to the fastener stem.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the composition is an at least two stage curable composition; the curable composition having a first cure stage which is activatable by irradiation, and a second cure stage which is curable to secure the fastener in a fastening position.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a fastener feeder for feeding fasteners one by one to the coating conveyor.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the coating conveyor extends through the application station.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the application surface is a horizontal surface of a coating block.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the vertical separation between the first endless drive element and the application surface can be altered by a user.

7. An apparatus according claim 1 further comprising temperature control means for regulating the temperature of the fastener prior to application of composition thereto.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus further comprises a transfer mechanism for transferring the fasteners from the coating conveyor to the curing conveyor.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a supply system supplying curable composition to the application surface.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the irradiation station comprises a UV light source for irradiating applied composition with UV light.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the irradiation station comprises a radiation source housed in an enclosure which emits radiation through an aperture therein.

12. An apparatus for applying an at least partially cured composition to a fastener having an externally threaded shank, comprising:

a coating conveyor comprising two spaced supports defining a first fastener feed plane and a coating conveyor drive element spaced from the first plane, wherein the fastener shank can be disposed between the two spaced supports and the coating conveyor drive element and the fastener can be rolled on the two spaced supports from a fastener feed position toward a coating station by contact with the coating conveyor drive element;

the coating station comprising a support spaced from a coating block and a coating station drive element spaced from the coating block, the coating block comprising an application surface onto which a curable composition can be dispensed, wherein the fastener shank can be disposed between the coating block and the coating station drive element and the fastener can be rolled on the support and the application surface by contact with the coating station drive element as it moves through the dispensed curable composition;

a curing conveyor comprising two spaced supports defining a second fastener feed plane and a curing conveyor drive element spaced from the second plane, the curing conveyor extending from a coated fastener feed position toward a fastener exit position, wherein the coated fastener shank can be disposed between the two spaced supports and the curing conveyor drive element and the fastener can be rolled on the two spaced supports by contact with the curing conveyor drive element as it moves toward the exit position; and

a radiation source capable of providing a beam of energy intersecting the second plane and the coated fastener shank.

13. The claim of 12 wherein the first fastener feed plane is horizontal.

14. The claim of 12 wherein the first and second fastener feed planes are coextensive.

15. The claim of 12 further comprising a fastener transfer mechanism between the coating conveyor and the curing conveyor.

16. The claim of 12 further comprising a transfer conveyor comprising two spaced supports defining a transfer fastener feed plane and a transfer drive element spaced from the transfer plane, the transfer conveyor extending from the coating station to the curing conveyor, wherein the coated fastener shank can roll between the two spaced supports and the transfer drive element as it moves toward the curing conveyor.

17. The claim of 12 wherein the coating conveyor two spaced supports and curing conveyor two spaced supports are fixed and the coating conveyor drive element and the curing conveyor drive element are different, movable, endless loops of material.

18. The claim of 12 wherein the coating conveyor two spaced supports and curing conveyor two spaced supports are fixed, the coating conveyor drive element moves at a first speed and the curing conveyor drive element moves at a second speed different than the first speed.

19. The claim of 12 wherein the distance between the first plane and the coating conveyor drive element and the distance between the second plane and the curing conveyor drive element are independently adjustable.

Assignments (9)