초록 ▼

A dispensing apparatus, which is capable of delivering precise quantities of a liquid product less than one mm3 in size, includes a drive mechanism, a housing made up of at least two input channels coupled to a chamber made up of a first portion and a second portion. First and second component liqui

A dispensing apparatus, which is capable of delivering precise quantities of a liquid product less than one mm3 in size, includes a drive mechanism, a housing made up of at least two input channels coupled to a chamber made up of a first portion and a second portion. First and second component liquids are delivered via the first and second input channels respectively to the chamber and the first and second input channels are disposed so that interaction is hindered between the first component liquid and the second component liquid in either input channel. At least one feed screw with a helical thread is disposed in the chamber such that when the at least one feed screw is rotated by the drive mechanism the first and second component liquids are mixed to form a liquid product and the feed screw rotation also discharges the liquid product from the chamber.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of dispensing a viscoelastic liquid from a dispensing apparatus, comprising the steps of: introducing a first component viscoelastic liquid to a first feed screw disposed within a chamber;introducing a second component viscoelastic liquid to a second feed screw disposed within the chambe

1. A method of dispensing a viscoelastic liquid from a dispensing apparatus, comprising the steps of: introducing a first component viscoelastic liquid to a first feed screw disposed within a chamber;introducing a second component viscoelastic liquid to a second feed screw disposed within the chamber; androtating the first and second feed screws a pre-selected amount, to mix the first and second component viscoelastic liquids forming a viscoelastic liquid product and to dispense a measured amount of the viscoelastic liquid product directly from the dispensing apparatus. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the first and second feed screws further comprises either counter-rotating or co-rotating the first and second feed screws. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-selected amount of rotation directly controls the measured amount of the viscoelastic liquid product dispensed. 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the measured amount of the viscoelastic liquid product dispensed further comprises a volume less than or equal to about 1.8 cubic millimeters. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the measured amount of the viscoelastic liquid product dispensed further comprises dispensing the viscoelastic liquid product at a rate less than or equal to 0.8 milliliters per minute. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the viscoelastic liquid product is a two-part adhesive. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the first component viscoelastic liquid further comprises delivering the first component viscoelastic liquid, via a first inlet channel of only two inlet channels, to the first feed screw, and wherein delivering the second component viscoelastic liquid further comprises delivering the second component viscoelastic liquid, via a second inlet channel of only two inlet channels, to the second feed screw. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein rotating the first and second feed screws the pre-selected amount further comprises rotating the first and second feed screws the pre-selected amount to directly dispense a pre-selected volume of the viscoelastic liquid product from a dispensing tip mounted to the chamber, the dispensing tip configured to form a structure on a surface of an article of manufacture. 9. A method of dispensing a viscoelastic liquid from a dispensing apparatus, comprising the steps of: delivering a first component viscoelastic liquid to a first feed screw disposed within a chamber;delivering a second component viscoelastic liquid to a second feed screw disposed within the chamber; andco-rotating or counter-rotating the first and second feed screws a pre-selected amount, to mix the first and second component viscoelastic liquids to form a viscoelastic liquid product and to directly dispense a pre-selected volume of the viscoelastic liquid product from a dispensing tip. 10. A dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing a precise quantity, comprising: at least two input channels coupled to a chamber, the chamber comprising a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion, wherein the middle portion includes at least two cylindrical bores having internal walls;at least two feed screws having helical threads and disposed in the chamber, the at least two feed screws rotatably supported in the at least two cylindrical bores, and rotated by a drive mechanism, such that a first component viscoelastic liquid is delivered through a first input channel of the at least two input channels to the chamber, and a second component viscoelastic liquid is delivered through a second input channel of the at least two input channels to the chamber, the first input channel and the second input channel disposed to hinder interaction between the first component viscoelastic liquid and the second component viscoelastic liquid in either input channel; anda dispenser tip mounted to the bottom portion of the chamber, wherein a rotation of the at least two feed screws mixes the first and second component viscoelastic liquids forming a viscoelastic liquid product in the middle portion of the chamber and the rotation discharges a portion of the viscoelastic liquid product directly from the dispenser tip. 11. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the middle portion further comprises at least two partly overlapping cylindrical bores. 12. The dispensing apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least two cylindrical bores further comprise at least two partly overlapping cylindrical bores having a region of overlap and the at least two partly overlapping cylindrical bores having substantially parallel internal walls, wherein the helical threads of the at least two feed screws are in sliding contact with the internal walls of the middle portion of the chamber and the helical threads of the at least two feed screws are intermeshing in the region of overlap. 13. The dispensing apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least two feed screws further comprise helical threads having a variable pitch that decreases as the helical threads approach the bottom portion of the chamber. 14. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the middle portion further comprises at least two non-overlapping cylindrical bores. 15. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispenser tip is disposable. 16. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a housing having a main body and a front body, the main body demountably attached to the front body, wherein the main body and the front body when attached form an internal cavity having a main cavity, a drive cavity, an output cavity and two input cavities, and wherein the at least two input channels and the chamber are formed as a disposable insert that conformally fits within the internal cavity of the housing. 17. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispenser tip is mounted to the bottom portion of the chamber without any intervening output valve. 18. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the dispenser tip is sized to directly dispense the viscoelastic liquid product at a rate less than or equal to 0.8 milliliters per minute from the dispenser tip onto a surface of an article of manufacture. 19. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rotation of the at least two feed screws further comprises a pre-selected amount of rotation that mixes and discharges a volume, less than or equal to about 1.8 cubic millimeters, of the viscoelastic liquid product directly from the dispensing apparatus. 20. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least two input channels further comprise only two input channels. 21. The dispensing apparatus of claim 10, wherein the viscoelastic liquid product is a two-part adhesive. 22. A dispensing apparatus capable of dispensing a precise quantity, comprising: two input channels coupled to a chamber comprising a top portion, a middle portion, and a bottom portion, wherein the middle portion includes either two non-overlapping cylindrical bores or two overlapping cylindrical bores having internal walls that are substantially parallel; andat least two feed screws having helical threads and disposed in the chamber, the at least two feed screws rotatably supported in the two cylindrical bores, such that a first component viscoelastic liquid is delivered through a first input channel of the two input channels to the chamber, and a second component viscoelastic liquid is delivered through a second input channel of the two input channels to the chamber, the first input channel and the second input channel disposed to hinder interaction between the first component viscoelastic liquid and the second component viscoelastic liquid in either input channel, wherein a pre-selected amount of rotation of the at least two feed screws mixes the first and second component viscoelastic liquids to form a viscoelastic liquid product and the pre-selected amount of rotation discharges, at a rate less than or equal to 0.8 milliliters per minute, a portion of the viscoelastic liquid product directly from the dispensing apparatus onto an article of manufacture.