MXPA97002786A - Manufacturing device flui manufacturer - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a manual device for dispensing fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising: a housing with a first body portion and a second body portion, a nozzle for distributing the fluid, the nozzle coupled to the supply of fluids A set of valves placed in the housing and interconnecting the nozzle and the fluid supply where the valve assembly can be operated to control the fluid distributed by the nozzle, a first trigger to drive the valve assembly, the first trigger placed on one side of the housing, a second trigger for actuating the valve assembly, the second trigger positioned on the same side of the housing as the first trigger, wherein the first trigger is useful for driving the valve assembly when the first body portion of the housing is used as a handle and the second trigger is useful to operate the valve when the second body portion of the housing is used as a grab

Description

DISTRIBUTOR APPARATUS FLUID MANUAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates generally to a manual fluid dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a melt adhesive manual dispensing gun with a set of trigger-actuated valves that control the fluid flow of a fluid supply to a fluid distribution nozzle in the gun. Manual fluid dispensers of the type including a housing with a handle portion and cylinder portion having a fluid dispensing nozzle directed away from the handle portion have many commercial and industrial applications. These distributors are generally coupled to a supply of fluids by a flexible fluid conduit that provides fluid to the hand distributor. The flexible fluid conduit, however, often significantly interferes with the operators' ability to orient and manage the dispenser resulting in physical fatigue, which adversely affects productivity and is an alleged source of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and other diseases. debilitating It has been suggested to couple the supply hose to the distributor at a site away from the nozzle and towards the handle portion, which reduces torsion in the distributor of the supply conduit and improves the skill of the supply conduit operator and improves the ability of the operator to orient the direction of the nozzle. Others have suggested • coupling the supply hose in a rotating manner to the distributor to avoid twisting of the supply conduit and improving the operator's ability to orient the distributor around the axis of the supply conduit. Despite these advances, the operator's ability to orient the manual fluid dispensers of the prior art continues to be affected by the fluid supply conduit and by electrical cables coupled to the distributor, which will result in operator fatigue and lower productivity. U.S. Patent No. 5,332,159 to Grime et al. Discloses an improved dual mode trigger to reduce operator fatigue in a typical manual fluid dispenser by having a cylinder portion with a nozzle extending away from a handle portion. The improved trigger includes a primary trigger mounted adjacent to the handle for use during a conventional operation wherein the nozzle is directed to a substantially vertical surface and a second trigger mounted on an upper side of the cylinder for an alternative operation wherein the cylinder is taken as a handle and nozzle is more easily directed up and down on a substantially horizontal surface. This distributor, however, has the disadvantage that the second trigger protrudes from the upper side of the cylinder portion of the distributor where it is exposed and subject to interference with supply hoses and cables. The second protruding trigger is also subject to inadvertent operation, which may cause property damage or personal injury. The actuation of the set of triggers in the manual distributors is another source of operator fatigue. To distribute the fluid of the nozzle, the trigger assembly generally must compress a spring member that inclines a valve seat member to a valve seat to close the nozzle when the trigger is not actuated. The set of triggers is generally leveraged to reduce the pull of the trigger required to compress the spring, but the dimensions and configuration of the distributor housing often limit the extent to which the pull of the trigger can be reduced. Therefore, any reduction in trigger pull required to drive the valve assembly will reduce fatigue and increase operator productivity. Some manual fluid dispensers distribute heated fluids including melted adhesives supplied by a heated fluid supply line. These distributors often include heated components within the housing and may include temperature control control means, to maintain the viscosity of the fluids, which is required for the precise distribution of the fluid through the nozzle. The heated components, however, must be isolated to allow the distributor to operate. The insulation is particularly important in applications where the portion of the housing containing the heated components is used as a handle by the operator. Existing insulation materials, however, sometimes require larger housing dimensions to accommodate the insulation material necessary to adequately insulate the heated components. The operator of the heated fluid hand dispensers is also exposed to external hot components of the dispenser including the heated fluid supply conduit and the nozzle, which can potentially cause serious personal injury. Other applications use heated air supplied to the nozzle by an auxiliary air supply hose where the heated air modifies the fluid flow distributed by the nozzle. The auxiliary air supply hose, however, also gets hot and therefore is another source of danger at work. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a fluid distributor that reduces operator exposure to heated components and internal and external supply lines to the distributor. In view of the above discussion, there is a demonstrated need for an advance in the art of a manual fluid dispensing apparatus. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus that overcomes the problems in the prior art. It is also an object of the invention to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus that is economical and reliable. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus having a set of triggers with first independent trigger and second trigger, which facilitate the operation of the distributor in different orientations, wherein the set of triggers can be protected with a simple trigger guard.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus with a set of connectors that allows for improved orientation of the dispensing apparatus and reduces the interference of a fluid supply conduit. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus with a substantially balanced valve assembly, which reduces the pull of the trigger required to distribute the fluid from the nozzle. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus comprising modular subassemblies. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manual fluid dispensing apparatus useful for distributing heated fluids wherein the distributor isolates the operator from internal and external heated components to the dispenser. Accordingly, the present invention relates to a novel hand-held apparatus for distributing fluid supplied by a fluid supply conduit from a dispenser supply. The apparatus includes a housing with a first body portion and a second body portion, a set of conduits coupled to the fluid supply and a valve assembly interconnecting the conduit assembly and a fluid dispensing nozzle. The valve assembly includes a valve stem with a valve seat member inclined toward a valve seat by a spring member to close the nozzle. A spring force required to adjust the valve seat member in the valve seat is reduced in proportion to the point at which the valve assembly is balanced. The valve assembly can be operated by a first trigger placed on one side of the housing, or by a second independent trigger positioned on the same side of the housing as the first trigger. The first trigger is useful for actuating the valve assembly when the first body portion of the housing is used as a handle and the second trigger is useful for actuating the valve assembly when the second body portion of the housing is used as a handle. A common trigger guard interconnects the first body portion and the second body portion to enclose and protect the first trigger and the second trigger. A set of connectors is coupled to the fluid supply conduit to the conduit assembly and is ergonomically located in the manifold to improve the adjustability of the manifold and reduce operator fatigue. The connector assembly includes a conduit connector with a ball portion positioned in a spherical bearing having an annular sealing member positioned around a circumference of the ball portion. The sealing member is also positioned between a ball seat and a ball retainer wherein the conduit connector is rotatable and pivotable relative to the spherical bearing to further increase the adjustability of the dispenser and reduce operator fatigue. In applications where the manual fluid distributor distributes a heated fluid, a thermal insulation material within the housing isolates the operator from the heated components placed within the housing and the location of the connector assembly reduces operator exposure to the heated supply conduit. These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become all the more apparent considering the following Detailed Description of the Invention with the accompanying drawings, which may be unequal for ease of understanding, where reference is made to the similar structure and steps with corresponding numbers and indicators. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. The is a partial sectional view of a manual fluid dispensing apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. Ib is a sectional view along the lines of FIG. the. FIG. it is a partial front view along the lines c-c of FIG. the. FIG. 2a is a partial side view of a set of triggers grouped according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 2b is a partial front view of FIG. 2a including a partial ghost view of a housing of the manual fluid distributor.

FIG. 3a is a partial sectional view of a rotary connector assembly according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 3b is a partial top view of FIG. 3a. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a balanced valve assembly and a nozzle according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5a is a partial sectional view of a fluid dispensing nozzle and thermal insulation sheath according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. FIG. 5b is a partial sectional view of a fluid dispensing nozzle and thermal insulation sheath according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIG. It is a manual device for distributing fluid supplied through a fluid supply conduit S from a fluid supply, not shown in the drawing. The apparatus generally comprises a housing 100 with a nozzle 200 for distributing fluid supplied from the fluid supply, a valve assembly 300 positioned in the housing and coupled between the nozzle 200 and the fluid supply and a set of triggers 400 for driving the assembly of valves 300 for controlling the fluid distributed by the nozzle 200. Although various embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the context of manual melt adhesive applicators, the objects, features and advantages of the invention are also applicable to other types of manual dispensers of fluids including among other applicators with paint spray, fuel distributors and pneumatic tools. The housing 100 includes a first body portion 110 and a second body portion 120 having at least one interior cavity for receiving the valve assembly 300 and other components within the housing. In one embodiment, the first body portion 110 is a handle H and the second body portion 120 is a cylinder B with a fluid dispensing end having the nozzle 200 extending away from the handle H. The handle H and the cylinder B may have Ergonomic contours for easy handling or securing of the distributor housing in one of two alternative modes of operation as described below. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 100 includes a trigger guard 130 interconnecting the cylinder B and the handle H where the trigger guard 130 encloses the trigger assembly 400 to protect and prevent inadvertent actuation of the trigger while providing easy access to the set of triggers. . The housing may alternatively include flanges 134 and 136 to prevent the entry of foreign objects behind the triggers, which may obstruct or interfere with the operation of the trigger.

In one embodiment, the housing 100 comprises two matching housing portions, which form a housing subassembly or module. Each housing portion includes a matching inner peripheral surface 102 and a matching outer peripheral surface 104 as shown in the handle portion of the housing in FIG. the. The housing portions are retained in a matched relationship by threaded members placed through a plurality of holes 126 through the matching housing portions. The matching housing portions can alternatively be retained by elastic spring jaws, or other known fastening means. FIG. Ib illustrates a protruding flange 103 on the mating surfaces 102 and 104 of a portion of the housing and a complementary groove 105 in the mating surfaces 102 and 104 of the matching housing portion. The complementary flange and groove configuration of the housing portions provides a solid and precise adjustment housing assembly resistant to the entry of fluids or particulate matter into the cavities of the assembly. In a modality, the housing is molded of a solid lightweight synthetic resin material, which is resistant to corrosion by the fluid distributed from the nozzle. Other embodiments may be fabricated or cast from metallic materials, which may be required for use in other applications. FIG. It is a front view of a mounting interface of connector 140 of housing 100 for receiving a fluid supply conduit connector 500, an alternative auxiliary air supply connector 600 and an alternative electrical system connector 700. The interface of connector assembly 140 is positioned adjacent the intersection of handle H and cylinder B and away from nozzle 200 to reduce some interference and resultant fatigue caused by electrical cables and supply conduits. The location of the mounting interface of the connector 140 facilitates the coupling of the supply conduits and electrical cables suspended above the operator from a roof or other support means, which prevents the operator from having to support the full weight of the conduits. supply and cables. The mounting interface of the connector 140 is also substantially symmetrically located between the cylinder B and the handle H to provide a more balanced manual distributor, which facilitates alternative modes of dispenser operation as discussed below. In one embodiment, the mounting interface of the connector 140 is formed as an integral part of either of the two matching housing portions or both, which form the housing module. In some applications, the compressed hot air is used to modify the distributed fluid stream of a turbulence nozzle, of the type shown in the fluids 5b, which is adapted to mix the compressed air with the fluid. In one embodiment, the trigger guard 130 is a hollow member for plumping a hot air supply hose 40 within the housing between the auxiliary air supply connector 600 at the mounting interface 140 and the nozzle 200 at the front portion of the apparatus as it is shown in FIG. the. An exterior hot air supply hose, not shown, can be wound around a heated fluid supply conduit S and coupled to the auxiliary air supply connector 600 at the interface 140. The hollow guard 130 communicates with a housing cavity. in the handle H and provides a path to the nozzle end of the cylinder B. In the exemplary embodiment, the hollow trigger guard includes a port 132 adjacent the end of the nozzle of the cylinder B through which the hose 40 is fed to the nozzle. coupling with a hose adapter 210 extending down into the turbulence nozzle as shown in FIG. 5b. The hollow guard 130 isolates the operator from the hot air supply hose 40, retains the heat in the hose 40 and prevents the hose 40 from hanging from the end of the cylinder B nozzle where it can cause interference. A thermal insulation material can be placed around the air hose 40 in the cavity portions of the housing to increase thermal insulation. FIGS. 5a and 5b illustrate an insulating sheath 900, which is alternately positioned around the nozzle 200 to protect the operator from contact with the nozzle 200, which can be heated. The insulation sleeve 900 also prevents the nozzle 200 from becoming entangled or entangled in the working environment. FIG. 5a is a typical pearl-shaped nozzle 200 protected by an insulating sheath 900 having a conical portion 910 positioned around a portion of the nozzle 200. The conical portion 910 reduces any obstruction to the visibility of the nozzle end 240 and in the embodiment exemplary the conical portion 910 is slightly grooved from the end 240 of the nozzle to increase visibility and provide greater penetration of the nozzle 200 to the work areas. The insulation sleeve 900 includes a coupling end portion 920 for coupling the sleeve 900 to the nozzle 200. In the exemplary embodiment, the coupling end portion 920 includes an elastic annular flange 930 with a reduced diameter portion 932 that snaps onto a flange 250 and rests on a seat 252 of the nozzle 200 to retain the insulation sleeve 900 about the nozzle 200. In an alternative embodiment, the annular flange 920 includes an engagable threaded inner surface with a threaded outer surface of the nozzle 200, not shown in the drawing. In the exemplary embodiment, the conical portion 910 of the insulation sleeve 900 includes an inner surface portion 912 that abuts an outer surface 242 of the nozzle 200 for greater ability to mount the insulation sleeve 900 around the nozzle 200 In one embodiment, the insulation sleeve 900 includes a plurality of apertures 904 for venting the heat accumulated in the area of the nozzle 200, as shown on a lower side of the insulation sleeve 900 in the exemplary embodiment. FIG. 5b is an insulation sleeve 900 with an alternative configuration that can be placed around a turbulence nozzle having a finned air hose adapter 210 attached to the air hose 40, which provides hot air to modify the fluid flow through the nozzle as discussed above. The insulating sheath 900 includes a lower portion 940 that extends downward to wrap the air hose adapter 210 and a notch 944 in the lower portion 940 to position the sheath 900 over the adapter 210. The insulation sheath 900 may include an annular elastic flange portion 930 with a reduced diameter portion 932 that snaps onto a portion of the nozzle 200 to retain the insulation sleeve 900 around the nozzle 200. Furthermore, the indentation 944 can be adjusted to engage the portions of the hose adapter 210 for retaining the insulation sleeve 900 around the nozzle 200. The insulation sleeve 900 is made of an insulating material including Teflon, or Viton ™, or a resin composition reinforced with fiberglass cloth and can be formed in a molding process or other manufacturing process. The set of triggers 400 can be moved to drive the valve assembly 300 coupled between the fluid supply and the nozzle assembly 200. In the exemplary embodiment, the trigger assembly 400 includes a first trigger 410 positioned on one side of the housing 100. and a second trigger 430 positioned on the same side of the housing as the first trigger 410. In this configuration, the first trigger and the second trigger can be protected with a common trigger guard 130, which reduces the size and complexity of the housing and provides a distributor of relatively reduced profile. The first trigger 410 is a useful primary trigger for driving the valve assembly 300 when the first body portion 110 is used as a handle and the second trigger 430 is a secondary trigger useful for operating the valve assembly 300 when the second portion of the valve assembly 300 is used. body 120 is used as a handle in an alternative mode of distributor operation. The alternative triggers facilitate the operation of the distributor in either a vertical operation or a horizontal orientation, which reduces operator fatigue. In the exemplary embodiment, the first trigger 410 is pivotally coupled relative to the housing about a pivot shaft 412, which may be a pivot pin supported by the housing or by the structure within the housing. In the exemplary embodiment, the pivot shaft 412 extends through a body portion 800 mounted in the housing. The second trigger 430 is also pivotally coupled relative to the housing about a pivot axis 432, which may also be a pivot pin supported by the housing or by the structure within the housing. In the exemplary mode, the pivot shaft 432 extends through a flange 433 extending from opposite sides of the housing. The first trigger 410 includes a latching surface 416 of the valve actuator for driving the valve assembly 300 when the first trigger 410 is pivotally mounted or moved to the first body portion 110 as discussed below. The second trigger 430 also includes a latching surface 436 of the valve actuator for driving the valve assembly 300 when the second trigger 430 is pivotally mounted or is moved toward the second body portion 120. In the preferred embodiment, the respective shafts Trigger pivot pins 412 and 432 are positioned to increase the leverage and decrease the force, or pull of the trigger, required to drive the valve assembly 300, which further reduces operator fatigue. In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, the first trigger 410 is grouped within the second trigger 430, but the second trigger may alternatively be grouped within the first trigger. The first trigger 410 includes elastic flanges 420 with a corresponding mounting tab 422 pivotally supported by corresponding slots in the body member 800 mounted within the housing wherein the first trigger 410 is pivotal about the shaft 412 through the tabs 422. second trigger 430 includes elastic flanges 440 with a corresponding protruding pin 424 pivotally supported by corresponding slots 442 in housing flange 433 wherein second trigger 430 is pivotal about axis 432 through pins 424. The set of grouped triggers is mounts easily in the housing during the assembly of the two matching housing portions discussed above. In an alternative embodiment, each pin 424 extends from a corresponding housing flange 433 and the corresponding support opening in the flange 440 of the second trigger 430. The first trigger and the second trigger can be operated to drive the set of independent valves 300 of one another where pivoting a trigger does not require or results in pivoting the other trigger. In an alternative embodiment, the first trigger and the second trigger both independently are pivotally coupled to the housing without grouping one trigger within the other. The first trigger and the second trigger preferably have ergonomic contours, to reduce operator fatigue and can be molded from a plastic material. The triggers can alternatively be fabricated or melted from a metallic material. The exemplary set of two two-part triggers of FIG. 2 forms a subassembly or trigger module of the distributor, which is relatively inexpensive, simple to assemble, easy and reliable to operate and can be protected with a simple trigger guard. FIG. The sample is a supply conduit S for supplying fluid from the fluid supply, not shown in the drawing, to the connector assembly 500 of the fluid supply conduit mounted on the mounting interface 140 of the housing 100. The assembly of connectors 500 of the conduit it is generally coupled to the nozzle 200 by a set of conduits 800, which is interconnected to the nozzle 200 by the valve assembly 300. In the mode of a melt adhesive applicator, the conduit assembly 800 is a heated body member. formed of a heat conducting material, such as metal, with a fluid conduit 820 and one or more heating elements, not shown in the drawing. The conduit assembly 800 may alternatively include one or more temperature sensors to provide temperature data, through an electrical cable coupled to the housing by the electrical connector 700, to a temperature control control means located outside the housing 100. In the exemplary mode, the set of conduits 800 forms a sub-assembly or conduit module. The conduit assembly 800 can be mounted in the housing 100 and can be easily connected to the valve assembly 300 and the conduit connector assembly 500 discussed below. In the exemplary embodiment, the connector assembly 500 is a rotary connector assembly that allows the housing 100 to rotate and pivot relative to the supply conduit S. FIG. 3a shows a rotary connector assembly with a conduit connector 510 having a threaded portion 512 for coupling with the supply conduit S and a ball portion 514 positioned in a spherical bearing assembly. The conduit connector 510 includes a fluid passage port 516, which allows fluids to flow from the supply conduit S to the conduit assembly 800. The spherical bearing assembly includes a ball bearing portion 522 and a retainer portion. of balls 524 separated by an annular sealing member 530 positioned around a circumferential portion of the portion of balls 514 to form a seal. In one embodiment, the sealing member is an elastomeric o-ring or quadruple joint and in an alternative embodiment the sealing member 530 is a spring-loaded cup seal 530 as an Omniseal ™ 103A seal type with a Standard Flange and Heel available in Furon Company, Los Alamitos, California. The spherical bearing is housed in a bearing assembly 540, which forms an integral part of the conduit assembly 800 in the exemplary embodiment, but may alternatively be a separate component coupled to the conduit assembly 800. The bearing housing 540 includes a cavity with a fluid port 544 for receiving the spherical bearing assembly and a retaining plate 546 with a port 548 for retaining the bearing assembly in the bearing housing 540. A spring member 550 such as a corrugated spring, or a spring The disc, or a coiled spring, may be placed in the cavity of the bearing housing 540 to push or preload the bearing assembly toward the retaining plate 546. In the exemplary embodiment, the ball-bearing portion 522 and the retaining portion of 524 balls are made of an antifriction bronze material or other material that provides good heat transfer between the supply conduit S and the heated duct assembly 800. In alternative embodiments, the ball seating portion 522 and the ball retainer portion 524 are made of TorIon or some other synthetic material. The housing 540 and the retaining plate 546 may be formed in the same way from a heat conducting material for heat applications. In one embodiment, the rotary connector allows a 360 degree rotation and between approximately 30 and 35 degrees of pivoting movement and in an alternative mode between approximately 35 and 40 degrees of pivoting movement. The port 548 of the retaining plate 546 has a beveled surface for greater pivoting movement and in another embodiment the port 548 has oblong end portions 549 to allow a greater range of pivoting movement along an axis, which is particularly useful to pivot forward and backward of the distributor. In an alternative embodiment, the range of rotational movement may be limited to a degree of rotation in both directions by stop members, not shown in the drawing, to avoid excessive twisting of the supply cables. In the exemplary embodiment, the supply conduit S includes a threaded coupling member T, but alternative embodiments may include other quick release latch and latch means. A flexible sheath B can alternatively extend from the supply conduit S and run along the edge of the housing 100 to protect the connector 500 from the spray of fluids and particulate matter. The rotary connector assembly 500 thus provides a greater range of motion and its location away from the nozzle 200 and adjacent to the intersection of the handle portions to provide a more balanced manual distributor., which reduces the interference of conduits and cables and reduces operator fatigue. FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a valve assembly 300 coupled with a nozzle 200 having a hole 220 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention wherein the valve assembly 300 interconnects the conduit assembly 800 and the nozzle 200 as shown in FIG. 1. The valve assembly 300 includes a valve body 310 with a fluid intake port 312 coupled to an interior fluid flow cavity 314, which communicates with the orifice 220 of the nozzle. A valve rod 320 is displaceably positioned through the cavity 314 of the fluid stream of the valve body 310 and includes a seat member 322 inclined against a valve seat 230 in the nozzle 200 by a spring member 330 to prevent fluid from being distributed from the nozzle 200. The valve stem 320 is aligned in the valve body 310 by a bushing 340. An annular seal 342 provides a seal between the valve stem 320 and the valve body 310. The seal 342 may be an elastomeric o-ring, or quadruple seal, or a cup seal of the type discussed above that provides a seal around a circumferential portion of the valve stem 320. The spring member 330 is placed in a spring retainer 350 coupled to the valve body 310 and enclosed with a cover 352. The valve assembly 300 is coupled to the conduit assembly 800 by bolts or other fastening means. It allows the assembly and disassembly of the components in an easy way. FIG. the sample shows an end portion 324 of the rod coupled to a valve actuator 360 with a transverse member 362, which can be engaged by the engaging surfaces 416 and 436 of the valve actuator of the first trigger and second trigger, respectively. In operation, the actuation of either of the two triggers 410 or 430 slides the valve stem 320 against the inclination of the spring member 330 to remove the seat member 322 from the valve seat 230 from the seat within the nozzle to allow the distribution of the fluid, supplied by the supply of fluids S, through the orifice 220 of the nozzle. The spring member 330 has sufficient spring force to close or replace the seat member 322 in the valve seat 230 upon release of the trigger in the seat. The spring force required to return seat member 322 to the seat depends on various factors particular to the application including fluid viscosity, fluid flow velocity and nozzle orifice. In the exemplary embodiment of the melted adhesive dispenser, the spring force is between 10 and 13 pounds. The actuation force of the trigger, or pull of the trigger, required to overcome the spring force is reduced by approximately 2 to 4 pounds by the trigger's leveraging action by optimizing the location of the pivot shaft of the trigger in relation to the transverse member 362, but the dimensions and configuration of the inner housing 100 generally limits the extent to which the pull of the trigger can be reduced by the leveraging action. A reduction in the inclination of the spring required to close the nozzle results in a proportionate reduction in the pull of the levered trigger required to overcome the spring force and remove the seat member 322 from the seat. In the exemplary embodiment, the spring force of the spring member 330 is decreased by providing a substantially balanced valve assembly 300. The valve assembly 300 is balanced when the cross-sectional area Ax of the valve seat member 322 in the valve seat 230 is equal to the cross-sectional area A2 of the valve stem. valve 320 on seal 342. Any imbalance of the valves resulting from the unevenness in the respective transverse areas Ax and A2 of seat member 322 and valve stem 320, respectively, must ultimately be compensated by additional pull on the trigger. The additional pull on the trigger is required to directly compensate for the imbalance resulting from a pressure induced force that tends to seat the seat member 322 of the valve stem in the valve seat 230, or compensate for the resultant unbalance of a force of raised spring required to seat the valve seat member 322 in the valve seat 230 against a pressure induced force tending to remove the seat member 322 from the valve stem valve seat 230 from the seat. The required spring of the spring member 330 is therefore reduced in proportion to the point at which the valve assembly 300 is balanced and the required spring force is decreased when the valve assembly 300 is balanced. In one embodiment, the valve drive assembly 360 includes a body 361 coupled to the valve stem 320 and a switch actuator stem 364 coupled to the transverse member 362 by threads or other fastening means. The transverse member 362 can be moved in an oblong groove 366 in the body member 361 and the switch actuator rod can be moved in an axial inner diameter in the body member 361. A spring member, not shown, tilts the transverse member 362 and switch actuator assembly 364 along the axial dimension of body member 361 towards valve assembly 300. In operation, trigger 410 or 430 can initially engage with transverse member 362 to move the transverse member 362 and the rod assembly of the switch actuator 364, against the inclination of the spring member, relative to the body member 361 to operate the electric switch 730 without movement of the body member 361. In the actuation of the electrical switch 730 and the continuous actuation of the trigger 410 or 430, the transverse member 362 engages an end portion of the notch 366 and moves the member. body bro 361 coupled to the valve stem 320 to remove the seat member 322 from the valve seat 230 from the seat to open the nozzle. The switch actuator 364, therefore, can be moved to operate an electrical switch 730 before removing the seat valve member 322 from the valve seat 230 from the seat. In one embodiment, the switch 730 drives a pump supply pump. fluid, not shown, for supplying fluid through the fluid supply conduit S and an air supply valve for supplying auxiliary air, both must be actuated before opening the nozzle by removing the seat valve member 322 from the seat from the seat of valves 230. Upon releasing the trigger, the valve seat member 322 is first placed in the valve seat 230 to close the nozzle 200 before the switch actuator 364 deactivates the electrical switch 730, which deactivates the pump Fluid supply and air supply valve. A thermal insulation material can be placed in the cavities of the handle portion H and the body portion B to improve the thermal insulation of the heated components mounted within the housing 100. In one embodiment, an insulating coating material 850 is applied to the surfaces of the heated body member 800, the rotary connector assembly 500 and the valve drive assembly 300. In addition, the insulating coatings 850 can be applied to the surfaces of the housing cavities 100 to increase the insulation. FIG. the thermal insulation coating 850 shows only portions of the heated components and housing to simplify the drawing. Insulating coating materials useful for this purpose include ceramic tapes and insulating polymer and ceramic compositions such as Miracle / Therm ™, which is available at St. Louis Factory Supply, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri. A coating of 15 thousand Miracle / Therm liquid insulation applied to the heated components and surfaces of the cavities provides an equivalent R-20 insulation. The insulation materials can additionally and alternatively fill gaps in the cavities of the housing between the heated components and the housing. Type insulation materials for filling tools for this purpose include non-woven nj insulating materials such as Nomex 450 and Craneglas 230 available from Crane and Co., Inc., Dalton, Massachusetts and insulating foams such as Solimide available from Imi-Tech, The Grove Village, Illinois. In another embodiment, a thermal insulation material is placed on the outer handle portions of the housing as an additional or alternative way of insulating the heated components within the housing. The insulation material can be formed integrally with the holding portion of the housing or it can be a removable thermal insulation cover, which allows easy cleaning and maintenance service of the cover and the distributor. The thermal insulation material on the outside of the handle portions can also provide better holding performance and impact resistance. While the above written description of the invention allows one skilled in the art to make and use what is currently considered to be the best mode of the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate and understand the existence of variations, combinations, modifications and equivalents within the spirit and scope of the specific exemplary modalities disclosed herein. The present invention will therefore be limited not by the specific exemplary embodiments disclosed herein but by all embodiments within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims (20)

1. CLAIMS 1. A hand-held apparatus for dispensing fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising: a housing with a first body portion and a second body portion; a nozzle to distribute the fluid, the nozzle coupled to the supply of fluids; a valve assembly positioned in the housing and interconnecting the nozzle and the fluid supply where the valve assembly can be operated to control the fluid distributed by the nozzle; a first trigger for actuating the valve assembly, the first trigger positioned on one side of the housing; a second trigger for actuating the valve assembly, the second trigger positioned on the same side of the housing as the first trigger; wherein the first trigger is useful for actuating the valve assembly when the first body portion of the housing is used as a handle and the second trigger is useful for actuating the valve when the second body portion of the housing is used as a handle.
2. 2. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the first trigger is grouped within the second trigger, the first trigger is pivotally coupled relative to the housing and the second trigger is pivotally coupled relative to the housing where the first trigger can be actuated in relation to the housing. independent of the second trigger.
3. 3. The apparatus of Claim 1 further comprising a connector assembly for coupling a fluid supply conduit to the nozzle, the connector assembly having a conduit connector with a ball portion positioned in a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing having a sealing member positioned around a circumference of the ball portion, the sealing member positioned between a ball seat and a ball retainer wherein the conduit connector is rotatable and pivotable relative to the spherical bearing. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the first body portion of the housing is a handle and the second body portion of the housing is a cylinder with a fluid distributing end extending from the handle, the housing further comprising a trigger guard interconnecting the cylinder and the handle where the trigger guard encloses the first trigger and the second trigger. The apparatus of Claim 4 wherein the trigger guard is a hollow member with a hatch adjacent to the nozzle to plump an air supply hose from the handle to the nozzle. The apparatus of Claim 1 wherein the valve assembly includes a valve stem with a valve seat member inclined toward a valve seat by a spring member for closing the nozzle, wherein a spring force required for placing the valve seat member in the valve seat is reduced in proportion to the point at which the valve assembly is balanced. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein a cross-sectional area of the valve stem is substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the valve seat member in the valve seat to provide a substantially balanced valve assembly. 8. The apparatus of Claim 6 wherein the fluid is a melted adhesive, the apparatus further comprising: a trigger guard interconnecting the first body portion and the second body portion where the trigger guard encloses the first trigger and the second trigger, the trigger guard being a hollow member with a hatch adjacent to the nozzle to plumb an air supply hose from the handle to the nozzle; a set of heated conduits coupled to the supply of fluids, the set of valves interconnecting the set of heated conduits to the nozzle; a set of connectors for coupling a fluid supply conduit to the set of heated conduits, the set of connectors having a conduit connector with a ball portion placed on a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing having a sealing member positioned around a circumference of the ball portion, the sealing member positioned between a ball seat and a ball retainer wherein the conduit connector is rotatable and pivotable relative to the spherical bearing . The apparatus of Claim 8 comprising a set of modules wherein the first body portion and the second body portion form a housing module, the first trigger and the second trigger form a module of triggers, the set of heated conduits forming a heated conduit module, the valve assembly forms a valve module and the connector assembly forms a connector module. 10. The apparatus of Claim 8 further comprising an insulation material placed within the housing for insulating the heated components. 11. A hand-held apparatus for dispensing fluid from a fluid supply, the apparatus comprising: a housing with a first body portion and a second body portion; a nozzle to distribute the fluid, the nozzle coupled to the supply of fluids; a valve assembly positioned in the housing and interconnecting the nozzle and fluid supply, the valve assembly having a valve stem with a valve seat member inclined toward a valve seat by a spring member to close the nozzle, wherein a spring force required to place the valve seat member in the valve seat is reduced in proportion to the point at which the valve assembly is balanced; and a set of triggers for actuating the valve assembly by removing the valve seat member from the valve seat from the seat against the inclination of the spring member to open the nozzle and allow fluid distribution of the nozzle. The apparatus of Claim 11 wherein a cross-sectional area of the valve stem is substantially equal to a cross-sectional area of the valve seat member in the valve seat to provide a substantially balanced valve assembly. The apparatus of Claim 11 wherein the set of triggers includes: a first trigger to drive the valve assembly, the first trigger positioned on one side of the housing, a second trigger to drive the valve assembly, the second trigger placed on the same side of the housing as the first trigger, wherein the first trigger is useful for actuating the valve assembly when the first body portion of the housing is used as a handle and the second trigger is useful for operating the valve when the second valve is activated. Body portion of the housing is used as a handle. The apparatus of Claim 13 wherein the first trigger is grouped within the second trigger, the first trigger is pivotally coupled relative to the housing and the second trigger is pivotally coupled relative to the housing where the first trigger can be actuated in relation to the housing. independent of the second trigger. 15. The apparatus of Claim 13 wherein the first body portion of the housing is a handle and the second body portion of the housing is a cylinder with a fluid distributing end extending from the handle, the housing further comprising a trigger guard interconnecting the cylinder and the handle where the trigger guard encloses the first trigger and the second trigger. 16. The apparatus of Claim 15 wherein the trigger guard is a hollow member with a hatch adjacent to the nozzle to plump an air supply hose from the handle to the nozzle. The apparatus of Claim 11 further comprising a connector assembly for coupling a fluid supply conduit to the nozzle, the connector assembly having a conduit connector with a ball portion positioned on a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing having a sealing member positioned between a ball seat and a ball retainer wherein the conduit connector is rotatable and pivotable relative to the spherical bearing. 18. The apparatus of Claim 13 wherein the fluid is a melted adhesive, the apparatus further comprising: a trigger guard interconnecting the first body portion and the second body portion where the trigger guard encloses the first trigger and the second trigger, the trigger guard being a hollow member with a hatch adjacent to the nozzle to plumb an air supply hose from the handle to the nozzle; a set of heated conduits coupled to the supply of fluids, the set of valves interconnecting the set of heated conduits to the nozzle; a set of connectors for coupling a fluid supply conduit to the set of heated conduits, the set of connectors having a conduit connector with a ball portion positioned on a spherical bearing, the spherical bearing having a sealing member positioned around a circumference of the ball portion, the sealing member positioned between a ball seat and a ball retainer wherein the conduit connector is rotatable and pivotable relative to the spherical bearing. 19. The apparatus of Claim 18 comprising a set of modules wherein the first body portion and the second body portion form a housing module, the first trigger and the second trigger form a module of triggers, the set of heated conduits forming a heated conduit module, the valve assembly forms a valve module and the connector assembly forms a connector module. 20. The apparatus of Claim 18 further comprising an insulation material placed within the housing for insulating the heated components.