Patent ID: 6796461
Filing Date: 2004-09-28
Classification: B29B,B29K

Abstract:
Apparatus for mixing the plural components of a plural component material and dispensing the mixed plural component material, comprisinga housing including a connection portion at its forward end and an actuator portion at its rearward end; a mixing and dispensing element formed with opposed planar side portions, a mixing chamber within the element between the planar side portions, a pair of admission openings, one admission opening extending between each of the planar side portions and the mixing chamber, and a dispensing orifice in communication with the mixing chamber at the forward end of the mixing and dispensing element, said mixing and dispensing element being slidably carried by the connection portion of the housing; a connection block for each of the plural components carried by the connection portion of the housing, one connection block being carried on each side of the connection portion of the housing with a side surface interfacing with a planar side portion of the mixing and dispensing element, each connection block providing means for connecting a supply of one of the plural components with the mixing chamber of the mixing and dispensing element and including an internal supply passageway leading to an outlet opening in its side surface, the side surface of each of said connection blocks carrying a seal element around its outlet opening that slidably engages the interfacing planar side portion of the mixing and dispensing element and seals the interface between the connection block and the mixing and dispensing element; an air-operated actuator carried by the actuator portion of the housing for sliding the mixing and dispensing element with respect to the connection portion of the housing between a rearward position at which the admission openings of the mixing and dispensing element communicate with the outlet openings of the connection blocks, permitting a flow of the plural components into the mixing chamber for mixing and dispensation, and a forward position at which the outlet openings of the connection blocks are blocked by the planar side portions of the mixing and dispensing element, said air-operated actuator comprising a cylinder-forming wall in the actuator portion of the housing and a dual piston element slidably carried within the cylinder-forming wall and extending forwardly for connection with the mixing and dispensing element, said dual piston element comprising a forward piston and a rearward piston slidably sealed with the cylinder-forming wall and a cylinder-dividing element slidably carried by a connecting rod extending between the forward and rearward pistons, said cylinder-dividing element being sealed with and held stationary within the cylinder-forming wall of the actuator portion of the housing, whereby the actuator portion of the housing is provided with a first piston/cylinder portion with the forward piston being drivable therein and a second piston/cylinder portion with the rearward piston being drivable therein, the driving forces of said forward piston and rearward piston being combined in sliding the mixing and dispensing element between its forward and rearward positions.