Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle outlet, said pressure being subject to pressure drops; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to deposit said material in the form of a bead upon the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said bead to impart a desired conformation to said bead, and (d) reducing said flow of gas in response to the sensed occurrence of said pressure drops.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle outlet, said pressure being subject to pressure drops; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to deposit said material in the form of a bead upon the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said bead to impart a desired conformation to said bead, and (d) reducing said flow of gas in response to the sensed occurrence of said pressure drops.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of, sensing the pressure of the fluid material at a location upstream of said nozzle outlet, and initiating said reducing step in response to sensing a drop in said pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said flow of gas comprises a plurality of gas jets focused on said stream at a location intermediate said nozzle outlet and said workpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said jets emanate from a plurality of locations radially spaced outward relative said outlet and said jets are oriented along a velocity vector having both a first component directed substantially radially inwardly toward said outlet and a second component directed substantially parallel to the axis of said stream.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle, said pressure being subject to variation; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to form a deposit of said material in a pattern on the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said deposit to impart a desired conformation to said deposit, and (d) modulating said flow of gas in response to variation of said pressure to maintain substantial uniformity of said conformation of said deposit over at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle, said pressure being subject to variation; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to form a deposit of said material in a pattern on the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said deposit to impart a desired conformation to said deposit, and (d) modulating said flow of gas in response to variation of said pressure to maintain substantial uniformity of said conformation of said deposit over at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said flow of gas is decreased in response to decreases in said pressure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said flow of gas is increased in response to increases in said pressure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said flow of gas is both decreased in response to decreases in said pressure and increased in response to increases in said pressure.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to form a deposit of said material in a pattern on the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said deposit to impart a desired conformation to said deposit, and (d) modulating said flow of gas in accordance with both said pressure of said fluid material and the relative speed between said workpiece and said outlet to maintain substantial uniformity of said conformation of said deposit over at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from a nozzle; (b) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to form a deposit of said material in a pattern on the workpiece; (c) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said deposit to impart a desired conformation to said deposit, and (d) modulating said flow of gas in accordance with both said pressure of said fluid material and the relative speed between said workpiece and said outlet to maintain substantial uniformity of said conformation of said deposit over at least a portion of said pattern.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) pumping the material to a nozzle according to a pumping cycle which includes at least one interval of reduced pumping pressure; (b) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from said nozzle; (c) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to deposit said material in the form of a bead upon the workpiece; (d) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said bead to impart a desired conformation to said bead, and (e) initiating a reduction in said flow of gas in timed relation to said interval of reduced pumping pressure.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
116 words
A method of dispensing fluid material onto a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of: (a) pumping the material to a nozzle according to a pumping cycle which includes at least one interval of reduced pumping pressure; (b) discharging a stream of the material under pressure from said nozzle; (c) effecting relative movement between the nozzle and the workpiece to deposit said material in the form of a bead upon the workpiece; (d) directing a flow of gas toward at least one of, said stream and said bead to impart a desired conformation to said bead, and (e) initiating a reduction in said flow of gas in timed relation to said interval of reduced pumping pressure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of, monitoring said pumping cycle to determine the occurrence of said interval.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said monitoring step includes the step of sensing the position of a movable member of the pump.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said pumping step is carried out by a power driven pump and said monitoring step includes the step of sensing a parameter correlated to the power driving the pump.