HEATER MODULE ASSEMBLY FOR AN APPARATUS FOR MELTING AND DISPENSING THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL

摘要

Apparatuses for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material in the prior art have slow melting and slow flow velocity of the thermoplastic material. A heater module adapted to be used in an apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material (24), with other like modules for forming a pre-melt and/or a melting stage (31, 32), for heating the thermoplastic material (24). Each module is of uniform construction and includes an elongated core (35) having a plurality of longitudinally spaced first fins (36) projecting from one side of the core (35) and second fins (37) projecting from the other side of the core (35), but longitudinally uniformly staggered from the first fins (36), so that a plurality of parallel modules adjacent to each other will have the recesses (38, 39) between adjacent fins (36, 37) closed by the opposite fins (37, 36) to form longitudinally staggered vertical holes for the fluid passage of the melted thermoplastic material (24). The staggered vertical holes in the heater modules have increased ratio of the heating surfaces to the opening area and thus reduce the melting time and increase the flow velocity of the thermoplastic material.