Apparatus and method for applying coatings to a surface
First Claim
1. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store an aggregate, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a coating substance, said hopper assembly being further configured such that the aggregate does not mix with the coating substance when the aggregate and the coating substance are stored in said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively; and
,(b) means for simultaneously dispensing the aggregate and the coating substance from said first compartment and said second compartment so that at least a portion of the aggregate stored in said first compartment mixes with the coating substance after the aggregate and the coating substance are dispensed from said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for applying various different coating on surfaces including but not limited to roadways, parking lots, bridge decks, airport runways, offshore heliports and workboat walkways. Preferably, an applicator is provided that allows numerous different coatings to be applied to a surface. The coatings may be protective, decorative, non-skid and/or reflective in nature. Preferably, the applicator allows for the dispensing of two or more materials in at least two different manners (e.g., (i) two or more materials simultaneously applied to the surface to be coated; and, (ii) one material applied followed by application of one or more additional materials). Preferably, the applicator is lightweight and compact so that a single individual can carry the applicator while applying a coating to a surface to be coated. This allows the applicator to be used to coat surfaces in constricted areas including but not limited to workboat walkways. The applicator, in its preferred form, permits a non-skid coating to be applied in a single step with the aggregate being encapsulated by the binder or coating material to prolong the life of the non-skid surface.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store an aggregate, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a coating substance, said hopper assembly being further configured such that the aggregate does not mix with the coating substance when the aggregate and the coating substance are stored in said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively; and
,(b) means for simultaneously dispensing the aggregate and the coating substance from said first compartment and said second compartment so that at least a portion of the aggregate stored in said first compartment mixes with the coating substance after the aggregate and the coating substance are dispensed from said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store a first material, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a second material, said first material being different from said second material; (b) a first applicator gun operably associated with said first compartment for dispensing said first material from said first compartment and onto a surface to be coated; (c) a second applicator gun operably associated with said second compartment for dispensing said second material from said second compartment and onto a surface to be coated; and
,(d) a support member for supporting said hopper assembly, said first applicator gun and said second applicator gun about an individual'"'"'s body to allow the individual to carry said hopper assembly, said first applicator gun and said second applicator gun while material is being dispensed from said hopper assembly. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store a first material, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a second material, the first material having at least one property different from the second material; (b) a first dispenser operably associated with said first compartment for dispensing the first material from said first compartment and onto a surface to be coated; and
,(c) a second dispenser operably associated with said second compartment for dispensing the second material from said second compartment and onto a surface to be coated, said second dispenser being disposed relative to said first dispenser such that the second material mixes with the first material upon contacting a surface to be coated. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for applying a coating to a surface, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment connected to said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store an aggregate, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a coating substance, said hopper assembly being further configured such that the aggregate does not mix with the coating substance when the aggregate and the coating substance are stored in said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively; (b) providing at least a first dispenser for dispensing the aggregate and the coating substance from said first compartment and said second compartment; and
,(c) simultaneously dispensing the aggregate and the coating material from said hopper assembly such that said coating material encapsulates at least a portion of said aggregate. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store a first material, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a second material, said first material being different from said second material; (b) a first applicator gun operably associated with said first compartment for dispensing said first material from said first compartment and onto a surface to be coated; (c) a second applicator gun operably associated with said second compartment for dispensing said second material from said second compartment and onto a surface to be coated; and
,(d) a pressurized air system for providing pressurized air to said first applicator gun and pressurized air to said second applicator gun wherein pressurized air directed to said first applicator gun is at a different air pressure than pressurized air directed to said second applicator gun. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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24. A method of applying a non-skid coating to a surface, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment connected to said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store an aggregate, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a coating substance, said hopper assembly further including at least a first dispenser for dispensing the aggregate and the coating substance from said first compartment and said second compartment; and
,(c) dispensing the aggregate from said first compartment; and
,(d) during step (c) dispensing the coating substance from said second compartment.
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25. An apparatus for applying a coating to a surface, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a hopper assembly having a first compartment and a second compartment operably associated with said first compartment, said first compartment being configured to receive and store a first material, said second compartment being configured to receive and store a second material, said hopper assembly being further configured such that the first material does not mix with the second material while the first material and the second material are stored in said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively; and
,(b) a dispenser system for dispensing the first material and the second material from said first compartment and said second compartment, respectively, said dispenser system being configured to simultaneously dispense the first material and the second material from said first compartment and said second compartment, said dispenser system further being configured to dispense one of the first material and the second material from a corresponding compartment without dispensing the other of the first material and the second material from a corresponding compartment. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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Specification