METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING PAINT

• US 20090112371A1
• Filed: 01/02/2009
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: MicroBlend, Inc.
• Original Assignee: MicroBlend, Inc.
• Inventors: Titus, Andrew B., Hughes, Randall L., Boyle, Danny P., Mowen, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 11/132 by controlling the flow of the individual components G05D11/133 takes precedence

Abstract

A paint manufacturing system, having a paint component storage system with a dispenser positioned below and a computer system which controls a flow of paint components. The paint component storage system having a plurality of paint component cartridges containing paint components; wherein at least two of the paint component cartridges contain the same paint component. A method for adding a component to a container involving: recognizing a volume of component in a container; generating a bar code that corresponds to the amount and type of component to be added; requesting the component; filling a tote with the component; relating the bar code with the filled tote; transporting the tote and related bar code to said container; scanning the tote bar code to verify the amount and type of component in the tote matches the amount and type of component requested; and filling the container when the tote bar code matches.

Claims

1. A paint manufacturing system comprising:

a paint component storage system;

wherein the paint component storage system further comprises a plurality of paint component cartridges each containing a paint component;

wherein at least two of the plurality of paint component cartridges contain the same paint component;

a mass flow control system coupled to the paint component storage system;

a dispenser coupled to said mass flow control system; and

a computer system which controls a flow of paint components from the paint component storage system, the paint component storage system flowing a desired combination of paint components in response to a paint type indication.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the at least two of the plurality of paint component cartridges containing the same paint component can be replaced without interrupting paint production.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein once a new cartridge is put in position, the system automatically makes connection to the fluid in the new cartridge.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system automatically switches between the at least two of the plurality of paint component cartridges when one cartridge is empty.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each paint component is contained in at least two paint component cartridges.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein each paint component cartridge holds 220 to 330 gallons of paint component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein each paint component cartridge is marked with a bar code indicating the amount and type of paint component contained therein.

8. In a paint manufacturing system having multiple paint component containers for manufacturing paint at a point of sale, a method for adding a component to a paint component container of the paint manufacturing system comprising the steps of:

recognizing a predetermined volume of paint component in the paint component container;

generating a bar code that corresponds to the volume amount and type of paint component to be added to the paint component container;

requesting the amount and type of the paint component to be added;

filling a tote with the amount and type of the paint component requested;

relating the bar code with the filled tote;

transporting the tote and related bar code to the paint component container;

scanning the tote bar code to verify that the amount and type of paint component in the tote matches with the amount and type of paint component requested for the paint component container; and

filling the paint component container when the tote bar code matches the request.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the generating step takes place before the requesting step.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

maintaining bar code information within the system; and

comparing the tote bar code to the maintained bar code for verification purposes.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

initiating pumping of the paint component from the tote to the paint component container after comparison of the bar code information confirms the amount and type of paint component in the tote matches with the amount and type of paint component requested for the container.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein recognizing a predetermined volume of paint component in the paint component container is through an ultrasound sensor coupled to the paint component container.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein recognizing a predetermined volume of Paint component in the paint component container is through a laser sensor coupled to the paint component container.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising creating a report of the new volume in the paint component container.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein the paint manufacturing system automatically requests the amount and type of paint component needed to refill the paint component container when the amount of paint component in the paint component container reaches a predetermined level.

16. A paint manufacturing system, comprising:

a paint component storage system;

a dispenser in fluid communication with the paint component storage system, wherein the paint component storage system is positioned above the dispenser; and

a computer system which controls a flow of paint components from the paint component storage system, the paint component storage system flowing a desired combination of paint components in response to a paint type indication.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the paint component storage system contains paint components with a high viscosity.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the location of the paint component storage system above the dispenser increases the speed of the flowing of paint components.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the location of the paint component storage system is at least six feet above a ground level thereby keeping the paint components away from consumers.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising pumps coupled to the paint component storage system and wherein the location of the paint component storage system keeps the pumps primed.