Self-Cleaning Varnish Supply Machine

• US 20120052208A1
• Filed: 08/24/2010
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Original Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
• Inventors: JIANG, Chuanbin
• Granted Patent: US 8,602,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/352
• CPC Class Codes: B41F 23/08 Print finishing devices, e.g. for glossing prints B41F23/005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4245 Cleaning or steam sterilizing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4259 With separate material addition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/4857 With manifold or grouped outlets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86051 Compressed air supply unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87772 With electrical actuation

Abstract

A self-cleaning varnish supply machine and method of using the same. The machine has a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a compressed air supply source, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of two inlet valves, and a compressed air supply source valve. The machine can be operated in three different modes. In the first mode, the machine can be used to supply varnish to a varnish application device. Next, the machine can be operated in an automated self-cleaning mode. Finally, the machine can be operated in a manual self-cleaning mode.

Claims

1. A self-cleaning varnish supply machine, the machine having a proximal end, a distal end, a near side, and a far side, the machine comprising:

a frame;

a storage container receptacle mounted on the frame;

a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers disposed within the storage container receptacle;

a pump located at the distal end of the machine;

a supply line running along the far side of the machine, the supply line running from the proximal end of the machine to distal end of the machine and connected to the pump at the distal end of the machine;

a return line running along the near side of the machine, the return line running from the proximal end of the machine to the distal end of the machine and connected to the pump at the distal end of the machine;

a plurality of at least two outlet valves connecting the plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers to the supply line;

a plurality of at least two inlet valves connecting the plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers to the return line;

a first compressed air supply located at the proximal end of the machine;

a first compressed air supply valve connecting the first compressed air supply to the supply line at the proximal end of the machine;

a control mechanism for controlling the plurality of least two outlet valves, the plurality of at least two inlet valves, and the first compressed air supply valve; and

a user interface for controlling the self-cleaning varnish supply machine.

2. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine has a second compressed air supply located at the distal end of the machine and connected to the return line by a second compressed air supply valve.

3. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 2, wherein the control mechanism controls the plurality of at least two outlet valves, the plurality of at least two inlet valves, the first compressed air supply valve, and the second compressed air supply valve.

4. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine has a discharge basin mounted on the frame below the storage container receptacle.

5. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 4, wherein the machine has a plurality of at least two manual valves connected to the plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, the at least two manual valves extending from the bottom of the storage container receptacle and towards the discharge basin.

6. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 3, wherein the machine has a discharge basin mounted on the frame below the storage container receptacle.

7. The self-cleaning varnish supply machine as defined in claim 6, wherein the machine has a plurality of at least two manual valves connected to the plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, the at least two manual valves extending from the bottom of the storage container receptacle and towards the discharge basin.

8. A method of supplying varnish using a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a compressed air supply, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of at least two inlet valves, and a compressed air supply valve;

filling at least one of two first cylindrical storage containers with varnish and an another of the two cylindrical storage containers with water;

simultaneously opening the first outlet valve and the first inlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container; and

activating the pump.

9. The method of supplying varnish, using a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 8, wherein the first outlet valve and first inlet valve are opened by a valve control mechanism.

11. The method of automatically cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 8, wherein the predetermined time period in each of the steps specifying a predetermined time period is two hundred seconds.

10. A method of automatically cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a compressed air supply source, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of two inlet valves, and a compressed air supply source valve;

filling the first cylindrical storage container with varnish and the second cylindrical storage container with water;

closing the first outlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container;

opening the compressed air supply source valve on the compressed air supply source;

simultaneously closing the first inlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container and the compressed air supply source valve after the compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

simultaneously opening the second outlet valve and the second inlet valve on the second cylindrical storage container;

closing the second outlet valve after the second outlet valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

opening the compressed air supply source valve; and

simultaneously closing the second inlet valve and the compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump after the compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time.

12. A method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a compressed air supply source, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of at least two inlet valves, and a compressed air supply source valve;

filling the first cylindrical storage container with varnish and the second cylindrical storage container with water;

simultaneously opening the second outlet valve and the second inlet valve on the second cylindrical storage container;

activating the pump;

closing the second outlet valve after the second outlet valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

opening the compressed air supply source valve on the compressed air supply source; and

simultaneously closing the second inlet valve, the compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump after the compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time.

13. The method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time in the step of closing the second outlet valve is manually selected by the machine operator.

14. The method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 12, wherein the predetermined period of time in the step of simultaneously closing the second inlet valve, the compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump is two hundred seconds.

15. A method of supplying varnish using a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a first compressed air supply source, a second compressed air supply source a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of at least two inlet valves, a first compressed air supply source valve, and a second compressed air supply source valve;

filling the first cylindrical storage container with varnish and the second cylindrical storage container with water;

simultaneously opening the first outlet valve and the first inlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container; and

activating the pump.

16. A method of automatically cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a first compressed air supply source, a second compressed air supply source, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of two inlet valves, a first compressed air supply source valve, and a second compressed air supply source valve;

filling the first cylindrical storage container with varnish and the second cylindrical storage container with water;

closing the first outlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container;

opening the first compressed air supply source valve on the first compressed air supply source;

simultaneously closing the first compressed air supply source valve and opening the second compressed air supply source valve on the second compressed air supply source after the compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

simultaneously closing the second compressed air supply source valve and closing the first inlet valve on the first cylindrical storage container after the second compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

simultaneously opening the second outlet valve and the second inlet valve on the second cylindrical storage container;

closing the second outlet valve after the second outlet valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

opening the first compressed air supply source valve, simultaneously closing the first compressed air supply source valve and opening the second compressed air supply source valve after the first compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time; and

simultaneously closing the second inlet valve and the second compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump after the second compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of automatically cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 16, wherein the predetermined time period in each of the steps specifying a predetermined time period is two hundred seconds.

18. A method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine comprising the steps of:

providing a self-cleaning varnish supply machine having a plurality of at least two cylindrical storage containers, a supply line, a return line, a pump, a first compressed air supply source, a second compressed air supply source, a plurality of at least two outlet valves, a plurality of at least two inlet valves, a first compressed air supply source valve, and a second compressed air supply source valve;

filling the first cylindrical storage container with varnish and the second cylindrical storage container with water;

simultaneously opening the second outlet valve and the second inlet valve on the second cylindrical storage container;

activating the pump;

closing the second outlet valve after the second outlet valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time;

opening the first compressed air supply source valve on the first compressed air supply source;

simultaneously closing the first compressed air supply source valve and opening the second compressed air supply source valve on the first compressed air supply source after the first compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time; and

simultaneously closing the second inlet valve and the second compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump after the second compressed air supply source valve has been opened for a predetermined period of time.

19. The method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 18, wherein the predetermined period of time in the step of closing the second out let valve is manually selected by the machine operator.

20. The method of manually cleaning a self-cleaning varnish supply machine as recited in claim 18, wherein the predetermined period of time in the step of simultaneously closing the first compressed air supply source valve and opening the second compressed air supply source valve, and the step of simultaneously closing the second inlet valve, the second compressed air supply source valve and deactivating the pump is two hundred seconds.