POWDER SPRAY GUN COMPRISING A WEAR RESISTANT ELECTRODE SUPPORT

• US 20150115073A1
• Filed: 03/05/2013
• Published: 04/30/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nordson Corporation
• Inventors: Mather, Brian D., Juhn, Dale R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,150,123 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/690
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/18 for improving resistance to wear, e.g. inserts or coatings; for indicating wear; for handling or replacing worn parts
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/025 Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/032 for spraying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/0533 Electrodes specially adapted therefor; Arrangements of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/025 Nozzles having elongated outlets, e.g. slots, for the material to be sprayed

Abstract

A spray nozzle assembly is provided with an electrode, a wear resistant member, and a compliant sleeve. The wear resistant member supports the electrode and is supported by the compliant sleeve. For coating operations that use abrasive powder such as porcelain enamel, the wear resistant member may comprise ceramic. The compliant sleeve may be made of an elastic material such as plastic, which allows one end of the compliant sleeve to receive an end of a glass powder tube. The wear resistant member may be in the form of a ceramic spider. The electrode may be installed in-line with a powder flow path defined by the powder tube, which extends through a spray gun body.

Claims

1. A spray gun for powder coating material, comprising:

a housing comprising a spray nozzle, said spray nozzle comprising a powder inlet and a powder outlet, wherein during a coating operation powder coating material enters said spray nozzle through said powder inlet along an axis,

an electrode disposed within said housing,

a wear resistant member that supports said electrode,

a compliant sleeve that supports said wear resistant member in line with said axis.

2. The spray gun of claim 1 wherein said spray nozzle comprises ceramic.

3. The spray gun of claim 1 wherein said wear resistant member comprises ceramic.

4. The spray gun of claim 1 comprising a glass tube having an outlet end through which powder coating material flows into said spray nozzle through said powder inlet.

5. The spray gun of claim 4 wherein said compliant sleeve comprises plastic and is disposed between said glass tube outlet end and said powder outlet, said wear resistant member comprising ceramic and being disposed within said compliant sleeve.

6. The spray gun of claim 5 wherein said compliant sleeve comprises a compliant material and comprises a first open end that seals said glass tube outlet end.

7. The spray gun of claim 6 wherein said compliant sleeve comprises a second open end that forms a seal against a surface of said spray nozzle.

8. The spray gun of claim 4 wherein said glass tube, said compliant sleeve and said spray nozzle define a powder flow path along said axis with said electrode being disposed in line with said axis.

9. The spray gun of claim 1 comprising a glass tube and said compliant sleeve is disposed between said glass tube and said spray nozzle, wherein said glass tube, said compliant sleeve and said spray nozzle define a powder flow path along said axis with said electrode being supported in line with said axis.

10-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A spray gun for spraying porcelain enamel powder coating material, comprising:

a housing comprising a powder inlet end and a powder outlet end,

a spray nozzle assembly,

a glass powder tube that extends along an axis from said powder inlet end to said spray nozzle assembly,

said spray nozzle assembly comprising a spray nozzle, a compliant sleeve and an electrode support assembly, said electrode support assembly comprising an electrode that is disposed in said compliant sleeve and in line with said axis.

22. The spray gun of claim 21 wherein said compliant sleeve comprises an elastically compliant material.

23. The spray gun of claim 22 wherein said compliant sleeve comprises a first open end that supports an outlet end of said glass powder tube and a second open end that is in fluid communication with said spray nozzle.

24. The spray gun of claim 22 wherein said electrode support assembly comprises a ceramic member that supports said electrode, said ceramic member being disposed in said compliant sleeve.

25-26. -26. (canceled)