Electrostatic spray device

• US 5,636,798 A
• Filed: 05/26/1995
• Issued: 06/10/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GEMA Volstatic AG
• Original Assignee: GEMA Volstatic AG
• Inventors: Buschor, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): WELDON, KEVIN P
• Application Number:
  US08/451,596
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 239/690, 239/708, 239/290, 239/296, 239/DIG. 14, 239/587.1, 239/694, 239/706, 239/3, 239/597-599, 118/697, 118/702, 118/315, 118/314, 901/42, 901/43
• US Class Current: 239/696
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0431 with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to 3D-surfaces B05B13/0436, B05B13/0442, B05B13/0447, B05B13/0463 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 15/65 Mounting arrangements for fluid connection of the spraying apparatus or its outlets to flow conduits
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 5/032 for spraying particulate materials
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0876 to form parallel jets constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid B05B7/0884, B05B7/0892 take precedence

Abstract

Electrostatic spray appliance for coating material for the spray-coating of articles comprises

a single carrier (4) which carries a plurality of gun barrels (6, 8), so that the carrier (4), together with the gun barrels, forms spray guns. The gun barrels (6, 8) are releasably fastened to the carrier (4). The supply lines (54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 78) are combined to form a line bundle and are led through a movable robot arm (68) in the longitudinal direction of the arm on the side of the carrier (4) facing away from the gun barrels (6, 8). The spray nozzles (12) are preferably slit nozzles having slits arranged obliquely relative to their theoretical connecting line.

Claims

1. An electrostatic spray device for spray-coating an article with coating material, comprising:

a machine arm having a first hollow interior space defined therein, and being movable with respect to an article to be coated;

a carrier releasably mounted upon said machine arm, and having a second hollow interior space defined therein;

a plurality of gun barrels, releasably mounted upon said carrier, wherein each gun barrel has a third hollow interior space respectively defined therein, and forming with said carrier a respective plurality of spray guns;

a plurality of electrodes respectively disposed within said plurality of gun barrels;

a plurality of coating material supply lines for respectively supplying coating material to each one of said plurality of gun barrels;

a plurality of compressed air supply lines for respectively supplying compressed air to each one of said plurality of gun barrels; and

a plurality of electrical power supply lines for respectively supplying electrical power to said plurality of electrodes disposed within said gun barrels;

said plurality of coating material supply lines, said plurality of compressed air supply lines, and said plurality of electrical power supply lines all being disposed together as a bundle of supply lines within said first hollow interior space of said machine arm, divergently disposed within said second hollow interior space of said carrier so as to be respectively routed toward said plurality of gun barrels, and being respectively disposed within said third hollow interior spaces respectively defined within said gun barrels,

whereby said plurality of coating material supply lines said plurality of compressed air supply lines, and said plurality of electrical power supply lines are all housed internally within said gun barrels, said carrier, and said machine arm so as not to hinder movement of said machine arm and said spray guns with respect to said article to be coated, or to adversely affect said coating material sprayed upon said coated article as a result of plurality of coating material supply lines, said plurality of compressed air supply lines, and said plurality of electrical power supply lines contacting said coated article.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of spray nozzles respectively disposed upon forward end portions of said plurality of gun barrels for discharging said coating material onto said article to be coated.

3. The device as set forth in claim 2, wherein:

said plurality of gun barrels are disposed within a common plane when mounted upon said carrier.

4. The device as set forth in claims 3, wherein:

said spray nozzles comprise slit nozzles having slit apertures.

5. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said slit apertures of said slit nozzles are disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to said plane within which said gun barrels are disposed.

6. The device as set forth in claim 5, wherein:

said predetermined angle is 45°

.

7. The device as set forth in claim 2, further comprising:

angular bracket means for mounting each one of said plurality of spray nozzles upon a respective one of said forward end portions of said plurality of gun barrels,

each one of said angular bracket means comprising a first bracket portion coaxial with said respective one of said forward end portion of said gun barrel upon which said first bracket portion is mounted, and a second bracket portion having a longitudinal axis which is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to, the longitudinal axis of said first bracket portion and said forward portion of said gun barrel.

8. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

each one of said plurality of coating material supply lines comprises a plurality of coating material supply line sections respectively disposed within said machine arm, said carrier, and a respective one of said plurality of gun barrels;

each one of said plurality of compressed air supply lines comprises a plurality of compressed air supply line sections spectively disposed within said machine arm, said carrier, and a respective one of said plurality of gun barrels;

each one of said plurality of electrical power supply lines comprises a plurality of electrical power supply line sections respectively disposed within said machine arm, said carrier, and a respective one of said plurality of gun barrels; and

disconnectible connector means interposed between said plurality of coating material supply line sections, said plurality of compressed air supply line sections, and said plurality of electrical power supply line sections for permitting substantially quick and easy connection and disconnection of said plurality of coating material supply line sections, said plurality of compressed air supply line sections, and said plurality of electrical power supply line sections.

9. The device as set forth in claim 8, wherein:

said disconnectible connector means comprise plug-in type connectors.

10. The device as set forth in claim 9, further comprising:

disconnectible connector means interposed between said carrier and said plurality of gun barrels for permitting substantially quick and easy connection and disconnection of said plurality of gun barrels with respect to said carrier.

11. The device as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

said disconnectible connector means interposed between said carrier and said plurality of gun barrels comprise plug-in type connectors whereby said plug-in type connectors interposed between said plurality of coating material supply line sections, said plurality of compressed air supply line sections, and said plurality of electrical power supply line sections may be connected together at the same time that said plug-in type connectors interposed between said carrier and said plurality of gun barrels are connected together.

12. The device as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

said machine arm comprises a robot arm.

13. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

voltage generator means disposed within each one of said plurality of gun barrels for supplying electrical power to a respective one of said electrodes respectively disposed within a particular one of said gun barrels.

14. The device as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of voltage generator means disposed within said carrier for providing electrical power to said plurality of electrodes respectively disposed within said plurality of gun barrels.

15. The device as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said machine arm has a longitudinal axis; and

said plurality of gun barrels have longitudinal axes which are disposed parallel to said longitudinal axis of said machine arm.

16. The device as set forth in claim 7, wherein:

said first bracket portion is rotatably mounted upon said forward end portion of said gun barrel such that said first bracket portion is rotatably adjustable to different angular positions with respect to said gun barrel; and

said spray nozzle is rotatably mounted upon a forward end portion of said second bracket portion so as to be rotatably adjustable to different angular positions with respect to said second bracket portion,

whereby the angular disposition of said spray nozzle with respect to said gun barrel is rotatably adjustable as a result of the rotatable adjustment of said first bracket portion with respect to said gun barrel and the rotatable adjustment of said spray nozzle with respect to said second bracket portion.

17. The device as set forth in claim 4, wherein:

said spray nozzles are rotatably mounted upon said gun barrels such that said slit apertures of said slit nozzles are rotatably adjustable to different angular positions.