Paint spray booth controller

• US 6,177,139 B1
• Filed: 09/24/1998
• Issued: 01/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Durr Systems Incorporated (Durr AG)
• Original Assignee: Behr America Incorporated (MAHLE-STIFTUNG GmbH)
• Inventors: Rouvelin, Thierry
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, LAURA ESTELLE
• Application Number:
  US09/160,111
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 427/421, 427/8, 118/663, 118/323, 118/696, 118/704, 118/309, 118/305, 118/313, 118/315, 239/751, 239/752, 239/DIG.14, 239/207, 239/209
• US Class Current: 118/663
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/08 responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material to be discharged, of ambient medium or of target ; responsive to condition of spray devices or of supply means, e.g. pipes, pumps or their drive means
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/0452 the conveyed articles being vehicle bodies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 239/14 Paint sprayers

Abstract

A paint spray apparatus includes a plurality of paint sprayers installed in a paint spray booth. Each paint sprayer includes a paint spray head pivotably mounted on the end of a movable paint spray arm. The paint spray arm and paint spray head are movable on multiple axes by servo motors, which are controlled by servo drives mounted on or beside the paint sprayer. The spray of the paint spray head is controlled by a plurality of proportional solenoid valves mounted on the paint sprayer. The movement and spray of the paint sprayers are controlled by a computer having an interface to an optical fiber. The optical fiber connects the computer to the servo drives in series in a token ring network.

Claims

1. A method for installing a paint spray booth including the steps of:

a) installing at least one network interface on each of a plurality of paint sprayers, each said paint sprayer including a paint spray head for spraying paint;

b) installing said plurality of paint sprayers adjacent a paint spray booth after said step a);

c) connecting said plurality of said network interfaces of said plurality of paint sprayers in a network after said step b);

d) mounting a motor controller for generating a control signal in each said paint sprayer before said step b);

e) connecting said motor controller to said network interface before said step b);

f) mounting a motor to move said spray head on each said paint sprayer before said step b); and

g) connecting said motor to said motor controller to receive said control signal before said step b).

2. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

h) mounting a plurality of motor controllers and motors according to said steps d-g) in each said paint sprayer; and

i) installing one network interface for each of said motor controllers in each said paint sprayer in said step a).

3. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

connecting the network interfaces in series in said step c).

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step c) further includes the step of connecting the plurality of network interfaces in a token ring network, forming a node in the token ring network at each said network interface.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said motor controller is a servo drive.

6. The method of claim 1 further including the step of:

connecting the network interfaces in series in said step c).

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said step c) includes the step of connecting said network interfaces by optical fiber.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step c) further includes the step of connecting the plurality of network interfaces in a token ring network, forming a node in the token ring network at each said network interface.

9. A paint sprayer including:

a paint spray head for spraying paint;

a network communication interface mounted on said paint sprayer, said network communication interface capable of forming a node on a network and receiving information, said paint spray head operable to spray paint based upon said information received from said network communication interface; and

at least one motor controller mounted on said paint sprayer generating a control signal based upon said information.

10. The paint sprayer of claim 9 further including:

at least one motor mounted on said paint sprayer, said motor receiving said control signal from one of said at least one motor controller and moving said spray head based upon said control signal.

11. The paint sprayer of claim 10 wherein said at least one motor controller includes a plurality of motor controllers connected in series for communication, said at least one motor comprising a plurality of motors, each of said plurality of motor controllers sending control signals to an associated one of said plurality of motors.

12. The paint sprayer of claim 11 wherein said communication interface comprises a plurality of communication interfaces each capable of forming a node on the network and receiving information, each of said plurality of motor controllers receiving said information via one of said plurality of communication interfaces.

13. The paint sprayer of claim 10 wherein said at least one motor moves said paint spray head based upon said control signal.

14. The paint sprayer of claim 10 further including at least one solenoid valve controlling a supply of a liquid in said paint sprayer, said solenoid valve opening and closing based upon said information.

15. The paint sprayer of claim 10 wherein said motor controller is a servo drive.

16. A paint sprayer including:

a paint spray head for spraying paint;

a network communication interface mounted on said paint sprayer, said network communication interface capable of forming a node on a network and receiving information, said paint spray head operable to spray paint based upon said information received from said network communication interface, wherein said communication interface includes a connector for connection to an optical fiber, said communication interface receiving said information via said connector.

17. A paint sprayer including:

a paint spray head for spraying paint;

a network communication interface mounted on said paint sprayer, said network communication interface capable of forming a node on a network and receiving information, said paint spray head operable to spray paint based upon said information received from said network communication interface, wherein said communication interface is programmed to operate as a node in a token ring network.

18. A paint sprayer including:

a paint spray head for spraying paint;

at least one network communication interface mounted on said paint sprayer, said network communication interface programmed to form a node on a network and receiving information via the network;

a plurality of motor controllers mounted on said paint sprayer each generating a control signal based upon said information; and

a plurality of motors mounted on said paint sprayer, each said motor receiving one of said control signals from an associated one of said plurality of motor controllers and moving said spray head based upon said one of said control signals.

19. The paint sprayer of claim 18 wherein said at least one communication interface comprises a plurality of communication interfaces each associated with one of said motor controllers, each communication interface capable of forming a node on the network and receiving information, each of said plurality of motor controllers receiving said information via an associated one of said plurality of communication interfaces.

20. The paint sprayer of claim 19 wherein said plurality of motor controllers are connected in series with each other for communication.

21. The paint sprayer of claim 20 wherein said communication interface includes a connector for connection to an optical fiber, said communication interface receiving said information via said connector.

22. The paint sprayer of claim 21 wherein said communication interface is programmed to operate as a node in a token ring network.

23. The paint sprayer of claim 18 wherein said motor controllers are servo drives.