Lacquering apparatus and method

• US 6,190,739 B1
• Filed: 04/15/1999
• Issued: 02/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Herberts Gesellschaft Mit Beschrankter Haftung
• Original Assignee: Herberts GmbH (Corteva, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kasulke, Reiner, Höffer, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Shrive
• Assistant Examiner(s): MICHENER, JENNIFER KOLB
• Application Number:
  US09/242,175
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 427/424, 118/305, 118/314, 118/315, 239/113, 239/112, 239/116, 222/148, 222/56, 222/81, 222/145.2
• US Class Current: 427/424
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/1463 separate containers for different materials to be sprayed being moved from a first location, e.g. a filling station, where they are fluidically disconnected from the spraying apparatus, to a second location, generally close to the spraying apparatus, where they are fluidically connected to the latter B05B12/1454 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 16/20 Arrangements for spraying in combination with other operations, e.g. drying; Arrangements enabling a combination of spraying operations

Abstract

A lacquering line and a method of lacquering industrially manufactured products in standard and/or special colours, having one or more guide devices (1) for the industrially manufactured products, having one or more lacquering cabins and having spraying elements (2) disposed along the guide devices (1) inside the lacquering cabins, wherein at least one lacquering cabin comprises one or more lacquering units, having one or more exchangeable small containers (6, 6a), in which the lacquer quantity required for lacquering a predetermined number of individual products is packed ready to apply, as well as having a rinsing device (9), wherein the small containers (6, 6a) and the rinsing device (9) are connectable in each case by a lacquer conveying device (7) and one or more stub lines (8) directly or via a colour changer (11) to the spraying elements.

Claims

1. A lacquering line for lacquering industrially manufactured products in at least one of standard colours and special colours, comprising:

one or more guide devices (1) for the industrially manufactured products, having one or more lacquering cabins and having spraying elements (2) disposed along the guide devices (1) inside the lacquering cabins,

wherein at least one lacquering cabin comprises one or more lacquering units, said lacquering units comprising one or more exchangeable small containers (6, 6a) in which a lacquer quantity required for lacquering a predetermined number of individual products is packed ready for application, and a rinsing device (9),

wherein the small containers (6, 6a) and the rinsing device (9) are each connectable by a lacquer conveying device (7) and one or more stub lines (8) directly or via a colour changer (11) to the spraying elements (2), wherein the small containers (6, 6a) are closed and connectable in a sealing manner to the lacquer conveying device (7),

wherein the lacquer conveying device (7) comprises a rising pipe (7a) insertable into the small containers (6, 6a) and a device for pumping or applying a pressure medium,

wherein the rising pipe (7a) comprises a piercing apparatus.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lacquering units comprising small containers (6, 6a) are provided in separate lacquering cabins integrated into the lacquering line.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lacquering units comprising small containers (6, 6a) are integrated into lacquering cabins provided with one or more ring lines.

4. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein at least one first lacquering cabin comprises one or more units for lacquering industrially manufactured products, wherein one said unit comprises one or more of the exchangeable small containers (6, 6a), in which the lacquer quantity required for lacquering a predetermined number of individual products is packed ready for application, and a rinsing device (9), and

wherein the one or more small containers and the rinsing device are each connectable by the lacquer conveying device (7) and one or more stub lines (8) directly or via a colour changer to the spraying elements, and

optionally, for lacquering in standard colours the lacquering line further comprises one or more second lacquering cabins comprising spraying elements, which are disposed along the guide devices inside said lacquering cabins and are connected by feed lines (5, 5a) via one or more ring lines (4, 4a) to one or more lacquer storage containers (3, 3a) and connected by feed line 5b to a rinsing device (10).

5. A lacquering line according to claim 1, comprising one or more third spraying cabins, in which are disposed spraying elements (2) connected by feed lines (5, 5a) via one or more ring lines (4, 4a) to one or more lacquer storage containers (3, 3a) and a rinsing device (10), and the third spraying cabins comprise in an integrated manner one or more lacquering units, wherein one of said lacquering units comprises one or more of the exchangeable small containers (6, 6a), the total filling volume of which corresponds to the lacquer quantity required for lacquering a predetermined number of individual products, as well as an additional rinsing device (9), wherein the small containers (6, 6a) and the additional rinsing device (9) are connectable in each case by the lacquer conveying device (7) and one or more stub lines (8) directly or via a colour changer (11) to the spraying elements.

6. A lacquering line according to claim 5, comprising as spraying cabins, exclusively one or more of the third spraying cabins.

7. A lacquering line according to claim 4 comprising one or more of the first lacquering cabins for lacquering in special colours and one or more of the second lacquering cabins for lacquering in standard colours.

8. A lacquering line according to claim 1, for lacquering in special colours and standard colours, comprising one or more of the first lacquering cabins.

9. A method for using a lacquering line according to claim 1, comprising:

lacquering motor vehicle bodies or parts thereof.

10. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein the lacquering line comprises only one first lacquering cabin.

11. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein the one or more small containers (6, 6a) are located in the vicinity of the spraying elements (2).

12. A lacquering line according to claim 4 wherein at least one of the feed lines (5, 5a) of the ring lines (4, 4a), the feed line (5b) of the rinsing device (10), and the stub lines (8) are connected by a colour changer to the spraying elements (2).

13. A lacquering line according to claim 12, wherein the small containers (6, 6a) are located in the vicinity of the colour changer.

14. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein the exchangeable containers (6, 6a) each have a filling volume of 0 0.5 to 10 litres.

15. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein the small containers (6, 6a), the lacquer conveying device (7) and the rinsing device (9) are located in the vicinity of the spraying elements (2).

16. A lacquering line according to claim 1, wherein the small containers (6, 6a) and the lacquer conveying device (7) connectable thereto are screened off for preventing contamination.

17. A lacquering line according to claim 1, comprising an automatic conveying device for supplying the small containers (6, 6a) to the lacquer conveying device (7).

18. A lacquering line according to claim 1, comprising an automatic device for connecting the small containers (6, 6a) to the lacquer conveying device (7).

19. A method for lacquering industrially manufactured products, comprising:

lacquering in a lacquering line according to claim 1.

20. A method according to claim 19, comprising, for individual lacquering, using small containers holding lacquer, the total filling volume of which corresponds to a lacquer quantity required for individual lacquering.

21. A method according to claim 19, comprising:

upon completion of lacquering or individual lacquering, cleaning the lacquer conveying device, the feed lines from the small containers to the spraying elements and the spraying elements, with a rinsing solution.