Powder spray coating cart

• US 7,871,090 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gema Switzerland GmbH (Graco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ITW Gema GmbH (Illinois Tool Works Inc.)
• Inventors: Staub, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Shriver, II; J. Allen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gurari; Erez
• Application Number:
  US11/910,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20080191437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,747 Days
• Field of Search: 280 795- 797, 280 4734- 47371, 406/39, 406/134
• US Class Current: 280/79.5
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/1404 Arrangements for supplying particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/1472 Powder extracted from a powder container in a direction substantially opposite to gravity by a suction device dipped into the powder
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/007 At least a part of the apparatus, e.g. a container, being provided with means, e.g. wheels, for allowing its displacement relative to the ground
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/02 involving parts being adjustable, collapsible, attachable, detachable or convertible

Abstract

A powder spraycoating cart comprising two lateral posts fitted at their upper ends with a grip system and connected to each other by a control implement bin, said posts being connected at their lower ends by a base designed to support any one of several different powder containers.

Claims

1. A powder spraycoating cart comprising a front side, a back side, a left side and a right side and at least two wheels, the cart further comprising:

two lateral posts, of which one lateral post is configured on the left side a second lateral post is configured on the right side;

a base connecting lower end segments of the two lateral posts to each other and keeping them spaced apart, the base configured to support a powder container;

a front mounted control implement bin having two sides, the control implement bin affixable to upper end segments of the first and second lateral posts and when in the affixed state, the control implement connects together upper end segments of the two lateral posts and keeps the two lateral posts spaced apart; and

a grip system configured at the back side of the powder spraycoating cart;

wherein the control implement bin comprises two compartments adjoining each other, each compartment configured to receive an electronic control implement to program/control a pneumatic feed of coating powder from the powder container to a spray gun; and

wherein the base is fitted with a powder container substructure comprising an oblique rest surface configured to have deposited thereon a powder container in a corresponding oblique position in order to allow the coating powder to slip toward a wall of the container;

wherein the upper end segments of the two lateral posts comprise a suspension system that bilaterally suspends the control implement bin, the suspended control implement bin connecting together the two said end segments;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises an upwardly open hookup slot and the control implement bin at each of its two sides comprises one hookup tang configured to hook into the hookup slots;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises a forward-pointing stop surface disposed lower than the hookup slot, the control implement bin being hooked by said hookup tangs into the hookup slots of each lateral post and resting on the stop surfaces by means of lateral stop protrusions disposed at a lower level than the hookup tangs; and

wherein the hookup tangs are configured in eccentric manner relative to the center of gravity of the control implement bin, whereby said bin is gravitationally pivotable downward about a pivot axis defined by the hook-up tangs and the hook-up slots, until said lateral stop protrusions of said bin rest against the stop surfaces of the lateral posts.

2. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein one side of the bin compartments includes an access aperture configured to receive the control implement.

3. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 2, wherein the control implement bin is suspended at the lateral posts with the compartment apertures of the bin compartments pointing either forward or rearward.

4. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lateral posts each comprise a rail running rearward from above, forward at the bottom, and a two-leg bent-back bracket having a front end segment connected to a lower front end segment of the rail, the lateral posts further comprising an upward pointing, rear leg of which an upper end segment thereof is affixed to the rail at a site which is away from said rail'"'"'s two end segments.

5. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hook-up tangs each include a suspension bolt fitted with a thread matching a threaded nut employed to screw the control implement bin against the lateral posts.

6. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop surfaces of the lateral posts comprise surface segments of the rails.

7. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 6, wherein the hookup slot is disposed in an extension element affixed to the upper end of the rail and extending from the rail in the rearward direction.

8. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rails have a length and over at least part of their length, the rails are arcuate downward and rearward.

9. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 4, wherein each the lateral posts are subdivided within a middle height zone into a lower portion and an upper portion, in that the two portions can be mutually locked and unlocked, being rigidly joined in their locked state and being mutually displaceable in the unlocked state.

10. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 9, wherein the subdivision of the rails is situated above the said site, the rear leg being connected to the rail.

11. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 10, wherein the bent-back bracket is integral.

12. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 4, wherein each rail is integral and/or that each bent-back bracket is integral.

13. A powder spraycoating cart comprising a front side, a backside, a left side and a right side and at least two wheels, the cart further comprising:

two lateral posts, of which one lateral post is configured on the left side a second lateral post is configured on the right side;

a base connecting lower end segments of the two lateral posts to each other and keeping them spaced apart, the base configured to support a powder container;

a front mounted control implement bin affixable to upper end segments of the first and second lateral posts and when in the affixed state, the control implement connects together upper end segments of the two lateral posts and keeps the two lateral posts spaced apart; and

a grip system configured at the back side of the powder spraycoating cart;

wherein the control implement bin comprises two compartments, each compartment having an aperture configured to receive an electronic control implement to program/control a pneumatic feed of coating powder from the powder container to a spray gun; and

wherein the control implement bin is fitted at the cart front side with a forward support shelf configured to support a stirrer or powder container;

wherein the upper end segments of the two lateral posts comprise a suspension system that bilaterally suspends the control implement bin, the suspended control implement bin connecting together the two said end segments;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises an upwardly open hookup slot and the control implement bin at each of its two sides comprises one hookup tang configured to hook into the hookup slots;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises a forward-pointing stop surface disposed lower than the hookup slot, the control implement bin being hooked by said hookup tangs into the hookup slots of each lateral post and resting on the stop surfaces by means of lateral stop protrusions disposed at a lower level than the hookup tangs; and

wherein the hookup tangs are configured in eccentric manner relative to the center of gravity of the control implement bin, whereby said bin is gravitationally pivotable downward about a pivot axis defined by the hook-up tangs and the hook-up slots, until said lateral stop protrusions of said bin rest against the stop surfaces of the lateral posts.

14. A powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 13, wherein the control bin is fitted at the backside of the cart, and includes a side thereof pointing to the front side of the cart, the side thereof configured as a support shelf to support an agitator-fitted powder container, said support shelf running forward and being spaced a predetermined height above the base.

16. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 13, wherein one side of the bin compartments includes an access aperture configured to receive the control implement.

19. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 13, wherein the lateral posts each comprise a rail running rearward from above, forward at the bottom, and a two-leg bent-back bracket having a front end segment connected to a lower front end segment of the rail, the lateral posts further comprising an upward pointing, rear leg of which an upper end segment thereof is affixed to the rail at a site which is away from said rail'"'"'s two end segments.

24. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 19, wherein the rails have a length and over at least part of their length, the rails are arcuate downward and rearward.

25. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 19, wherein each the lateral posts are subdivided within a middle height zone into a lower portion and an upper portion, in that the two portions can be mutually locked and unlocked, being rigidly joined in their locked state and being mutually displaceable in the unlocked state.

26. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 25, wherein the subdivision of the rails is situated above the said site, the rear leg being connected to the rail.

27. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 26, wherein the bent-back bracket is integral.

28. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 19, wherein each rail is integral and/or that each bent-back bracket is integral.

15. An assembly comprising a powder spraycoating cart and a powder container, the spraycoating card including a front side, a backside, a left side and a right side and at least two wheels, the cart further comprising:

two lateral posts, of which one lateral post is configured on the left side a second lateral post is configured on the right side;

a base connecting lower end segments of the two lateral posts to each other and keeping them spaced apart, the base configured to support a powder container;

a front mounted control implement bin affixable to upper end segments of the first and second lateral posts and when in the affixed state, the control implement connects together upper end segments of the two lateral posts and keeps the two lateral posts spaced apart; and

a grip system configured at the back side of the powder spraycoating cart;

wherein the control implement bin comprises two compartments, each compartment having an aperture configured to receive an electronic control implement to program/control a pneumatic feed of coating powder from the powder container to a spray gun;

wherein the powder container includes a double bottom having an airtight outer bottom and an air permeable inner bottom;

wherein the upper end segments of the two lateral posts comprise a suspension system that bilaterally suspends the control implement bin, the suspended control implement bin connecting together the two said end segments;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises an upwardly open hookup slot and the control implement bin at each of its two sides comprises one hookup tang configured to hook into the hookup slots;

wherein the suspension system of each lateral post comprises a forward-pointing stop surface disposed lower than the hookup slot, the control implement bin being hooked by said hookup tangs into the hookup slots of each lateral post and resting on the stop surfaces by means of lateral stop protrusions disposed at a lower level than the hookup tangs; and

wherein the hookup tangs are configured in eccentric manner relative to the center of gravity of the control implement bin, whereby said bin is gravitationally pivotable downward about a pivot axis defined by the hook-up tangs and the hook-up slots, until said lateral stop protrusions of said bin rest against the stop surfaces of the lateral posts.

17. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 15, wherein one side of the bin compartments includes an access aperture configured to receive the control implement.

18. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 15, wherein the control implement bin is suspended at the lateral posts with the compartment apertures of the bin compartments pointing either forward or rearward.

20. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lateral posts each comprise a rail running rearward from above, forward at the bottom, and a two-leg bent-back bracket having a front end segment connected to a lower front end segment of the rail, the lateral posts further comprising an upward pointing, rear leg of which an upper end segment thereof is affixed to the rail at a site which is away from said rail'"'"'s two end segments.

21. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hook-up tangs each include a suspension bolt fitted with a thread matching a threaded nut employed to screw the control implement bin against the lateral posts.

22. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 20, wherein the stop surfaces of the lateral posts comprise surface segments of the rails.

23. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 22, wherein the hookup slot is disposed in an extension element affixed to the upper end of the rail and extending from the rail in the rearward direction.

29. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 20, wherein the rails have a length and over at least part of their length, the rails are arcuate downward and rearward.

30. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 20, wherein each the lateral posts are subdivided within a middle height zone into a lower portion and an upper portion, in that the two portions can be mutually locked and unlocked, being rigidly joined in their locked state and being mutually displaceable in the unlocked state.

31. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 30, wherein the subdivision of the rails is situated above the said site, the rear leg being connected to the rail.

32. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 31, wherein the bent-back bracket is integral.

33. Powder spraycoating cart as claimed in claim 20, wherein each rail is integral and/or that each bent-back bracket is integral.