Color integrated and mobile paint systems for producing paint from a plurality of prepaint components

• US 7,951,855 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: MicroBlend, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Microblend Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Hughes, Randall L., Philbrook, David C., McClain, C. Daniel, Trevino, Daniel K. III, Sauder, Mel
• Primary Examiner(s): SANDERS, KRIELLION ANTIONETTE
• Application Number:
  US12/337,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099694A1
• Time in Patent Office: 894 Days
• Field of Search: 106/433, 106/436, 106/441, 106/443, 106/445, 106/447, 700/239, 700/265, 523/318, 523/324, 222/402.1
• US Class Current: 523/318
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 2101/30 Mixing paints or paint ingredients, e.g. pigments, dyes, colours, lacquers or enamel
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/502 Vehicle-mounted mixing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/5021 the vehicle being self-propelled, e.g. truck mounted, provided with a motor, driven by tracks B01F33/5022 - B01F33/5027 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/84 Mixing plants with mixing receptacles receiving material dispensed from several component receptacles, e.g. paint tins
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 33/8442 using a computer for controlling information and converting it in a formula and a set of operation instructions, e.g. on the point of sale
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/881 by weighing, e.g. with automatic discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B01F 35/883 using flow rate controls for feeding the substances
• CPC Class Codes: B44D 3/003 Methods or devices for colour determination, selection or synthesis, e.g. use of colour tables
• CPC Class Codes: B44D 3/08 for liquid or semi-liquid paints

Abstract

What is disclosed is a plurality of prepaints which are used in any combination to produce base paints and/or colored paints of varying end-use application characteristics. Additionally, a mobile paint factory for producing a plurality of lines of architectural coatings from a plurality of prepaints en route to and/or at various locations is disclosed. The mobile paint factory may include a vehicle having a paint production system and a paint mixer located thereon. Furthermore, a method of producing a plurality of lines of user-selected architectural coatings from a plurality of prepaints en route to and/or at various locations is disclosed. The method may include: providing a mobile paint factory; prompting a user to select through the paint production system an interior or exterior application environment, a paint sheen, and a paint quality; automatically dispensing predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints; and agitating the dispensed prepaints.

Claims

1. A method of producing a plurality of lines of user-selected architectural coatings from a plurality of prepaints at a point of sale, the method comprising:

providing a paint production system comprising a paint production apparatus;

prompting a user to select through the paint production apparatus a quantity;

prompting the user to select through the paint production apparatus an interior or exterior application environment;

prompting the user to select through the paint production apparatus a paint sheen;

prompting the user to select through the paint production apparatus a paint quality;

automatically dispensing through the paint production apparatus predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints, wherein none of the prepaints are architectural coatings prior to being dispensed; and

mixing the dispensed prepaints to produce the architectural coatings having the selected application environments, the selected sheens, and the selected qualities, wherein defoamer selected from the group consisting of silicone-based defoamers and/or mineral oil-based defoamers is added prior to dispensing the appropriate prepaints and/or simultaneously with the dispensing of the appropriate prepaints and/or after the architectural coatings have been formed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the paint production system is mobile and further comprises a vehicle which is one of a standard, covered, flat bed truck and a trailer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing a paint production system comprises providing a color integrated paint production system having a colorant system integrated with the paint production apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the mixing comprises providing a paint mixer integrated with the colorant system and the paint production apparatus.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the providing a paint production system further comprises providing a plurality of portable paint containers for receiving dispensed prepaints, the method further comprising prompting the user to place the empty portable paint containers into the paint production system, wherein automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints comprises automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints into the empty portable paint containers, wherein none of the prepaints are architectural coatings prior to being dispensed into the empty portable paint containers, and wherein agitating the dispensed prepaints comprises agitating the portable paint containers to mix the dispensed prepaints to produce the architectural coatings having the selected application environments, the selected sheens, and the selected qualities.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the providing a plurality of portable paint containers comprises providing one of quart containers, one gallon containers, two gallon containers, five gallon buckets, 55 gallon drums, and any combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising prompting the user to select through the paint production apparatus a paint color type, and wherein automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints comprises automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints and colorants, and wherein agitating the portable paint containers comprises agitating the portable paint containers in the paint mixer to mix the dispensed prepaints and colorants to produce the architectural coatings having the selected application environments, the selected sheens, the selected color types, and the selected qualities.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing a paint production system further comprises providing a plurality of portable paint containers for receiving dispensed prepaints, the method further comprising prompting the user to place the empty portable paint containers into the paint production system, wherein automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints comprises automatically dispensing through the paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints into the empty portable paint containers, wherein none of the prepaints are architectural coatings prior to being dispensed into the empty portable paint containers, and wherein agitating the dispensed prepaints comprises agitating the portable paint containers to mix the dispensed prepaints to produce the architectural coatings having the selected application environments, the selected sheens, and the selected qualities.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing a paint production system further comprises providing a plurality of portable paint containers for receiving dispensed prepaints.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing a plurality a of portable paint containers comprises providing one of quart containers, one gallon containers, two gallon containers, five gallon buckets, 55 gallon drums, and any combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein displacement balls are added prior to dispensing the appropriate prepaints and/or simultaneously with the dispensing of the appropriate prepaints and/or after the architectural coatings have been formed.

2. A method of producing a plurality of lines of user-selected architectural coatings from a plurality of prepaints at a point of sale, the method comprising:

providing a color integrated paint production system, the color integrated paint production system comprising a paint production apparatus and an integrated colorant system;

a paint mixer; and

a plurality of empty portable paint containers for receiving dispensed prepaints and colorants;

prompting a user to select through the color integrated paint production apparatus a quantity;

prompting the user to select through the color integrated paint production apparatus an interior or exterior application environment;

prompting the user to select through the color integrated paint production apparatus a paint sheen;

prompting the user to select through the color integrated paint production apparatus a paint color type;

prompting the user to select through the color integrated paint production apparatus a paint quality;

prompting the user to place the empty portable paint containers into the color integrated paint production system;

prompting the user to add displacement balls;

automatically dispensing through the color integrated paint production system predetermined amounts of appropriate prepaints and colorants into the empty portable paint containers, wherein none of the prepaints are architectural coatings prior to being dispensed into the empty portable paint containers; and

agitating the portable paint containers in the paint mixer to mix the dispensed prepaints to produce the architectural coatings having the selected application environments, the selected sheens, the selected color types, and the selected qualities.

3. The method of claim 2, where the displacement balls are inert, hollow spheres.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the displacement ball are formed of plastics selected from the group consisting of polypropylene (PP), high density polyethylene (HDPE) and/or polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF).