Alternator indicator for electrostatic spray gun

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10046343-B2
Application number	US-201314432372-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2013
Priority date	Oct 1, 2012
Publication date	Aug 14, 2018
Grant date	Aug 14, 2018

Abstract

In one example, an electrostatic spray gun includes a spray tip assembly, an alternator, an electrode, and at least one controller. The alternator includes a stator having an inner diameter and an outer diameter. The alternator further includes a rotor disposed within the inner diameter of the stator and configured to rotate within the stator to cause the alternator to generate alternating electrical current. The electrode, positioned proximate the spray tip assembly, is coupled to receive electrical energy from the alternator. The at least one controller is coupled to the alternator and is configured to output a representation of a rotational speed of the rotor.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electrostatic spray gun comprising:
a spray tip assembly;
an alternator comprising:
a stator having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; and
a rotor disposed within the inner diameter of the stator and configured to rotate within the stator to cause the alternator to generate alternating electrical current;

an electrode coupled to receive electrical energy from the alternator, the electrode positioned proximate the spray tip assembly; and
at least one controller coupled to the alternator, the at least one controller configured to output at least one representation of a rotational speed of the rotor;
wherein the at least one representation of the rotational speed of the rotor comprises a frequency of the alternating current generated by the alternator.

2. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 1 , wherein the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor comprises an indication of the frequency of the alternating current generated by the alternator.

3. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 2 , wherein the indication of the frequency of the alternating current comprises:
a first indication that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a first range of frequencies corresponding to insufficient electrical energy for electrostatic spraying;
a second indication that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a second range of frequencies corresponding to sufficient electrical energy for electrostatic spraying; and
a third indication that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a third range of frequencies corresponding to excess rotational speed of the rotor.

4. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 1 , further comprising:
an optical indicator light coupled to the at least one controller,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to output the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor via the optical indicator light.

5. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 4 , wherein the optical indicator light comprises a light emitting diode (LED).

6. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 5 , further comprising:
a spray gun housing that surrounds at least the alternator, the at least one controller, and the optical indicator light; and
an optical output disposed at the spray gun housing and optically coupled to the optical indicator light.

7. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 6 , wherein the optical output is optically coupled to the optical indicator light via optical fiber.

8. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 4 ,
wherein the at least one controller comprises at least a first controller and a second controller, the first controller coupled to the second controller,
wherein the first controller is coupled to the alternator to receive an indication of the rotational speed of the rotor, and
wherein the second controller is configured to receive the indication of the rotational speed of the rotor from the first controller and to output the representation of the rotational speed via the optical indicator light.

9. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 4 ,
wherein the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor comprises an indication of a frequency of the alternating current generated by the alternator,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to output the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor via the optical indicator light by at least being configured to:
cause the optical indicator light to emit a first color in response to determining that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a first range of frequencies corresponding to insufficient electrical energy for electrostatic spraying;
cause the optical indicator light to emit a second color in response to determining that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a second range of frequencies corresponding to sufficient electrical energy for electrostatic spraying; and
cause the optical indicator light to emit a third color in response to determining that the frequency of the alternating current is included within a third range of frequencies corresponding to excess rotational speed of the rotor.

10. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 9 ,
wherein a maximum frequency from the first range of frequencies is less than a minimum frequency from second range of frequencies, and
wherein a maximum frequency from the second range of frequencies is less than a minimum frequency from the third range of frequencies.

11. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 9 ,
wherein the first color comprises yellow,
wherein the second color comprises green, and
wherein the third color comprises red.

12. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 1 , further comprising:
a spray gun housing that surrounds at least the alternator and the at least one controller; and
a display screen disposed at the spray gun housing and coupled to the at least one controller,
wherein the at least one controller is configured to output the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor via the display screen.

13. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 1 ,
wherein the indication of the frequency of the alternating current comprises an indication that the frequency of the alternating current corresponds to a suboptimal operating condition for electrostatic spraying.

14. An electrostatic spray gun comprising:
a housing;
an air-driven alternator disposed within the housing and comprising:
a stator having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; and
a rotor disposed within the inner diameter of the stator and configured to rotate within the stator to cause the alternator to generate alternating electrical current;
a spray tip assembly;
an electrode coupled to receive electrical energy from the alternator, the electrode positioned proximate the spray tip assembly; and
an indicator configured to output a representation of a rotational speed of the rotor;
wherein the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor comprises an indication of a frequency of the alternating current generated by the alternator.

15. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 14 , wherein the indicator comprises an optical output disposed at the housing and capable of emitting light having a color indicative of the rotational speed of the rotor.

16. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 14 , wherein the indicator comprises a light emitting diode (LED) disposed within the housing and capable of emitting a color indicative of the rotational speed of the rotor.

17. The electrostatic spray gun of claim 14 , wherein the indicator comprises a display screen disposed at an exterior of the housing.

18. An electrostatic spray gun comprising:
a spray tip assembly;
an alternator comprising:
a stator having an inner diameter and an outer diameter; and
a rotor disposed within the inner diameter of the stator and configured to rotate within the stator to cause the alternator to generate alternating electrical current;

an electrode coupled to receive electrical energy from the alternator, the electrode positioned proximate the spray tip assembly;
at least one controller coupled to the alternator, the at least one controller configured to output a representation of a rotational speed of the rotor;
an optical indicator light coupled to the at least one controller, the optical indicator light comprising a light emitting diode (LED), wherein the at least one controller is configured to output the representation of the rotational speed of the rotor via the optical indicator

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Mickols Adriana Fitzgerald
• Daniski Joseph A
• Ulrich Mark E

Classifications

• B05B12/08

  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 title

• B05B15/80

  Arrangements in which the spray area is not enclosed, e.g. spray tables · CPC title

• B05B13/0285

  Stands for supporting individual articles to be sprayed, e.g. doors, vehicle body parts · CPC title

• B05B5/025 Primary

  Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns · CPC title

• B05B5/03 Primary

  characterised by the use of gas {, e.g. electrostatically assisted pneumatic spraying (B05B5/04, B05B5/043, B05B5/047 take precedence)} · CPC title