Multicolor powder center for supplying at least one powder spraying device with different types of coating powder as required

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11633749-B2
Application number	US-201916959102-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 23, 2018
Publication date	Apr 25, 2023
Grant date	Apr 25, 2023

Abstract

A multicolor powder center supplies at least one powder spraying device with different types of coating powder as required. The multicolor powder center has at least one powder container for receiving coating powder and at least one pump unit comprising at least one powder pump, in particular a dense flow pump or a diluted flow pump. The pressure side of the at least one powder pump is fluidically connected or can be fluidically connected to the powder inlet of a powder spraying device. The at least one powder container has at least one suction channel which is preferably formed in a suction pipe and which has a suction opening that opens into the interior of the powder container and an opposite discharge opening that opens into a connection, wherein the suction side of the at least one powder pump can be fluidically connected to the connection of the powder container.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A multicolor powder center for supplying at least one powder spraying device with different types of coating powder as required, wherein the multicolor powder center comprises:
at least one powder container for accommodating coating powder; and
at least one pump unit having at least one powder pump, including at least one of a dense phase powder pump or thin stream powder pump, a pressure side of which is fluidly connected or connectable to a powder inlet of a powder spraying device,
wherein the at least one powder container comprises at least one intake duct formed in an inlet tube, which has an intake opening that empties into an interior of the powder container and an oppositely disposed delivery opening which ends at a connection, wherein a suction side of the at least one powder pump is configured to be fluidly connected to the connection of the powder container;
wherein a powder chamber of the at least one powder container has at least one fluidizing compressed air outlet with an outlet opening for discharging fluidizing compressed air introduced into said powder chamber;
wherein the at least one fluidizing compressed air outlet comprises a vent line which is connected or connectable to a riser pipe outside of the powder container to prevent discharge of powder from the powder chamber of the at least one powder container during a powder coating operation of the multicolor powder center;
wherein the at least one powder container comprises a first powder container and at least one second powder container, and the multicolor powder center includes a recovery powder recirculation system for refeeding recovery powder into the first powder container and/or the at least one second powder container as required;
wherein the recovery powder recirculation system comprises at least one return line in the form of a return hose, which is fluidly connected or connectable on one side to a powder coating booth and the first powder container and/or the at least one second powder container for refeeding recovery powder into a respective powder container; and
wherein the at least one return line is horizontally or vertically movable on a carriage or slide assembly, in particular horizontally, relative to the first powder container and/or the at least one second powder container.

2. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the connection is arranged in a top cover region of the powder container in such a way that the connection is fluidly connectable to the suction side of the at least one powder pump of the pump unit.

3. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one intake duct is formed in a dip tube extending into the interior of the at least one powder container.

4. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one intake duct is formed in a side wall of the at least one powder container.

5. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein in order to increase effective flow area, the intake opening of the intake duct emptying into the interior of the powder container has an elliptical shape.

6. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the powder chamber of the at least one powder container comprises a substantially rectangular or cylindrical powder chamber for coating powder, and the at least one powder container comprises a fluidizing device for introducing fluidizing compressed air into the powder chamber.

7. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one inlet opening emptying into the interior of the powder container is provided in a side wall or in a top cover of the at least one powder container for supplying coating powder from a powder recirculation circuit or from a fresh powder container external of the multicolor powder center, or for manually adding powder in a powder coating operation of the multicolor powder center, or for selectively introducing compressed cleaning air during a cleaning operation of the multicolor powder center or the at least one powder container.

8. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one fluidizing compressed air outlet for discharging fluidizing compressed air introduced into said powder chamber of the at least one powder container is further configured for alternatively discharging cleaning air introduced into the powder chamber during a cleaning operation together with any residual powder carried along by the cleaning compressed air.

9. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the vent line of the at least one fluidizing compressed air outlet is connected or connectable on a first side to the outlet opening of the fluidizing compressed air outlet, and empties on a second opposite side into a suction funnel of a suction unit designed as an air flow amplifier.

10. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one level sensor is further provided for detecting at least one powder level inside the at least one powder container.

11. The multicolor powder center according to claim 10 ,
wherein the at least one level sensor is a non-contact level sensor which is separately arranged from the interior of the powder container outside of the powder container.

12. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein at least one device for measuring the air pressure prevailing within the interior of the at least one powder container is further provided.

13. The multicolor powder center according to claim 12 ,
wherein a volume of fluidizing compressed air supplied to the at least one powder container per unit of time can be regulated automatically, as a function of the air pressure prevailing in the interior of the at least one powder container; and/or
wherein a volume of cleaning compressed air supplied to the at least one powder container can be regulated automatically, as a function of the air pressure prevailing in the interior of the at least one powder container; and/or
wherein a volume of fluidizing compressed air discharged per unit of time from the at least one powder container can be regulated automatically, as a function of the air pressure prevailing in the interior of the at least one powder container; and/or
wherein a volume of cleaning compressed air discharged per unit of time via at least one residual powder outlet can be regulated automatically, as a function of the air pressure prevailing in the interior of the at least one powder container.

14. The multicolor powder center according to claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one powder container comprises:
a level sensor for level monitoring and corresponding communication; and/or
a powder fluidizing/preconditioning unit; and/or
an integrated sieve; and/or
an integrated vibration unit; and/or
a sensor system for detecting correct positioning of the powder container; and/or
the connection for connecting to a further or larger fresh powder container external of the multicolor powder center for the automatic replenishing of powder.

15. A multicolor powder center for supplying at least one powder spraying device with different types of coating powder as required, wherein the multicolor powder center comprises:
at least one powder container for accommodating coating powder; and
at least one pump unit having at least one of a dense phase powder pump or thin stream powder pump, a pressure side of which is fluidly connected or connectable to a powder inlet of a powder spraying device,
wherein the at least one powder container comprises at least one intake du

Assignees

• Gema Switzerland Gmbh

Inventors

• Mlakar Roman
• Steinemann Mark
• Sanwald Marco
• Mauchle Felix

Classifications

• B05B7/1472 Primary

  Powder extracted from a powder container in a direction substantially opposite to gravity by a suction device dipped into the powder · CPC title

• B05B12/14

  for supplying a selected one of a plurality of liquids or other fluent materials {or several in selected proportions} to a {spray apparatus, e.g. to a} single spray outlet · CPC title

• B05B7/1459 Primary

  comprising a chamber, inlet and outlet valves upstream and downstream the chamber and means for alternately sucking particulate material into and removing particulate material from the chamber through the valves (conveying material in bulk by using a combination of gas pressure and suction B65G53/28; pumps in general F04B; apparatus for repeatedly measuring and separating a predetermined volume of fluent solid material from a supply or container G01F11/00) · CPC title

• B05B7/1477

  means for supplying to several spray apparatus · CPC title

• Y02P70/10

  Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working · CPC title