Installation for an atomizer to atomize a fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12115545-B2
Application number	US-202117194301-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2021
Priority date	Mar 11, 2020
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

An installation including an atomizer configured to atomize a fluid, a robot and a first station, the robot being configured to move the atomizer in a predetermined reference frame between at least a first position and a second position, the atomizer being configured to atomize the fluid when the atomizer is in the first position, a distance being defined between the atomizer and the first station, the distance when the atomizer is in the second position being strictly less than the distance when the atomizer is in the first position. The first station includes at least one sensor configured to measure at least one value of a parameter of the atomizer when the atomizer is in the second position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An installation comprising:
an atomizer configured to atomize a fluid, comprising:
a skirt for generating air flows for conforming the atomized fluid;
a turbine;
a fluid injector; and
a bowl rotated by said turbine to atomize the fluid when the fluid is injected into the bowl by said fluid injector;

a robot configured to move said atomizer in a predetermined reference frame between at least a first position and a second position, said atomizer being configured to atomize the fluid when said atomizer is in the first position; and
a first station;
a measurement module, installed on the first station so as to be attached to the first station, comprising:
a housing, forming a ring defining an opening surrounded by the ring, said atomizer being at least partially accommodated in the opening when said atomizer is in the second position, wherein said ring has an inner wall delimiting the opening;
at least one sensor attached to the inner wall and configured to measure at least one value of a parameter of said atomizer when said atomizer is in the second position, a distance being defined between said atomizer and said first station, the distance when the atomizer is in the second position being strictly less than the distance when the atomizer is in the first position, and wherein said skirt is in contact with said measurement module when said atomizer is in the second position; and
a control module detecting a defect of said atomizer, on the basis of values measure by said at least one sensor during a rotation of said bowl when said atomizer is in the second position.

2. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said control module controls rotation of said bowl when said atomizer is in the second position.

3. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor comprises a microphone, or wherein said at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer configured to measure a value of an acceleration of said measurement module when said atomizer is in the second position, said acceleration being caused by an acceleration of said skirt of said atomizer being in contact with said measurement module when said atomizer is in the second position.

4. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one sensor is a microphone.

5. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said atomizer further comprises at least one valve comprising a needle movable between two positions, and wherein the at least one sensor of said first station measures a position of said valve needle.

6. The installation according to claim 5 , wherein said control module calculates a time duration of movement of said needle between its two positions from the measured needle position values.

7. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said first station is configured to clean said atomizer with a liquid when said atomizer is in the second position.

8. The installation according to claim 1 , further comprising a second station, separate from said first station, said robot being further configured to move said atomizer from one of the first and second positions to a third position, said second station being configured to clean said atomizer with a liquid, when said atomizer is in the third position.

9. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein said first station is fixed in the predetermined reference frame.

10. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one sensor measures a value of a temperature of said atomizer.

11. The installation according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of said at least one sensor measures a value of an electric potential of the atomizer.

12. The installation according to claim 1 , further comprising a second station, separate from said first station, said robot being further configured to move said atomizer from one of the first and second positions to a third position, said second station being configured to clean said atomizer with a solvent, when said atomizer is in the third position.

Assignees

• Exel Ind

Inventors

• Beaudoin Camilien
• Colrat Michel
• Faure Didier
• Foubert Guillaume
• Provenaz Philippe

Classifications

• B05B5/04

  characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements {, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces} · CPC title

• B05B15/555

  discharged by cleaning nozzles · CPC title

• B05B13/0452

  the objects being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies · CPC title

• B05B15/00 Primary

  Details of spraying plant or spraying apparatus not otherwise provided for; Accessories · CPC title

• B05B5/0407

  with a spraying edge, e.g. like a cup or a bell · CPC title