Paint sprayer distributed control and output volume monitoring architectures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12339678-B2
Application number	US-202418606931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 15, 2024
Priority date	Feb 11, 2013
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

A handheld computer device is configured to selectively receive a plurality of fluid output values from a paint sprayer and configured to operate in an accessible mode in which the handheld computer device is in a first location where wireless connectivity, via a continuous or near continuous communication path, to at least one of a network server or the paint sprayer is accessible or operate in an inaccessible mode in which the handheld computer device is in a second location out of range of the continuous or near continuous communication path to at least one of the network server or the paint sprayer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for paint spraying volume tracking, the system comprising:
one or more sprayers for spraying fluid for a plurality of jobs, each sprayer of the one or more sprayers comprising:
a spray gun having a trigger, the spray gun configured to spray paint upon actuation of the trigger;
a hose that supplies the paint to the spray gun;
a frame;
a pump supported by the frame, the pump having a piston that outputs the paint under pressure to the spray gun via the hose;
a motor that drives the pump, the motor supported by the frame;
a memory configured to store information indicative of an amount of fluid sprayed; and
a wireless module configured to transmit information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed; and

a network server configured to:
receive respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed; and
update respective spray volume logs based on respective information indicative of amounts of fluid sprayed, wherein the spray volume logs are respectively associated with the plurality of jobs and each spray volume log includes respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at a respective job of the plurality of jobs.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network server is configured to generate information indicative of a total amount of fluid sprayed across the plurality of jobs based on each spray volume log.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network server is configured to generate information for display indicative of respective amounts of fluid sprayed for the plurality of jobs based on the spray volume logs.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of handheld computer devices, wherein each handheld computer device is configured to wirelessly receive, from one or more of the sprayers associated with a job, respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed by the one or more sprayers associated with the job, and wherein the network server is configured to receive respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at each respective job of the plurality of jobs from the plurality of handheld computer devices.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first sprayer and a second sprayer, of the plurality of sprayers, are associated with a first job of the plurality of jobs, and wherein the network server is configured to:
receive respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at the first job based on the amount of fluid sprayed by the first sprayer and the second sprayer; and
update the spray volume log associated with the first job based at least on the amount of fluid sprayed by the first sprayer and the second sprayer.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein a first sprayer is for at least a first job and a second job of the plurality of jobs, and wherein the network server is configured to:
update a first spray volume log for the first job based on an amount of fluid the first sprayer sprayed at the first job; and
update a second spray volume log for the second job based on an amount of fluid the first sprayer sprayed at the second job.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network server is configured to store the respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed with an association of the respective job at which the amount of fluid is sprayed.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the network server is configured to receive information associating the one or more sprayers to the one or more jobs or respective locations of the one or more jobs, and wherein to update respective spray volume logs, the network server is configured to update the respective spray volume logs based on the respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed and the information associating the one or more sprayers to the one or more jobs or the respective locations of the one or more jobs.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein information associating the one or more sprayers to the one or more jobs or to respective locations of the one or more jobs comprises one or both of:
information associating one sprayer to one job; or
information associating multiple sprayers to one job.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed comprises information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed while each sprayer is in a fluid atomizing mode.

11. A method for paint spraying volume tracking, the method comprising:
receiving, with a network server, respective information indicative of an amount of fluid sprayed from one or more sprayers for spraying fluid for a plurality of jobs, each sprayer of the one or more sprayers comprising:
a spray gun having a trigger, the spray gun configured to spray paint upon actuation of the trigger;
a hose that supplies the paint to the spray gun;
a frame;
a pump supported by the frame, the pump having a piston that outputs the paint under pressure to the spray gun via the hose;
a motor that drives the pump, the motor supported by the frame;
a memory configured to store information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed; and
a wireless module configured to transmit information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed; and

updating, with the network server, respective spray volume logs based on respective information indicative of amounts of fluid sprayed, wherein the spray volume logs are respectively associated with the plurality of jobs and each spray volume log includes respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at a respective job of the plurality of jobs.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating information indicative of a total amount of fluid sprayed across the plurality of jobs based on each spray volume log.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
generating information for display indicative of respective amounts of fluid sprayed for the plurality of jobs based on the spray volume logs.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
receiving wirelessly, with one or more handheld computer devices, from one or more of the sprayers associated with a job, respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed by the one or more sprayers associated with the job,
wherein receiving respective information comprises receiving respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at each respective job of the plurality of jobs from the one or more of handheld computer devices.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first sprayer and a second sprayer, of the plurality of sprayers, are associated with a first job of the plurality of jobs, the method further comprising:
receiving, with the network server, respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed at the first job based on the amount of fluid sprayed by the first sprayer and the second sprayer; and
updating, with the network server, the spray volume log associated with the first job based at least on the amount of fluid sprayed by the first sprayer and the second sprayer.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first sprayer is for at least a first job and a second job, the method further comprising:
updating a first spray volume log for the first job based on an amount of fluid the first sprayer sprayed at the first job; and
updating a second spray volume log for the second job based on an amount of fluid the first sprayer sprayed at the second job.

17. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
storing the respective information indicative of the amount of fluid sprayed with an assoc

Assignees

• Graco Minnesota Inc

Inventors

• Lange Christopher M
• Pagano Nicholas A
• Godding Benjamin R
• Weinberger Mark T
• Mansheim Michael J
• Reath Nicholas H
• Kopel Andrew J
• Johnson Daniel R
• Robb Kevin C
• Gundersen Robert J

Classifications

• B05B12/006

  Pressure or flow rate sensors · CPC title

• B05B7/1613

  comprising means for heating the atomising fluid before mixing with the material to be sprayed · CPC title

• H04Q9/00 Primary

  Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom · CPC title

• B05B7/166

  the material to be sprayed being heated in a container (B05B7/208 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B7/0408

  with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids · CPC title