Systems and methods for formulation information generation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12347329-B2
Application number	US-202418653430-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 2, 2024
Priority date	Dec 30, 2016
Publication date	Jul 1, 2025
Grant date	Jul 1, 2025

Abstract

A system and method for automatically producing product mix and application information include a display for depicting a plurality of indicators arranged on a chart. A sensor is used for sensing one of the indicators positioned within the chart. A processor-based system retrieves from a database the mix and application information based upon the sensed indicator. The retrieved mix and application information is provided for mixing paint components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A processor-implemented method for automatically producing a paint mix within a paint shop, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more data processors, an input signal from a sensor related to a user selection of one of a plurality of machine-readable indicators arranged on a paint formula display within the paint shop; wherein each machine-readable indicator is positioned within the chart based upon an association with a unique combination of filler colors and one or more of the following product factors: product mix information; coating compositions, surface types, volatile organic compound clear type, mix types, and preparation factors;
accessing, by the one or more data processors, a color and formulation retrieval software database, wherein the color and formulation retrieval software database contains a plurality of paint formulas, each paint formula assigned a unique machine-readable indicator;
retrieving, by the one or more data processors, the paint formula corresponding to the user selection of one of the plurality of machine-readable indicators from the color and formulation retrieval software database;
outputting, by the one or more data processors, the retrieved paint formula to an automatic mixing machine; and
producing the paint mix by the automatic mixing machine, using the retrieved paint formula.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein output from the color and formulation retrieval software database is provided as a display or printout from the same or a different device than the device that performed said retrieving the mix and application information.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the input signal is generated by one or more of the following steps: scanning with a scanner, scanning with a magnetic reader, interacting with a touch screen, interacting with voice commands using a speech recognition device, and interacting with a laser pointer.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising applying the coating composition over a substrate at the same or different sites after the automatic mixing machine has received the retrieved paint mix information.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the different sites include a jobber site and a bodyshop for painting.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the substrate is a vehicle, a vehicle part, a damaged vehicle, or a damaged vehicle part.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein more than five shades are associated with the machine-readable indicators displayed on the chart as filler colors.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable indicators are arranged within a tabular pattern within a chart.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the machine-readable indicators are arranged within a circular pattern within a chart.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the chart includes a laminated wall chart or a chart on a touch screen; wherein the indicators include one or more of the following: symbols, buttons, bar codes, RFID tags, computer interface clicks, and quick response (QR) codes arranged on the chart.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mix and application information includes paint mix and application information; wherein the product mix information includes paint mix types; wherein the mix types include metal mix, plastic mix, or standard mix; wherein the preparation factors include fast, medium, or slow configurations; wherein a display is used within a chemical mixing environment or paint mixing environment.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor includes a scanner, a bar code reader, a QR code reader, or a sensor that senses a touch on a touch screen for sensing one or more symbols positioned within the chart.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved mix and application information includes instructions for operating a machine to mix and apply the coating composition.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising curing a coating layer at a temperature in a range of from 20° C. to 300° C. to form a cured layer thereon.

Assignees

• Axalta Coating Systems Ip Co

Inventors

• Trujillo Oscar
• Mayne Shannon

Classifications

• G09B19/0023

  Colour matching, recognition, analysis, mixture or the like · CPC title

• G09B5/02

  with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip · CPC title

• G01J3/522

  circular colour charts · CPC title

• G01J3/463

  Colour matching · CPC title

• G06F3/14

  Digital output to display device {; Cooperation and interconnection of the display device with other functional units} · CPC title