Coating material supply device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12590664-B2
Application number	US-202218711942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 22, 2022
Priority date	Nov 26, 2021
Publication date	Mar 31, 2026
Grant date	Mar 31, 2026

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a coating agent supply device for supplying coating agent (e.g. paint) to an applicator (e.g. rotary atomizer). The coating agent supply device according to the disclosure has a pig source station, a pig destination station and a pig line which connects the pig source station to the pig destination station. The pig line contains a pig package with two pigs for clamping the coating agent between the two pigs of the pig package for coating agent transport between the pig source station and the pig destination station. Furthermore, the coating agent supply device has a lubricant supply line for supplying a lubricant for friction-reducing lubrication of the pigs in the pig line when moving the pig package between the pig destination station and the pig source station. In addition, the coating agent supply device according to the disclosure has a controllable lubricant valve, which connects the lubricant supply line to the pig line in order to feed the lubricant into the pig line at a lubricant feed point. The disclosure provides that the lubricant feed point is located in the pig line between the pig source station and the pig destination station.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A coating agent supply device for supplying coating agent to an applicator, with
a) a pig source station, b) a pig destination station, c) a pig line, the pig line connecting the pig source station with the pig destination station, d) a pig package with two pigs arranged in the pig line for clamping the coating agent between the two pigs of the pig package for coating agent transport between the pig source station and the pig-destination station, e) a lubricant supply line for supplying a lubricant for friction-reducing lubrication of the pigs in the pig line when moving the pig package between the pig destination station and the pig source station, and f) a controllable lubricant valve, which connects the lubricant supply line to the pig line in order to introduce the lubricant into the pig line at a lubricant feed point, g) wherein the lubricant feed point is located in the pig line between the pig source station and the pig destination station.

2 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant valve in the pig line is arranged closer to the pig destination station than to the pig source station.

3 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant valve in the pig line is arranged in the downstream 50% of the line length of the pig line.

4 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant valve in the pig line is arranged at a distance of less than 15 m from the pig destination station.

5 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
a) an electrostatic coating agent charging system is provided which charges the pig destination station to a high voltage potential at least temporarily, and b) the pig source station is electrically grounded.

6 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein
a) the pig source station comprises a controllable valve arrangement, the valve arrangement in the pig source station selectively connecting the pig line to one of the following components:
a1) at least one coating agent supply,
a2) a rinsing agent supply,
a3) a compressed air supply,
a4) at least one flushing line for flushing the pig source station,
a5) a disposal,
a6) a feed line for a pushing medium for pushing the pigs to the pig destination station, and
b) the pig destination station comprises a controllable valve arrangement, the valve arrangement in the pig destination station selectively connecting the pig line to one of the following components:
b1) a paint line for forwarding the removed coating agent from the pig destination station to the applicator,
b2) a compressed air supply,
b3) a rinsing agent supply, and
b4) coating agent return.

7 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 6 , wherein
a) that a control unit is provided, b) that the control unit controls the valve arrangement in the pig source station, c) that the control unit controls the valve arrangement in the pig destination station, d) that the control unit queries the sensor, and e) that the control unit controls the lubricant valve.

8 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , wherein the lubricant valve is arranged in the pig line and has a continuous piggable pig channel which can be passed by the pigs.

9 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 8 , wherein
a) the lubricant valve comprises a first line connection to which an upstream line section of the pig line is connected, b) the lubricant valve comprises a second line connection to which a downstream line section of the pig line is connected, c) the pig channel in the lubricant valve connects the first line connection with the second line connection, d) the lubricant valve comprises a lubricant connection to supply the lubricant.

10 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 9 , wherein
a) the two line connections are arranged axially aligned, and b) the two line connections are designed as hose connections and with a screw flange.

11 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 10 , wherein
a) the lubricant valve contains a displaceable valve needle which either releases or closes a valve seat depending on its valve position, b) the valve needle of the lubricant valve is aligned at right angles to the pig channel running in the lubricant valve, c) the lubricant valve is pneumatically controlled.

12 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sensor on the pig line for detecting the filling state of the pig line at a measuring point.

13 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor is adapted to distinguish between air and coating agent in the pig line.

14 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor is arranged between the lubricant valve and the pig destination station.

15 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor is arranged closer to the lubricant valve than to the pig destination station.

16 . The coating agent supply device according to claim 12 , wherein the sensor is arranged at a distance of less than 1 m from the lubricant valve, so that the sensor measures as close as possible to the lubricant feed point.

17 . A method for a coating agent supply device, comprising:
a) filling the line section of the pig line in the pig package between the two pigs with the coating agent, the filling taking place in the pig source station, b) moving the pig package with the coating agent clamped between the two pigs in the pig line from the pig source station to the pig destination station by introducing compressed air into the pig line at the pig source station upstream in front of the pig package, c) removal of the coating agent clamped between the two pigs of the pig package in the pig line, the coating agent being removed at the pig destination station, d) supplying the applicator with the coating agent taken from the pig package and applying the coating agent, with excess coating agent remaining in the pig package, e) returning the pig package with the excess coating agent clamped between the two pigs from the pig destination station to the pig source station by introducing compressed air into the pig line at the pig destination station downstream behind the pig package, f) removal of the excess coating agent clamped between the two pigs at the pig source station, and g) returning the excess coating agent removed from the pig package at the pig source station to the coating agent return, h) introducing the lubricant into the pig line at the lubricant feed point in order to reduce the friction of the pigs in the pig line when returning the pig package from the pig destination station to the pig source station, i) wherein the lubricant feed point is between the pig source station and the pig package.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein
a) before introducing the lubricant, the sensor checks whether the lubricant feed point is located upstream of the pig package, and b) the lubricant is only fed into the pig line if the lubricant feed point is located upstream of the pig package.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein, after returning the pig package from the pig destination station to the pig source station, the lubricant in the pig source station is disposed of into the disposal.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the pig

Assignees

• Duerr Systems Ag

Inventors

• Martin Herbert
• Michelfelder Manfred
• Falheier Alexander

Classifications

• B05C11/1026

  Valves (in general F16K; B05C5/0225 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0431

  with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces · CPC title

• B05B12/1472

  separate supply lines supplying different materials to separate outlets of the spraying apparatus (B05B12/1454 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05B13/0452

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

• F16L55/26 Primary

  Pigs or moles, i.e. devices movable in a pipe or conduit with or without self-contained propulsion means · CPC title