Feed center for dense phase system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019070620-A1
Application number	US-201816183541-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 7, 2018
Priority date	Apr 7, 2014
Publication date	Mar 7, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A feed center for powder coating material includes a hopper, an extraction duct, and a control valve. The hopper is in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source. The extraction duct is in fluid communication with at least one suction source. The control valve connects the extraction duct with an extraction port of the hopper. The control valve is operable between a first position for applying suction from the at least one suction source to the hopper, and a second position providing an exterior opening in at least one of the control valve and the first extraction duct for exhausting pressurized fluid from the hopper and/or collecting at least some of the air and powder that is exhausted from the powder.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for cleaning a powder coating material from a feed center including a hopper in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source, an extraction duct in fluid communication with at least one suction source, and a control valve connecting the extraction duct with an extraction port disposed on a portion of the hopper, the method comprising:
actuating the control valve from a second position in which an exterior opening is provided in at least one of the control valve and the extraction duct, to a first position in which the exterior opening is closed; applying suction from the extraction duct to the extraction port of the hopper; disconnecting the extraction duct from the extraction port; and pivoting the portion of the hopper from a closed position to an open position to clean an interior portion of the hopper.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein actuating the control valve from the second position to the first position comprises sliding a sleeve of the control valve with respect to the extraction duct to cover the exterior opening.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sliding the sleeve of the control valve with respect to the extraction duct to cover the exterior opening comprises rotationally sliding the sleeve.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sliding the sleeve of the control valve with respect to the extraction duct to cover the exterior opening comprises misaligning a first opening in the extraction duct from a second opening in the sleeve.

5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein sliding the sleeve of the control valve with respect to the extraction duct to cover the exterior opening comprises sliding the sleeve with respect to a second sleeve of the control valve.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein disconnecting the extraction duct from the extraction port comprises sliding a sleeve of the control valve in an axial direction.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extraction duct is a first extraction duct, and wherein pivoting the portion of the hopper from the closed position to the open position comprises moving the extraction port into fluid communication with a second extraction duct to apply suction to the second extraction duct.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extraction duct is a first extraction duct, the method further comprising providing an enclosure surrounding the hopper and the control valve, and a second extraction duct at least partially disposed in the enclosure, and applying suction to the second extraction duct to pull powder coating material exterior to the hopper into the second extraction duct for cleaning the feed center enclosure.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the second extraction duct is at least partially defined by an internal surface of the enclosure and a panel secured over an aperture in the internal surface of the enclosure, the panel being spaced from the internal surface of the enclosure to define a gap for receiving the powder coating material into the second extraction duct.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising adjusting the gap between the panel and the internal surface of the enclosure.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein applying suction from the extraction duct to the extraction port of the hopper comprises opening a flow control valve between a suction source and the extraction duct.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the extraction duct is a first extraction duct, the method further comprising applying suction to a second extraction duct in fluid communication with the exterior opening when the control valve is in the second position.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing the second extraction duct in fluid communication with the exterior opening when the control valve is in the second position, such that applying suction to the second extraction duct causes the second extraction duct to pull in powder coating material that exits the hopper through the exterior opening.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising recirculating the powder coating material pulled into the second extraction duct back to the hopper.

15 . A feed center for a powder coating material, the feed center comprising:
a hopper in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source; an enclosure surrounding the hopper; and an extraction duct in fluid communication with at least one suction source to pull powder coating material exterior to the hopper into the extraction duct for cleaning the feed center enclosure, wherein the extraction duct is at least partially defined by an internal surface of the enclosure and a panel secured over an aperture in the internal surface of the enclosure, the panel being spaced from the internal surface of the enclosure to define a gap for receiving the powder coating material into the extraction duct.

16 . A feed center for a powder coating material, the feed center comprising:
a hopper in fluid communication with a fluidizing pressure source; an extraction duct in fluid communication with at least one suction source; and a control valve being operable between a first position for applying suction from the suction source to the hopper, and a second position which at least partially interrupts application of the suction from the suction source to the hopper.

17 . The feed center of claim 16 , wherein when the control valve is in the second position, an exterior port opening is formed in at least one of the extraction duct and the control valve.

18 . The feed center of claim 17 , wherein when the control valve is in the second position, fluidizing air applied to the hopper is exhausted through the exterior port opening.

19 . The feed center of claim 17 , wherein when the control valve is in the second position, ambient air exterior to the control valve is pulled in through the exterior port opening and into extraction duct.

20 . The feed center of claim 17 , wherein the control valve allows the powder coating material exiting the hopper to travel through at least a part of the extraction duct to go to either a reclaim system or a waste collection system.

21 . The feed center of claim 20 , wherein the control valve is operable to be opened to bring in ambient air when sending powder to the waste collection system.

22 . The feed center of claim 20 , wherein the control valve is operable to be opened to capture at least some of the powder coating material exiting the hopper when sending powder to the reclaim system.

23 . The feed center of claim 22 , further comprising at least one of an air amplifier and a vacuum generator for capturing at least some of the powder exiting the hopper when sending the powder to the reclaim system.

24 . The feed center of claim 20 , wherein the control valve is operable to create an opening that can either be used to allow at least some of the air and powder from the hopper to escape through the opening to be transported to reclaim or to allow ambient air to be drawn into the opening to assist in transporting air and powder from the hopper to the waste collection system.

Assignees

• Nordson Corp

Inventors

• Altin Asim
• De Veer Antonius Petrus Maria
• Flockenhaus Kai
• Fulkerson Terrence M
• Hoversten William R
• Loparo Thomas
• Michels Klaus
• Vine Richard William

Classifications

• B05B7/1472

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

• B05B7/1468

  the means for supplying particulate material comprising a recirculation loop · CPC title

• B05B12/081

  responsive to the weight of a reservoir or container for liquid or other fluent material; responsive to level or volume of liquid or other fluent material in a reservoir or container · CPC title

• B05B7/1477 Primary

  means for supplying to several spray apparatus · CPC title

• B05B14/48

  specially adapted for particulate material · CPC title