Claims
- 1. Apparatus for dispensing electrically conductive coating material, comprising:
- at least one source of electrically conductive coating material;
- a number of coating dispensers each operative to dispense coating material when opened and to terminate the flow of coating material when closed;
- first transfer means for receiving coating material from said at least one source;
- second transfer means for receiving coating material from said first transfer means, and for transmitting the coating material to said coating dispensers;
- electrostatic charging means for applying an electrostatic charge to the coating material which is supplied to said coating dispensers from said second transfer means;
- first voltage block means for electrically isolating said first transfer means from said electrostatic charging means while said first transfer means receives coating material from said at least one source, and for electrically isolating said second transfer means from said at least one source of coating material while said second transfer means receives coating material from said first transfer means;
- a second voltage block means connected between each of said coating dispensers and said electrostatic charging means for supplying charged coating material to a respective coating dispenser when said coating dispenser is opened to dispense coating material, and for electrically isolating said respective coating dispenser from said charged coating material when said coating dispenser is closed to terminate the flow of coating material.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first transfer means comprises a first pump having a reservoir which communicates with said at least one source of coating material.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said first voltage block means includes:
- a filling station;
- a first shuttle movable with respect to said filling station between a transfer position wherein said first shuttle is connected to said filling station and a neutral position wherein said first shuttle is spaced from said filling station;
- one of said filling station and said first shuttle being connected to said at least one source of coating material, and the other of said filling station and said first shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said first pump.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said second transfer means comprises a second pump having a reservoir which communicates with said coating dispensers.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said first voltage block means includes:
- a transfer station;
- a second shuttle movable with respect to said transfer station between a transfer position wherein said second shuttle is connected to said transfer station and a neutral position wherein said second shuttle is spaced from said transfer station;
- one of said transfer station and said second shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said first pump, and the other of said transfer station and said second shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said second pump.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 4 in which each of said second voltage block means comprises:
- a discharge station;
- a third shuttle movable with respect to said discharge station between a discharge position wherein said third shuttle is connected to said discharge station and a neutral position wherein said third shuttle is spaced from said discharge station;
- one of said transfer station and said third shuttle communicating with said reservoir of said second pump, and the other of said transfer station and said third shuttle being connected to one of said coating dispensers.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which each of said coating dispensers is a manually operated spray gun having a trigger which opens and closes said spray gun, said apparatus further including control means communicating with said trigger for causing said third shuttle to move to said discharge position in response to squeezing of said trigger to close said spray gun, and for causing said third shuttle to move to said neutral position in response to release of said trigger to open said spray gun.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said control means communicates with said electrostatic charging means and is operative to activate said electrostatic charging means in response to squeezing of said trigger to open said spray gun, and to deactivate said electrostatic charging means in response to release of said trigger to close said spray gun.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which said control means includes delay means for delaying said deactivation of said electrostatic charging means for a predetermined period of time after release of said trigger.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said charging means comprises an electrostatic power supply which is connected by an electrostatic cable to said second pump for producing charged coating material within said reservoir of said second pump which is discharged therefrom to said coating dispensers.
- 11. Apparatus for dispensing electrically conductive coating material, comprising:
- a number of sources of electrically conductive coating material of different color;
- at least one coating dispenser operative to dispense coating material when closed and to terminate the flow of coating material when opened;
- first transfer means for receiving coating material from said at least one source;
- color changer means interposed between said sources of coating material and said first transfer means for selectively supplying coating materials of different color to said first transfer means;
- second transfer means for receiving coating material from said first transfer means, and for transmitting the coating material to said at least one coating dispenser;
- electrostatic charging means for applying an electrostatic charge to the coating material which is supplied to said at least one coating dispenser from said second transfer means;
- first voltage block means for electrically isolating said first transfer means from said electrostatic charging means while said first transfer means receives coating material from one of said sources of coating material, and for electrically isolating said second transfer means from said at least one source of coating while said second transfer means receives coating material from said first transfer means;
- a second voltage block means connected between said at least one coating dispenser and said electrostatic charging means for supplying charged coating material to said at least one coating dispenser when said at least one coating dispenser is opened to dispense coating material, and for electrically isolating said at least one coating dispenser from said charged coating material, when said at least one coating dispenser is closed to terminate the flow of coating material.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first transfer means comprises a first pump having a reservoir which communicates with said color changer means.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which said first voltage block means includes:
- a filling station;
- a first shuttle movable with respect to said filling station between a transfer position wherein said first shuttle is connected to said filling station and a neutral position wherein said first shuttle is spaced from said filling station;
- one of said filling station and said first shuttle being connected to said color changer means, and the other of said filling station and said first shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said first pump.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said second transfer means comprises a second pump having a reservoir which communicates with said at least one coating dispenser.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said first voltage block means includes:
- a transfer station;
- a second shuttle movable with respect to said transfer station between a transfer position wherein said second shuttle is connected to said transfer station and a neutral position wherein said second shuttle is spaced from said transfer station;
- one of said transfer station and said second shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said first pump, and the other of said transfer station and said second shuttle being connected to said reservoir of said second pump.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said second voltage block means comprises:
- a discharge station;
- a third shuttle movable with respect to said discharge station between a discharge position wherein said third shuttle is connected to said discharge station and a neutral position wherein said third shuttle is spaced from said discharge station;
- one of said transfer station and said third shuttle communicating with said reservoir of said second pump, and the other of said transfer station and said third shuttle being connected to said at least one coating dispenser.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16 in which said at least one coating dispenser is a manually operated spray gun having a trigger which opens and closes said spray gun, said apparatus further including control means communicating with said trigger for causing said third shuttle to move to said discharge position in response to squeezing of said trigger to close said spray gun, and for causing said third shuttle to move to said neutral position in response to release of said trigger to open said spray gun.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 17 in which said control means communicates with said electrostatic charging means and is operative to activate said electrostatic charging means in response to squeezing of said trigger to open said spray gun, and to deactivate said electrostatic charging means in response to release of said trigger to close said spray gun.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 18 in which said control means includes delay means for delaying said deactivation of said electrostatic charging means for a predetermined period of time after release of said trigger.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said charging means comprises an electrostatic power supply which is connected by an electrostatic cable to said second pump for producing charged coating material within said reservoir of said second pump which is discharged therefrom to said at least one coating dispenser.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/618,089, to Konieczynski et al, filed Nov. 26, 1990, and entitled "Apparatus For Electrostatically Isolating and Pumping Conductive Coating Materials", which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/554,795, filed Jul. 18, 1990, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,168 to Konieczynski, and entitled "Apparatus For Electrostatically Isolating Conducting Coating Materials", both of which are owned by the assignee of this invention.
US Referenced Citations (30)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
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3725172 |
Mar 1987 |
DEX |
8705832 |
Oct 1987 |
WOX |
Continuation in Parts (2)
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618089 |
Nov 1990 |
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554795 |
Jul 1990 |
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