Patent Application
20080230630
The invention relates generally to spray devices and, more particularly, to color matching of paints and other finishing products.
This section is intended to introduce the reader to various aspects of art that may be related to various aspects of the present invention, which are described and/or claimed below. This discussion is believed to be helpful in providing the reader with background information to facilitate a better understanding of the various aspects of the present invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that these statements are to be read in this light, and not as admissions of prior art.
In certain finishing applications, such as automotive refinishing, it is desirable to match the color of a new finish with an existing finish. For example, if an automobile needs body repair, then an attempt is made to match new paint with the existing paint already on the automobile. Unfortunately, the current practice involves trial and error to match the colors. For example, a painter typically places a container on a scale in a paint mixing room, and then adds different amounts of color (e.g., tint) to create a mixture according to a specified formula for the automobile. Next, the painter places the container in a paint shaker to make the mixture more uniform. The painter then applies a solvent to the mixture to reduce the mixture to a suitable viscosity for spraying. Subsequently, the painter pours the mixture from the container into the paint cup for the spray gun. Finally, the painter sprays the mixture onto the automobile and compares the original and new colors. If the colors do not match, then the painter must return to the paint mixing room for additional mixing. Unfortunately, this trial and error process results in downtime of the spray gun while the painter is away mixing the paint.
A system, in one embodiment, is provided with a fluid container configured to mount on a spray device, and a color additive applicator coupled to the fluid container. A system, in another embodiment, is provided with a color matching support configured to receive a plurality of different color sources, wherein the color matching support is configured to enable the plurality of different color sources to provide different colored additives to a fluid mixing chamber of a spray device. A system, in a further embodiment, is provided with a color additive applicator configured to couple to a fluid container disposed on a spray coating device.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:
One or more specific embodiments of the present invention will be described below. In an effort to provide a concise description of these embodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not be described in the specification. It should be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering or design project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made to achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance with system-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, and manufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of this disclosure.
In certain embodiments, the spray coating gun 12 may include an air atomizer, a rotary atomizer, an electrostatic atomizer, or any other suitable spray formation mechanism. The spray coating gun 12 may be coupled to a variety of supply and control systems, such as the fluid supply 16, an air supply 18, and a control system 20. The control system 20 facilitates control of the fluid and air supplies 16 and 18 and ensures that the spray coating gun 12 provides an acceptable quality spray coating on the target object 14. For example, the control system 20 may include an automation system 22, a positioning system 24, a fluid supply controller 26, an air supply controller 28, a computer system 30, and a user interface 32. The control system 20 also may be coupled to a positioning system 34, which facilitates movement of the target object 14 relative to the spray coating gun 12. According, the spray coating system 10 may provide a computer-controlled mixture of coating fluid, fluid and air flow rates, and spray pattern. Moreover, the positioning system 34 may include a robotic arm controlled by the control system 20, such that the spray coating gun 12 covers the entire surface of the target object 14 in a uniform and efficient manner.
As illustrated in
The body 202 of the spray coating gun 12 includes a variety of controls and supply mechanisms for the spray tip assembly 200. As illustrated, the body 202 includes a fluid delivery assembly 226 having a fluid passage 228 extending from a fluid inlet coupling 230 to the fluid delivery tip assembly 204. The fluid delivery assembly 226 also comprises a fluid valve assembly 232 to control fluid flow through the fluid passage 228 and to the fluid delivery tip assembly 204. The illustrated fluid valve assembly 232 has a needle valve 234 extending movably through the body 202 between the fluid delivery tip assembly 204 and a fluid valve adjuster 236. The fluid valve adjuster 236 is rotatably adjustable against a spring 238 disposed between a rear section 240 of the needle valve 234 and an internal portion 242 of the fluid valve adjuster 236. The needle valve 234 is also coupled to a trigger 244, such that the needle valve 234 may be moved inwardly away from the fluid delivery tip assembly 204 as the trigger 244 is rotated counter clockwise about a pivot joint 246. However, any suitable inwardly or outwardly openable valve assembly may be used within the scope of the present technique. The fluid valve assembly 232 also may include a variety of packing and seal assemblies, such as packing assembly 248, disposed between the needle valve 234 and the body 202.
An air supply assembly 250 is also disposed in the body 202 to facilitate atomization at the spray formation assembly 208. The illustrated air supply assembly 250 extends from an air inlet coupling 252 to the air atomization cap 210 via air passages 254 and 256. The air supply assembly 250 also includes a variety of seal assemblies, air valve assemblies, and air valve adjusters to maintain and regulate the air pressure and flow through the spray coating gun 12. For example, the illustrated air supply assembly 250 includes an air valve assembly 258 coupled to the trigger 244, such that rotation of the trigger 244 about the pivot joint 246 opens the air valve assembly 258 to allow air flow from the air passage 254 to the air passage 256. The air supply assembly 250 also includes an air valve adjuster 260 coupled to a needle 262, such that the needle 262 is movable via rotation of the air valve adjuster 260 to regulate the air flow to the air atomization cap 210. As illustrated, the trigger 244 is coupled to both the fluid valve assembly 232 and the air valve assembly 258, such that fluid and air simultaneously flow to the spray tip assembly 200 as the trigger 244 is pulled toward a handle 264 of the body 202. Once engaged, the spray coating gun 12 produces an atomized spray with a desired spray pattern and droplet distribution.
In the illustrated embodiment of
In some embodiments, the fluid supply 16 along with the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 are coupled directly to the spray coating gun 12, for example, on the fluid inlet coupling 230. Thus, the fluid supply 16 may be described as a bottom-mounted, on-gun configuration. Moreover, in such an embodiment with the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 mounted on the fluid supply 16, the system may be described as an on-gun fluid mixing and color matching system.
The body 302 of the spray coating gun 12 includes a variety of controls and supply mechanisms for the spray tip assembly 300. As illustrated, the body 302 includes a fluid delivery assembly 326 having a fluid passage 328 extending from a fluid inlet coupling 330 to the fluid delivery tip assembly 304. The fluid delivery assembly 326 also comprises a fluid valve assembly 332 to control fluid flow through the fluid passage 328 and to the fluid delivery tip assembly 304. The illustrated fluid valve assembly 332 has a needle valve 334 extending movably through the body 302 between the fluid delivery tip assembly 304 and a fluid valve adjuster 336. The fluid valve adjuster 336 is rotatably adjustable against a spring 338 disposed between a rear section 340 of the needle valve 334 and an internal portion 342 of the fluid valve adjuster 336. The needle valve 334 is also coupled to a trigger 344, such that the needle valve 334 may be moved inwardly away from the fluid delivery tip assembly 304 as the trigger 344 is rotated counter clockwise about a pivot joint 346. However, any suitable inwardly or outwardly openable valve assembly may be used within the scope of the present technique. The fluid valve assembly 332 also may include a variety of packing and seal assemblies, such as packing assembly 348, disposed between the needle valve 334 and the body 302.
An air supply assembly 350 is also disposed in the body 302 to facilitate atomization at the spray formation assembly 308. The illustrated air supply assembly 350 extends from an air inlet coupling 352 to the air atomization cap 310 via air passages 354 and 356. The air supply assembly 350 also includes a variety of seal assemblies, air valve assemblies, and air valve adjusters to maintain and regulate the air pressure and flow through the spray coating gun 12. For example, the illustrated air supply assembly 350 includes an air valve assembly 358 coupled to the trigger 344, such that rotation of the trigger 344 about the pivot joint 346 opens the air valve assembly 358 to allow air flow from the air passage 354 to the air passage 356. The air supply assembly 350 also includes an air valve adjuster 360 to regulate the air flow to the air atomization cap 310. As illustrated, the trigger 344 is coupled to both the fluid valve assembly 332 and the air valve assembly 358, such that fluid and air simultaneously flow to the spray tip assembly 300 as the trigger 344 is pulled toward a handle 364 of the body 302. Once engaged, the spray coating gun 12 produces an atomized spray with a desired spray pattern and droplet distribution.
In the illustrated embodiment of
The cup 368 has a tapered portion 370, which leads to an outlet connector 372 coupled to the fluid inlet coupling 330. On an opposite end from the connector 372, the fluid supply 16 includes the support 48 coupled to an open end of the cup 368. The support 48 may be removably coupled to the cup 368 via threads, a friction fit, clamps, or any suitable mount. The illustrated support 48 includes a peripheral mount portion 374, an inner panel portion 376, and an outer panel portion 378.
The color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 are supported by receptacles 380 in the outer panel portion 378. In addition, the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 have outlets 382, 384, 386, and 388, which extend through passages 390 in the inner panel portion 376. In some embodiments, the passages 390 may include seals, such as o-rings, which extend around the outlets 382, 384, 386, and 388. In addition, some embodiments of the outlets include valves, such as check valves, to control flow of the color additives relative to a fluid mixture 392 within the cup 368. For example, the check valves may block flow of the fluid mixture 392 into the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46, while enabling fluid flow of the color additives from the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 into the cup 368 with sufficient pressure. In certain embodiments, the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 are flexible squeeze bottles or tubes, syringes, pipettes, or other containers in which pressure can be applied to the color additives, thereby enabling fluid flow through the outlets 382, 384, 386, and 388 (and check valves) into the cup 368. The units of measure marks 58 also may be used to track and control the amount of color additives transferred into the cup 368.
The illustrated support 48 also includes a check valve 394 coupled to the inner panel portion 376 and a check valve 396 coupled to the outer panel portion 378. These check valves 394 and 396 function to block flow of the fluid mixture 392 out of the cup 368, while also enabling atmospheric air to flow into the cup 368 to enable the gravity feed of the fluid mixture 392 into the spray coating gun 12. Alternatively, the fluid supply 16 may include a filtered vent, a collapsible wall portion, an air supply, or a pressure balancer to facilitate the gravity feed.
In certain embodiments, the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 are arranged side by side in a row on the support 48, as illustrated by the top view of
Again, the disclosed embodiments may employ a variety of containers, valves, and applicators to add the desired color additives into the fluid supply 16. However, in each of these embodiments, the user is able to quickly add the desired color additives directly into the fluid supply 16, rather than remotely mixing colors after separating the fluid supply 16 from the system. Moreover, some of the disclosed embodiments incorporate the color sources 40, 42, 44, and 46 along with the fluid supply 16 directly on the spray coating gun 12 for on-gun fluid mixing and color matching. Thus, a user can quickly adjust the color of the fluid mixture during a spraying process (e.g., in operation), such that downtime can be substantially reduced or eliminated and color matching is more quickly achieved for the particular target object 14.
While the invention may be susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail herein. However, it should be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following appended claims.
