Patent Application
20230090908
The present disclosure relates to paint spray systems for atomizing paint onto motor vehicles, and more particularly to a paint spray systems having a paint spray nozzle with a passage that reduces deposits of paint on the nozzle, increases first-time paint quality, increases throughput through a paint booth, and improves the efficiency of cleaning the nozzle.
Modern paint spray systems can include a reservoir of paint, an applicator device fluidly connected to the reservoir, a nozzle for directing paint from the applicator device to a vehicle surface, a pressure source for moving paint from the reservoir through the applicator device and nozzle, and a power source for actuating the pressure source. The nozzle typically includes an inlet fluidly connected to the reservoir via one or more lines to receive a flow of paint. The nozzle further includes a surface that defines a channel extending along an axis from the inlet to an outlet. The outlet is defined by a flat tip or rim surface positioned perpendicular to the channel, and the passage typically has a constant diameter from the inlet to the outlet. The viscosity and intermolecular forces of the paint can cause a portion of the paint flowing along the surface of the conduit portion to exit the passage and form a globular deposit on the rim surface. The globular deposit of one color of paint can mix with paints of other color and create a quality defect of comingled colors on otherwise smooth painted surface. Dried or semi-dried portions of paint on the rim surface can adversely restrict or redirect the flow of paint applied to the vehicle and/or later become dislodged during the paint process and deposit on the painted surface. These defects can reduce the first time quality and ultimately affect the throughput of a production plant.
Thus, while existing paint spray systems can achieve their intended purpose, there is a need for a new and improved paint spray system that addresses these issues.
According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a paint spray nozzle for a paint spray system includes a single-piece body having a conduit portion that includes a first surface defining a first passage, which terminates at an orifice along a longitudinal axis. The single-piece body further includes a second surface defining a second passage along the longitudinal axis, with the second passage fluidly connected to the orifice. The orifice is configured to direct the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage. The second surface defines an inlet cross-sectional width positioned at the orifice and an outlet cross-sectional width positioned at an outlet, with the inlet and the outlet being spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis. The outlet cross-sectional width is larger than the inlet cross-sectional width, such that the paint that deposits on the second surface is positioned relative to the longitudinal axis to be re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint.
In one aspect, the conduit portion terminates along the longitudinal axis at the outlet.
In another aspect, the single-piece body further includes a shroud spaced radially outward from the conduit portion to define a gap therebetween, with the shroud being disposed about the longitudinal axis for surrounding the conduit portion.
In another aspect, the second surface includes a frustoconical surface to define an inner diameter that linearly increases from the inlet cross-sectional width to the outlet cross-sectional width.
In another aspect, the first passage includes first and second ends along the longitudinal axis with the second end positioned downstream of the first end, and the conduit portion includes a cylindrical surface having a constant inner diameter along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end.
In another aspect, the frustoconical surface and the cylindrical surface are positioned coaxially relative to one another.
In another aspect, the frustoconical surface is disposed 60 degrees relative to the frustoconical surface.
In another aspect, the first and second surfaces face the longitudinal axis.
According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a paint spray system includes a reservoir of paint and a paint spray nozzle having a single-piece body. The single-piece body includes a conduit portion having a first surface, which defines a first passage that terminates at an orifice along a longitudinal axis. The single-piece body further includes a second surface, which defines a second passage along the longitudinal axis, with the second passage fluidly connected to the orifice and the orifice being configured to direct the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage. The second surface defines an inlet cross-sectional width positioned at the orifice and an outlet cross-sectional width positioned at an outlet, with the inlet and the outlet being spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis. The outlet cross-sectional width is larger than the inlet cross-sectional width, such that the paint that deposits on the second surface is positioned relative to the longitudinal axis to be re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint. At least a portion of the second surface comprises a paint repellant material. The paint spray system further includes a pump for pumping paint from the reservoir to the paint spray nozzle.
In one aspect, the paint repellant material is a hydrophobic material or a hydrophilic material.
In another aspect, the paint repellant material is a coating bonded to the second surface.
In another aspect, the coating includes at least one of a polyurethane, a nano-particle, and a fluorinated hydrocarbon.
In another aspect, the second surface includes an inlet surface portion adjacent to the orifice and an outlet surface portion adjacent to the outlet, and the coating covers an entirety of the inlet surface portion.
In another aspect, the outlet surface portion is free of the coating.
In another aspect, the second surface includes a plurality of capillary grooves spaced radially from one another about the longitudinal axis for drawing paint toward the orifice and a flow of paint therethrough.
In another aspect, the conduit portion terminates along the longitudinal axis at the outlet.
In another aspect, the single-piece body further includes a shroud spaced radially outward from the conduit portion to define a gap therebetween, with the shroud being disposed about the longitudinal axis for surrounding the conduit portion.
In another aspect, the second surface includes a frustoconical surface that defines an inner diameter that linearly increases from the inlet cross-sectional width to the outlet cross-sectional width.
According to several aspects of the present disclosure, a method is provided for operating a paint spray nozzle. The paint spray nozzle includes a single-piece body having a conduit portion. The conduit portion includes a first surface defining a first passage, which terminates at an orifice along a longitudinal axis. The conduit portion further includes a second surface that defines a second passage along the longitudinal axis. The second passage is fluidly connected to the orifice, and the second surface defines an inlet cross-sectional width positioned at the orifice and an outlet cross-sectional width positioned at an outlet. The inlet and the outlet are spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis. The outlet cross-sectional width is larger than the inlet cross-sectional width. The method includes the orifice directing the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage, and the second surface positions paint deposited on the second surface relative to the longitudinal axis, such that the paint is re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint.
In one aspect, the orifice directs a cleaning solvent to flow along the flow path through the second passage, and the second surface positions paint deposited on the second surface relative to the longitudinal axis such that the cleaning solvent removes paint from the second surface.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. Although the drawings represent examples, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated to better illustrate and explain a particular aspect of an illustrative example. Any one or more of these aspects can be used alone or in combination within one another. Further, the exemplary illustrations described herein are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limiting or restricting to the precise form and configuration shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description. Exemplary illustrations are described in detail by referring to the drawings as follows:
Referring to
Referring to
The conduit portion 124 further includes a second surface 142 that faces the longitudinal axis 134 and defines a second passage 144 along the longitudinal axis 134, with the second passage 144 fluidly connected to the orifice 132. The orifice 132 is configured to direct the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage 144. The second surface 142 defines an inlet cross-sectional width positioned at the orifice 132 and an outlet cross-sectional width positioned at an outlet 146, with the inlet 126 and the outlet 146 being spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis 134. The second surface 142 is a frustoconical surface 148 with an inner diameter that linearly increases from the inlet cross-sectional width to the outlet cross-sectional width. The outlet cross-sectional width is larger than the inlet cross-sectional width, such that the paint that deposits on the second surface 142 is positioned relative to the longitudinal axis 134 to be re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint. The frustoconical surface 148 is disposed 60 degrees relative to the frustoconical surface 148. The frustoconical surface 148 and the cylindrical surface 140 are positioned coaxially relative to one another. It is contemplated that other examples of the second surface can be angularly spaced relative to the cylindrical surface by more or less than 60 degrees.
As shown in
Referring to
Also, in this example, the inlet surface portion 256 of the second surface 242 includes a plurality of capillary grooves 260 spaced radially apart from one another about the longitudinal axis 234 for drawing, by capillary action, paint toward the orifice 132 where the flow of paint can re-absorb paint deposited on the second surface 242. Each groove can be linear and have a constant width along its length from the outlet surface portion 258 to the orifice 232. It is contemplated that other examples of the groove can be non-linear and/or have a width than decreases or increases from the outlet surface portion to the orifice.
Referring to
At block 304, the pressure source 108 moves paint from the reservoir 102 through the applicator device 104 and the nozzle 120, in response to the pressure source 108 receiving power from the power source 108.
At block 306, the first passage 130 and the orifice 132 of the nozzle 120 direct the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage 144.
At block 308, the second surface 142 positions paint deposited onto the second surface 142 relative to the longitudinal axis 134, such that the paint is re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint. In this non-limiting example, the second surface 142 defines the second passage 144 along the longitudinal axis 134, with the second passage 144 fluidly connected to the orifice 132. The orifice 132 is configured to direct the paint to flow along a flow path through the second passage 144. The second surface 142 defines the inlet cross-sectional width positioned at the orifice 132 and the outlet cross-sectional width positioned at an outlet 146, with the inlet 126 and the outlet 146 being spaced from one another along the longitudinal axis 134. The second surface 142 is the frustoconical surface 148 with the inner diameter that linearly increases from the inlet cross-sectional width to the outlet cross-sectional width. The outlet cross-sectional width is larger than the inlet cross-sectional width, such that the paint that deposits on the second surface 142 is positioned relative to the longitudinal axis 134 to be re-absorbed into the flow path of the paint. The frustoconical surface 148 is disposed 60 degrees relative to the frustoconical surface 148, and the frustoconical surface 148 and the cylindrical surface 140 are positioned coaxially relative to one another.
At block 310, during a process for cleaning the conduit portion 124, the first passage 130 and the orifice 132 of the nozzle 120 directs a cleaning solvent to flow along the flow path through the second passage 144.
At block 312, similar to block 308 during a process for applying a coat of paint to a surface, e.g. a surface of a component of a vehicle, the second surface 142 of the nozzle 120 positions paint deposited on the second surface 142 relative to the longitudinal axis 134 such that the cleaning solvent removes any remaining paint on the second surface 142.
With regard to the media, processes, systems, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes may be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps may be performed simultaneously, that other steps may be added, or that certain steps described herein may be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes herein are provided for the purpose of illustrating certain embodiments, and should in no way be construed so as to limit the claims.
Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims.
All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their plain and ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary in made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.
