Patent Application
20230264219
This application is a U.S. non-provisional application claiming the benefit of French Application No. 22 01632, filed on Feb. 24, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
The present invention relates to a device for feeding a sprayer with a coating product and/or a cleaning product. The invention further relates to modules forming spare parts for such a feeding device and to an installation for applying a coating product, which includes a robot, preferentially a multi-axis robot, and a sprayer mounted on an arm of the robot and fed with a coating product and/or a cleaning product by a feeding device.
The technical field of the invention is that of the application of a coating product, in particular, by electrostatic spraying, on objects such as motor vehicle bodies, vehicle or household appliance components and, more generally, any object which is to receive a layer of coating product.
In this field, it is known from EP-A-1543883 how to use a valve system to feed a sprayer with a two-component product, the valve system being mounted close to the sprayer.
It is also known from JP-A-6-246200 to fit in, upstream of a sprayer, a set of paint valves arranged in one or a plurality of rows and which feed a manifold on which an air valve and a solvent valve are mounted. The set of paint valves is voluminous, to the point that the set has to be arranged at a distance from the sprayer, with the interposition of a suction pump. Significant losses of paint and solvent result therefrom in the event of a change of color of the sprayed paint.
On the other hand, it is known from EP-A-1502658 to mount a set of valves and a sprayer at the end of a robot arm. Color-changing valves are arranged in juxtaposed units and open out into a rectilinear and central collecting channel, while being distributed around the channel, in adjacent planes. Such construction is difficult to implement, especially when it involves adapting the construction to the number of coating products to be dispensed or to the nature thereof; e.g., single-or two-component. Mounting or dismounting of one valve unit affects positioning of the other valve units. Furthermore, when the valve set is integrated into the end of a robot arm, the set may hinder the passage of pilot air hoses or of power supply electrical cables for the sprayer.
Known equipment includes application-specific valve blocks, which are sometimes designed according to the end-user requirements for an application installation incorporating, among other things, an associated sprayer and feeder. Thereby, many specific blocks have to be designed and manufactured, which is disadvantageous, in particular in terms of cost price and stock management. Furthermore, such different specific blocks require specific maintenance operations, which is economically disadvantageous.
On the other hand, during the lifetime of an application installation, the device supplying the sprayer with a coating product and/or a cleaning product has sometimes to be upgraded so as to take into account an adaptation of the implemented painting method. With known equipment, such an evolution is complex to implement, and time consuming.
The invention is more particularly intended to overcome such drawbacks by proposing a novel device for feeding a sprayer with a coating product and/or a cleaning product which has improved modularity, to the extent that the device may be easily configured to meet the conditions of use thereof, from standardized elements.
To this end, the invention relates to a device for feeding a sprayer with a coating product and/or a cleaning product, the device including at least one controlled valve, a supply conduit for bringing the product to the valve and at least one conduit for feeding the sprayer from the valve. According to the invention,
By means of the invention, the plate imparts an overall annular shape to the feeding device and supports the different types of modules. The connection modules are used for making a feeding circuit, from the inlet modules, valves and/or the conduits, which belong to the function modules. The inlet modules may be used for an easy connection of the feeding device to the supply pipes for bringing a coating or a cleaning product. The fact that the different modules are removably mounted facilitates maintenance operations and the adaptation of the feeding device to the conditions of use thereof.
According to advantageous but non-mandatory aspects of the invention, such a feeding device may incorporate one or a plurality of the following features, taken individually or according to any technically permissible combination:
The invention further relates to modules forming spare parts for a feeding device such as mentioned hereinabove.
Such a module may be a connection module including a contact face intended to bear, in a removable manner, against one side of the annular plate, an outer face distinct from the contact face and intended for receiving, in a removable manner, at least one function module, and an inlet face opposite the contact face thereof and intended for supporting, in removable manner, an inlet module.
Such a module may also be a function module including at least one pilot-operated valve, at least one internal conduit and means for removably mounting onto an outer face of the connection module.
Such a module may also be an inlet module including a first face intended to bear, in a removable manner, against an inlet face of a connection module and a second face, opposite the first face and through which the inlets of fluidic coupling elements carried by the inlet module are accessible.
According to another aspect, the invention relates to an installation for applying a coating product, which includes a robot, preferentially a multi-axis robot, and a sprayer mounted on an arm of the robot and fed with a coating product and/or a cleaning product by a feeding device such as mentioned hereinabove.
The advantages of such installation are derived from the advantages of the feeding device thereof for a coating and/or a cleaning product.
Advantageously, conduits for supplying control air for pneumatic valves, a connector and/or electrical cables supplying high voltage to the sprayer run through or are housed in a central zone of the feeding device, which is defined by the annular plate.
The invention will be better understood and other advantages of the invention will appear more clearly in the light of the following description of two embodiments of a feeding device and of an application installation according to the principle thereof, given only as an example and made with reference to the enclosed drawings, wherein:
An installation 2 shown in
In practice, and according to an aspect of the invention which is not shown, robots 6 are distributed along conveying axis A4, on both sides of conveyor 4.
As may be seen in
In
Sprayer 8 is rotary and includes a body 82 which defines a longitudinal axis A8, and a bowl 84 mounted apt to rotate about the axis A8 and rotated by means of a turbine (not shown), which is advantageously an air turbine.
In the present example, sprayer 8 is electrostatic and is associated with a high-voltage unit 9 which supplies the sprayer with a DC voltage on the order of −60 kV which electrostatically charges the coating product sprayed by bowl 84 which is rotated about axis A8.
As can be seen in the lower part of
A device 10 for feeding sprayer 8 with a coating product and a cleaning product is interposed between sprayer 8 and a wrist 62 of robot 6 which forms the end of arm 61. Feeding device 10 provides the mechanical interface between wrist 62 and sprayer 8, and feeds the sprayer with coating product and cleaning product.
In particular, feeding device 10 supports sprayer 8 from wrist 62.
10A denotes the front side of feed device 10 which is oriented towards sprayer 8 in the mounted configuration of sprayer 8 on device 10. 10B denotes the rear side of device 10 which is oriented towards robot wrist 62 in the mounted configuration of device 10 on robot 6. Similarly, a side or a front face of a component of feeding device 10, which is oriented towards sprayer 8 in the mounted configuration of sprayer 8 on device 10, bears the same reference as the component plus the letter A, whereas a side or a rear face of such a constituent element, which is oriented towards robot wrist 62 in the mounted configuration of device 10 on robot 6, bears the same reference as the constituent element plus the letter B.
Feed device 10 includes, on rear side 10B thereof, a flange 102 intended for being immobilized on wrist 62 of robot 6 by any appropriate means, in particular by means of an internal thread or screw (not shown).
The flange is circular and centered on an axis A10 which is a longitudinal axis of feed device 10.
In the example of the figures, axes A8 and A10 are not parallel and are secant, which results from the geometry of body 82.
In a variant of the invention (not shown), axes A8 and A10 are parallel.
From flange 102, six tie bolts 104 extend parallel to axis A10, opposite wrist 62, and are each provided with a threaded end 106.
Feeding device 10 further includes an annular plate 110 which is made of an electrically conducting material, such as aluminum, and which forms a frame for feeding device 10. Plate 110 is provided with six through ports 112 each configured for receiving one end 106 of a tie bolt 104. Nuts 114 are screwed onto ends 106 and may be used for immobilizing plate 110 on tie bolts 104. There are six nuts 114, four of which are equipped with a collar 116, which may be used for hooking onto plate 110 a tapped ring 118. Ring 118 may be used for screwing a threaded end piece 88 which forms the end of part 86 of sprayer 8, opposite body 82.
In practice, when it is necessary to mount sprayer 8 on robot 6 equipped with feeding device 10, threaded end piece 88 is aligned on axis A10 and brought close to flange ring 102, then threaded ring 118, which forms a nut with large diameter, is set in rotation in the direction of arrow F1 shown in
For clarity of the drawing, nuts 114 and ring 118 are not shown in
Feeding device 10 further includes six connection modules 120. In the example shown in
Each connection module 120 extends over an angular sector the apex angle a120 of which is equal to 60°.
Each connection module 120 has the shape of a cylinder with an overall trapezoidal base and includes an internal face 122 oriented towards axis A10 in the mounted configuration of the module on plate 110, an outer face 124 oriented opposite axis A10 in the mounted configuration of module 120 on plate 110, and two lateral faces 126 and 128 which each extend in a plane radial to axis A10 in the mounted configuration of module 120 on plate 110. Two adjacent modules 120 mounted on plate 110 are in contact via lateral face 126 of one of the modules and lateral face 128 of the other module.
Each module 120 defines two notches 130 and 132 at the junction between internal face 122 thereof and lateral faces 126 and 128 thereof.
Notches 130 and 132 make it possible to place a connection module 120 bearing on two adjacent tie bolts 104, by engaging the portion of module 120 which defines internal face 122 thereof between the two tie bolts 104, from the outside and along the direction of axis A10, along a direction radial to the axis, until notches 130 and 132 partially cap the two tie bolts 104.
It is then possible to slide each module 120 towards rear side 110B of plate 110.
Each connection module 120 includes a front face 120A and a rear face 1206, opposite the front face thereof.
Advantageously, front and rear faces 120A and 120B of a connection module 120 are parallel.
Advantageously, front face 120A of a connection module is perpendicular to internal face 122, outer face 124 and lateral face 126, 118 thereof.
Advantageously, in the assembled configuration of feeding device 10, faces 122, 124, 126 and 128 of a connection module 120 are parallel to longitudinal axis A10, and front face 120A and rear face 120B each extend in a plane radial to the axis.
In the assembled configuration of feeding device 10, each connection module 120 bears via front face 120A against rear side 110B of plate 110. Front face 120A of a module 120 thus forms contact face thereof with annular plate 110.
As can be seen from
Feeding device 10 includes a plurality of function modules 140 which are each mounted on outer face 124 of a connection module 120.
Advantageously, function modules 140 are arranged so as to form a circuit minimizing dead zones, i.e., sections of pipes which are connected to the circulation circuit of the product, but which are situated outside the flow. Such dead zones, also called “glove fingers”, are filled with product when the system is fed, and have to be cleaned when the system is drained, which represents a loss of coating product. The valves of function modules 140 are thus arranged and controlled so as to limit the presence of dead zones in the circuit.
In this way it is possible to optimize the material balances, hence the product losses during a change of product, and to improve the performance during rinses, in terms of quantity of product consumed and of time.
As may be seen from
Three types of function module are shown in
Function module 140 of a first type shown in the upper part of
Function module 140 includes a body 141 which is, in the general case, made of a synthetic material, e.g., a polyoxymethylene plastic, preferentially in copolymer form such as POMC, or of metal, in particular stainless steel in certain cases. Valves 142 are received in body 141 which defines conduit 143. Four screws 146 cross right through body 141 and are intended to be screwed into corresponding tapped inserts 136 which open onto outer face 124 of a connection module 120 suitable for receiving function module 140. Tapped inserts 136 are made of an electrically conducting material, e.g., steel or brass.
Function module 140 of a second type represented in the middle part of
Function module 140 of a third type shown in the lower part of
In a variant, a function module 140 may include a plurality of internal ducts 143.
Other function modules may be envisaged, with different geometries and/or numbers of valves. A function module, e.g. with a single conduit, may be used instead of one of the modules shown in
The geometry of body 141 of the different function modules 140 is variable depending on the type of each function module.
Screws 146 are made of metal and are hence electrically conducting. The screws may be used for immobilizing, in a reversible manner, function modules 140 on connection modules 120, more particularly on outer faces 124 thereof. The electrically conducting character of threaded inserts 136 and of screws 146 provides electrical continuity between connection modules 120 and function modules 140.
As shown in
As may be seen from
As can be seen in the upper right-hand quadrant of
On the other hand, as may be seen in
The different connection blocks 120 are immobilized on annular plate 110 by means of metal screws 147 which cross right through plate 110, between front side 110A thereof and rear side 110B thereof and are screwed into tapped holes 137 which open out onto front face 120A of each of connection modules 120. The mounting of connection modules 120 on plate 110 is thus reversible or removable; i.e., the connection modules may be removed from the plate if need be.
As may be seen in particular in
Taking into account the electrically conducting character of plate 110, of screws 147 and of inserts 137, mounting of connection modules 120 onto plate 110 makes it possible to provide electrical continuity for the elements, in particular to ground connection modules 120, when plate 110 is itself grounded.
Feeding device 10 further includes inlet modules 150, one of which is shown in perspective from two different angles in
Each inlet module 150 includes a body 151 which is, in the general case, made of a synthetic material, e.g. a polyoxymethylene plastic, preferentially in copolymer form such as POMC, or of metal, in particular stainless steel in certain cases. Each inlet module 150 has the shape of a cylinder with an overall trapezoidal base, with a cross-section similar to the cross-section of a connection module 120. Each inlet module 150 is defined between an inner face 152, an outer face 154 and two lateral faces 156 and 158. Notches 160 and 162 are defined in a manner comparable to notches 130 and 132 of connection modules 120 and make it possible to mount each inlet module 150 on tie bolts 104, as explained hereinabove with regard to connection modules 120.
Bodies 151 of all inlet modules 150 of feeding device 10 are identical, which is advantageous in terms of manufacture and maintenance. In other words, regardless of connection module 120 with which same cooperates, each inlet module 150 keeps the same basic structure.
Body 151 of each inlet module 150 is equipped with fluidic coupling elements 164, inlet 166 of which is arranged on rear face 150B of the corresponding inlet module. Thereby, each fluidic coupling 164 is accessible on rear face 150B of inlet module 150 on which same is mounted.
Seen from rear side 10B of feeding device 10, the different inlet modules 150 have the same geometry with ports 168, some of which are filled by inlets 166 of fluidic coupling elements 164.
Inlet module 150 shown in
Coupling elements 164 may be of different types, in particular same may have different diameters, depending on the nature of the fluid flowing therethrough, such fluid possibly being a coating product, a cleaning product or air.
Metal screws 170 are provided for immobilizing, in a reversible manner, inlet modules 150, each bearing by front face 150A against rear face 120B of a connection module 120. Thereby, face 120B of a connection module is an inlet face letting fluids into the module.
Rear face 150B of an inlet module 150 is opposite front face 150A thereof.
Screws 170 are screwed into tapped holes 137 by the side thereof, which opens onto rear faces 120B of connection modules 120.
As may be seen in the upper part of
Accordingly, taking into account the number and the distribution of coupling elements 164 of inlet module 150 associated thereof, each connection module 120 includes, on rear face 120B thereof, one or a plurality of counterbores 135 which surround ports 133 for receiving male end-pieces 163 of coupling elements 164.
The number and the distribution of coupling elements 164 on each inlet module 150 are determined as a function of the number, the geometry and the distribution of the internal conduits of connection modules 120, in particular receiving ports 133. Thereby, starting from the same body 151, different inlet modules 150 are formed by mounting connection elements 164 thereon, depending on the different connection modules 120 of feeding device 10. In other words, the number and distribution of fluidic coupling elements 164, and hence of inlets 166, varies from one inlet module 150 to another and depends, in particular, on the connection module on which same is to be mounted.
When an inlet module 150 bears via front face 150A thereof against rear face 120B of a connection module 120, and when a function module 140 bears against outer face 124 of the same connection module 120, the connection module connects, i.e. fluidically couples, inlet module 150 and function module 140, by means of conduit(s) 134 thereof.
Feeding device 10 is modular in the sense that same includes as many connection modules 120 and inlet modules 150 as needed for mechanically supporting and fluidically feeding function modules 140 which are useful for the correct operation of sprayer 8.
Such number is equal to six in the example of
Advantageously, each inlet module 150 is equipped, on outer face 154 thereof which extends outer face 124 of the module 120 onto which same is attached, with a label 180 which bears indications 182 for identifying active inlets 166 of coupling elements 164. Given the positioning thereof on the exterior of the annular structure formed by the different inlet modules 150, labels 180 are easily accessible to an operator for identifying the way in which the operator has to connect each inlet module 150 to the fluid feeding pipes of feeding device 10, the pipes being represented, only in
In a variant, only one of inlet modules 150 or some of same have a label 180.
Furthermore, as shown only in the lower part of
Of course, the use of identification rings can be transposed to the other function modules 140, in particular the modules shown in the upper and middle part of
As can be seen in particular in
A coupling 115 is immobilized by a screwed ring 117 in each through port 113 arranged facing an outlet port of a feeding conduit 123 of a connection module 120. Each coupling 115 is thus fed with a coating product and/or a cleaning product.
Thus, it is possible to connect to couplings 115 fitted to annular plate 110, supplementary couplings belonging to sprayer 8, for feeding the latter with a coating product and/or a cleaning product, according to the operating sequences provided for sprayer 8.
Thus, at least some of connection modules 120 have the function of connecting, i.e., to fluidically coupling a function module 140 with plate 110, more particularly with one or a plurality of couplings 115 of plate 110, by means of feeding conduits 123 thereof. Plate 110 thus forms an outlet part or a downstream part of feeding device 10.
As can be seen in
Since the coating product necessarily crosses through plate 110 which is grounded and which is conducting, the coating product is also grounded at the level.
To facilitate identification of couplings 115, and as shown only in
Identification rings 190 are mounted on function modules 140 and on annular plate 110 in a removable manner, by snap-fitting inside grooves 194, during the manufacture of feeding device 10. Depending on possible modifications of such device, the rings can be moved, removed or replaced.
In a variant, other types of labels can be used for identifying valves 142, conduits 123 or couplings 115. The removable mounting thereof on bodies 141 or on plate 110 may be performed by means other than a snap-fitting.
In the mounted configuration of feeding device 10, a central zone Z10 of feeding device 10, which is defined by plate 110 and which extends along axis A10 as far as modules 120 and 150, is left free by the annular structure of feeding device 10. Central zone Z10 may be used for running therethrough conduits feeding fluid, in particular control air, to sprayer 8, or connectors or power cables for the latter. The conduits and the power cables are represented only in
In the example of the figures where sprayer 8 includes a high-voltage unit 9, a connector 200 may be mounted in zone Z10, as may be seen in
In a variant (not shown), if sprayer 8 does not have a high-voltage unit, one or a plurality of high-voltage power cables of the sprayer may run through central zone Z10 through part 86 of sprayer 8, so as to be connected directly to body 82.
As can be seen from
Thereby, screws 146, 147, 148 and 170, and inserts 136, 137 and 149, together form an equipotential track between connection modules 120, function modules 140, inlet modules 150 and annular plate 110 which is made of conducting material. The grounding of the annular plate is thus transferred to modules 120, 140 and 150.
In the second embodiment of the invention shown in
In the second embodiment, feeding device 10 includes only two connection modules 120, two function modules 140 and two inlet modules 150 which are removably mounted by means of screws 147, side by side, on rear side 110B of annular plate 110.
In the second embodiment, the structure formed by modules 120, 140 and 150 does not extend over 360° about the axis A10, as in the first embodiment, but over an angle β equal to about 120°. In the example shown in
As may be seen in
In the second embodiment, a single connection module 120 is provided with a feeding conduit 123. Thus, feeding device 10 includes a single feeding conduit 123 and a single coupling 115 mounted on plate 110.
In a variant, the number of connection modules 120 may be between 3 and 5, depending on the number of function modules 140 needed for operation of sprayer 8. In such case, the number of inlet modules 150 is adapted to the number of connection modules 120.
Whatever the embodiment and according to an aspect of the invention, which is not shown in the figures, a cover surrounds feeding device 10, between wrist 62 and body 82 of the sprayer, so as to protect the sprayer from being soiled during application of a coating product, in particular by paint backflows, sometimes called “oversprays”.
As mentioned above, some of bodies 121, 141 and 151, in particular bodies 141 of function modules 140, may be made of an electrically conducting material, in particular of aluminum or stainless steel, or even of an electrically insulating material. The advantage of a body 141 of a function module 140 being made of conducting material lies in the ability thereof to transmit the electrical potential of the equipotential track formed by screws 146, 147, 148 and 170 and inserts 136, 137 and 149, connected to plate 110, to each of the conducting components included in function module 140, e.g., the fluidic components.
If the body 141 of a function module 140 is made of synthetic material, e.g., plastic material, same advantageously includes metal inserts arranged to form an equipotential path between fluidic elements of function module 140 and screws 146 arranged to be attached in the inserts 149.
In summary, it is plate 110 which allows all fluids which feed sprayer 8, to be brought to the same potential, here to the ground. Bodies 121, 141 and 151 of modules 120, 140 and 150 may be made of electrically conducting or electrically insulating materials, in particular metallic materials. If such materials are electrically insulating, the inserts make it possible to produce an equipotential of all metal parts with each other and with plate 10, which prevents the attachment screws from being at a floating potential. If such materials are electrically conducting, the equipotential takes place without requiring the use of inserts. The choice of materials for bodies 121, 141 and 151 depends on the nature of the fluid or fluids to be conveyed, e.g., if it involves a two-component coating product, and/or on the possible complexity of installing the inserts in the case of electrically insulating materials.
The invention is applicable with an electrostatic or a non-electrostatic type sprayer, whether equipped or not with a rotating bowl.
The invention is shown in the figures in the case where each connection module 120 and each inlet module 150 extends over an angular sector, the apex angle a120 of which, taken about axis A10, is equal to 60°. In a variant, the angle may be different, e.g., equal to 45°, in which case the maximum number of connection modules 120 is eight. Other values of the apex angle and of the number of connection modules may be envisaged.
The invention is shown in the figures in the case where sprayer 8 is used for applying a coating product to a motor vehicle body C. The invention is also applicable where the sprayer is used for applying a coating product to a vehicle component, such as a bumper or a rim, to a housing of a household product or to any other object to be coated.
The aforementioned embodiments and variants may be combined so as to generate new embodiments of the invention.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2201632 | Feb 2022 | FR | national |
