MX2007010183A - Electronic spray coating control device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an electronic spraycoating control device implementing spraycoating methods and containing at least one manually driven program selecting ele??ment to select programs from two different groups of programs, further containing a plurality of manually driven parameter setting elements and display units to automatically display the adjusted parameter references values.

Description

ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR SPRAYING FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an electronic control device for spray coating with which the spray coating processes are implemented as claimed in the preamble of claim 1. The control device controls the spray units which spray the coating materials on the objects that are going to be coated. The coating material can be a liquid, for example a paint or the like, or preferably a coating powder. The coating material is sprayed on an object to be coated and then permanently bonded thereto through heat. There are spray units with or without high-voltage electrodes to electrostatically charge the coating material. In addition, there are triboelectric spray units for coating powders wherein the coating powder is loaded by its friction against a pipe wall. The spray units can be manually operated (normal guns) or can support on a support (automatic guns). These are also called manual pistols in the first case and automatic pistols in the second case even though they do not have the form of guns but for example they are tubular or block-shaped fitted with several openings in the nozzle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION U.S. Patent 4,324,361 shows an electrostatic spraying unit for spraying a powder coating powder onto the objects. The unit comprises high voltage electrodes for electrostatically charging the coating material, an air duct for compressed air that improves the atomization of the coating powder, and a pressurized duct to produce an air envelope around the coating powder cloud. The air envelope can also be used to impart a specific form of the dust cloud. Ultimately, this kind of pressurized air is also called "formation air". US Pat. No. 4,289,278 shows an electrostatic powder coating device fitted with an electrode in a compressed air duct. U.S. Patent 4,090,666 discloses a spray unit where the coating powder is triboelectrically charged. U.S. Patent 4,941,778 shows a spray coating unit with an electronic control. The patent US 4,357,900 discloses a spray coating equipment comprising several spray units in the form of automatic guns and with various electronic controls. European patent documents EP 0 706 102 B1 and 0 899 018 B1 show an overlapping control in which several control implements are hooked each of which is connected to at least one spray unit. Until now, different control devices have been conventionally used for automatic spray units (automatic spray guns) and for manual spray guns (manual spray guns). However, the control implements for the automatic spray units can also be used for the manual spray units. But both the quality and the efficiency of the coating are more affected by the experience of the operator with respect to the manual spray units. Therefore, unlike the control devices for the automated spray units, the control devices for the manual spray units contain spray coating programs which not only have variable parameters, but also have fixed parameters. The fixed parameters are those especially critical for the quality and / or efficiency of the coating and it requires a lot of experience to establish the values of the parameter, for example the voltage of the high-voltage electrodes used to electrostatically charge the coating material, and also preferably the electrode current. The fixed parameters are established with the values that were empirically found to be especially advantageous. Said feature, however, implies the disadvantage that the customer needs at least two different control devices. The objective of the present invention is to offer an engineering solution whereby the customer's operation of the spray coating should be simple and more economical while maintaining good coating quality and high coating efficiency. This problem is solved by the features of claim 1 of the present invention. In addition, the features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention is elucidated below in relation to the drawings and preferred illustrative implementations. Figure 1 is a schematic front view of an electronic spray coating control device of the invention for implementing spray coating methods, Figure 2 schematically shows a spray coating unit fitted to a control device of the invention. , and Figure 3, schematically shows a spray coating installation connected to at least one control device of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION To implement the spray coating methods, the spray coating control device 2 of the invention shown in Figure 1 contains a plurality of programs of a first group of programs containing several adjustable parameters; furthermore, manually operated parameter adjustment elements 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 to establish the reference values of the parameter; and optical units for displaying parameters 20, 22, 24, 26 to automatically display the group of reference values of the parameter and the current values of the parameter. Preferably the adjustment elements of parameter 4 through 18 and display units 20 through 26 are all located in the same operation panel 28 of control device 2.

Preferably, annotations or symbols of the parameters are placed in the operation panel 28, for example in the form of a cloud symbol 32 for the regime of the coating powder fed to a sprayer unit (spray gun); a symbol 34, for an object in an air flow, such as the annotation for the total amount of air, where the coating powder is automatically fed to the atomizer unit; a symbol 36 in the form of letters μA for the spray current of the electrode of one or more high-voltage electrodes of the spray unit; a symbol 38 in the form of the letters kV for the voltage at a minimum of a high-voltage electrode; a symbol 40 having one or more arrows pointing upwards on a transverse bar for the flow rate of fluidized compressed air flowing to a container to release the coating powder therein or to fluidize it; and a symbol 42, in the form of an arrow within a rectangle, for the rinsing air of the electrode for rinsing the high voltage electrode with compressed air. Obviously different or additional parameters can be provided, for example compressed air forming to form the coating cloud sprayed by the spray unit. Preferably the adjustment elements of the parameter are keys, preferably mechanical, keys that respond to pressure. In other embodiments, said keys may also be capacitive or inductive or touch sensitive keys. The embodiment of Figure 1 comprises two key type adjustment elements 4,6; 8.10; 12.14; for each parameter, in each case an adjustment element is denoted by a minus sign and the other by a plus sign. The actuation of the plus sign element (+) raises the value of the particular parameter and the actuation of the minus sign element (-) lowers it. One of the display units 20, 22, 24, or 26 is associated with the minus and plus signs of the same parameter. Preferably said display units are bright, preferably multi-segment light displays. Figure 1 shows that not only one, but two symbols 36 and 40 representing two parameters are assigned to the display unit 24 and to two related adjustment elements (keys) 12 and 14. Similarly, not only one but two symbols 38 and 42 are assigned for two parameters to the display unit 26 and to the two related adjustment elements (plus and minus keys) 16, 18. In each of the two display units 24 and 26, the particular parameter of the second symbol 40 with respect to 42 is stored in another memory plane than the parameter of other symbols 32, 34, 36, 38. knuckle, preferably a key 44, allows particular total changes between said planes in order to activate the particular parameters of any plane. The control device 2 of the invention comprises, in addition to the programs of the first group of programs (not shown), also at least one, preferably several and illustratively three programs of a second group of programs (not shown) of the which at least one program comprises an adjustable parameter and a fixed parameter. Furthermore, the invention comprises at least one program selector element for alternatively connecting any program of the first group of programs or of a second group of programs. In the embodiment illustrative of Figure 1, there is a program selector element that acts as the selector element of the program group 46 to activate the first group of programs and three program selector elements 48, 50 and 52 to activate each program particular of the second group of programs, preferably in the form of keys 46, 48, 50, 52. The keys 46, 48, 50, 52 that select a series of groups and that select a program are preferably mechanical, pressure sensitive keys.

However, you can also use capacitive or inductive keys as well as soft touch sensors. The first group of programs is selected by manually pressing the selector element of the program group 46. A further key (+) 54 and a minus key (-) 56 are associated as program switching elements for the selector element of the program group. Each time the program switch key plus (+) 54 is pressed, another program group is activated in a predetermined ascending sequence, and each time the other program switch key 56 is pressed, another program of the first group of programs is activated in descending order, inverse. The particular program that is activated is displayed in an optical program display unit 58, for example in the form of a program number. Preferably, the program display unit 58 is a luminous indicator, preferably a seven-segment luminous display. The program selector elements 46, 48, 50 and 52 in the form of keys are preferably configured in a rectangular arrangement, preferably on the edge, in the form of a rhombus. The selector element of the program group 46 is configured in the upper corner and its two associated minus keys and plus 54 and 56 are mounted to the right and left of this. The display unit of the program 58 is located above said keys 54 and 56. Illustratively, the selector element of the program group 46 that selects the first group of programs is denoted by the symbol "P". The program selector elements each selecting a particular program from the second group of programs are denoted by symbols indicating the type of spray coating attempted by their selected programs. Illustratively, the selector program of the element 48 is shown with a cloud and a vertical bar denoting a suitable coating program for a basic or primary coating. The symbol of the second program selector element 50 is for a appropriate program for objects with complex shape, for example multi-staggered objects. And the third program selector element 52 of the second group is denoted by two vertical lines indicating a program that also implements, higher coatings. These three program selector elements 48, 50, 52 of the second group of programs also contain the symbol of a powder spray coating cloud .. Once the first group of programs has been selected by pressing the group selector element of programs 46, the values of all parameters 32, 34, 36, 38, 40 and 42 can be established. Once the value of the parameter has been established, the display units of parameters 20, 22, 24 and 26 each indicate the reference value of the parameter. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the control device 2 is designated in such a way that the current value of the given parameter, instead of the reference value, is indicated after a given time interval. By pressing one of the program selector elements 48, 50, 52, a program associated with the particular item selection program is selected that illustratively contains the adjustable parameters 32, 34 as those to be established, and which additionally contain at least minus one additional parameter, for example parameters 36 and 38 in the form of high voltage and the current in this voltage as a fixed parameter. In other words, these two fixed parameters 36 and 38 of the second group of programs are adjustable parameters in the first group of parameters. The parameters of the first group of programs and those of the second group of programs are in fact the same and these can also be adjusted to the adjustment elements of parameter 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and can be indicated in addition to the same display units of parameters 20, 22, 24 and 26, without However, these can be of different values because the parameter values of the first group of programs are stored in different memory locations than in the values of the parameters of the second group of programs. Preferably, the operation panel 28 consists of a flat structure of a single layer or multiple layers. The adjustment and selection elements as well as the display units are preferably integrated into a planar structure of the control panel 28. This display and control panel 28 is sub-divided into a programming area 60 and a parameter area 62 which can be distinguished visually. The area of the parameter 62 is located on the programming area 60. The exchange key 44 is placed between said two areas 60 and 61. All the programs of the selected element 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 56 and the program display 58 are configured in programming area 60. Programming area 60 can be extended laterally to further include a switch element ON (ON) 64 and a switch element OFF (OFF) 66, which preferably should also be keys, also preferably a special key 68 for special functions. The parameter display units 20, 22, 24 and 26, in addition to the parameter adjustment elements 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and the symbols of the parameters 32, 34, 36, 38 , 40, 42 are located in the area of the parameter 62. Preferably, the area of the parameter 62 is in turn sub-divided into four sub-areas two of which are superposed one on top of the other and two of which are laterally joined. As a result, the operating elements and display units can be completed easily and ergonomically. The control device is adjusted with an electrical power terminal 70, and a compressed air inlet 72, to receive the electrical energy and the compressed air respectively. The control device also adjusts to at least one output of energy 74 and at least two or for example three or four compressed air outlets 76, 77, 78, 79, 80 to apply compressed air in a regular manner. Figure 2 schematically shows the control device of Figure 1 which is connected to the spray coating unit 82, an injector 84 and a dust container 86. The compressed air of the compressed air outlet 76 of the control device 2 it serves as an air conveyor which, inside the injector 84, draws the coating powder out of the powder container and feeds it through the powder line 88 to the spray coating unit 82. In the injector 84, the air compressed air outlet 77 of the control device 2 is fed to the powder flow and to the air conveyor to improve the transport of the powder to the spray coating unit 82. The compressed air of the compressed air outlet 78 of the control device 2 flows through a perforated base of container 87 and releases and returns fluid to powder container 86. Compressed air from the air outlet com Fig. 79 of the control device is illustratively used to rinse the electrodes in the spray unit 82. The compressed air in the compressed air outlet 80 of the control device 2 illustratively serves as the maximum air capacity for the spray powder coating through the spray unit 82. As shown in Figure 3, the control device 2 can not only control the spray unit 82, but also the positioning means 90 for example an adjustable location or a robot supporting the unit sprayer 82 and capable of pointing in different directions with respect to an object 92 within spray booth 94. Various control devices 2 of the invention may also be mounted to an elevated control unit for controlling several spray coating units 82 as a function of the class and transport position particular of the objects 92 to be coated with respect to the spray booth 94. Figure 3 schematically shows a transport system 96 that moves the objects 92 to be coated through the spray booth in the direction 98. The spray booth 94 can to be adjusted with an object recognition sensor 100. The objects 92 to be coated can be adjusted with an identification tag 102.

Claims (10)

1. An electronic spray coating control device that implements a spraying method and that contains: a plurality of programs of a first group of programs each having different adjustable parameters; manually driven parameter adjustment elements for setting the reference values of the parameters for the adjustable parameters; optical display units for automatically displaying the set parameter reference values, characterized in that: at least one program, of a second group of programs, comprising at least one adjustable parameter and at least one fixed parameter; at least one manually operated program selector element for alternatingly connecting any of the programs of the first group of programs or the second group of programs. The control device according to claim 1, further characterized in that the minimum of an adjustable parameter of the second group of programs is also an adjustable parameter of the first group of programs; the minimum of a fixed parameter of the second group of programs is an adjustable parameter of the first group of parameters; storage sites are provided wherein the reference values of the parameter of the first group of programs and the reference values of the parameter of the second group of programs can be stored in memory independently of one another; the reference values of the adjustable parameter of the second group of programs can be set in the same parameter adjustment elements of the particular parameters as the reference values of the adjustable parameter of the first group of programs and can be displayed in them related display units of the particular parameters such as the parameter reference values of the adjustable parameters of the first group of programs, and that at least one of the two values of the parameter, mainly reference value or current value of the fixed parameter, can to be displayed in the display unit of the same variable parameter of the first group of programs provided that when a program of the second group of programs was selected to the minimum of a program selector element instead of a program form of the first group of programs. The control device according to any of claims 1 and 2, further characterized in that it comprises a program group selector element that is selected as a program selector element for selecting the first group of programs instead of the second group of programs. programs and in which two program switch elements are configured near this program group selector element, each activation of one of these program switch elements triggers another program of the first group of programs and with each actuation of another program switch element it is another program of the first group of programs in reverse sequence is operated, and said control unit also comprises an optical indicator to show the particular program activated of the first group of programs. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that in each program of the second group of programs it is adjusted to its own program selector element which when manually activates the activation of the particular program of the second group of programs. programs despite the fact that the other program of the second group of programs or a program of the first group of programs have been activated in the face of said driving action, the activation of a program automatically deactivates all other programs. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the minimum of the program selector element in each case must be a mechanical key sensitive to pressure. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the parameter adjustment keys are pressure sensitive mechanical keys. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized by optically recognizable parameter symbols configured in or adjacent to the parameter adjustment elements and which symbolizes the nature of the parameters, preferably by means of parameter symbols illuminated or self-luminous. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the parameters are stored in different levels activated alternately. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the display units are light indicators, preferably multi-segment light indicators. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that the program setting elements, the display units and the minimum of a program selector element are configured in an operation panel and are preferably integrated in a flat structure. The control device according to claim 10, further characterized in that the operation panel is subdivided into an area of programs and an area of parameters in an optically recognizable way, the parameter area is configured above the program area, in which the minimum of a program selector element is configured in the program area, and in which all the elements of the program Parameter settings are configured in the parameter area. The control device according to one of the preceding claims, further characterized in that said display units are designated in a manner that until the activation of the parameter they will first automatically display their reference value and then, from a predetermined time interval , they will automatically be exchanged to display the current value of the parameter.