# US 11,440,035 B2 · Application device and method for applying a multicomponent coating medium > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,035 B2 - Document ID: US11440035B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/468,701 - Filed: 2017-12-01 - Published: 2019-10-03 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2016-12-14 - Assignees: Dürr Systems AG - Applicants: Dürr Systems AG - Inventors: Hans-Georg Fritz; Benjamin Wöhr; Marcus Kleiner; Moritz Bubek; Timo Beyl; Frank Herre; Steffen Sotzny - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440035B2 ## CPC - B05B 7/0846: {with jets being only jets constituted by a liquid or a mixture containing a liquid} - B05B 7/061: {with several liquid outlets discharging one or several liquids} - B05B 12/04: for sequential operation or multiple outlets - B05B 13/002: {Machines or plants for applying coating liquids or other fluent materials by inkjet} - B05B 13/02: Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work (B05B13/06 takes precedence) - B05B 13/04: the spray heads being moved during {spraying} operation - B05B 13/0431: {with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces} - B05B 13/0433: {the work being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies} - B05B 13/0452: {the objects being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies} - B05B 15/55: using cleaning fluids - B05B 16/00: Spray booths (arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material in spray booths B05B14/40) - B05B 16/20: Arrangements for spraying in combination with other operations, e.g. drying; Arrangements enabling a combination of spraying operations - B05D 1/02: performed by spraying - B41J 2/1433: {Structure of nozzle plates} - B41J 3/4073: {Printing on three-dimensional objects not being in sheet or web form, e.g. spherical or cubic objects (B41J3/283, B41J3/286 take precedence; building up a 3D object using individual droplets from jetting heads B29C64/112)} - B41J 2/211: {Mixing of inks, solvent or air prior to paper contact} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - B41J: TYPEWRITERS; SELECTIVE PRINTING MECHANISMS, i.e. MECHANISMS PRINTING OTHERWISE THAN FROM A FORME; CORRECTION OF TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS ## Abstract An application device for the application in series of a paint or other coating compositions to motor vehicle bodies or add-on parts thereof has a nozzle print head which contains a plurality of nozzles arranged, for example, in one or more rows, which apply the coating composition to the surface to be coated as continuous jets or individual drops. The nozzle print head is arranged on a multi-axis coating robot. In contrast to application devices of this type known hitherto, the coating composition consists of at least two components which are to be mixed together, such as, for example, 2K paint, which are fed to the nozzle print head via separate supply lines for jointly supplying the nozzles. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: ejecting drops of a coating composition onto surfaces of motor vehicle bodies or add-on parts, the coating composition consisting of at least two components which are to be mixed together, the droplets ejected from a nozzle print head which contains a pair of nozzles arranged side by side which apply the coating composition to the surface to be coated as individual drops, the nozzle print head is arranged on a multi-axis coating robot which moves the nozzle print head over the surface to be coated, the two components supplied to the pair of nozzles by two supply lines, the drops of the components of the coating composition ejected from the pair of nozzles at different speeds of travel and at different times so that the drop that is ejected later meets the drop ejected first in mid-air and mixes therewith. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the pair of nozzles of the nozzle print head targetedly direct the drops of the coating composition or the components thereof at individual points of the surface to be coated, wherein the applied impact points in particular adjoin one another or overlap with one another. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the coating composition is (a) a liquid multicomponent paint, (b) a primer, (c) an adhesive or sealant or (d) a preserving agent, and in each case has at least one batch component and at least one curing agent component that reacts therewith. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that there is provided at least one colour changer which (a) is connected to at least one of the supply lines of the application device or of the nozzle print head and supplies selectable paint components of different colours to the at least one supply line in a controlled manner, and (b) is arranged on a painting robot which moves the nozzle print head relative to the surface to be coated, or (c) is fixedly arranged in a painting booth. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the pair of nozzles each contain at least two passages which lead to a nozzle outlet. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, further comprising imparting a swirling motion to the ejected components by constructive shaping of the pair of nozzles or the supply channels thereof, for the purpose of better mixing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the pair of nozzles of the nozzle print head are controllable in respect of their respective opening and closing times by program control signals for actuating valves of the nozzles. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that longitudinal axes of the pair of nozzles of the nozzle print head, with respect to a plane of a nozzle plate of the nozzle print head, (a) extend perpendicularly to the plane, or (b) extend at an angle to the plane, in particular at different, equal or opposite equal angles of adjacent nozzles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that the nozzle print head includes a nozzle plate which contains, in a plate plane, openings serving as the pair of nozzles, the openings arranged in one or more parallel rows. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, characterised in that there is provided a flushing device for the nozzle print head, which (a) is formed by at least one flushing medium line which leads into the application device or into the nozzle print head and to which the pair of nozzles are connected, or (b) is formed by an apparatus arranged externally in a coating system in the vicinity of a multi-axis robot which moves the nozzle print head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method according to claim 10, characterised in that the flushing apparatus (a) is configured for flushing nozzle passages of the pair of nozzles, or (b) for flushing an outside surface of the nozzle print head or a nozzle plate containing the nozzles, (c) has a collecting device for collecting coating composition or flushing medium ejected from the pair of nozzles during flushing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, characterised in that the at least two passages extend concentrically to one another. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, characterised in that the at least two passages are formed by one annular gap and a central opening.