US 12,168,242 B2Granted

Surface-treatment facility and method for surface-treating vehicle bodies

AssigneeEisenmann SE

InventorHerbert Schulze

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The invention relates to a surface-treatment facility (10) for surface-treating vehicle bodies (12), said facility comprising at least two floor-bound transport carriages (20), each of which comprises a fastening device (18), to which vehicle bodies (12) can be fastened. Each transport carriage (20) can be shifted by means of its own drive that can be carried therewith. The surface-treatment facility (10) also comprises a substantially gas-tight treatment chamber (14) that is delimited by a housing (15). The vehicle bodies (12) can be moved, at least temporarily, in the treatment chamber (12) by means of a relevant transport carriage (20). The surface-treatment facility (10) further comprises a travel region (22), arranged outside the housing (15), in which the transport carriages (20) can be moved, at least temporarily. Furthermore, the surface-treatment facility (10) comprises a gap (30) which is formed in the housing (15) between the travel region (22) and the treatment chamber (14) and through which the fastening device (18) of the relevant transport carriage (20) protrudes if the transport carriage (20) is in the travel region (22) A first atmosphere can be generated in the travel region (22) and a second atmosphere, which is different from the first atmosphere, can be generated in the treatment chamber (14).

Claims12

Dependent claims

A surface treatment facility for the surface treatment of vehicle bodies, the surface treatment facility comprising:

a) at least two transport trucks that are floor-bound, each transport truck of the at least two transport trucks having a fastening installation to which vehicle bodies are able to be fastened, wherein each transport truck is able to be independently displaced by a dedicated drive that is able to be carried onboard each transport truck;
b) a treatment chamber, which is delimited in a substantially gas-tight manner by a housing, and in which the surfaces of the vehicle bodies are treated, and in which at least part of the fastening installations and the vehicle bodies fastened thereto are able to be at least temporarily moved, respectively, by each transport truck in the treatment chamber;
c) a travel region, which is disposed outside the housing, and in which each transport trucks is able to at least temporarily travel, wherein each transport truck is situated in the travel region when at least part of the respective fastening installation and the vehicle body fastened thereto is situated in the treatment chamber;
d) a gap, which in the housing is configured between the travel region and the treatment chamber, and through which the fastening installation of each transport truck protrudes when each transport truck is situated in the travel region;
and
e) a monitoring installation, which is disposed on each transport truck and for checking a spacing of the at least two transport trucks from objects and/or people has a monitoring region, wherein a size of the monitoring region and/or a position of the monitoring region relative to each transport truck are/is variable,
wherein
a first atmosphere is able to be generated in the travel region, and a second atmosphere, which differs from the first atmosphere, is able to be generated in the treatment chamber, and
the monitoring region is smaller when each transport truck is situated in the travel region.

6 more elements

A method for the surface treatment of vehicle bodies, the method comprising:

a) at least two transport trucks that are floor-bound, each transport truck of the at least two transport trucks having one fastening installation to which vehicle bodies are able to be fastened, wherein each transport truck is independently displaced by a dedicated drive that is able to be carried onboard each transport truck;
b) at least part of the fastening installations and the vehicle bodies fastened to the fastening installations are at least temporarily moved, respectively, by each transport truck in a treatment chamber, which by a housing is delimited in a substantially air-tight manner, wherein the vehicle bodies are treated in the treatment chamber;
c) the at least two transport trucks are at least temporarily moved to a travel region, which is disposed outside the housing, wherein each transport truck is situated in the travel region when at least part of the respective fastening installation and the vehicle body fastened thereto are situated in the treatment chamber;
and
d) the fastening installation of each transport truck protrudes through a gap, which in the housing is configured so as to be between the travel region and the treatment chamber when each transport truck is situated in the travel region,
wherein
a first atmosphere is generated in the travel region, and a second atmosphere, which differs from the first atmosphere, is generated in the treatment chamber,
a monitoring installation is disposed in each transport truck and checks, by way of a monitoring region, a spacing of the at least two transport trucks from objects and/or people,
a size of the monitoring region and/or a position of the monitoring region relative to each transport truck are/is variable, and
the monitoring region is decreased when each transport track enters the travel region and/or is increased when each transport truck exits the travel region.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/278,205Filed 11 Sep 2019
Priority: DE 102018123270.521 Sep 2018
Published: US 2021/0346905 A111 Nov 2021
Granted: 17 Dec 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B05B 16/95
Comprising conveying means for moving objects or other work to be sprayed in and out of the booth, e.g. through the booth: the objects or other…
B01D 3/346
The substance being a gas: the gas being used for removing vapours, e.g. transport gas
B05B 12/18
For controlling the spray area: using fluids, e.g. gas streams
B05B 12/32
For controlling the spray area: shielding elements, i.e. elements preventing overspray from reaching areas other than the object to be sprayed