Spray gun converter
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorBrian E. Duncan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Various embodiments of a spray gun converter (100) and a spray gun system that includes such converter (100) are disclosed. The spray gun converter (100) includes a body (102) having a first end (104) configured for insertion into an air passage of a spray gun (11), a second end (106) having a converter fitting (108) configured for connection to a reservoir (30), and a reservoir air passage (110) extending through the body (102) from an inlet end (112) at the first end to an outlet end (114) on the converter fitting (108) at the second end. The spray gun converter (100) also includes a reservoir air control valve (116) that opens and closes the reservoir air passage (110).
Claims21
A spray gun converter comprising:
- a body comprising:
- a first end configured for insertion into a manifold of a spray gun, wherein the manifold comprises a manifold fan air outlet;
- a second end having a converter fitting configured for connection to a reservoir, and
- a reservoir air passage extending through the body from an inlet end at the first end to an outlet end on the converter fitting at the second end, wherein the inlet end is configured to fluidically couple to the manifold when assembled;
- a reservoir air control valve that opens and closes the reservoir air passage;
- and
- a fan air control valve, comprising:
- a threaded spindle extending through the body of the spray gun converter from the first end to the second end;
- a valve plug attached to the threaded spindle proximate the first end of the body. wherein the valve plug is configured to engage with a portion of the manifold fan air outlet;
- and
- a fan air control knob attached to the spindle proximate the second end of the body.
A spray gun comprising:
- a platform comprising a manifold, wherein the manifold comprises:
- a chamber;
- a manifold air inlet fluidly connected to the chamber;
- a manifold center air outlet and a manifold fan air outlet each fluidly connected to the chamber;
- and
- an access fluidly connected to the chamber;
- a spray head assembly connected to the platform and comprising:
- a nozzle fluid passage comprising a nozzle fluid inlet and a nozzle fluid outlet;
- a nozzle center air passage comprising a nozzle center air inlet and a nozzle center air outlet;
- and
- a nozzle fan air passage comprising a nozzle fan air inlet and a nozzle fan air outlet;
- wherein the nozzle center air inlet is fluidly connected to the manifold center air outlet, and the nozzle fan air inlet is fluidly connected to the manifold fan air outlet;
- and
- a spray gun converter comprising:
- a body comprising:
- a first end configured for insertion into the manifold fan air outlet;
- a second end having a converter fitting configured for connection to a reservoir, and
- a reservoir air passage extending through the body from an inlet end at the first end to an outlet end on the converter fitting at the second end, wherein the inlet end is configured to fluidically couple to the manifold fan air outlet when sealed;
- a reservoir air control valve that opens and closes the reservoir air passage;
- and
- a fan air control valve, comprising:
- a threaded spindle extending through the body of the spray gun converter from the first end to the second end;
- a valve plug attached to the threaded spindle proximate the first end of the body, wherein the valve plug is configured to engage with a portion of the manifold fan air outlet;
- and
- fan air control knob attached to the spindle proximate the second end of the body.
A method for converting a gravity-fed spray gun to a pressure- assisted spray gun, the method comprising:
- inserting a spray gun converter into a manifold of the gravity-fed spray gun, the spray gun converter comprising:
- a body comprising:
- a first end configured for insertion into a manifold of a spray gun, wherein the manifold comprises a manifold fan air outlet;
- a second end having a converter fitting configured for connection to a reservoir, and
- a reservoir air passage extending through the body from an inlet end at the first end to an outlet end on the converter fitting at the second end, wherein the inlet end is configured to fluidically couple to the manifold when assembled;
- a reservoir air control valve that opens and closes the reservoir air passage;
- and
- a fan air control valve, comprising:
- a threaded spindle extending through the body of the spray gun converter from the first end to the second end;
- a valve plug attached to the threaded spindle proximate the first end of the body, wherein the valve plug is configured to engage with a portion of the manifold fan air outlet;
- and
- a fan air control knob attached to the spindle proximate the second end of the body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.