Spray gun converesion adapter, spray gun and conversion process

Abstract

Adapter (2) for converting a hand-triggered paint spray gun into an automatically-triggerable paint spray gun. The hand-triggered spray gun comprises a gun body (180) having a nozzle through which liquid paint can be sprayed, a sealable air duct for conducting pressurized air towards the nozzle for atomization of the paint, and a counter surface for sealing the air duct. The adapter (2) comprises—connecting means (200) for attaching the adapter (2) to the gun body (180); —an energy supply connector (210, 220) through which the adapter can receive mechanical or electrical energy; —a poppet actuator (230) that can be actuated automatically using mechanical or electrical energy received through the energy supply connector (210, 220); —a poppet (301), connected to the poppet actuator (230) such that actuating the poppet actuator (230) moves the poppet between a sealed position and an open position. After attaching the adapter (2) to the gun body (180), in the sealed position the poppet (301) cooperates with the counter surface such as to block compressed air from entering the air duct, and in the open position the poppet cooperates with the counter surface such as to allow compressed air to enter the air duct. The poppet (301) comprises a sealing surface for sealingly contacting, when the poppet is in the sealed position, the counter surface of the air duct such as to block compressed air from entering the air duct.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.