Color changer
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsJames A. Kolibas, William P. Mueller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular color changer provides selected paint colors for spraying and continuously recirculates both selected and non-selected colors. A module is provided for each color to be selected and includes supply and return manifold blocks defining, respectively, portions of a respective universal supply manifold and of respective universal return manifold. Port control valves are utilized to control paint flow therethrough, under normal supply pressures. Solvent and air purge valves are used for cleaning. The changer is particularly advantageous when used in high pressure spraying systems. Modules can easily be added to a basic changer to increase the number of selectable paints.
Claims23
A color changer for selectively controlling introduction of paint in various colors or of various compositions to a paint applicator, said color changer comprising:
- a plurality of color module means, each for normally recirculating paint of one color from and to a supply of paint of said one color when said paint of one color is not being applied and for selectively circulating paint of said one color to said applicator with an excess of circulated paint of said one color, not applied by said applicator, recirculating through the module to said supply of paint of said one color;
- each color module means operatively engaged with an adjacent color module means to define a universal applicator supply manifold and a universal applicator return manifold, through which paints of all selected colors alternately flow;
- and
- each said color module means comprising first, second and third selectively operable valves, a universal applicator supply manifold block and a universal applicator return manifold block, said blocks defining respective paint passages comprising portions of said supply and return manifolds, and said first and third valves being operatively connected to respective ones of said supply and return manifold blocks.
A color changer for selectively controlling introduction of paint in various colors or of various compositions to a paint applicator, said color changer comprising:
- a plurality of supply manifold blocks;
- a universal supply manifold defined by a passageway comprising a series of end-to-end connected bores disposed in a plurality of adjacently mounted supply manifold blocks;
- a universal return manifold defined by a passageway comprising a series of end-to-end connected bores disposed in a plurality of adjacently mounted return manifold blocks;
- one supply manifold block and one return manifold block being provided for each different color of paint;
- a supply valve mounted on each supply manifold block and operatively connected to the bore therein for selectively supplying paint of one color thereto;
- a return valve mounted on each return manifold block and operatively connected to the bore therein for selectively returning paint from said applicator and said return manifold to a supply of paint of said one color;
- a recirculation valve for each color of paint, each recirculation valve operatively connected to a supply valve for recirculating paint of said one color back to a supply of paint of said one color when said color is not supplied to the bore of said respective supply manifold block;
- a recirculation block for each different color of paint and defining a recirculation passageway for recirculating paint to said supply of paint of said one color;
- said recirculation valve and said return valve each mounted to said recirculation block, and operatively connected to said recirculation passageway;
- a respective supply manifold block, return manifold block, recirculating manifold block and the valves respectively connected thereto comprising a single color module means;
- and
- means for operatively connecting together the respective supply manifold blocks and the respective return manifold blocks to form said universal manifolds and to operatively join said single color module means together for selectively providing and receiving respective paints of various colors to and from said universal manifolds.
A recirculating color changer for selectively controlling introduction of paint from respective supplies of paint of various colors to a paint application and for recirculating paint to a respective paint supply, said color changer comprising:
- a plurality of color module means, each for selectively directing paint of one color from a first paint color supply to said application and for returning paint of said one color from said first supply to said first supply when said color is not selected and for returning excess paint of said color to said first supply during painting with said color;
- each said module means defining a respective portion of a universal applicator paint supply manifold, means for conveying paint of a selected color to said applicator, and a universal applicator paint return manifold for returning excess paint of a selected color from said applicator to a paint supply for paint of said selected color.
A color changer for selectively controlling introduction of paint in various colors to a paint applicator apparatus, said color changer comprising:
- a universal applicator supply manifold;
- a universal applicator return manifold;
- a plurality of stackable color changer module means for alternatively supplying paint in respective colors to said universal supply manifold, and for alternatively receiving paint in respective colors from said universal applicator return manifold, said module means defining respective portions of said supply and return manifolds;
- and
- each of said stackable color changer module means further comprising a normally closed supply valve, a normally closed recirculating valve, and a normally closed return valve;
- said supply valve operatively connected to said recirculating valve and normally passing paint from one color supply thereto when closed, said recirculating return valve passing said one color back to the same color supply through a recirculation passageway;
- and
- said return valve connected between said universal applicator return manifold and said recirculation passageway, and operable to pass paint of said one color to said same color supply through said recirculated passageway when said supply valve is opened, said recirculation valve is closed and said return valve is opened.
A color changer for selectively controlling introduction of paint in various colors to a paint applicator, said color changer comprising:
- at least a first paint supply valve means, at least a first recirculating valve means and at least a first return valve means for each color of paint to be selected;
- an applicator supply manifold block defining a supply manifold;
- an applicator return manifold block defining a return manifold;
- said supply valve means operatively connected to said supply manifold block for selectively opening to flow paint of one color thereto;
- said return valve means operatively connected to said return manifold block for selectively opening to flow paint of said one color to a supply of paint of said one color from said return manifold;
- and
- said recirculation valve means for selectively recirculating paint of said one color from said supply valve means to said paint supply when said one color is not selected and said supply and return valve means are closed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.