Automotive coating treatment apparatus with plural radiant lamps
AssigneeBGK Finishing Systems, Inc.
InventorsJames S. Nelson, Scott L. Angell, Jack E. Mannerud, Charles H. Bergman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body is disclosed. The apparatus includes radiant heating elements for generating radiant heat. Controls separately control zones of the elements in response to characteristics of the body to uniformly heat treat the body.
Claims20
An automobile body coating treatment apparatus for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body, said apparatus comprising:
- wall means for defining a volume sized to receive an automobile body of predetermined dimensions and having an applied coating;
- a plurality of stationary radiant heat producing lamps, said lamps grouped in a plurality of distinct zones with lamps of a given zone being controllable independently of lamps of other zones contiguous to said given zone, said given zone controllable for a heat intensity emitted by said given zone being, at an option of a controller, different from an intensity emitted by said other zones;
- and
- control means responsive to predetermined characteristics of an automobile body and positioning of said body in said volume to separately control said zones to uniformly heat treat said coating to a predetermined state of treatment.
An automobile body coating treatment apparatus for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body, said apparatus comprising:
- wall means for defining a volume sized to receive an automobile body of predetermined dimensions and having an applied coating;
- a plurality of stationary radiant heat producing lamps, said lamps selected to have a maximum intensity from about 30 to 150 watts per square inch with said lamps being proportionately controllable between zero and full output, said lamps grouped in a plurality of distinct zones with lamps of a given zone being controllable independently of lamps of other zones contiguous to said given zone, said given zone controllable for a heat intensity emitted by said given zone to be at an option of a controller, different from an intensity emitted by said other zones;
- and
- control means responsive to predetermined characteristics of an automobile body and positioning of said body in said volume to separately control said zones to uniformly heat treat said coating to a predetermined state of treatment, said predetermined characteristics including surface contours of said body and color of said coating.
An article body coating treatment apparatus for heat treating a coating applied to an automobile body, said apparatus comprising:
- wall means for defining a volume sized to receive an automobile body of predetermined dimensions and having an applied coating;
- a plurality of stationary radiant heat producing lamps grouped in a plurality of distinct zones, said zones disposed in contiguous relation along a length of said volume, lamps of a given zone being controllable independently of lamps of other zones contiguous to said given zone, said given zone controllable for a heat intensity emitted by said given zone to be different from an intensity emitted by said other zones;
- said zones sized for a plurality of separately controllable zones to be opposing said automobile body when said body is received within said volume;
- and
- control means responsive to predetermined characteristics of an article body and positioning of said body in said volume to separately control said zones to uniformly heat treat said coating to a predetermined state of treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.