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US 5,078,302 AGranted
Paint dispensing apparatus
AssigneeFluid Management Limited Partnership
InventorLeen Hellenberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for sealing the colorant-dispensing nozzles of machines adapted for coloring paint base material. Container assemblies of the machine provide storage of the colorants and may include metering apparatus to discharge preselected amounts of colorant through the nozzle into a quantity of paint base material. Flow control valves on the container assemblies block the discharge of colorant material from the metering apparatus. A sealing valve is attached to each nozzle to block the free end of the nozzle against air intrusion.
Claims29
Apparatus for dispensing a metered quantity of colorant from the storage canister into a container comprising:
- a) a metering chamber having an inlet and an outlet and means for withdrawing a determined quantity of colorant from said storage canister through said metering chamber inlet, and pump means for discharging the colorant in said metering chamber through said metering chamber outlet;
- b) flow control valve means at the outlet of said metering chamber for controlling the discharge of colorant material therefrom;
- c) a nozzle having a free end, downwardly extending from the outlet of said metering chamber so as to direct the flow of discharged colorant;
- d) a sealing valve means located at the free end of said nozzle movable between a first, open position and a second, closed position so as to permit a flow of discharged colorant and to seal the free end of the nozzle to prevent intrusion of air therein, respectively, including:
- 1) a body having an internal wall defining an internal passageway through which paint colorant is passed, having an upper portion for receiving the nozzle free end with a close fit engagement thereof, and a lower portion remote from the free end;
- 2) a sealing member in the upper portion for hermetic sealing of the body to the nozzle free end;
- 3) a cylinder disposed in the lower internal passageway portion, defining an aperture through which paint colorant is dispensed, movable between open and closed positions to open and close a path of colorant flow through said body, respectively;
- 4) means for securing said body to said metering means so as to maintain said hermetic sealing between said body and the nozzle free end;
- and
- 5) an actuating arm joined to said cylinder for moving said cylinder between said open and said closed positions.
7 more elements
A machine for coloring a container of paint base material, comprising:
- a plurality of storage canisters for holding paint colorant materials;
- said canisters including metering means associated with each storage canister for withdrawing a preselected amount of colorant material from the storage canister;
- said storage canisters further including flow control valve means with an actuating arm associated with each metering means for controlling a discharge of colorant material from said metering means through a discharge opening of a nozzle;
- a turntable on which said canisters are mounted for rotation about said circular path of travel;
- operating means disposed adjacent said path for delivering metered amounts of colorant material to said container of paint base material;
- said operating means including meter actuating means for actuating said metering means to withdraw a preselected quantity of colorant material from the associated canister and to discharge said colorant material into the container of paint base material;
- said operating means including flow control valve actuating means for opening and closing the flow control valve means to permit selective discharge of said colorant to said container of paint base material;
- said operating means including sealing valve means associated with each metering means, located downstream of said flow control valve means and movable between open and closed positions for permitting colorant flow and for sealing the discharge opening of the nozzle, respectively;
- means for coordinating the opening of the flow control and sealing valve means, operable by said flow control valve actuating means;
- and
- indexing means for indexing said turntable in response to an indexing signal so as to present a preselected container to said operating means.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.