Apparatus for transmitting electrostatic spray gun voltage and current values to remote location
AssigneeGraco Inc.
InventorLawrence J. Lunzer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrostatic spray gun having a self-contained power supply including a high voltage electrostatic voltage and current source, with circuits for monitoring the voltage and current and developing a frequency signal based on the monitored voltage and current, circuits for modulating the frequency signal with a radio frequency carrier and transmitting the modulated-carrier signal to a remote radio receiver, where the signals are demodulated and converted to a digital display representation of the monitored voltage and/or current.
Claims9
A liquid spray gun having a self-contained electrical power supply wherein electrical energy is developed from externally supplied air flow to the spray gun, comprising:
- a) means for developing an electrostatic voltage and current within said spray gun, including means for externally directing an electrostatic field from said spray gun;
- b) means for monitoring said electrostatic current in said spray gun and for developing a voltage signal responsive thereto, said voltage signal being proportional to said electrostatic voltage;
- c) means for converting said voltage signal to a frequency signal, said frequency signal being proportional to said electrostatic voltage;
- d) means for transmitting a high frequency carrier signal from said spray gun;
- e) means for modulating said high frequency carrier signal with said frequency signal;
- f) means for remotely receiving said modulated-carrier signal, including means for demodulating said carrier signal and recovering said frequency signal;
- and
- g) means for converting said recovered frequency signal to a digital representation of said spray gun electrostatic voltage.
In an electrostatic liquid spray gun of the type having an internal self-contained power supply operated from an external compressed air supply, the improvement comprising:
- a) means for monitoring the electrostatic current in said spray gun and developing a voltage signal responsive thereto;
- b) means for converting said voltage signal to a frequency signal, said frequency signal being proportional to said electrostatic current;
- c) means for developing a high frequency carrier signal within said spray gun;
- d) means for modulating said carrier signal with said frequency signal and developing a frequency-modulated radio signal therefrom;
- and
- e) means for transmitting said frequency-modulated radio signal from said spray gun.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.