US 5,288,324 AGranted

Multi-color powder coat paint recovery apparatus

OwnerJack L. Shaneyfeltinventor

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Abstract

A multi-color powder coat paint recovery apparatus that permits rapid color changes in a powder coat operation comprises a rotatable paint booth positioned adjacent to a painting station, with the booth having a plurality of individual paint color chambers angularly spaced around the periphery of the booth. Each chamber has an open outer side and a filter mechanism at an inner side, with the inner side being in communication with an exhaust outlet from the interior of the housing. The chamber further has primary and secondary paint hoppers positioned below each filter mechanism. An air circulating mechanism draws air inwardly from the painting station through the open outer side of the chamber, through the filter mechanism, out of the housing through the air outlet, and then returns the air through a filtered outlet in a plenum chamber behind the paint applicator. Each color chamber corresponds to a separate paint color. Colors can be changed by rotating the booth until the chamber for the desired color is positioned opposite the painting station. Excess paint is drawn downwardly into the paint hopper for each color and is recycled by a vacuum that conveys the paint back to a recycling apparatus for reuse in the system. The parts are painted while they are hot so as to increase paint retention on the parts.

Claims6

Dependent claims

Multi-color powder coat paint recovery apparatus for recovering excess powdered paint particles not deposited on an article being painted by a paint applicator at a painting station, comprising:

a paint recovery booth positionable adjacent the painting station on a side opposite the paint applicator, the paint recovery booth including a housing mounted for rotation about a vertical axis and having a plurality of individual paint color recovery chambers angularly spaced around the periphery of the housing, each chamber having an open outer side and filter means at an inner side, with the inner side being in communication with an air exhaust outlet from the interior of the housing, each chamber further having a paint hopper positioned below the filter means and extending outwardly toward the outer side of the chamber, air circulation means being connected to the air outlet for drawing air inwardly through the open outer side of the chamber, through the filter means, and then out of the housing through the air outlet, the housing being rotatable such that a color chamber corresponding to the paint color being applied can be rotated to a position opposite the painting station, the air circulation means creating an air flow from the paint applicator over the part being painted and through the open outer side of the chamber, over the paint hopper, through the filter means and then out the outlet, excess paint particles entrained in the air falling toward the bin under the influence of gravity, with some particles falling into the hopper, the remaining particles being separated from the air by the filter means, with clean air being discharged from the outlet.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.