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US 5,407,267 AGranted
Method and apparatus for forming and dispensing coating material containing multiple components
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsDennis Davis, Harold D. Beam, Jeffrey J. Kruke
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for combining multiple components to form a coating material formulation in which one of the components is a resin, another component is a supercritical fluid employed as a fluid diluent, and, preferably, the third component is a catalyst. Two of the components are transmitted through separate flow paths to a first mixer within which they are combined to form a mixture, and then the third component is added to the mixture in a second mixer to form the coating material formulation for discharge by one or more coating dispensers or spray guns onto a substrate.
Claims17
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of resin and supercritical fluid within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form the coating material formulation;
- a first flow path for supplying the resin to said mixer, said first flow path including a first pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of the resin;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure at which the resin is supplied to the mixer, and to provide a signal representative of said pressure;
- a second flow path for supplying the supercritical fluid to said mixer, said second flow path including a differential pressure regulator which is effective to adjust the pressure of the supercritical fluid, dependent on said signal, while maintaining said pressure above the critical pressure of said supercritical fluid.
1 more element
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a resin and a supercritical fluid within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form the coating material formulation;
- a first supply for supplying the resin at a first pressure and a first flow rate to said mixer;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure of said resin within said first supply, and to provide a pressure signal representative of said pressure;
- a second supply for supplying the supercritical fluid to said mixer at a second pressure and a second flow rate, said second supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said second pressure of the supercritical fluid dependent on said pressure signal while maintaining said second pressure in excess of the critical pressure of the supercritical fluid;
- a valve, connected between said second supply means and said mixer, for turning on and off the flow of the supercritical fluid to said mixer;
- a controller for controlling the operation of said valve dependent on said first flow rate of said resin.
3 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a resin and a supercritical fluid within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form the coating material formulation;
- a first supply for supplying the resin at a first pressure and a first flow rate to said mixer;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure of said resin within said first supply, and to provide a pressure signal representative of said pressure;
- a second supply for supplying the supercritical fluid to said mixer at a second pressure and a second flow rate, said second supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said second pressure of the supercritical fluid dependent on said pressure signal while maintaining said second pressure in excess of the critical pressure of the supercritical fluid;
- a controller operative to compare the ratio of said first flow rate to said second flow rate with a predetermined ratio of said first and second flow rates, and to produce a signal representative of said comparison;
- a valve, connected between said second supply and said mixer, for controlling the flow of the supercritical fluid into said mixer dependent on said signal.
3 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a resin, a supercritical fluid and a third component within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a first mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form a first mixture;
- a first flow path for supplying the resin to said mixer, said first flow path including a first pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of the resin;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure at which the resin is supplied to said first mixer, and to provide a signal representative of said pressure;
- a second flow path for supplying the supercritical fluid to said mixer, said second flow path including a first differential pressure regulator which is effective to adjust the pressure of the supercritical fluid dependent on said signal while maintaining said pressure above the critical pressure of said supercritical fluid;
- a second mixer for combining said first mixture of resin and supercritical fluid with the third component;
- a third flow path for supplying the third component to said second mixer, said third flow path including a second differential pressure regulator which is effective to adjust the pressure of the third component dependent on said signal from said sensor.
3 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a resin, a supercritical fluid and a third component within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a first mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form a first mixture;
- a first supply for supplying the resin at a first pressure and a first flow rate to said first mixer;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure of said resin within said first supply, and to provide a pressure signal representative of said pressure;
- a second supply for supplying the supercritical fluid to said first mixer at a second pressure and a second flow rate, said second supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said second pressure of said supercritical fluid dependent on said pressure signal while maintaining said second pressure in excess of the critical pressure of the supercritical fluid;
- a first controller operative to compare the ratio of said first flow rate to said second flow rate with a predetermined ratio of said first and second flow rates, and to produce a first signal representative of said comparison;
- a first valve, connected between said second supply and said mixer, for controlling the flow of the supercritical fluid into said first mixer dependent on said first signal;
- a second mixer for combining said first mixture of resin and supercritical fluid with the third component;
- a third supply for supplying the third component to said second mixer at a third flow rate and at a third pressure, said third supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said third pressure of said third component dependent on said pressure signal from said sensor;
- a second controller operative to compare the ratio of said first flow rate and said third flow rate with a predetermined ratio of said first and third flow rates, and to produce a second signal representative of said comparison;
- a second valve, connected between said third supply and said second mixer, for controlling the flow of the third component into said mixer dependent on said second signal.
7 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a first component and a second component within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a mixer for combining the first and second component to form the coating material formulation;
- a first supply for supplying the first component at a first flow rate and a first pressure along a first flow path to said mixer;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure of said first component, and for providing a signal representative of said pressure;
- a second supply for supplying the second component at a second flow rate and a second pressure along a second flow path, which is separate from said first flow path, to said mixer, said second supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said second pressure of the second component dependent on said signal, and a flow rate adjustment device for adjusting the flow rate of the second component as a function of the flow rate of said first component;
- color changer for introducing a first component of different color into said first flow path.
2 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of resin and supercritical fluid within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form the coating material formulation;
- a first flow path for supplying resin to said mixer, said first flow path including a first pressure regulator for controlling the pressure of the resin and a first flow meter for controlling the rate at which the resin is supplied to said mixer;
- a second flow path for supplying supercritical fluid to said mixer, said second flow path including;
- (i) a second pressure regulator operative to maintain the pressure of the supercritical fluid above its critical pressure,
- (ii) a second flow meter for controlling the rate at which the supercritical fluid is supplied to the mixer, and
- (iii) a valve operative to turn on and off the flow of the supercritical fluid to said mixer;
- an electronic controller connected to said first and second flow meters and to said valve, said electronic controller being effective to receive a signal from said first flow meter which is representative of the flow of resin through said first flow path, and, in response to said signal, to control the operation of said second flow meter and said valve so that a proportionate flow of supercritical fluid is transmitted to said mixer for combination with the resin.
4 more elements
Apparatus for controlling the relative proportion of a resin, a supercritical fluid and a third component within a coating material formulation, comprising:
- a first mixer for combining the resin and supercritical fluid to form a first mixture;
- a first supply for supplying the resin at a first pressure and a first flow rate to said first mixer;
- a sensor operative to sense the pressure of said resin within said first supply, and to provide a pressure signal representative of said pressure;
- a second supply for supplying the supercritical fluid to said first mixer at a second flow rate and a second pressure;
- a first controller operative to compare the ratio of said first and second flow rates, and to produce a first signal representative of said comparison;
- a first valve, connected between said second supply and said mixer, for controlling the flow of the supercritical fluid into said first mixer dependent on said first signal;
- a second mixer for combining said first mixture of resin and supercritical fluid with the third component;
- a third supply for supplying the third component to said second mixer at a third flow rate and at a third pressure, said third supply including a pressure adjustment device which adjusts said third pressure of said third component dependent on said pressure signal from said sensor;
- a second controller operative to compare the ratio of said first flow rate and said third flow rate with a predetermined ratio of said first and third flow rates, and to produce a second signal representative of said comparison;
- a second valve, connected between said third supply and said second mixer, for controlling the flow of the third component into said mixer dependent on said second signal.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.