US 6,543,490 B1 · Aerosol colorant charging system and method

Abstract

A method and apparatus (10) for custom blending spray paints. A customer provides a sample (S) of a color to be matched. The sample is tested on a spectrophotometer to determine the colors needed to match the sample; or if the paint formula is known, it is entered into the apparatus. A computer control (16) causes metered quantities of each colorant to be pumped from a reservoir (50) to a manifold (68). From the manifold, paint is injected through a filling head (46) into a discharge valve (V) and dip tube (P) of a precharged aerosol container (C) to be filled. Solvent from a tank (74) is used between a final injection of colorant to flush out the manifold and a dip tube (P) of the container. After the colors have been injected into the container, the container is shaken so that the colors intermix with each other to produce a paint of the desired custom color which is readily sprayed from the container.

Claims20

Dependent claims

Apparatus for custom blending a paint of a desired color which is stored, under pressure, in an aerosol container comprising:

colorant supply means for supplying colorants of different colors to fill the aerosol container and including means metering the amount of each color supplied to the container, the different colorants, together with other paint components already in the aerosol container, producing the desired paint color when mixed together;
control means for controlling operation of the colorant supply means to meter an appropriate quantity of each selected colorant required to produce the desired color;
and,
injection means for injecting the metered quantities of each colorant from the colorant supply means into the pressurized aerosol container through a fluid discharge valve of the container, the colors injected into the container, when mixed together in the pressurized aerosol container, producing the desired color, with the aerosol container enabling a user to spray paint of the desired color onto an object.

1 more element

Paint mixing apparatus for custom blending a paint of a desired color which is stored in a precharged, pressurized aerosol container comprising:

colorant supply means for supplying colorants of different colors to tint a base paint within the aerosol container and including means for metering the amount of each colorant supplied to the container, the different colorants and base paints producing the desired paint color when mixed together;
measuring means for measuring the size of an aerosol container to be filled with the different colorants so the volume of the aerosol container can be determined;
control means for controlling operation of the colorant supply means to meter an appropriate quantity of each selected colorant required to produce the desired color, the control means being responsive to the measuring means to determine the volume of the aerosol container and the quantity of each selected colorant to be delivered to the container;
and,
means for injecting the metered quantities of each colorant from the colorant supply means into the aerosol container through a discharge valve of the container, the colorants injected into the container, when mixed together, producing the desired color, with the aerosol container enabling a user to spray paint of the desired color onto an object.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aerosol colorant charging system and method

Life of this patent

Aerosol colorant charging system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20