Color change for powder coating material application system
AssigneeNordson Corporation
InventorsTerrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
Claims13
A powder coating material system, comprising:
- a powder spray gun;
- a first supply of powder coating material and a second supply of powder coating material;
- a powder coating material changer comprising a first inlet that is connectable to said first supply, and a second inlet that is connectable to said second supply, said powder coating material changer having a common feed passage selectively in flow communication with each of said first inlet and said second inlet, said common feed passage having a material changer outlet and a purge outlet, a first supply valve associated with said first inlet and a second supply valve associated with said second inlet, said first supply valve selectively being operable to prevent flow from said first supply to said common feed passage, said second supply valve selectively being operable to prevent flow from said second supply to said common feed passage, and wherein said purge outlet has an associated valve to open and close flow through said purge outlet, said common feed passage has said material changer outlet at a first end and said purge outlet at a second end,
- a pump to transport powder coating material from a selected one of said first supply and said second supply to said powder spray gun, said pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, a pump feed hose that is connectable between said pump inlet and said material changer outlet, a powder spray gun hose that is connectable between said pump outlet and said powder spray gun,
- wherein during a supply mode, said pump is operable to apply negative air pressure to pull powder coating material out of a selected supply through said common feed passage of said material changer and through said pump feed hose and said pump inlet into said pump, and is operable to apply positive air pressure to push powder coating material from said pump outlet through said powder spray gun hose to said powder spray gun, and
- wherein during a purge mode, said pump is operable to apply positive air pressure to said pump outlet to push powder coating material through said powder spray gun hose to said powder spray gun, and to apply positive air pressure to said pump inlet to push powder coating material through said pump feed hose, said common feed passage and said purge outlet when said purge outlet associated valve is open, and said pump is operable to apply positive air pressure to said material changer outlet to flow through said common feed passage and out a selected said material changer inlet to a selected supply when said purge outlet associated valve is closed and a selected supply valve is open.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.