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Paint systemRelated Patent Categories: Pumps, One Fluid Pumped By Contact Or Entrainment With Another, JetPaint system description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060193731, Paint system. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] In large paint finishing facilities, paint materials are delivered to application points through a network of distribution pipes. The paint is generally pumped through the pipes from a central location (paint mix room or paint kitchen) designed for handling and storage of flammable and combustible liquids (e.g., solvent-based paints and/or water-based paints.) Various types of pumps are used for this purpose. The paint materials are adjusted to proper viscosity for application and contained in tanks connected to the pumps. [0002] The paint is continually circulated between the mix room and the application points to prevent settling of pigments and metallic particles or similar appearance enhancers (mica, etc.) in the distribution pipes, which would result in sub-standard finish appearance on the painted product. Paint tank agitation methods commonly used to maintain mixing of the paint within the paint mixing vessel may employ a series of paddles, propeller, or serrated disks (FIGS. 2-5) connected to a drive shaft which, in turn, is connected to a gear motor or to a gear reducer and motor. In high volume production facilities such as automotive or similar production, electric motors ranging in horsepower from 1/2 to ten HP, depending on the mix tank size and paint properties are used to drive the agitators at the required speed. [0003] The components of conventional paint agitation systems are generally bulky and expensive, and frequent, complex, and expensive maintenance procedures may be required to maintain these components in working order. Furthermore, the drive mechanism or motor for each agitator increases the cost of operating the paint system as well as increasing the maintenance requirements for the overall system. In particular, systems with multiple paint colors require an agitation means for each paint pot of the system. As the number of paint pots increase within a given system, the operating cost increases accordingly. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0004] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a paint circulating system in accordance with the present invention; [0005] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a mix tank and an associated paint agitation system in FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a mix tank and an associated paint agitation system in accordance with the present invention; and [0006] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional plan view of the mix tank shown in FIG. 2; [0007] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the mix tank and associated paint agitation system shown in FIG. 2; and [0008] FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional plan view of the mix tank shown in FIG. 3. [0009] FIGS. 4 and 5, when combined, disclose an exemplary paint system in accordance with the present invention. [0010] FIG. 6 is a view of the system of FIGS. 4 and 5 in the paint recovery mode. [0011] FIG. 7 is a view of the system of FIGS. 4 and 5 in the line flush mode; [0012] FIG. 8 is a view of the spray gun line flush fluid circuit; and [0013] FIG. 9 is a view of the pump flush fluid circuit. [0014] FIGS. 10 and 11, when combined, is a view of a second paint line within a paint system of the present invention, thereby illustrating a plurality of paint lines within a paint system, particularly when combined with FIGS. 4 and 5. DETAILED DESCRIPTION [0015] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a paint circulating system 510 incorporating a paint agitation system 520 in accordance with the present invention. [0016] Paint circulating system 510 includes a paint mix tank 518 for storing and mixing of the paint, a paint application area 512 (for example, a paint spray booth), at least one paint supply line 514 for conveying paint from mix tank 518 to paint application area 512, and at least one paint recovery or return line 516 for conveying paint from application area 512 to mix tank 518. Circulation of paint between mix tank 518 and application area 512 is provided and managed by a paint flow regulation system, generally designated 515. [0017] Paint flow regulation system 515 comprises an arrangement of known elements, such as pumps, valves, pressure regulators, compressed air lines, and other components necessary for regulating flow of the paint between a paint reservoir (such as mix tank 518 of the present invention) and paint application area 512, in accordance with design requirements of the paint system. One example of such a flow regulation system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,389,149, incorporated herein by reference. Numerous other known configurations of flow regulation system are possible and would be suitable for regulating paint flow in the paint circulating system described herein, depending on design requirements. [0018] Paint recovery line 516 provides a conduit for conveying unused paint from paint application area 512 back to mix tank 518. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 2A, one or more flexible branch lines 516b extend from a main line 516a. Branch lines 516b are fluidly coupled, via suitable piping or tubing, to eductors 522, described in greater detail below. The use of multiple branch lines 516b extending from main recovery line 516a enables multiple associated eductors 522 to be supplied with paint from the main return line. Because eductors 522 are fluidly coupled to paint recovery line 516, the pumps in paint flow regulation system 515 used to circulate the paint through the paint system can also be used to supply paint to the eductors. [0019] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of a mix tank and an associated paint agitation system in accordance with the present invention. Mix tank 518 is provided for storing and mixing paint compounds. Mix tank may include one or more baffles 519 for disrupting paint flow patterns within tank 518, thereby increasing turbulence within the stored paint, in a manner known in the art. [0020] The present invention uses the circulated paint returning to mix tank 518 to agitate the tank contents, using Coanda or Venturi effect eductors to amplify the volume of the returning paint to maintain required agitation of the tank contents, thereby eliminating or reducing the need for separate agitation devices. Referring again to FIG. 2, one or more eductors 522 are positioned proximate the bottom of mix tank 518 where settling of the paint constituents is most likely to occur. However, eductors 522 may alternatively be positioned at any suitable level within mix tank 518. In addition, multiple eductors 522 may be positioned at different levels within mix tank 518, depending upon such factors as the tank geometry and the mixing requirements of a particular paint composition. [0021] The design and positioning of eductors 522 are optimized to produce a high turbulence in mixing tank 518 to prevent settling of pigments and metallic particles or similar appearance enhancers. Eductors 522 are known liquid eductors for agitating chemicals in tanks. One example of a suitable liquid eductor is manufactured by Fox Valve Development Corp. of Dover, N.J. In a Venturi-type eductor, for example, the paint is forced through a narrow or restricted area in the eductor, resulting in an increase in the speed of paint flow. The increased speed results in a reduction in pressure adjacent the accelerated fluid flow. This causes air to be pushed into the lower pressure regions, thereby injecting air into the paint stream. By injecting air into the returning paint stream, the volume of the returning paint stream is amplified, helping to maintain required agitation of the mix tank contents. In this manner, eductors 522 are effective for maintaining a high liquid turbulence in mix tank 518 to prevent settling of pigments and metallic particles or similar appearance enhancers. Continue reading about Paint system... Full patent description for Paint system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Paint system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Paint system or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method and apparatus for controlling microfluidic flow Next Patent Application: Variable capacity compressor and starting method thereof Industry Class: Pumps ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Paint system patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.1543 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Novartis , Pfizer , Philips , Polaroid , Procter & Gamble , 174 |
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