Media applicator and system and method for applying media

Abstract

A media applicator (1) for dispensing at least two media is proposed. The media applicator (1) comprises media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) with at least one first media outlet (9) for feeding at least one first medium into a spray head (20) and with at least one second media outlet (10) for feeding a second medium into the same spray head. The first medium can preferably be applied by means of a first spray unit (21) of the spray head (20) and the second medium by means of a second spray unit (23) of the spray head (20). Furthermore, a system (20) and a method (100) for applying media are proposed.

Description

Field of the InventionThe present disclosure relates to a media applicator and to a system and a method for applying media.BACKGROUND AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONMedia applicators and systems for applying media are known. The known systems, for example painting installations for painting lines, comprise such applicators in order to dispense media, for example paint paints, and apply them to surfaces or target surfaces to be painted. Media applicators for applying a plurality of different media, in particular different paint colors, are also known. However, different application modes are often required for different media, which cannot be easily realized with a single media applicator.An object of the embodiments of the present disclosure is to provide a media applicator and a system and method for applying media, which make it possible to apply different media in a simple manner in a media-specific manner or in a user- and / or application-specific manner.To achieve this object, according to a first aspect, a media applicator for dispensing at least two media is provided. The media applicator can be designed, in particular, to apply individual or mixed media for application. The media applicator can be designed in particular as part of a media application system or a media application system. In this context, a medium can in principle be any medium which is open to the line or can be applied via the medium applicator, such as in particular liquid, gas, gel, smoke, vapor, powder or a mixture thereof.The media applicator can be designed in particular to apply one or more media in order to apply the medium or the media to a target surface, if appropriate by means of a spray head or outlet nozzle connected on the outlet side. For example, in a particularly selected case, the media applicator can be configured to apply two different media simultaneously. In this case, a mixture of the two media can advantageously form in the spray head. The spray head or the outlet nozzle can be designed in particular as part of the media applicator or else as a separate part. The media applicator can be designed in particular in the form of a bell or gun of a painting installation or a painting system in order to apply one or more paint colors as media and to apply them to a surface or target surface to be painted. In particular, the media applicator can comprise at least one media inlet for connection to a media supply line. In particular, the at least one medium inlet can be designed to be connected to the medium supply line via a screw connection, a rotary connection or a plug connection and / or via a quick-action closure mechanism and to be sealed against the medium.The media applicator comprises media supply lines having at least two media outlets for discharging the at least two media. In particular, the media supply lines can be designed at least partially in the form of throughflow channels which are formed in a main body of the media applicator and extend between at least one median inlet and at least one media outlet. The media applicator can be designed, in particular, to apply the at least two media via a spray head having at least two spray units designed for media-specific application of media.The media applicator for delivering at least two media with a spray head comprises media supply lines with at least one first media outlet for feeding at least one first medium into the spray head and with at least one second media outlet for feeding at least one second medium into the same spray head, so that the first medium and the second medium can be applied with the spray head. The two media are in particular different from one another. Thus, the first medium may be a first paint and the second medium may be a second paint, which together may produce a particular effect such as a metallic effect.The media applicator can be further configured in that the spray head comprises a first spray unit and a second spray unit, and wherein the first media outlet discharges the first medium into the first spray unit and wherein the second media outlet discharges the second medium into the second spray unit, such that the first medium can be applied by means of the first spray unit of the spray head and the second medium can be applied by means of the second spray unit of the spray head.In particular, the media applicator comprises media supply lines having at least one first media outlet for feeding at least one first medium into a first spray unit of a spray head and having at least one second media outlet for feeding at least one second medium into a second spray unit of the spray head. The at least one first medium can be applied by means of the first spray unit of the spray head and the at least one second medium can be applied by means of the second spray unit of the spray head.Thus, different media can be applied with the media applicator in a media- or application-specific manner without having to replace the media applicator or the spray head or spray body.The at least one first medium outlet can be configured to discharge the at least one first medium in a medium receiving region of the first spray unit, and the at least one second medium outlet can be configured to discharge the at least one second medium in a medium receiving region of the second spray unit. In this way, it can be ensured in particular that a specific spray unit of the spray head is assigned to each medium, so that each medium can be applied in a application-specific manner by means of a dedicated spray unit.The media supply lines may be configured such that the at least one first medium and the at least one second medium may be transported via separate paths within the media applicator. By separating the media paths, the risk of mutual contamination of the media can be avoided in particular.The media supply lines may be configured such that the at least one first medium and the at least one second medium may be transported at least partially via common paths within the media applicator. By at least partially utilizing the common paths, the construction of the media applicator can be simplified. For example, different media can be introduced into the media applicator via a common media inlet, whereby the number of inlets required and the complexity of the media applicator can be reduced.The media supply lines can comprise at least one branch which can be separated by means of at least one valve. In particular, the media supply lines can be designed such that the media can be fed into a common media inlet in series or in chronological succession or sequentially. The at least one separable branch can be separated off, for example, before a media change. This can in particular prevent the media from mixing in the region of the at least one separable branch despite the common use of the media inlet.The media supply lines may include at least one central path for transporting media. In particular, the media applicator can have a substantially axially symmetrical main body, wherein the central path can extend substantially along the axis of symmetry of the main body of the media applicator. The central path represents the shortest path between a central media inlet and a central media outlet and can be relatively easily flushed or cleaned.The media supply lines may include at least one peripheral path for transporting media. In particular, the peripheral path may be configured to leave sufficient space between the central path and the remote path for an air turbine to drive the air to the spray head.The media applicator can comprise at least one flushing agent line opening into at least one media supply line. The flushing agent line can be designed, in particular, to be connected to a flushing agent supply in order to flush through the media supply lines of the media applicator, in particular before the media change or before a longer operating interruption.In some exemplary embodiments, the spray head is designed as part of the media applicator. In particular, the spray head can be connected downstream of the at least two media outlets of the media applicator in such a way that the at least two media can be applied by means of the spray head.The spray head can be designed as a dual-rotation atomizing bell with an outer first spraying unit or first rotation atomizing bell and with an inner second spraying unit or second rotation atomizing bell. In particular, the two spray units can be designed such that they can be operated or controlled independently of one another, so that the media fed therein can be applied independently of one another as required.In particular, the media applicator can comprise at least one outer media outlet for supplying at least one media space of the first rotary atomizing cup and at least one inner media outlet for supplying a media space of the second rotary atomizing cup. In particular, the two rotary atomizing bells can thus be supplied with corresponding media for application purposes without having to destroy the substantially symmetrical structure of the dual rotary atomizing bell.The spray head can furthermore be designed as a hybrid spray head. In particular, the spray head can comprise an outer first spray unit designed as a rotary atomizing bell and an inner second spray unit designed as an air atomizer with horn air and atomizing air. In particular, the two spray units can be designed such that they can be operated independently of one another, so that the media fed into them can be applied independently of one another or media-specifically, as required, by means of the rotary atomizing bell or by means of the air atomizer with horn air and atomizing air.According to a second aspect, a system for applying media is proposed. The system can be designed in particular as a painting system or painting installation for applying paint paints. The system comprises at least one media applicator for delivering at least two media according to the first aspect, at least one media supply unit and at least one pump unit. The media feed lines of the media applicator are connected to the media supply unit via at least one media supply line, and the pump unit is designed to convey the at least two media to the media applicator via the at least one media supply line. By means of the system, different media can be applied in different application modes in a flexible manner with a single media applicator.According to a third aspect, a method for applying media is proposed. The method can be carried out in particular by means of a system according to the second aspect with a media applicator for dispensing at least second media. According to the method, in a method step, at least one first medium for discharge from at least one first outlet of the medium applicator is fed into the medium applicator. In a method step, at least one second medium can be fed into the medium applicator for discharge from at least one second outlet of the medium applicator. In one method step, the at least one first medium can be applied by means of the first spray unit of the spray head. In one method step, the at least one second medium can be applied by means of the second spray unit of the spray head. The spray units of the spray head can be designed, in particular, to be operated independently of one another and to apply the at least one first medium and the at least one second medium in each case in a medium-specific or application-specific manner. Thus, by means of the method, different media with different application modes can be applied in a flexible manner with a single media applicator.The invention is illustrated in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the figures, wherein identical and similar elements are provided in part with identical reference symbols and the features of the different exemplary embodiments can be combined with one another.Brief Description of the FiguresIt shows: FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a first exemplary embodiment, FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a second exemplary embodiment, FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a third exemplary embodiment, FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a fourth exemplary embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method according to an exemplary embodiment.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONFIG. 1 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a first exemplary embodiment. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the media applicator 1 has a substantially axially symmetrically embodied base body 2 with a first end 3 and with a second end 4 opposite the first end 3. In the central region of the base body 2, a recess 5 with an air turbine 6 accommodated therein is provided.At the first end 3 of the base body 2, a first media inlet 7 and a second media inlet 8 are provided. At the second end 4 of the base body 2, a first media outlet 9 and a second media outlet 10 are provided.The base body has media supply lines 11 or flow channels which extend between the first end 3 and the second end 4 of the base body 2.The base body 2 further comprises a flushing agent supply line 12 which is connected to a flushing agent inlet 13 at the first end 3 of the base body 2, and an air line 14 which is connected to an air inlet 15 at the first end 3 of the base body 2.The media applicator 1 has valves 16, 16 aand 17, an air ring 18 or adapter at the second end 3 of the base body and a cover 19.Furthermore, the base body 2 has a further flushing agent supply line, which can be controlled by means of the valve 16 aand which leads to the flushing agent outlet 9 a. The first medium chamber 22 can be flushed by means of the flushing agent outlet 9 a.The media supply lines 11 comprise a substantially axially extending central media supply line 11 aand a peripherally extending decentral media supply line 11 b. The valves 16, 17 include a central main needle valve 16 for opening and closing the central media supply line 11 band a central main needle valve 17 for opening and closing the central media supply line 11 a.The first media inlet 7 is connected to the first media outlet 9 via the decentral media line 11 band the second media inlet 8 is connected to the second media outlet 10 via the central media line 11 a.In the exemplary embodiment shown, the media applicator 1 comprises a spray head 20 which is coupled to the air ring 18 at the second end 4 of the base body 2. The spray head 20 is designed in the form of a dual-rotation atomizing cup and has a first spray unit 21 with a first media space 22 and a second spray unit 23 with a second media space 24. The first spray unit 21 is substantially annular and encloses the second spray unit 23, which is axially central.The first media outlet 9 opens into the first media space 22 of the first spraying unit 21 and the second media outlet 10 opens into the second media space 24 of the second spraying unit 23.At the first end 3 of the base body 2, a turbine blocking device 25 is also provided for blocking or blocking and deblocking or unlocking the air turbine 6.FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a second exemplary embodiment. The second exemplary embodiment corresponds substantially to the first exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1, wherein the decentral media feed line 11 bis designed as a branch of the central media feed line 11 a. In particular, the media applicator 1 according to FIG. 2 does not have a separate media inlet for the decentralised media supply line 11 b. Rather, the decentral media supply line 11 band the central media supply line 11 aare designed such that the two media supply lines 11 aand 11 bcan be supplied via the central media inlet 8 and via the central main needle valve 17, respectively.FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a third exemplary embodiment. The third exemplary embodiment corresponds substantially to the first exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, wherein the second inner spray unit 23 of the spray head 20 is designed as an air sprayer with horn air and sprayer air.FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section through a media applicator according to a fourth exemplary embodiment. The fourth exemplary embodiment corresponds substantially to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, wherein the media applicator 1 has a spray head 20 designed according to the third exemplary embodiment (FIG. 3 ).A media applicator 1 according to one of the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 can be designed in particular as part of a system for applying media. In particular, in addition to the media applicator 1 for dispensing at least two media, the system can comprise a media supply unit for providing media for the media applicator and a pump unit. The media supply unit can be connected to the media supply lines in particular by means of one or more media supply lines. The pump unit may be configured to convey the media to the media applicator via the media supply lines.In particular, the media supply lines can be connected to the media connection 8 of the media applicator according to FIGS. 2 and 4 or to the media connections 7 and 8 of the media applicator according to FIGS. 1 and 3.The media supply unit or the media supply lines can be designed such that at least one first medium and at least one second medium can be provided for the media applicator.In the case of a media applicator according to FIG. 1 or 3, the at least one first medium can be introduced into the decentral media line 11 bvia the first media inlet 7 and can be guided to the first media outlet 9 of the media applicator 1. By means of the valve 16 or the decentralised main needle valve, the media guidance to the first media inlet 9 can be regulated or interrupted if necessary.The at least one second medium can be introduced into the central medium line 11 avia the second medium inlet 8 and can be guided to the second medium outlet 10 of the medium applicator 1. By means of the valve 17 or the central main needle valve, the media guidance to the second media inlet 10 can be regulated or interrupted if necessary. Thus, the two media can be discharged via separate media outlets 9 and 10. In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 3, the two media can be introduced substantially simultaneously into the media inlets 7 and 8.In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 2 and 4, the media or media are fed into the media applicator 1 via the central second media inlet 8. For example, a medium can be fed in via the medium inlet 8, the inlet can extend to the front into the bell and from there a secondary line can lead back and into the medium supply line 11. In this case, the same medium can be guided via both outlets 9 and 10. However, if different media are supplied to the media inlet 8 sequentially, a first medium can be discharged with the first outlet 9 and a second medium can be discharged in a temporally coupled manner with the second outlet 10. Nevertheless, the media or media can be guided to separate spray units in which the media or media are fed to the media applicator serially or successively.In particular, a first medium can be introduced into the central medium supply line 11 avia the central medium inlet 8. In this case, the valve 16 can be open, so that the first medium can pass via the branch of the central medium supply line 11 ainto the decentral medium supply line 11 band to the first medium outlet 9. Thus, the first medium chamber 22 of the first spraying unit 21 can be supplied with the first medium.In a further step, for example, the valve 16 can be blocked and the medium or a mixed medium can be introduced into the central medium supply line 11 a. Since the valve 16 blocks the decentralised medium supply line, the second medium cannot reach the first medium outlet 9 but only the second medium outlet 10. The medium is thus guided by means of the common medium inlet 8 to separate medium outlets 9 and 10, so that the two spray units 21 and 22 can be supplied separately.FIG. 5 shows a schematic flow diagram of a method according to an embodiment. The method 100 can be carried out in particular by means of a system having a media applicator for dispensing at least two media according to the first aspect. In particular, the system can comprise a media applicator 1 according to one of the exemplary embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.In a method step 110, at least one first medium can be fed into the medium applicator. In particular, in the case of a media applicator according to FIGS. 1 and 3, the at least one first medium can be introduced into the decentral media supply line 11 bvia the first media inlet 7. In the case of a media applicator according to FIGS. 2 and 4, the at least one first medium can pass via the central media inlet 8 and via the decentral media supply line 11 b(in the open valve 16) to the first media outlet 9.Via the first medium outlet 9, which opens into the first medium space 22 of the first spray unit 21, the first spray unit 21 of the medium applicator 1 can be supplied with the at least one first medium.In a method step 120, at least one second medium can be fed into the medium applicator. In particular, the at least one second medium can be introduced into the central medium supply line 11 avia the second medium inlet 8. In the case of a media applicator according to FIGS. 2 and 4, the valve 16 can be closed in this case, so that the at least one second medium cannot reach the first media chamber 22 of the first spraying unit.The method 100 can comprise applying 130 the at least one first medium by means of the first spray unit 21 or the first rotary atomizing bell of the spray head 20. By means of the rotary atomizing bell, a medium can be applied in a rotary atomizing method, which represents a suitable application method for many applications or media. Thus, a plurality of different first media can be applied by means of the first spraying unit.The method 100 can also comprise applying 140 the at least one second medium by means of the second spray unit 21 of the spray head 20.In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 1 and 2, the second spray unit 23 is likewise designed as a rotary atomizing bell, so that the second medium can likewise be applied in a rotary atomizing method.In the exemplary embodiments according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second spray unit is designed as an air sprayer with horn air and sprayer air. For some applications or media, atomizing using an air atomizer with horn air and atomizing air represents a more suitable alternative to the rotary atomizing method. With the media applicator 1 according to FIGS. 3 and 4, the two different methods can thus be used for the two different media.With the media applicator described above, different media can thus be applied with a single applicator in a flexible and convenient manner. In particular, due to the dual or hybrid spray head, the media can be effected by means of dedicated spray units or spray units designed for the respective application or for the respective medium, wherein the spray heads can also be easily exchanged if necessary.Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been shown in the foregoing description, various changes and modifications may be made. The foregoing embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing description provides those skilled in the art with a plan for implementing at least one exemplary embodiment, and numerous changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents. In addition, according to the principles described here, it is also possible for a plurality of modules or a plurality of products to be connected to one another in order to obtain further functions. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the above-described embodiments are to be understood as exemplary and the invention is not limited thereto, but can be varied in many ways without departing from the scope of the claims. It will be further understood that the features, whether disclosed in the specification, claims, figures or otherwise, individually define essential components of the invention, even when collectively described with other features. In all figures, the same reference numerals represent the same objects, so that descriptions of objects which are mentioned, if appropriate, only in one or at least not with respect to all figures can also be transferred to these figures and exemplary embodiments, with respect to which the object is not explicitly described in the description.List of reference characters1 Media applicator 2 Base body 3 First end 4 Second end 5 Recess 6 Air turbine 7 First media inlet 8 Second media inlet 9 First media outlet 9 a Spül nozzle 10 Second media outlet 11 Media supply line 11 a Zentrale media supply line 11 b Dezentral media supply line 12 Spül medium supply line 13 Spül medium inlet 14 Air line 15 Air inlet 16 Valve 16 a Valve 17 Valve 18 Air ring 19 Cover 20 Spray head 21 First spray unit 22 First media chamber 23 Second spray unit 24 Second media chamber 25 Turbine blocking device

Claims

A media applicator for delivering at least two media with a spray head, wherein the media applicator (1) comprises media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) with at least one first media outlet (9) for feeding at least one first medium into the spray head (20) and with at least one second media outlet (10) for feeding at least one second medium different from the first medium into the same spray head (20), so that the first medium (21) and the second medium can be applied with the spray head (20).The media applicator according to claim 1, wherein the spray head (20) comprises a first spray unit (21) and a second spray unit (23), and wherein the first media outlet (9) discharges the first medium into the first spray unit (21) and wherein the second media outlet (10) discharges the second medium into the second spray unit (23), such that the first medium can be applied by means of the first spray unit (21) of the spray head (20) and the second medium by means of the second spray unit (23) of the spray head (20).The media applicator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the at least one first media outlet (9) is configured to discharge the at least one first medium in a media receiving area of the first spraying unit (21) and the at least one second media outlet is configured to discharge the at least one second medium in a media receiving area of the second spraying unit (23).The media applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) are configured such that the at least one first medium and the at least one second medium can be transported via separate paths within the media applicator (1).The media applicator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) are configured such that the at least one first medium and the at least one second medium can be transported at least partially via common paths within the media applicator (1).The media applicator according to claim 5, wherein the media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) comprise at least one branch separable by means of at least one valve.A media applicator according to any preceding claim, wherein the media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) comprise at least one central path (11a) for transporting media.Media applicator according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the media supply lines (11, 11a, 11b) comprise at least one decentral path (11b) for transporting media.Media applicator according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the media applicator (1) comprises at least one flushing agent line (12) which opens into at least one media supply line (11, 11a, 11b).Media applicator according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the media applicator (1) comprises a flushing agent line which is controllable via the valve (16a) and leads to a flushing agent nozzle (9a).Media applicator according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the spray head (10) is formed as part of the media applicator (1).Media applicator according to claim 10, wherein the spray head (20) is designed as a dual-rotation atomizing bell, in which the first spray unit (21) is designed as an outer spray unit and the second spray unit (23) is designed as an inner spray unit.The media applicator according to claim 11, wherein the first media outlet (9) is formed as an outer media outlet for supplying at least one media space (22) of the dual rotation atomizing cup and wherein the second media outlet (10) is formed as an inner media outlet for supplying a further media space (24) of the dual rotation atomizing cup.Media applicator according to claim 10, wherein the spray head (20) comprises the outer first spray unit (21) designed as a rotary atomizing bell and the inner second spray unit (23) designed as an air atomizer with horn air and atomizing air.The media applicator according to claim 13, wherein the media outlet (10) is formed as a central media outlet (10) for supplying horn air and atomizer air to the air atomizer and the second media outlet (9) is formed as a peripheral media outlet for supplying the rotary atomizing bell.A system for applying media, comprising at least one media applicator (1) for delivering at least two, in particular different, media according to one of the preceding claims, at least one media supply unit and at least one pump unit, wherein the media supply lines of the media applicator (1) are connected to the media supply unit via at least one media supply line, and wherein the pump unit is configured to convey the at least two media to the media applicator (1) via the at least one media supply line.Method (100) for applying media by means of a system (20) according to claim 15, wherein the method comprises at least one of the following steps: - feeding (110) at least one first medium into the media applicator (1) for discharge from the at least one first media outlet (9), - feeding (120) at least one second medium into the media applicator (1) for discharge from the at least one second media outlet (10), - applying (130) the at least one first medium by means of the first spray unit (21) of the spray cop (20), and - applying (140) the at least one second medium by means of the second spray unit (23) of the spray head (20).The method (100) of the preceding claim, wherein the application (130) of the first medium and the application (140) of the second medium are simultaneously performed and the two media mix in the spray head to form a mixing medium.

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