Coloring manifold and valve assembly

Abstract

A paint manifold includes: a body having a fluid channel extending through the body; a first valve having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; a second valve having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; and a third valve having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage. The manifold further includes a paint supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a paint return passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a paint supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a paint return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, and a paint return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve. A paint supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve; and a paint return passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve.

Description

[0001] Citations of Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 583,100, filed on September 15, 2023, and entitled “COLOR MANIFOLD AND VALVE ASSEMBLY,” the entire contents of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to a fluid manifold and, more particularly, to a paint manifold for a robotic paint delivery system including three valves positioned on a common plane and each valve having a valve tip positioned proximate a central paint channel. Background Art

[0004] Robots are known to perform a variety of tasks, including painting objects such as car bodies. For example, a common robotic painting station for painting the exterior surface of a car body in a continuous conveyor and stop station system includes a spray booth, a plurality of painting robots, and an opening / closing robot disposed on its periphery. These robots may be mounted on the floor, wall, ceiling, or side rails. The painting robot carries a spray gun or a rotary applicator for directing atomized paint toward the car body.

[0005] Common paint delivery systems for painting robots will include a paint manifold with multiple valves, which are controlled to selectively provide paint of various colors to a fluid manifold that meters and controls the flow of paint to a paint applicator. Vehicle paint is expensive, so efforts are made to limit paint waste. A way to achieve this is to reduce the amount of paint in the manifold after the painting operation is finished, which is usually removed to the paint pile to clean the manifold for the next painting operation. The distance that the paint must travel through the hoses and passages in these manifolds varies from design to design. A way to reduce the amount of paint in the manifold after the painting operation is finished is to reduce the distance that the paint must travel from the paint source to the applicator. Summary of the invention

[0006] The following discussion discloses and describes a paint manifold, which includes: a body having a fluid passage extending through the body; a first valve extending into the body and having a valve end positioned proximate the fluid passage; a second valve extending into the body and having a valve end positioned proximate the fluid passage; and a third valve extending into the body and having a valve end positioned proximate the fluid passage. Each valve includes a valve stem seal and a valve seat, the valve stem seal having a sealing surface that seals against the body, and the valve seat having a hemispherical surface. The manifold also includes: a fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve, and a fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve.

[0007] Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is an isometric view of a painting robot;

[0009] Figure 2 It is possible to Figure 1 A schematic type diagram of a paint delivery system including a paint manifold and a paint tank for use with a painting robot as shown in FIG.

[0010] Figure 3 It is possible to Figure 1 A schematic type diagram of another paint delivery system including a paint manifold and a pump manifold for use with a painting robot as shown in FIG.

[0011] Figure 4 is a front isometric view of a paint manifold that can be used as Figure 2 and Figure 3 A paint manifold in a paint delivery system shown in ;

[0012] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A rear isometric view of the paint manifold shown in;

[0013] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 A front view of a paint manifold shown in;

[0014] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 A rear view of the paint manifold shown in ;

[0015] Figure 8 yes Figure 4A side view of a paint manifold shown in ;

[0016] Fig. 9 yes Figure 4 A top view of a paint manifold shown in ;

[0017] Fig.10 yes Figure 4 A rear view of a paint manifold shown in FIG. 1 and having a transparent block to illustrate fluid passages therein;

[0018] Fig.11 is an isometric view of a paint manifold showing a socket portion for positioning a valve therein; and

[0019] Fig.12 is a cutaway front view of a paint manifold showing a cutaway type view of one of the valves positioned therein. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The following discussion of embodiments of the present disclosure relating to a paint manifold for a robotic paint delivery system including three valves positioned on a common plane and each valve having a valve tip positioned proximate a central fluid passage is exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its applications or uses. For example, although the discussion herein is specific to a paint delivery system for a painting robot for painting vehicle parts, the paint delivery system may have applications for dispensing other coatings or fluids through other devices for other applications.

[0021] Figure 1 1 is an isometric view of a painting robot 10 mounted to a fixed base mounting station 12, wherein robot 10 is intended to represent any painting robot suitable for the purposes discussed herein. A turntable or robot base 14 is rotatably mounted to mounting station 12. An inner arm 18 is rotatably coupled to base 14 by a joint 20, an outer arm 22 is rotatably coupled to inner arm 18 by a joint 24, and a wrist member 26 is rotatably coupled to outer arm 22 by a joint 28. An applicator 30 is fixedly attached to wrist member 26 at an angle optimized for spray paint application, wherein a spray of paint 32 is shown emitted from applicator 30.

[0022] Figure 2 It is possible to Figure 1Schematic type block diagram of a paint delivery system 40 used with the painting robot 10 shown in FIG. It should be noted that although the discussion herein is specific to a painting robot for, for example, body painting, the paint delivery system 40 can have applications for distributing other coatings or fluids by other devices for other applications. The system 40 includes an applicator 42, such as a rotary atomizer, which has a trigger valve 44 connected to a paint distribution line 46, wherein various valves and manifolds in the system 40 can be mounted to the outer arm 22, and the applicator 42 will be a part of the end effector on the robot 10. The system 40 also includes a paint manifold 50, which has a plurality of coloring valves 52, which are selectively opened to obtain paint from a plurality of paint sources 54 and to provide paint to an isolation line 58. The paint manifold 50 also includes a solvent valve 60, which is selectively opened to provide solvent to an isolation line 58 from a solvent source 62. The paint manifold 50 also includes a bleed valve 64 for releasing solvent and air from the system 40 to a bleed outlet 66. The paint manifold 50 also includes a vacuum valve 68 coupled to a vacuum source for extracting air from the channels in the system 40 before the channels are filled with paint.

[0023] The system 40 also includes a tank manifold 70 to which a paint tank 72 is attached, wherein the tank 72 includes a chamber 74. The tank 72 also includes a piston 76 that defines a paint volume 78 therebetween in the chamber 74 when the tank 72 is loaded with paint, the paint volume holding a predetermined volume of paint, wherein the piston 76 may be pneumatically driven, fluidly driven, etc. A paint input line 80 allows the volume 78 to be filled with paint from the isolation line 58 through a paint input valve 82, and a paint output line 84 allows paint to be dispensed from the paint volume 78 through a paint outlet valve 86 into the paint dispensing line 46 by movement of the piston 76. A pair of valves 88, 90 in the manifold 70 allows the various lines in the manifold 70 to be cleaned and dried with solvents in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

[0024] System 40 also includes a clean manifold 92 having valves 94, 96 and 98, which are connected to valves 88 and 90 in manifold 70 through isolation lines 100. Solvent source 102 provides solvent to manifold 92 through valve 98. Air source 104 provides dry air to manifold 92 through valve 94. Paint tank 72 and applicator 44 are at high voltage, and paint manifold 50 and manifold 92 are grounded by fluid supply during painting operation. Therefore, tank 72 must be electrically isolated from paint manifold 50 and clean manifold 92 to prevent ground faults. Therefore, isolation lines 58 and 100 are empty and clean during painting operation to provide electrical isolation.

[0025] Figure 31 is a schematic type diagram of another paint delivery system 110 that can be used with the painting robot 10. The system 110 includes a solvent / air manifold 112, a paint manifold 114, and a pump manifold 116, all of which are connected to a common fluid pipeline 120. Paint is provided from the pump manifold 116 to an applicator 118 (e.g., representing the applicator 30) of the pipeline 180 to be distributed on the component. The solvent / air manifold 112 receives a cleaning solvent from a solvent source 124 and air from an air source 126. The solvent is provided to a solvent valve 130 through a flow controller 132 and then to a control valve 134. The solvent valve 140 allows the solvent to bypass the flow controller 132 and the control valve 134. Air is provided to an air valve 142, and solvent and / or air are provided to a solvent supply valve 144. The paint manifold 114 includes three paint valves 146 that selectively allow paint to be provided to the line 120 and may be a paint manifold discussed in detail below. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the system 110 may support multiple paint manifolds to provide more paint colors from more sources.

[0026] The pump manifold 116 includes a pressure regulator 150 that regulates the flow of fluid on the pipeline 120, an inlet sensor 152 that measures the fluid pressure on the pipeline 120 at the inlet of the pump manifold 116, and an outlet sensor 154 that measures the fluid pressure on the pipeline 120 at the outlet of the pump manifold 116. The pump manifold 116 also includes a pump 156 that pumps the fluid through the system 110. A bleed valve 158 at the inlet side of the pump 156 allows solvent or air to be vented from the system 110, and a bleed valve 160 at the outlet side of the pump 156 allows solvent or air to be vented from the system 110. A flush valve 162 allows the pump manifold 116 to be flushed with solvent from the pipeline 164. The applicator 118 receives paint from the pump manifold 116 on the pipeline 180 and dispenses the paint through the paint supply valve 170 and the trigger valve 172. Air and solvent are provided from valve 144 on line 182 to applicator purge valves 174 , 176 , and 178 .

[0027] As will be well understood by those skilled in the art, the various valves, pumps, flow controllers and other devices in system 110 are appropriately controlled to dispense paint from one of the color sources through one of the coloring valves 146, through pump manifold 116 on line 120, through line 180 and through valves 170, 172 for emission from applicator 118.

[0028] Figure 4 is a front isometric view. Figure 5 is a rear isometric view, Figure 6 is the front view, Figure 7 is the rear view, Figure 8 is a side view, and Fig. 9is a top view of a paint manifold 200, which may be Figure 2 The paint manifold 50 and the paint delivery system 40 shown in FIG. Figure 3 200 is a part of the paint manifold 114 in the paint delivery system 110 shown in FIG. As shown, the paint manifold 200 includes a block 202 of a specific shape, which is, for example, made of acetal copolymer and has multiple faces and features. It should be noted that the block shape of the manifold 200 is used as a non-limiting example, because other shapes, such as semicircular, can also be adopted. The block 202 includes a front side 204, a rear side 206, a left side 208, a right side 210 and a top side 212. In a non-limiting embodiment, the block 202 is 18 mm to 58 mm thick between the front side 204 and the rear side 206. The front side 204 includes recesses 220, 222, which are open to the top side 212 and include gap steps 224 and 226 respectively. The top side 212 includes a notch 232, and the block 202 includes a V-shaped notch feature 234 at the bottom of the block 202. A central passage 236 passes through the block 202 from the front side 204 to the rear side 206 , and a pair of alignment bosses 244 , 246 extend from the rear side 206 of the block 202 .

[0029] Fig.10 2 is a front view of a paint manifold 200, wherein the block 202 is shown as transparent to illustrate the fluid passages therein. The paint manifold 200 includes a valve 260 extending into the block 202 through the recess 232 in the top side 212, a valve 262 extending into the block 202 through the left side 208, and a valve 264 extending into the block 202 through the right side 210, wherein the ends of the valves 260, 262, and 264 are positioned near the central passage 236, and wherein the valves 260, 262, and 264 are positioned on the same plane. The orientation angles of the valves 260, 262, and 264 relative to each other can be any angle suitable for the purpose discussed herein, for example, in the range of 85 ° to 125 °. Valve 260 includes an air fitting 270 coupled to the end of valve 260 opposite central passage 236, valve 262 includes an air fitting 272 coupled to the end of valve 262 opposite central passage 236, and valve 264 includes an air fitting 274 coupled to the end of valve 264 opposite central passage 236. This configuration of valves 260, 262, and 264 minimizes the distance that paint travels through central passage 236 when a particular valve 260-264 is open, which reduces paint waste.

[0030] Fig.112 is an isometric view of the block 202 with valves 260, 262, and 264 removed. The block 202 includes a valve sleeve seat 266 having a configuration and features for receiving the valve 260, so that the block 202 functions as a valve body for the valve 260. Likewise, the block 202 includes a valve sleeve seat 268 having a configuration and features for receiving the valve 262, so that the block 202 functions as a valve body for the valve 262. Likewise, the block 202 includes a valve sleeve seat 276 having a configuration and features for receiving the valve 264, so that the block 202 functions as a valve body for the valve 264.

[0031] Each valve 260, 262, and 264 allows paint to flow from a different paint source to the central passage 236. The supply passage 280 is coupled to the valve 260 and the supply fitting socket 316 in the block 202 through the top side 212, and the return passage 284 is coupled to the valve 260 and the return fitting socket 298 in the block 202 through the top side 212, wherein the paint fitting 320 is inserted into the socket 316, and the paint fitting 302 is inserted into the socket 298. When the valve 260 is closed, paint from the paint source can circulate through the supply passage 280, through the chamber in the valve 260, through the return passage 284, and back to the paint source. When the valve 260 is open, paint from the supply passage 280 is directed to the central passage 236.

[0032] Likewise, supply passage 292 is coupled through top side 212 to valve 262 and supply fitting socket 294 in block 202, and return passage 296 is coupled through top side 212 to valve 262 and return fitting socket 286 in block 202, wherein paint fitting 300 is inserted into socket 294, and paint fitting 290 is inserted into socket 286. When valve 262 is closed, paint from a paint source may circulate through supply passage 292, through a chamber in valve 262, through return passage 296, and back to the paint source. When valve 262 is open, paint from supply passage 292 is directed to central passage 236.

[0033] Likewise, supply passage 310 is coupled through top side 212 to valve 264 and supply fitting socket 312 in block 202, and return passage 314 is coupled through top side 212 to valve 264 and return fitting socket 282 in block 202, wherein paint fitting 318 is inserted into socket 312, and paint fitting 288 is inserted into socket 282. When valve 264 is closed, paint from a paint source can circulate through supply passage 310, through a chamber in valve 264, through return passage 314, and back to the paint source. When valve 264 is open, paint from supply passage 310 is directed to central passage 236. It should be noted that the arrangement of bushings 282, 312 and 316 requires boss 328 and the arrangement of bushings 286, 294 and 298 requires boss 338 to allow multiple manifolds to be stacked back to back because recesses 220 and 222 act as clearance cuts for the bosses of adjacent manifolds.

[0034] Leak channel 322 allows visual indication of whether a seal at the fluid side of valve 260 is leaking, leak channel 324 allows visual indication of whether a seal at the fluid side of valve 262 is leaking, and leak channel 326 allows visual indication of whether a seal at the fluid side of valve 264 is leaking.

[0035] Fig.12 2 is an exploded front view of the paint manifold 200 showing a cross-sectional type view of the valve 260 positioned within the sleeve 266, it being understood that the valves 262 and 264 are identical to the valve 260. The valve 260 includes an air side 330 having an air chamber 332 that receives pilot air and a fluid side 334 having a paint chamber 336 that receives paint from the supply passage 280. The valve 260 also includes a valve stem 340 that extends the length of the valve 260 and is coupled to a valve end 374 that is seated in a valve seat 372 having a hemispherical surface. A pilot passage 342 extends through the valve stem 340 to provide pilot air to the air chamber 332. A valve cap 350 is located above the valve stem 340, and a valve spring 354 is disposed between the valve cap 350 and the valve stem 340. The piston seal 360 and the pilot side seal 362 seal the air chamber 332, and the fluid side stem seal 370 seals the paint chamber 336. The seal retainer 368 holds the pilot side seal 362 in place, which prevents pilot air from entering the paint chamber 336. The leak passage 366 is in fluid communication with the leak passage 322.

[0036] When pilot air is provided to the pilot passage 342, the air chamber 332 is pressurized, which causes the valve stem 340 to move upward, overcoming the bias of the spring 354, and causing the valve tip 374 to separate from the valve seat 372, thereby allowing paint to be dispensed from the paint chamber 336 into the central passage 236. When the pilot air is removed, the spring 354 pushes the valve stem 340 downward, which causes the valve tip 374 to re-seat in the valve seat 372 and close the valve 260.

[0037] In known valve designs, the fluid side stem seal seals the valve stem on the seal inner diameter and seals the valve body on the seal outer diameter. However, for manifold 200, the fluid side stem seal 370 is directly sealed on the block 202 on the outer diameter of the seal 370. Since the block 202 is used as a valve body for valves 260, 262 and 264, the paint manifold 200 has a more compact design and reduces costs by eliminating the external O-ring seals required for known valve designs. In addition, removing the valve body allows the supply channels 280, 292 and 310 and the return channels 284, 296 and 314 to be angled relative to the corresponding valves 260, 262 and 264, which also contributes to the compact design of the paint manifold 200. The seal retainer 368 has a positioning feature for the pilot seal 362 and allows the use of a commonly used dynamic seal. The seal retainer 368 also has a feature that forms a seal with the block 202 when an elastomeric seal is not required. The valve seat 372 minimizes the size of the valve seat 372 around the valve tip 374 to allow for closer spacing between the valves 260, 262, and 264, which is achieved by moving the locating feature of the valve seat 372 away from the valve tip 374. This closer spacing is achieved by the hemispherical shape of the valve seat 372. In another embodiment that can provide such closer spacing, the valve seat 372 includes a generally conical shape. In yet another embodiment that can achieve such closer spacing, a single-piece structure can be provided in which the valve seats 372 for the valves 260, 262, and 264 are combined into a single component. The design of the valve stem 340 allows the air fitting 270 to be directly connected to the valve stem 340.

[0038] The foregoing discussion discloses and describes only exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate from such discussion and from the accompanying drawings and claims that various changes, modifications and variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A fluid manifold comprising: a body including a fluid passage extending through the body; a first valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; a second valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; as well as A third valve extends into the body and has a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passageway, wherein each valve includes a stem seal having a sealing surface that seals against the body.

2. The fluid manifold according to claim 1, wherein: The body is a block including a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, and a top side, and the fluid channel extends through the block between the front side and the rear side.

3. The fluid manifold according to claim 2, wherein: The first valve extends into the block through the top side, the second valve extends into the block through the right side, and the third valve extends into the block through the left side.

4. The fluid manifold according to claim 2, wherein: The thickness of the block between the front side and the rear side is in the range of 18 mm to 58 mm.

5. The fluid manifold of claim 1, wherein: The first valve, the second valve, and the third valve each have a length that lies along a common plane.

6. The fluid manifold according to claim 5, wherein: The first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are oriented at an angle between 85° and 125° relative to each other.

7. The fluid manifold of claim 1 , further comprising: a first fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a first fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a second fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a second fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a third fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve, and a third fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve.

8. The fluid manifold of claim 1, wherein: Each valve includes an air chamber and a fluid chamber, and wherein the air chamber is pressurized with air to actuate the valve.

9. The fluid manifold of claim 8, wherein: Each valve includes a pilot seal that seals a pilot air chamber and a seal retainer that holds the pilot seal in place to prevent air from entering the fluid chamber.

10. The fluid manifold of claim 1, wherein: Each valve includes a valve seat having a hemispherical surface.

11. The fluid manifold of claim 1, wherein: Each valve includes a leak passage in fluid communication with a leak fluid passage extending through the body.

12. The fluid manifold of claim 1, wherein: The fluid manifold is part of a paint delivery system and the fluid is paint.

13. The fluid manifold of claim 12, wherein: The paint delivery system is a part of the painting robot.

14. A paint manifold, the paint manifold being part of a paint delivery system on a painting robot, the paint manifold comprising: a body including a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side, and a top side and a fluid passage extending through the body between the front side and the rear side; a first valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage, wherein the first valve extends through the top side into the body; a second valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage, wherein the second valve extends into the body through the right side; and a third valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage, wherein the third valve extends into the body through the left side, and wherein the first valve, the second valve, and the third valve each have a length positioned along a common plane, and wherein each valve includes a stem seal and a valve seat, the stem seal having a sealing surface that seals against the body, and the valve seat having a hemispherical surface.

15. The paint manifold of claim 14, wherein: The thickness of the body between the front side and the rear side is in the range of 18 mm to 58 mm.

16. The paint manifold of claim 14, wherein: The first valve, the second valve, and the third valve are oriented at an angle between 85° and 125° relative to each other.

17. The paint manifold of claim 14, further comprising: a first fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a first fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve, a second fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a second fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve, a third fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve, and a third fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve.

18. A paint manifold comprising: a body including a fluid passage extending through the body; a first valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; a second valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage; a third valve extending into the body and having a valve tip positioned proximate the fluid passage, wherein each valve includes a stem seal having a sealing surface that seals against the body and a valve seat having a hemispherical surface; a first fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve; a first fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the first valve; a second fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve; a second fluid return passage extending through the body and coupled to the second valve; a third fluid supply passage extending through the body and coupled to the third valve; and A third fluid return passage extends through the body and is coupled to the third valve.

19. The paint manifold of claim 18, wherein: The body is a block including a front side, a rear side, a left side, a right side and a top side, the fluid channel extending through the block between the front side and the rear side, and wherein the first valve extends into the block through the top side, the second valve extends into the block through the right side, and the third valve extends into the block through the left side.

20. The paint manifold of claim 18, wherein: Each valve includes a leak passage in fluid communication with a leak fluid passage extending through the body.

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