System and method for batch production of coatings

Abstract

The invention relates to a system (10) for producing batches of paint, comprising:-a plurality of mobile mixing units (12), each of which comprises a mixing container (14) having at least one filling opening (16),-a processing system (30) configured to move the mobile mixing units (14) between a plurality of operating stations, and-at least one mass dosing station (20), said at least one mass dosing station comprising a plurality of dosing valves (34), said plurality of dosing valves being configured to deliver dosing amounts of the plurality of product streams simultaneously.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to the production of paints and similar products.

[0002] In particular, the present invention relates to a system for producing finished products at high speed, in precise quantities and in very short times, by dosing and mixing semi-finished products, additives and colourants completely automatically.

[0003] The present invention has been developed specifically for the frequent production of medium and small size batches, for example with a volume ranging from 100 to 3000 litres.

[0004] According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for producing batches of paint. BACKGROUND

[0005] The main ingredients for paint production include binders or resins, which provide adhesion and durability; solvents and diluents, which are used to modify the viscosity; additives, which can improve or impart specific properties; pigments, which provide colour and opacity; and fillers, which can affect the texture and weight of the paint. These elements are combined together in precise proportions to form different types of paint, each one suitable for specific applications and finishes.

[0006] The preparation of a paint batch is a process that requires particular attention to ensure the quality of the final product. One key aspect is that the proportions of raw materials fed are accurately in accordance with the recipe.

[0007] The components are mixed in a mixing vessel, usually under stirring conditions to ensure homogeneous mixing. After mixing, the batch is subjected to quality control to verify that the paint complies with the required technical specifications.

[0008] The finished paint is then transferred from the mixing vessel to a dispensing vessel, where it is commercialized.

[0009] The mixing vessel is then cleaned before being reused for the production of a new batch.

[0010] Existing systems for preparing paint batches in a mixing vessel use gravimetric dosing, which involves weighing the mixing vessel during the introduction of raw materials and stopping the introduction when the amount specified by the recipe is reached. This dosing system requires the materials to be mixed to be fed sequentially.

[0011] An example of a sequential gravimetric dosing system is described by the same applicant in EP0715883B2.

[0012] The main drawback of sequential gravimetric dosing is that each component to be mixed must be fed individually, which leads to a long time to complete the dosing, especially when the recipe requires a large amount of raw materials. SUMMARY

[0013] It is an object of the present invention to provide a system for producing batches of paint which overcomes the problems of the prior art.

[0014] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a system having the features of claim 1.

[0015] According to another aspect, the invention relates to a method for preparing a batch of paint having the features of claim 9.

[0016] The claims form an integral part of the teaching related to the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0017] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, which are provided by way of non-limiting example only, in which:

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a system for producing batches of paint according to the invention,

[0019] Figure 2 and Figure 3 is Figure 1 is a front view and a plan view of the mass dosing station indicated by arrow II in

[0020] Figure 4 and Figure 5 is Figure 2 is a front view and a plan view of the mobile mixing unit indicated by arrow IV in

[0021] Figure 6 and Figure 7 is Figure 2 is a schematic front view and a side view of the portion indicated by arrow VI in

[0022] It will be appreciated that the drawings are schematic and that in certain drawings some components can not be shown in order to simplify the understanding of the drawings. It will also be appreciated that the various drawings can not have been drawn to the same scale. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] With reference to Figure 1 , reference 10 denotes a system for producing batches of paint by mixing raw materials.

[0024] The system 10 comprises a plurality of mobile mixing units 12 and a plurality of operating stations, each operating station being configured to receive a mobile mixing unit 12.

[0025] The system 10 comprises a handling system 30 configured to move the mobile mixing units 12 between the operating stations.

[0026] The processing system 30 can comprise:

[0027] - a lane for moving the mobile mixing unit 12 via a forklift truck,

[0028] - a track and chain conveyor for automatically moving the mobile mixing unit 12 via a shuttle,

[0029] - a lane for automatically moving the mobile mixing unit 12 via an AGV or LGV vehicle (Automated Guided Vehicle / Laser Guided Vehicle).

[0030] With particular reference to Figure 5 and Figure 6 each of the mobile mixing units 12 comprises a base structure 54 which supports a mixing container 14. The mixing container 14 can have a volume ranging from 500 to 3000 liters. The mixing container 14 has an upper wall in which at least one filling mouth 16 is formed. In the embodiment shown in the attached figures, the mixing container 14 has two filling mouths 16 located in diametrically opposite positions with respect to the central vertical axis A of the mixing container 14. The filling mouths 16 are closed by respective removable covers 48.

[0031] Each of the mobile mixing units 12 comprises a rotatable mixing element 36 which extends inside the mixing container 14. Each of the mobile mixing units 12 comprises a motor 38 configured to drive the rotatable mixing element 36 in rotation. The rotatable mixing element 36 comprises a vertical shaft 44 which is rotatable about the central vertical axis A of the mixing container 14.

[0032] Each of the mobile mixing units 12 comprises a first electrical connector 40 which is electrically connected to the motor 38 and is intended to be connected with a fixed electrical connector located in one or more of the operating stations and connected to a fixed electrical network.

[0033] Each of the mobile mixing units 12 further comprises a discharge valve 50 located at the lower end of the respective mixing container 14.

[0034] With reference to Figures 1-3 the system 10 comprises a mass dosing station 20. The mass dosing station 20 comprises a plurality of dosing valves 34 associated with respective feed pipes 32 and facing the filling mouths 16 of the mobile mixing units 12 located in the mass dosing station 20.

[0035] The dosing valves 34 are configured to deliver multiple product streams simultaneously. The amount of product delivered into the mixing vessel 14 is dosed by the respective dosing valve 34. Each of the mass dosing valves 34 is a non-throttling three-way valve that, when at rest, allows liquid to recirculate in the tank. In delivery condition, each of the mass dosing valves 34 closes the recirculation path and opens the dosing path. The reaction time for switching between recirculation / dosing is very fast (a few tenths of a second) to ensure dosing accuracy and repeatability. The input flow of each valve is measured by a suitable flowmeter, the choice of which is based on the product, the flow rate and the accuracy required by the process. This allows the different bases that make up the paint to be dosed simultaneously, significantly reducing the preparation time compared to traditional processes.

[0036] In one possible embodiment, the mass dosing station 20 can comprise four dosing valves 34 for each filling port 16, so that the mass dosing station 20 is able to deliver up to eight different product dosing streams simultaneously. This allows a significant increase in the production speed of the paint batches compared to traditional gravimetric dosing production systems, which require the different products to be delivered sequentially to measure the amount of each product delivered.

[0037] The dosing valves 34 can be three-way valves with a diameter of 2.5 (2½) inches. A system with eight dosing valves 34 is able to deliver dosing streams at a speed of more than 9 m3 / h with an accuracy of about 1%.

[0038] The mass dosing station 20 comprises a second electrical connector 42 connected to the electrical grid and configured to establish an electrical connection with the first electrical connector 40 of the mixing unit 12 located in the mass dosing station 20, in order to power the motor 38 during dosing and to perform product mixing during delivery.

[0039] The mass dosing station 20 comprises a cap removal device 48 configured to remove the cap 48 from the filling port 16 of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the mass dosing station 20.

[0040] The system 10 can comprise a gravimetric dosing station 28 configured for delivering products into the mixing vessel 14 sequentially, performing product dosing based on the measured weight of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the gravimetric dosing station 28.

[0041] The system 10 can comprise a volumetric dosing station 26 configured for delivering small amounts of product with high dosing accuracy.

[0042] The system 10 can comprise a quality control station 52 configured to receive one or more mobile mixing units 12 for performing sampling for quality control of the paint batch produced in the mixing container 14.

[0043] The system 10 can comprise a plurality of parking stations 24 configured to receive respective mobile mixing units 12 on standby during subsequent preparation operations.

[0044] The system 10 can comprise a plurality of emptying stations 22, each of which can be provided with a hydraulic connector configured to establish a hydraulic connection with the discharge valve 50 of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the emptying station 22. Each emptying station 22 is connected to one or more filling machines that fill dispensing containers using the paint batch produced in the mixing container 14.

[0045] The system can comprise a washing station 60 provided with means for washing the mixing container 14 of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the washing station 60.

[0046] The system can comprise a powder dosing station 62 for gravimetric dosing of solid products of different granulometry inside the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the powder station 62.

[0047] Finally, the system can further comprise a maintenance station 54 for performing maintenance operations on the mobile mixing unit 12.

[0048] The system described previously, in operation, implements a method for producing a paint batch, comprising:

[0049] - providing a plurality of mobile mixing units 12, each of which comprises a mixing container 14 having at least one filling mouth 16,

[0050] - providing a plurality of operating stations, each configured to receive a mixing unit 12, wherein at least one of the operating stations is a quality dosing station 20 comprising a plurality of dosing valves 34 associated with respective feed pipes 32 and facing the at least one filling mouth 16 of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the quality dosing station 20,

[0051] - moving the mixing units 12 between the operating stations, and

[0052] - in the quality dosing station 20, synchronously delivering a plurality of dosed product flows into the mixing container 14 via the respective dosing valves 34.

[0053] The method can include mixing the product in the mixing vessel 14 by the rotatable mixing element 36 extending inside the mixing vessel 14 while the product stream is being delivered.

[0054] The system and method according to the present application are optimal for the frequent production of medium and small size batches. The system 10 is able to produce finished products at high speed, in the exact quantity specified by the customer order and in very short times, by dosing and mixing semi-finished products, additives and colorants completely automatically.

[0055] Naturally, the structural details and embodiments can widely vary from those described and shown, without thereby departing from the scope of the present application as defined in the attached claims.

Claims

1. A system (10) for producing batches of paint, said system comprising: - A plurality of mobile mixing units (12), each of which includes a mixing container (14) having at least one filling port (16). - Multiple operator stations, each configured to receive the mobile hybrid unit (12). - Processing system (30), the processing system being configured to move the mobile hybrid unit (12) between the operating stations, and - At least one quantitative feeding station (20), the at least one quantitative feeding station including a plurality of quantitative feeding valves (34) associated with a corresponding feed pipe (32) and facing the at least one filling port (16) of the mobile mixing unit (12) located in the quantitative feeding station (20), and configured to deliver quantitative feeds of multiple product streams simultaneously.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, Each of the mobile mixing units (12) includes a rotatable mixing element (36) extending inside the mixing container (14); a motor (38) configured to rotatably drive the rotatable mixing element (36); a first electrical connector (44) electrically connected to the motor (38); and wherein the at least one mass feed station (20) includes a second electrical connector (42) connected to a fixed power grid and configured to establish an electrical connection with the first electrical connector (40) of the mixing unit (12) located in the mass feed station (20).

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein, The rotatable mixing element (36) includes a vertical shaft (44) that is rotatable about the central vertical axis (A) of the mixing container (14), and wherein the mixing container (14) includes two filling ports (16) located on the upper wall of the mixing container (14) at radially opposite positions relative to the central vertical axis (A).

4. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The mobile mixing unit (12) is provided with a corresponding removable cover (46) associated with a corresponding filling port (16), and wherein the at least one mass metering station (20) includes a cover removal device (48) configured to remove the cover (46) from the filling port (16) of the mobile mixing unit (12).

5. The system according to any one of the preceding claims includes an emptying station (22) provided with a hydraulic connector configured to establish a hydraulic connection with a discharge valve (50) at the lower end of a mixing container (14) of a mobile mixing unit (12) located in the emptying station (22).

6. The system according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a cleaning station (60) provided with means for cleaning a mixing container (14) of a mobile mixing unit (12) located in the cleaning station (60).

7. The system according to any one of the preceding claims includes at least one parking station (24) configured to receive a mobile hybrid unit (12).

8. The system according to any one of the preceding claims includes at least one gravimetric feed station (28) configured to sequentially feed products into the mixing container in gravimetric amounts based on a measured weight of a mobile mixing unit (12) located in the gravimetric feed station (28).

9. A method for producing a batch of paint, comprising: - Provides a plurality of mobile mixing units (12), each of the plurality of mobile mixing units including a mixing container (14) having at least one filling port (16). - Provide multiple operating stations, each configured to receive a mixing unit (12), wherein at least one of the operating stations is a mass metering station (20), the mass metering station including a plurality of metering valves (34) associated with a corresponding feed pipe (32) and facing the at least one filling port (16) of the mobile mixing unit (12) located in the mass metering station (20). - Move the mixing unit (12) between the operating stations, and - In the mass feeding station (20), multiple quantitative feed product streams are synchronously transported to the mixing container (14) via corresponding quantitative feed valves (34).

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising mixing the products in the mixing container (14) by means of a rotatable mixing element (36) extending inside the mixing container (14) while simultaneously conveying the product stream.

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