Coating system for coating objects

Abstract

A coating system for coating an object, in particular a smaller object, comprising: a receiver element for receiving the object to be coated and for moving the object to be coated; a supply element for providing a coating material to the object within the receiver element; a radiating element for emitting electromagnetic radiation to dry the object provided with the coating material in the receiver element; a sensor system for sensing a condition associated with an operating state of the radiating element; and a control device for controlling the operation of the coating system based on the condition sensed by the sensor system.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a coating system for coating an object according to independent claim 1 and a method for controlling the operation of the coating system according to claim 13. Background Technology

[0002] Coating systems for coating objects, particularly smaller objects such as pen parts or keys, or smaller parts in the automotive industry or other industries, are known to those skilled in the art.

[0003] For example, an apparatus for coating smaller parts or objects is known from EP 1 916 905 B1. This apparatus has a rotating drum and supplies coating material to the parts inside the drum, then dries the coating material using a radiator that emits electromagnetic radiation. Using such a coating material, which can be dried by, for example, infrared radiation or other electromagnetic radiation, offers advantages in terms of the amount of coating material that must be used and the reduction of drying time.

[0004] However, the quality of properly coated parts largely depends on the appropriate amount of energy supplied to them when drying them using a radiator. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Purpose of the invention

[0006] Therefore, based on the known prior art, one objective of the present invention is to provide a coating system for coating an object and a method for controlling the operation of the coating system for coating an object, which achieves reliable quality of the coated object while ensuring reliable operation of the coating system.

[0007] Solution

[0008] This objective is achieved by the coating system according to claim 1 and the method for controlling the operation of the coating system used to coat an object according to claim 13. Preferred embodiments of the invention are provided in the dependent claims.

[0009] According to the present invention, a coating system for coating objects, particularly smaller objects, is provided, the coating system comprising:

[0010] A receiver element for receiving an object to be coated and for moving the object to be coated;

[0011] A supply element for supplying coating material to an object within a receiver element;

[0012] A radiating element for emitting electromagnetic radiation to dry an object in a receiver element that has been coated with a material.

[0013] A sensor system for sensing conditions associated with the operating state of a radiating element;

[0014] A control device for controlling the operation of the coating system based on conditions sensed by a sensor system.

[0015] A receiver element is understood as a structure having a hollow portion in which an object can be placed for processing by a coating system. For example, a receiver element can be a rotatable element such as a roller that can rotate about an axis and accommodate the object to be coated, or the receiver element may include such a rotatable element. The shape of the receiver element is not particularly limited, and other embodiments are possible. Preferably, the object moves within the receiver element in a manner without a specific order or orientation, for example, in the form of bulk material. In particular, this may include changes in the relative position of the object as it moves within the receiver element, relative to the receiver element and / or relative to other objects.

[0016] The supply element may be at least one dispenser or may include at least one dispenser that can dispense fluid coating material onto the object when the object is located in the receiver element. Therefore, the supply element is preferably arranged to output coating material along the direction of the object within the receiver element.

[0017] The radiating element may include an infrared radiator or other radiators that emit electromagnetic radiation (e.g., UV radiation) of sufficient intensity to dry a coating material on an object. There are no particular limitations on the radiating element in this regard, but in other implementations it may be configured as an infrared radiator that emits infrared radiation across a broad infrared spectrum, such as a thermal emitter.

[0018] A sensor system may include at least one sensor for sensing conditions. A sensor system may also include multiple sensors that do not need to be placed in the same location and may be configured to measure different conditions.

[0019] In this context, conditions are understood as the physical or chemical state associated with the operating state of the radiating element, and may include, among other things, the temperature of the radiating element or its surrounding environment, or the temperature of the cooling fluid used to cool the radiating element. Additionally or alternatively, conditions may also include pressure sensed by the sensor system or the binary state of components (e.g., whether these components are on or off, etc.). The invention does not particularly limit what conditions the sensor system senses, nor does it limit what condition values ​​the sensor system senses.

[0020] The control device can be implemented as a computing system or central control unit, as is commonly known in coating systems. Control of operation based on conditions sensed by a sensor system is understood to include: the control device can change the state of at least one component of the coating system or the entire coating system based on the sensed conditions (e.g., the temperature of the cooling liquid). For example, the amount of cooling liquid flowing through the cooling system per unit time can be changed based on the temperature of the cooling liquid to obtain a specific cooling amount. Alternatively or additionally, controlling the operation of the coating system can include providing output to an operator, for example, to provide sufficient information about the operation of the coating system.

[0021] The coating system of the present invention ensures the normal operation of the radiating element, as well as the reliable operation of the coating system and the high quality of the coated object.

[0022] The coating system may also include a cooling system for cooling the radiating element by providing an airflow to the radiating element, wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of airflow toward the radiating element and / or the amount of airflow away from the radiating element as a condition, and / or wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of power consumed by the cooling system.

[0023] This implementation method allows for the determination of whether the radiating element is adequately cooled to ensure its proper function. Similarly, it ensures (at least indirectly) that the radiating element does not consume excessive power, thus preventing excessive energy radiation to the object. This also ensures proper coating of the object.

[0024] Alternatively, the system may include an exhaust ventilation system for removing air from the interior of the receiver element, wherein the exhaust ventilation system includes a filter element through which air flows out from the interior of the receiver element, and wherein a sensor system is adapted to sense the pressure difference at the filter element as the condition.

[0025] In this scenario, the interior of the receiver element can be the area within the receiver element that can accommodate the object to be coated. This can be a hollow area of ​​the receiver element. The exhaust ventilation system can include a flow channel for air to flow out from the interior of the receiver element. A ventilator or pump can be arranged in this flow channel to draw air from the interior of the receiver element. A filter element can be arranged downstream or upstream of the ventilator or pump. By determining the pressure differential, the normal operation of the filter element can be monitored, allowing reliable determination of whether conditions inside the receiver element meet specific criteria (e.g., whether the air pressure or relative density of the coating material inside the receiver element meets specific criteria). This can affect the operation of the device, particularly the operation of the radiating element, as excessively high or low pressures inside the receiver element or excessive coating material inside the receiver element can lead to risks when operating the radiating element. By using the determined pressure differential as a condition for controlling the operation of the system (e.g., shutting down the radiating element if the density of the coating material inside the receiver element exceeds a specific threshold), the operation of the system can be ensured.

[0026] In one embodiment, the cooling system includes a heat exchanger arranged to remove heat from air flowing away from the radiating element and to provide heat to the interior of the receiver element.

[0027] This enables energy recovery, thereby improving the eco-acceptability of the coating system.

[0028] The sensor system can be adapted to sense the amount of heat removed from the airflow by the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the air before and after passing through the heat exchanger as the conditions.

[0029] This implementation allows for at least indirect determination of whether the radiating element is overheating and / or whether the cooling system is functioning properly by providing sufficient airflow to the radiating element for cooling.

[0030] In one embodiment, the coating system includes at least one movable cover for sealing a receiver element in a closed state, wherein a sensor element is adapted to sense whether the cover is in a closed state as a condition by sensing the position of the movable cover and / or by sensing pressure in the area defined by the receiver element and the movable cover.

[0031] This implementation allows for improved operational safety of the coating system because if the cover is properly closed, a sufficient amount of coating material is indeed supplied to the object to be coated, without energy loss and without deterioration of the object's drying process.

[0032] The sensor system can be adapted to sense the temperature of the radiating element and / or the temperature of the surrounding area as the condition. For example, if the radiating element overheats, the control device can shut it off based on the sensed temperature to prevent damage to the object or coating material. Similarly, negative impacts on the coating system can be avoided by measuring the temperature of the radiating element.

[0033] In another embodiment, the coating system includes a fluid cooling system comprising a fluid circulation located within the coating system. The fluid cooling system includes a pump for pumping fluid through the fluid circulation, and a sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of fluid flowing through the fluid circulation and / or the amount of power consumed by the pump and / or the temperature difference between two points in the fluid circulation as conditions. In this document, the term "fluid" should be understood to include both gaseous and liquid media.

[0034] The fluid cooling cycle can be the sole cooling system for the radiating element, or it can be configured as an additional cooling system besides another system that uses, for example, air from the environment to cool the radiating element. The invention is not limited in this respect. In this embodiment, the fluid cycle is a closed-loop system in which the cooling fluid does not exchange with the environment. Whether the fluid cooling system is functioning properly and therefore adequately cooling the radiating element can be determined by determining the amount of power consumed by the pump or the temperature difference between two points in the fluid cycle.

[0035] In particular, the fluid cooling system may include a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the fluid in the fluid circulation and the environment or the interior of the receiving element, and wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the temperature of the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the fluid before and after passing through the heat exchanger as said condition.

[0036] By providing a heat exchanger, the generated heat can be recycled in the process, making the system more ecologically acceptable. Determining the temperature of the heat exchanger, or the temperature of the fluid before and after passing through the heat exchanger, can be used to ensure that heat is properly removed from the radiant elements, thereby improving the operational reliability of the coating system.

[0037] The fluid can be a gaseous or liquid medium. A gaseous medium can be used if the amount of heat to be transferred from the radiating element is relatively small. The gaseous medium can be, for example, nitrogen or any other inert gas, thus reducing the risk of burnout or damage to the coating system due to a failure of the fluid cooling system (such as leakage into the receiver element). If the amount of heat to be removed from the radiating element is relatively high and cannot be reliably ensured using only a gaseous medium, a liquid medium, such as water, can be used. Similarly, by using a liquid medium, the space required for the fluid cooling system is reduced because the amount of cooling medium can be kept relatively small.

[0038] The receiving element can be configured to include a rotatable internal element for receiving an object. The rotatable internal element may, for example, be shaped like a roller with an open (but preferably closable) cover, through which the object to be coated can be introduced into the interior of the rotatable internal element. This embodiment achieves highly reliable coating results on the object while maintaining ease of control. Furthermore, since the object to be coated moves within the rotating internal element during coating, damage to the object can be reduced even if the radiating element malfunctions and emits excessive radiation, thereby improving the coating system's resilience to failure.

[0039] In one embodiment, the control device may control the operation of the coating system based on the conditions by performing at least one of the following: stopping or releasing the operation of a component of the coating system, pausing the operation of a component of the coating system, changing the operating parameters of a component of the coating system, or providing an output indicating the conditions on the output device of the coating system.

[0040] Operating parameters of components of the operating system are understood as physical or chemical parameters that characterize (and influence) the operation of components of the coating system. For example, a radiation system may have the amount of power supplied to the radiation system or the temperature of the radiating element as operating parameters. The amount of power can be changed according to sensed conditions to, for example, reduce the amount of heat radiated by the radiating element. An output on an output device indicating the conditions may include, for example, the sensed condition value provided on the output device (e.g., the temperature of the radiating element or the amount of airflow through the cooling system). Alternatively or additionally, an alarm may be triggered if the corresponding condition exceeds a certain threshold (e.g., a specific temperature of the radiating element or cooling fluid) or falls below such a threshold. Outputting such information to the operator via an output device (such as a display or audio output device) allows the operator to take appropriate action, thereby improving the operational safety of the coating system.

[0041] According to the present invention, a method is provided for controlling the operation of a coating system used for coating objects, particularly smaller objects, the coating system comprising:

[0042] A receiver element that receives the object to be coated and moves the object to be coated;

[0043] A supply element that provides coating material to an object within a receiver element;

[0044] A radiating element that emits electromagnetic radiation to dry an object in a receiver element that is provided with a coating material;

[0045] A sensor system that senses conditions associated with the operating state of a radiating element;

[0046] A control device that controls the operation of the coating system based on conditions sensed by a sensor system;

[0047] The method includes:

[0048] When the radiating element emits electromagnetic radiation to dry an object, the conditions associated with the operating state of the radiating element are sensed by a sensor system, and the operation of the coating system is controlled by a control device based on the conditions sensed by the sensor system.

[0049] In this context, drying an object refers to drying the coating material applied to the object.

[0050] This method ensures reliable operation of the coating system while also improving the quality of the coated object.

[0051] It can be configured that the sensor system senses at least one of the following as conditions: the temperature of the airflow or cooling fluid, the determination of the presence of airflow or cooling fluid flow, the temperature of the receiving element (the interior of the receiving element that receives an object) or a portion of the receiving element or the radiating element, the power consumed by the radiating element, the power consumed by the cooling system and / or liquid cooling system that cools the radiating element, the pressure within the area defined by the receiving element and movable cover of the cooling system, and the amount of heat exchanged between the heat exchanger and the airflow or cooling fluid.

[0052] Determining at least one of these conditions using a sensor system leads to a reliable determination of whether the operation of the coating system or the coating of an object is being performed with appropriate operating parameters. In this context, it may be configured that more than one condition is determined, and the control device allows the system to continue operating only if all determined conditions satisfy specific characteristics, such as being within parameter ranges indicating normal operation of the system, particularly the radiating elements (e.g., above and / or below specific thresholds). This also allows for the reliable determination of coating system malfunctions, thereby improving operational accuracy and coating quality.

[0053] In one embodiment, the control device controls the operation of the coating system based on conditions sensed by the sensor system by performing at least one of the following: stopping or releasing the operation of a component of the coating system, pausing the operation of a component of the coating system, changing the operating parameters of a component of the coating system, or providing an output indicating the conditions on the output device of the coating system. Controlling the operation of the coating system in this manner further improves operational reliability and coating quality. Attached Figure Description

[0054] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a coating system for coating an object is shown according to one embodiment.

[0055] Figure 2 An embodiment of a coating system including a cooling system for cooling radiating elements is shown.

[0056] Figure 3 An embodiment of a coating system including a fluid cooling system with fluid circulation is shown.

[0057] Figure 4 An embodiment of a coating system including a movable cover is shown.

[0058] Figure 5 Another embodiment of the coating system, including an exhaust ventilation system, is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0059] Figure 1 A coating system 100 according to one embodiment is shown. The coating system 100 is for coating objects 130, particularly smaller objects, preferably having a maximum size of less than 20 cm and preferably less than 10 cm in any direction. The foregoing does not limit what objects are coated, and the coating system 100 is generally suitable for coating any smaller object having a size within the aforementioned range, such as components for pens, toys, or mechanical parts like sealing elements, or components in the automotive engineering field.

[0060] The coating system includes a receiver element 104 that can receive an object 130 to be coated. The receiver element may, for example, include a housing 144, which is generally assumed to be in a fixed position, and may additionally include a side-facing component (in...). Figure 1 In the depiction, the top side of the drum is open, and a rotatable internal element 143, such as a hollow drum, is visible. The rotatable internal element 143 can be connected to a drive device 146, such as an electric motor or a servo motor, that can rotate the rotatable internal element 143 about a rotation axis R. There are no particular limitations on the shape and size of the rotatable internal element 143, and any shape and size is possible. For example, the rotatable internal element 143 can also have a hexagonal base surface or a rectangular base surface.

[0061] Instead of the rotatable internal element 143, a fixed internal element 143 or a hollow housing 144 may also be provided for the object 130 to be coated to be introduced therein. A mixing element (in...) can be provided. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image), the mixing element is rotatably connected to the drive element 146 for mixing and thereby moving the object 130 to be coated within the receiver element 104.

[0062] Despite Figure 1 The receiving element 104, and particularly the axis of rotation R, is schematically shown parallel to the direction of gravity; however, it is preferred that the axis of rotation R is inclined relative to the direction of gravity. Therefore, when the rotatable internal element 143 rotates about the axis R, the object to be coated will not only rotate about the axis R, but also move relative to the rotatable internal element 143 while rotating about the axis of rotation R due to being lifted and lowered. The angle of inclination of the axis of rotation R relative to the direction of gravity is preferably between 0° and 90°, and most preferably between 22.5° and 67.5°.

[0063] The coating system 100 also includes a supply element 101 that can supply coating material 111 to the object 130 to be coated, preferably while the object 130 is located within the receiver element 104. The supply of coating material by the supply element 101 can be continuous, i.e., continuous for at least a few seconds or minutes before or during a production cycle in which the object 130 is coated and dried or otherwise processed within the coating system 100. The supply element 101 can be a dispenser for dispensing the coating material 111 onto the object 130 to be coated, or may include such a dispenser. The coating material can be supplied to the supply element 101 by means of a coating material container 112, which can be arranged, for example, in an external component 147 of the coating system 100, but can also be integrated into the receiver element 104.

[0064] Additionally, the coating system 100 includes a radiating element 102 for emitting electromagnetic radiation 121 along the direction of the object 130 within the receiver element 104 to dry the coating material 111 on the object 130. The radiating element 102 can be implemented as an infrared radiator emitting infrared radiation over a broad spectral range, and can particularly be implemented as a heating element emitting thermal radiation. Alternatively, the radiating element 102 can be a UV radiator for emitting ultraviolet radiation, or may include such a UV radiator.

[0065] According to the present invention, the specific implementation of the radiating element 102 is not limited and can be selected according to the coating material 111 used to coat the object 130. For example, if the coating material is water-based or is another coating material that can be activated or dried by infrared radiation, the radiating element 102 can be implemented as an infrared radiator. If UV ink or coating material is used, the radiating element 102 can be a UV radiator.

[0066] Instead of using a radiating element that emits electromagnetic radiation over a broad spectral range (greater than 50 nm), a radiating element that emits (preferably diffuses) radiation with a narrower electromagnetic spectrum (e.g., an electromagnetic spectrum with a spectral width of less than 50 nm, preferably less than 30 nm, or less than 20 nm). Such a radiating element may include one or more LEDs. Using such LEDs can reduce the amount of energy required to dry the coated material.

[0067] According to the invention, the coating system 100 also includes a sensor system 120, schematically shown herein. According to the invention, the sensor system 120 is adapted to sense or determine conditions associated with the operating state of the radiating element. In the context of the invention, conditions are understood as numerical values ​​of any physical or chemical property associated with the operating state of the radiating element. In this respect, the operating state of the radiating element refers not only to whether the radiating element is operating normally (e.g., emitting a sufficient amount of radiation within a given time frame), but also to the operation of components associated with the radiating element and which may be necessary for its normal operation. For example, this may also include the conditions of one or more cooling systems associated with the radiating element (particularly for cooling the radiating element) and / or conditions related to the pressure inside the receiver element 104 or whether the coating system 100, and particularly the receiver element 104, is shut down so that the interior of the receiver element is not exposed to the external environment.

[0068] Therefore, the present invention is not limited in what conditions the sensor system senses, as long as the sensed conditions are related to the operation of the radiating element.

[0069] For illustrative purposes, an embodiment of the coating system 100 is further depicted herein as including a covering device 140 having components 141 and 142. Both components 141 and 142 may be provided as movable covers 141 and 142, or only one of components 141 and 142 may be movable relative to the receiver element 104, for example, to open the area defined by the covering device 140 and the receiver element and allow removal of object 130 or introduction of object 130 into the receiver element 104. Figure 1 In an exemplary embodiment, the radiating element 102 and the supply element 101 are respectively connected to one of the covering elements 141 and 142. This is not mandatory in the context of the invention, and either the supply element 101 or the radiating element 102 may be fixedly arranged within or near the receiver element 104, or in this sense, both the supply element 101 and the radiating element 102 may be fixedly arranged.

[0070] Alternatively or concurrently, one of the covering elements 141 and 142 may be immovable, and one or both of the supply element 101 and the radiating element 102 may be arranged at the immovable covering element. Arranging one or both of the supply element 101 and the radiating element 102 at the immovable covering element has the advantage that any guides or connections to other components on the outside of the immovable covering element can be rigid or fixed, since the immovable covering element will not move relative to the components of the coating system. Arranging one or both of the radiating element 102 and the supply element 101 at the movable covering element (e.g., covering element 141) provides the advantage of easier access to the respective components, for example, for maintenance purposes.

[0071] Alternatively, the covering device may include more than two covering elements (e.g., three covering elements), wherein at least one of these covering elements is fixed (i.e., immovable) and at least one covering element is movable. In a preferred embodiment, the radiating element 102 and / or the supply element 101 may be arranged at the immovable covering element to reduce the number of guides or connectors that must be movable. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the covering device 140 may include only a single covering element movable relative to the receiver element, and the radiating element 102 and / or the supply element 101 may optionally be arranged at this single covering element.

[0072] According to the invention, the coating system 100 also includes a control device 180, which may be implemented as a suitable computer or central control unit for the coating system. According to the invention, the control device 180 is connected to the sensor system 120 in a manner that allows the control device 180 to obtain sensing conditions from the sensor system 120. Furthermore, the control device 180 may be connected to one or more components of the coating system 100 (if a radiating element 102 or a rotatable internal element 143 is provided, such as for example, a radiating element 102 or a rotatable internal element 143, or if a driving device 146 is provided, such as for example, a driving device 146), or, for example, a display device or interactive device 170, such as a display screen or a touch screen.

[0073] According to the invention, the control device 180 is adapted to control the operation of the coating system 100 based on conditions sensed by the sensor system 120. This may include changing one or more operating parameters of the coating system 100 (or at least one component of the coating system) and / or stopping or reducing the operation of the coating system or components of the coating system 100 and / or displaying additional information to the operator on the display 170 or requesting input from the operator. The invention is not limited in this respect and includes any control over any function of the coating system 100 based on conditions sensed by the sensor system 120.

[0074] In particular, control based on sensed conditions may include comparing the sensed condition (e.g., a sensed value) with one or more thresholds for the corresponding condition, and taking different actions by the control device 180 depending on, for example, whether the threshold is exceeded or whether the condition value is below the corresponding threshold.

[0075] The coating system 100 may include other components 145 and 147 that may be connected to the receiver element 104 and may include additional components of the coating system 100, such as the coating material tank 112 and control device 180 previously described. It may also be configured that the receiver element 104 or at least the movable internal element 143 is movable relative to these additional components 145 and 147.

[0076] Figure 2 An embodiment of the coating system 200 is shown (at least in part). In this embodiment, in addition to regarding... Figure 1 In addition to the components discussed in the implementation method, a cooling system 220 for cooling the radiating element 202 is also provided.

[0077] The cooling system 220 may include at least a flow channel 221 (also referred to as an inflow channel) for supplying air to the radiating element 202 and a flow channel 223 (also referred to as an outflow channel) for removing air from the radiating element 202 and, for example, guiding and / or releasing the air to the external environment. The flow channels may be entirely arranged within the covering device 242 of the coating system 200, or alternatively or additionally, the flow channels may extend into other components, such as components 145 and / or 147 of the coating system 100.

[0078] If flow channels 221 and / or 223 extend into one of components 145 and / or 147, and receiver element 104, and in particular radiating element 202, are arranged to be movable relative to components 145 and / or 147, then flow channels 221 and / or 223 may include connectors that allow a hermetically sealed connection between a first portion of the flow channel extending into component 145 and / or 147 and a second portion extending into the radiating element but not into component 145 and / or 147. In this regard, the additional components 145 and / or 147 of the cooling system 220 described below may not necessarily be arranged within the cover device 242 or the receiver element, but may also be arranged outside the cover device 242, for example, within one of components 145 and 147.

[0079] Cooling system 220 is arranged such that it can cool radiating element 202, preferably by means of heat exchange between radiating element 202 and airflow guided through or near radiating element. One or more heat exchangers (not shown) may be provided that exchange heat between radiating element 202 and airflowing through airflow channels 221 and / or 223. In particular, the inflow channel 221 may be configured to include a portion in close or indirect physical contact with the radiating element, which optionally has an increased surface area compared to a region of the airflow channel 221 having the same volume but a smaller surface area, to allow for the transfer of a greater amount of heat. This allows for more efficient heat exchange.

[0080] One or more ventilators 222 and 225 may be provided within or in connection with airflow channels 221 and 223 for actively directing airflow through the airflow channels.

[0081] In some embodiments, a heat exchanger 224 may be provided that exchanges heat between the air exiting the radiating element 202 (e.g., within the outflow channel 223) and the interior of the coating system 200, particularly with the receiver element and more specifically with the interior of the receiver element 104 where the object 130 for coating is arranged. Thus, the object to be coated can be additionally heated using the excess energy obtained by cooling the radiating element. This advantageously reduces the amount of energy emitted by the radiating element 202 required for drying the coating material.

[0082] about Figure 1 The described sensor system may include one or more sensors capable of measuring conditions associated with one or more of the previously described components.

[0083] For example, a first sensor 231 and / or a second sensor 235 can be provided, associated with corresponding ventilators 222 and 225, and can measure, for example, the amount of power consumed by the ventilator or the general cooling system 220. If only one ventilator is provided, only one sensor 231 or 235 may be provided. If two ventilators 222 and 225 are provided, it may be sufficient to provide only one sensor 231 or 235 for measuring the power consumed by at least one of the ventilators, or to provide two sensors 231 and 235 for measuring the power consumed by the ventilators. This also applies if more ventilators are provided, and it may be preferable to provide a corresponding sensor for measuring the power consumed by each of the ventilators. In this regard, it is noted that the sensor associated with the corresponding ventilator does not have to be a separate physical entity (i.e., a structurally separate sensor). These sensors can also be implemented as a single sensor to determine the total amount of energy consumed by all ventilators. This can reduce the complexity of the coating system.

[0084] Alternatively or concurrently, one or more sensors 233 may be provided for measuring the amount of air flowing to and / or away from the radiating element 202. The amount of airflow indicates the amount of cooling available using the cooling system, and, for example, if one of the flow channels 221 and 223 that direct air to or away from the radiating element is blocked in some way, cooling of the radiating element may fail.

[0085] Control device 280 can determine whether the amount of airflow detected by the sensor is within, for example, a specific range, which can be preset or automatically determined based on, for example, the energy consumed by radiating element 202. If the amount of airflow sensed by the sensor is outside this range, the control device can control display device 170 (see...). Figure 1 The control device 280 may output / trigger a warning or alarm, and / or shut down the radiating element 202 to prevent system failure. Alternatively or additionally, the control device 280 may be adapted to regulate the amount of airflow by increasing or decreasing the power supplied to the ventilator. If the amount of airflow is, for example, less than a minimum, the power supplied to the ventilator may be increased until the amount of airflow is within a certain range. If the amount of airflow is too high or above a maximum, the power supplied to the ventilator may be decreased until the amount of airflow is within a certain range.

[0086] As previously described, a heat exchanger 224 may be provided for exchanging heat between air flowing away from the radiating element 202 and another component of the coating system 200. An additional sensor 234 may be provided for the sensor system, which can measure the temperature of the air before and after it has passed through the heat exchanger 224. The sensor 234 may include, for example, two temperature sensors, one disposed upstream of the heat exchanger 224 and one disposed downstream of the heat exchanger 224.

[0087] A drop in air temperature can indicate whether sufficient heat has been removed from the radiating element 202 and / or whether the amount of airflow is sufficient to cool the radiating element 202. The measured temperature and / or temperature difference can be provided to the control device 280 by the sensor 234, which can again compare the corresponding value with a threshold and control the coating system based on whether the value exceeds the threshold or is below the threshold.

[0088] Alternatively or additionally, a sensor (not shown) may be provided to measure the temperature inside the receiver element. If the temperature inside rises, this may indicate insufficient cooling of the radiating element 202 or, optionally, insufficient cooling of the receiver element. Using this temperature inside the receiver element as a condition, if the temperature inside the receiver element exceeds a given threshold temperature that may indicate an appropriate amount of cooling of the radiating element 202, the control device 280 may, for example, stop the operation of the radiating element 202.

[0089] In one embodiment, a sensor 232 may be provided that can measure the temperature of the radiating element 202 and / or the temperature of the area surrounding the radiating element 202 (e.g., the covering device 242).

[0090] Based on the temperature of the radiating element 202 and / or the temperature of the area surrounding the radiating element 202, the control device 280 can, for example, increase or decrease the amount of air flowing into or out of the radiating element 202 by increasing or decreasing the power supplied to the ventilator (see above) in order to, for example, maintain the temperature at a specific value or within a specific temperature range acceptable for the operation of the radiating element 202. For example, if the ventilators 222 and / or 225 are already at maximum power, but the temperature of the radiating element still exceeds, for example, a given temperature threshold, the control device 280 can be configured to stop the operation of the radiating element 202 or the entire coating system 200 and / or, for example, indicate a malfunction of the cooling system and / or the radiating element 202 to the operator via a corresponding warning on the display device 170.

[0091] It should be noted that the components and sensors of the described cooling system 220 may be provided in any combination, and in particular, only one of the respective components (ventilator, heat exchanger) may be provided with its associated sensor, or any combination of these components may be provided with its associated sensor.

[0092] Figure 3 Another embodiment that can be combined with all the previously mentioned embodiments is shown. In this embodiment, the coating system 300 includes a fluid cooling system 320. Regarding... Figure 2 The cooling system under discussion is an open cooling system in which external air is used to cool the radiating elements and (heated) air is exhausted into the external environment.

[0093] On the contrary, according to Figure 3 The fluid cooling system 320 of the embodiment is a “closed” cooling system in the sense that it has a closed cooling cycle 321 in which the cooling medium inside the cooling cycle 321 is not exchanged.

[0094] The fluid cooling system 320 may be filled, for example, with a gaseous or liquid (e.g., water) fluid cooling medium, which is pumped by a pump 322 or a ventilator 322 (especially in the case of a gaseous cooling fluid) through a fluid circulation or conduit 321. A heat exchanger 323 may be provided, adapted to remove heat from the fluid in the fluid circulation (especially after the fluid has passed through the radiating element 302) and to provide heat to the external environment and / or the interior of a receiving element (not shown) for additional heating of the object to be coated. Alternatively or additionally, cooling capacity may be provided for cooling the cooling medium after it has passed through the radiating element 302, to further reduce the temperature of the cooling medium.

[0095] In this embodiment, a sensor 331 may be provided in the sensor system. Sensor 331 can determine the amount of cooling fluid flowing out of and / or into pump 322 via fluid circulation 321, or it can otherwise determine the amount of cooling fluid flowing through a specific portion of fluid circulation 321 within a specific time frame (e.g., per second or per minute). Thus, it can be determined how much cooling capacity is available for cooling the radiating element. If the amount of cooling fluid flow drops below a certain threshold or no cooling fluid flows out of and / or into the pump, control device 380 may, for example, stop operation in coating system 300 and / or increase the capacity of an alternative cooling system (e.g., regarding...). Figure 2 The power of the cooling system 220 under discussion is used to compensate for the insufficient cooling power provided by the fluid cooling system 320.

[0096] Alternatively or additionally, sensor 331 may be configured to measure the temperature of the cooling fluid before and / or after the radiating element to determine whether sufficient heat has been removed from the radiating element 302. If the temperature difference is, for example, below a certain threshold, i.e., the temperature of the cooling fluid does not change significantly after passing through the radiating element 302, this may indicate that the cooling is not functioning properly or that the radiating element 302 is not operating correctly. In this case, control device 380 may control display device 170 to output a warning or message indicating that the temperature of the cooling fluid has not changed, and may optionally instruct the operator of the coating system, for example, to check the normal operation of the radiating element 302.

[0097] If the temperature difference exceeds a given threshold that can be considered an indication of the amount of cooling required for a given amount of heat emitted by the radiating element, this can indicate that the radiating element is emitting too much heat and / or that the cooling system is not functioning properly. Based on the determination that the threshold is exceeded, the control device can control the display device 170 to output a warning or message indicating that the temperature change of the cooling fluid is too large, and can optionally instruct the operator of the coating system to check, for example, the normal operation of the radiating element 302.

[0098] An additional sensor 332 (or an additional sensor 323 instead of sensor 331) may be provided. Sensor 332 can measure the power consumed by the pump and / or ventilator 322 to determine whether it is operating normally and whether there is sufficient circulation of cooling fluid in the fluid circulation 321. If the amount of power consumed is below a certain threshold (which may be preset or dynamically changed, for example, based on the power consumed by the radiating element 302), the control device 380 may increase the power supplied to the pump and / or ventilator 322 and / or the control device 380 may output information to the operator that the pump and / or ventilator 322 is not operating normally. Alternatively or additionally, the control device may stop the operation of the heating element 302 to avoid overheating.

[0099] If a heat exchanger 323 is provided, a sensor 333 may be provided, which can determine the temperature of the heat exchanger and / or the amount of heat transferred from the fluid and / or the temperature of the fluid before and after passing through the heat exchanger. This allows determination of how much heat is transferred from the radiating element to the fluid and how much heat is available, for example, for further heating of the interior of the receiver element. If the heat transferred from the cooling fluid via the heat exchanger drops below a certain threshold, or if there is no temperature difference in the fluid before and after passing through the heat exchanger, the control device 380 can determine whether the radiating element 302 is undercooled or overcooled and can control the power supplied to the fluid cooling system 320 (particularly the pump and / or ventilator 322). Alternatively or additionally, if the obtained values ​​indicate a malfunction in the cooling system, the control device can control the display device 170 (see...). Figure 1 It provides warnings or other outputs to the user, and, for example, indicates a malfunction in the cooling system, to optionally prompt the operator to take further action.

[0100] Figure 4 Another embodiment is shown that can be combined with any of the previously described embodiments. In this embodiment, the coating system 400 includes at least one movable cover 443 as described above. It is possible that the radiating element and / or supply element of the foregoing embodiments ( Figure 4 (Not shown) is connected to or located at the movable cover 441, but this is not mandatory.

[0101] In this embodiment, a sensor 431 may be provided that can sense whether the movable cover 441 is in its closed position or open (position 443 shown in dashed lines) – i.e., moved away from another cover element 442, making the interior of the coating system or receiver element at least partially accessible. This would result in a potential interruption of cooling flow, for example, the connection to the cooling system used to cool the radiating element might be interrupted.

[0102] In this scenario, the sensor can provide a signal to the control device 480 indicating that the movable cover 441 has been opened, and the control device 480 can stop the operation of the coating system 400. Alternatively or additionally, the sensor 431 can measure the pressure inside the receiver element (the area where the object to be coated is placed), and if this pressure changes and / or if the pressure exceeds a certain threshold—which, if coating is performed under reduced pressure inside the receiver element, could be, for example, atmospheric pressure—this can indicate the opening of the movable element 441 (or typically the cover), and the control device can similarly stop the operation of the coating system.

[0103] If the interior of the receiver element is connected to an airflow device, such as a ventilator for removing or filtering air from the interior of the receiver element (see also...) Figure 5 Sensor 431 can also determine whether the corresponding airflow system is functioning properly by measuring the pressure inside the receiver element. For example, it can be configured such that if the movable cover 441 is properly closed, the inside of the receiver element is set with a pressure lower than the external atmospheric pressure. If this pressure is less than a given threshold, control device 480 can determine that the airflow device is drawing too much air from inside the receiver element, and control device can reduce, for example, power consumption or the power supplied to the airflow device.

[0104] If the air pressure inside the receiver element is higher than the threshold but still lower than atmospheric pressure, the control device can determine that the movable cover 441 is still in the closed position, but the power supplied to the airflow device must be increased to further reduce the pressure.

[0105] In one implementation, instead of comparing the pressure determined by sensor 431 to a specific threshold, the pressure difference with the external environment can be determined. Similar to and analogous to the example above, if the determined pressure difference is below a specific threshold (e.g., this specific threshold could indicate an expected pressure difference with the external environment), the control device can determine that the airflow device is not drawing enough air from the interior of the receiver element, and the control device can, for example, increase the power supplied to the airflow device (e.g., a ventilator). If the pressure difference is above the specific threshold, the control device can reduce the amount of power supplied to the airflow device because, in this case, too much air is being drawn from the interior of the receiver element.

[0106] It can also be configured that the internal connection of the receiver element is related to... Figure 2 The described cooling system has inflow and / or outflow channels. In this case, sensor 431 can also provide the internal conditions or condition values ​​of the receiver element by measuring the pressure inside the receiver element, which the control device uses to control the operation of the coating system based on the sensed conditions.

[0107] Figure 5 Another embodiment is shown, wherein the system 500 includes an exhaust ventilation system 501 for removing air from the receiver element 504 (or the interior 541 as described above) at least when the interior 541 is closed by the covering device 521.

[0108] The exhaust ventilation system 501 may include an airflow passage 515 connected at one end to the interior 541 of the receiver element 504 and at the other end to the exterior 542 (e.g., free space around the system). Within the airflow passage, a ventilator or pump 512 may be arranged such that it can exhaust or pump air from the interior 541 of the receiver element 504 and exhaust or pump it to the exterior (or environment) 542. In one embodiment, the exhaust ventilation system 501 may be configured to maintain a negative pressure (or overpressure) inside compared to the exterior, or may be controlled by a control device 580 to maintain a negative pressure (or overpressure) inside compared to the exterior. For example, the ventilator or pump 512 may be controlled to maintain the pressure in the interior 541 at 0.9 bar, 0.95 bar, or 0.8 bar. However, this is not mandatory, and in one embodiment, the same pressure may be maintained in the interior 541 as in the exterior 542.

[0109] Although not shown, the exhaust ventilation system 501 may include an inflow passage through which air can flow into the interior 541 of the receiver element 504. A ventilator or pump may be arranged in the inflow passage to control the amount of air flowing into the interior 541. Such control may be provided to maintain a negative pressure (or overpressure) in the interior 541 compared to the exterior 542.

[0110] Furthermore, the exhaust ventilation system 501 may include a filter element 511, for example, within the airflow passage 515, for filtering air from the interior 541 of the receiver element before it is released to the environment 542. The filter element 511 may be arranged downstream (as shown) or upstream of the ventilator or pump 512 in the direction of airflow through the airflow passage 515. The filter element 511 may include a porous filtration region through which air can flow, but particles larger than the pore size of the porous substrate cannot flow through. The porous filtration region may, for example, comprise activated carbon and / or a fibrous material having pores with a diameter of 50 μm or smaller for filtering the air flowing through the filtration region. This can be advantageous because particles coated with the material can be removed from the airflow before it is released to the environment, thus preventing contamination.

[0111] In one embodiment, the sensor system includes a sensor 513 for sensing the pressure difference between upstream and downstream pressures of a filter element. The sensor may include two sensor units, one disposed upstream of the filter element 511 and one disposed downstream of the filter element 511 (not explicitly shown). Each sensor element can determine the pressure, and the pressure difference can be determined based on these two pressure values.

[0112] Alternatively, as is known in the art, sensor 513 can be implemented as a differential pressure sensor for determining the pressure difference at the filter element.

[0113] The pressure difference, or differential pressure, can then be used by control device 580 as a condition for the operation of system 500 and / or radiating element 502. For example, the pressure difference, or differential pressure, can indicate the condition of the filter element, particularly whether the filter element is clogged. If the pressure difference exceeds a given threshold that could indicate the filter element is clogged, control device 580 can shut down the operation of radiating element 502 or the entire system. This can be advantageous because a clogged filter element 511 could cause coating material to accumulate inside the receiver element 541 to a degree that could affect the coating quality or even pose a safety risk.

[0114] Alternatively or additionally, if the differential pressure exceeds a certain threshold or drops below such a threshold as described above, the control device 580 may control the display device (e.g., Figure 1 The display device 170 provides a warning, alarm, or instruction to replace the filter element or a portion of the filter element 511.

[0115] Alternatively or additionally, the sensor system may include sensor 514 for determining, for example, the amount of power consumed by a ventilator or pump 512 and / or for determining the amount of airflow flowing through airflow channel 515, as explained in the above embodiments.

[0116] The value determined by sensor 514 can then be used by control device 580 as a condition to control the operation of system 500 and / or radiating element 502. If the amount of airflow is, for example, too low, this can indicate a malfunction causing coating material to accumulate in the interior 541 and have the corresponding negative effects described above. If the amount of airflow is below a certain threshold level, control device can control the energy supply of ventilator or pump 512 to increase the amount of airflow and / or control device can stop the operation of radiating element 502 and / or system 500.

Claims

1. A coating system for coating objects, particularly smaller objects, the coating system comprising: A receiver element for receiving an object to be coated and for moving the object to be coated; A supply element for supplying coating material to an object within the receiver element; A radiating element for emitting electromagnetic radiation to dry an object in the receiver element that is provided with a coating material; A sensor system for sensing conditions associated with the operating state of the radiating element; A control device for controlling the operation of the coating system based on the conditions sensed by the sensor system.

2. The coating system of claim 1 further comprises a cooling system for cooling the radiating element by providing an airflow to the radiating element, wherein, The sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of airflow toward the radiating element and / or the amount of airflow away from the radiating element as the condition, and / or wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of power consumed by the cooling system.

3. The coating system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The system includes an exhaust ventilation system for removing air from the interior of the receiver element, wherein the exhaust ventilation system includes a filter element through which air flows out from the interior of the receiver element, and wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the pressure difference at the filter element as the condition.

4. The coating system according to claim 2, wherein, The cooling system includes a heat exchanger arranged to remove heat from air flowing away from the radiating element and to provide heat to the interior of the receiver element.

5. The coating system according to claim 4, wherein, The sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of heat removed from the airflow by the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the air before and after passing through the heat exchanger as the condition.

6. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The coating system includes at least one movable cover for sealing the receiver element in a closed state, wherein the sensor element is adapted to sense whether the cover is in the closed state as a condition by sensing the position of the movable cover and / or by sensing the pressure in the area defined by the receiver element and the movable cover.

7. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The sensor system is adapted to sense the temperature of the radiating element and / or the temperature of the area surrounding the radiating element as the condition.

8. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The coating system includes a fluid cooling system, which includes a fluid circulation located within the coating system. The fluid cooling system includes a pump for pumping the fluid through the fluid circulation, and the sensor system is adapted to sense the amount of fluid flowing through the fluid circulation and / or the amount of power consumed by the pump and / or the temperature difference at two points in the fluid circulation as conditions.

9. The coating system according to claim 8, wherein, The fluid cooling system includes a heat exchanger for exchanging heat between the fluid in the fluid circulation and the environment or the interior of the receiving element, and wherein the sensor system is adapted to sense the temperature of the heat exchanger and / or the temperature of the fluid before and after passing through the heat exchanger as a condition.

10. The coating system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein, The fluid is a gaseous medium or a liquid medium.

11. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein, The receiver element includes a rotatable internal element for receiving an object.

12. The coating system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein, The control device can control the operation of the coating system based on the conditions by performing at least one of the following: stopping or releasing the operation of a component of the coating system, pausing the operation of a component of the coating system, changing the operating parameters of a component of the coating system, or providing an output indicating the conditions on the output device of the coating system.

13. A method for controlling the operation of a coating system used to coat objects, particularly smaller objects, said coating system comprising: A receiver element that receives the object to be coated and moves the object to be coated; A supply element that provides coating material to an object within the receiver element; A radiating element that emits electromagnetic radiation to dry an object in the receiver element that is provided with a coating material; A sensor system that senses conditions associated with the operating state of the radiating element; A control device that controls the operation of the coating system based on the conditions sensed by the sensor system; The method includes: When the radiating element emits electromagnetic radiation to dry the object, the sensor system senses the conditions associated with the operating state of the radiating element, and the control device controls the operation of the coating system based on the conditions sensed by the sensor system.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein, The sensor system senses at least one of the following as the condition: the temperature of the airflow or cooling fluid, the power consumed by the radiating element, the power consumed by the cooling system and / or liquid cooling system that cools the radiating element, the pressure within the area defined by the receiving element and the movable cover of the coating system, and the amount of heat exchanged between the heat exchanger and the airflow or cooling fluid.

15. The method according to claim 13 or 14, wherein, The control device controls the operation of the coating system based on the conditions sensed by the sensor system by performing at least one of the following: stopping or releasing the operation of a component of the coating system, pausing the operation of a component of the coating system, changing the operating parameters of a component of the coating system, or providing an output indicating the conditions on the output device of the coating system.

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