Coating equipment and procedure of operation

Abstract

The invention relates to a coating device for coating components (2) with a coating agent. The coating device according to the invention comprises a coating cabin (1) and at least one separated maintenance cabin (13, 14, 15) for carrying out maintenance measures inside the maintenance cabin (13, 14, 15). The invention provides a special walk-on protection for the maintenance cabin (13, 14, 15). The invention also relates to a corresponding operating method.

Description

Technical field of the invention

[0001] The invention relates to a coating device for coating components (e.g., motor vehicle body components) with a coating agent (e.g., paint). Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding operating method for such a coating device. Background of the invention

[0002] In modern paint shops for painting automotive body components, rotary atomizers are typically used as application equipment, which are guided over the component surfaces to be painted by a painting robot. The automotive body components to be painted are typically conveyed by a linear conveyor through a paint booth, which houses several painting robots and several handling robots (hood opener robots and door opener robots) on either side of the linear conveyor.

[0003] WO 2021 / 063444 A1 discloses a further development of such painting systems. In this case, several maintenance cubicles ("cubicles") are located in the corners of the paint booth. These cubicles are separated from the paint booth and allow maintenance or cleaning measures to be carried out on robots within the respective maintenance cubicle.

[0004] For this purpose, the individual maintenance booths each have a maintenance window, allowing the robots located in the paint booth to insert their robot arm into the maintenance booth through the maintenance window. For example, external charging rings for external electrostatic charging can be replaced in the maintenance booths. Another example of a maintenance measure within the maintenance booth is cleaning the rotary atomizer or handling tools of a handling robot in the maintenance booth.

[0005] The respective maintenance or cleaning measures in the maintenance booth can be carried out by an operator who can enter the maintenance booth through an access door. However, operational safety is problematic when an operator is present in the maintenance booth.

[0006] Furthermore, with regard to the technical background of the invention, reference should also be made to DE 102 37 747 A1, EP 3 140 043 B1, US 2019 / 337003 A1 and DE 11 2019 002 282 T5.

[0007] Finally, WO 2021 / 063443 A1 discloses a coating device according to the preamble of claim 1 and an operating method according to the preamble of claim 15. However, this prior art is not entirely satisfactory.

[0008] The invention is therefore based on the object of improving the known coating device described above and of specifying an associated operating method. Description of the invention

[0009] This object is achieved by a coating device according to the invention according to the main claim or by a corresponding operating method.

[0010] The coating device according to the invention is designed for coating components, which may, for example, be motor vehicle body components. However, the invention is not limited to motor vehicle body components with regard to the type of components to be coated.

[0011] The components to be coated (e.g., motor vehicle body components) are coated with a coating agent, which can preferably be a paint. However, the invention is not limited to paints with regard to the coating agent to be applied, but can also be implemented in a coating device that applies other types of coating agents, such as adhesives, sealants, or insulating materials, to name just a few examples.

[0012] In accordance with the known coating device according to WO 2021 / 063444 A1 described at the outset, the coating device according to the invention also has a coating booth (e.g. painting booth) which accommodates the components to be coated during coating, wherein the coating booth preferably has booth walls which are impermeable to the applied coating agent.

[0013] The components to be coated are preferably transported through the coating booth by a conveyor, as is known from the prior art. Within the scope of the invention, however, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) can also be used as conveyors. These are floor-mounted conveyors with their own drive and are automatically controlled. Such conveyors are also referred to as driverless transport vehicles (FTFs) or automated guided vehicles (AGVs).

[0014] Furthermore, the coating device according to the invention, in accordance with the known coating device described above, has at least one robot which is arranged in the coating booth.

[0015] For example, a coating robot (e.g. painting robot) can be arranged in the coating booth, which coats the components with the coating agent (e.g. paint), wherein the coating robot guides an applicator (e.g. rotary atomizer, print head) to apply the coating agent.

[0016] Furthermore, a handling robot can be installed in the coating booth to handle the components to be coated. For example, the handling robot could be a door-opening robot that opens and closes the doors of the vehicle body components to be coated. Another example of a handling robot is a hood-opening robot, which is used to open and close the hoods (e.g., the engine hood, trunk lid) of vehicle bodies.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, not just a single robot is arranged in the coating booth. Rather, the coating booth preferably contains several coating robots, which are preferably arranged on both sides of the linear conveyor. Furthermore, the coating booth preferably also contains several handling robots (e.g., hood-opening robots, door-opening robots), which can also be arranged on both sides of the linear conveyor. For example, two painting robots, two door-opening robots, and two hood-opening robots can be arranged on each side of the linear conveyor, so that there are a total of twelve robots in the painting booth.

[0018] In accordance with the known coating device according to WO 2021 / 063444 A1 described at the outset, the coating device according to the invention also has at least one maintenance cabin ("cubicle") which serves to carry out maintenance measures on the at least one robot, wherein the respective maintenance measure can be carried out in the maintenance cabin.

[0019] The term "maintenance measure" used within the scope of the invention is to be understood generally and also includes, for example, cleaning processes such as cleaning the applicator (e.g., rotary atomizer, print head) or cleaning the handling tools of the handling robot. Furthermore, the term "maintenance measure" used within the scope of the invention also includes, for example, replacing or removing an external charging ring used for external electrostatic charging. For example, an external charging ring for external painting can be replaced by an external charging ring for internal painting, to name just one example.

[0020] The maintenance cabin has a lockable maintenance window, whereby the robot can insert its robot arm at least partially through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin so that the maintenance measure can then be carried out in the maintenance cabin.

[0021] In addition, the maintenance cabin has an access door through which an operator can enter the maintenance cabin.

[0022] Furthermore, the coating device according to the invention also has a control system for controlling the operation of the coating device. The term "control system" used in the context of the invention is also to be understood generally and is not limited to a single component. Rather, the control system in the coating device according to the invention can also be distributed across various control components and implemented either as hardware or software.

[0023] The invention is preferably characterized by a special access protection for the maintenance cabin to increase operational safety. During operation, there is a risk that a maintenance measure in the maintenance cabin could result in injury to an operator in the maintenance cabin.

[0024] In the coating system according to the invention, the control system therefore preferably only allows the operator access through the access door into the maintenance booth when there is no danger to the operator. This is the case when the maintenance window of the maintenance booth is closed and / or when all robots in the coating booth are switched off and in a safe operating state without any potential hazard.

[0025] In addition, the control system controls access through the maintenance window into the robot maintenance cabin. The control system only allows access through the maintenance window into the robot maintenance cabin if this cannot endanger an operator. This condition is met when the access door to the maintenance cabin is closed and, preferably, locked.

[0026] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the maintenance cabin also has a door sensor that detects the opening state of the access door, wherein the door sensor preferably reports the opening state of the access door to the control system.

[0027] Furthermore, the maintenance cabin can have a controllable door lock that prevents the access door from opening when locked, so that the access door can only be opened when unlocked. The door lock is preferably controlled by the control system, which thus queries the door sensor and activates the door lock to control access to the maintenance cabin.

[0028] As already mentioned above, the maintenance cabin has a maintenance window so that the robot can at least partially insert its robot arm through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, this maintenance window has an adjustable window closure to selectively open the maintenance window or to close it completely or partially, wherein the window closure is preferably controlled by the control system.

[0029] For example, this window closure can have a movable or pivoting closure plate which, depending on its position, opens or closes the maintenance window completely or partially.

[0030] The movable or pivotable closure plate can have a cutout adapted to the cross-section of a robot arm of the robot, so that the closure plate can close the maintenance window down to the robot arm when the robot arm extends through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin. The cutout in the closure plate thus makes it possible to close the maintenance window almost completely even when the robot arm of the respective robot has been guided through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin. It is also possible for the cutout in the closure plate to taper from the edge of the closure plate, particularly in the shape of a triangle or a semicircle.

[0031] It is possible for the closing plate of the window closure to be transparent so that an operator can observe processes in the coating booth through the closing plate from the maintenance booth. This also enables observation mode in which no maintenance measures are carried out in the maintenance booth. Rather, in this observation mode, there is an operator in the maintenance booth who can observe the coating process in the coating booth through the transparent closing plate, with the closing plate then closing the maintenance window. It should be noted that not only the closing plate itself can be transparent, but also the booth walls of the maintenance booth. Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it is also possible for the closing plate to be opaque, whereas the booth walls of the maintenance booth are transparent.

[0032] The window closure described above is preferably adjustable between different positions, namely between an open position, a closed position and a cleaning position.

[0033] In the open position, the window lock essentially completely opens the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin, so that the robot to be serviced can move its robot arm unhindered through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin so that the respective maintenance measure can then be carried out in the maintenance cabin.

[0034] In the closed position, however, the window lock closes the maintenance window of the maintenance booth essentially completely, so that the operator can remain in the maintenance booth while the components are being coated in the coating booth.

[0035] In the cleaning position, however, a robot arm of the respective robot protrudes through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin, whereby the window closure then closes the maintenance window down to the contour of the robot arm.

[0036] It has already been mentioned above that the maintenance cabin has an access door through which an operator can enter or exit the maintenance cabin.

[0037] In one variant of the invention, the access door connects the maintenance cabin with the coating cabin, i.e. the maintenance cabin is entered through the access door from the interior of the coating cabin.

[0038] In another variant of the invention, however, the access door of the maintenance booth connects the maintenance booth to an exterior space outside the coating booth, so that the maintenance booth can be entered through the access door from outside the coating booth. This is advantageous because the maintenance booth can then be entered without first having to enter the coating booth.

[0039] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the coating device has a maintenance device to carry out a maintenance measure.

[0040] For example, this may be an applicator cleaning device used to clean the applicator (e.g., rotary atomizer, print head). For this purpose, the applicator cleaning device may have an insertion opening for inserting the applicator (e.g., atomizer) to be cleaned into the applicator cleaning device and then cleaning it within the applicator cleaning device. Such atomizer cleaning devices are known per se from the prior art and are described, for example, in DE 10 2014 016 364 A1, EP 1 671 706 B1, and EP 2 643 096 B1.

[0041] However, the maintenance device can also be a jet testing device for testing the coating agent jet emitted by the applicator designed as a print head. Such jet testing devices are also known from the prior art and are described, for example, in DE 10 2019 135 360 A1, EP 3 689 474 A1, and EP 3 890 895 A1.

[0042] Furthermore, it is also possible that the maintenance device is a cleaning device used to clean the handling tools of the handling robot.

[0043] The maintenance device is preferably mounted in a pivot opening in a wall of the maintenance booth and is pivotable by means of a pivot mechanism between an operating position within the coating booth and a maintenance position within the maintenance booth, wherein the pivoting preferably occurs about a vertical or horizontal pivot axis. When an atomizer cleaning device is used as the maintenance device, the atomizer cleaning device is pivoted outward into the coating booth to clean the atomizer so that the rotary atomizer can then be inserted into the atomizer cleaning device. To perform maintenance on the atomizer cleaning device, the atomizer cleaning device is then pivoted inward into the maintenance booth.

[0044] The pivoting mechanism for the pivotable maintenance device is preferably designed such that the pivot opening in the cabin wall of the maintenance cabin is closed by the pivoting mechanism both in the operating position and in the maintenance position. For this purpose, the pivoting mechanism can have two closure plates that are angled relative to one another, with one closure plate closing the pivot opening in the operating position, while the other closure plate closes the pivot opening in the maintenance position. For this purpose, the two closure plates can be angled relative to one another at a fixed angle and pivot together, with the angle between the two closure plates preferably being substantially 90°.

[0045] Furthermore, it is possible for a handle to be attached to the maintenance device so that the maintenance device can be pulled into the maintenance cabin from inside the maintenance cabin.

[0046] Furthermore, the pivoting mechanism may include a damper to dampen the pivoting movement of the maintenance device.

[0047] In addition, the maintenance cabin can have a door opener button to open the access door. If an operator wishes to enter the maintenance cabin, the operator must press the door opener button, whereupon the control system then releases the access door to the maintenance cabin, provided the access protection according to the invention permits this.

[0048] Furthermore, the maintenance booth can be equipped with an acknowledgement button to acknowledge the operator's exit. This requires the operator to press the acknowledgement button after leaving the maintenance booth so that the access control system can then allow the robot access through the maintenance window. The door opener button and the acknowledgement button are therefore preferably connected to the control system.

[0049] Furthermore, it should be noted that in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the maintenance cabin can be operated in several different operating modes to ensure the safety of the operator during operation. A mode selector switch can be assigned to the maintenance cabin to select the respective operating mode of the maintenance cabin. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the maintenance cabin can be operated in at least one of the following operating modes, which will be described in more detail later: Automatic mode, coating robot cleaning mode for cleaning the coating robot, handling robot cleaning mode for cleaning the handling robot, accessory cleaning mode for cleaning accessories, in particular the applicator cleaning device or an external charging ring for an atomizer for an electrostatic external charging of the applied coating agent, observation mode for observing processes in the coating booth.

[0050] In automatic mode, it is preferably checked automatically whether a maintenance action needs to be performed. The control system checks whether a maintenance request exists for a coating robot or a handling robot. The maintenance request can be triggered by a user or generated automatically. When a maintenance request is issued, the control system then executes several or all of the following steps, particularly in the following order:Ending the coating operation on the coating robot to be cleaned, discharging the electrostatic coating charge on the coating robot to be cleaned, if an electrostatic coating charge is provided, locking the access door to the maintenance booth to prevent the opening of the access door and entry into the maintenance booth, unless the access door is already locked (with regard to this step, it should be noted that the access door to the maintenance booth can be permanently locked in automatic mode), opening the maintenance window of the maintenance booth, inserting the robot to be cleaned with its robot arm through the open maintenance window into the maintenance booth, closing the maintenance window of the maintenance booth into the cleaning position, changing the operating mode of the maintenance booth from automatic mode to cleaning mode, unlocking the access door to the maintenance booth,to allow the operator to enter the maintenance cabin, performing a cleaning operation in the maintenance cabin, acknowledging after the operator has left the maintenance cabin and closed the access door, locking the access door to the maintenance cabin, changing the operating mode of the maintenance cabin to, acknowledging the locking of the access door to the maintenance cabin by the maintenance person after leaving the maintenance cabin, opening the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin, driving the robot out of the maintenance cabin through the open maintenance window, and finally closing the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin.

[0051] Regarding the automatic operation described above, it should be noted that an operator is preferably not required. The robot preferably performs everything independently (e.g., changing the external charging device). The locking plate (window) preferably remains open. No person is allowed into the maintenance cubicle during this operation, as the robot cannot be safely shut down. In comparison, an operator must enter the maintenance cubicle during cleaning operation. Therefore, the robot must be safely shut down, and the window must be closed for safety reasons.

[0052] In the coating robot cleaning operation briefly mentioned above, however, a check is carried out to determine whether a user has issued a cleaning request for a coating robot. For example, an operator can request a cleaning process if the operator detects contamination of the coating robot. Upon such a user-side cleaning request, the control system then preferably controls the coating device so that several or all of the following steps are executed, preferably in the following order: Changing the operating mode of the maintenance booth ("Cubicle") from automatic operation to cleaning operation, requesting the corresponding robot, stopping the coating operation of the coating robot to be cleaned, discharging the electrostatic coating charge on the coating robot to be cleaned, if an electrostatic coating charge is provided, locking the access door (see above comment on automatic operation) to the maintenance booth to prevent the access door from being opened and entry into the maintenance booth if the access door is not already locked, opening the maintenance window of the maintenance booth, inserting the coating robot to be cleaned into the maintenance booth through the open maintenance window, closing the maintenance window of the maintenance booth into the cleaning position, and shutting down the coating robot to put it into a safe operating state.in which no hazard arises from the coating robot, unlocking the access door to the maintenance booth to allow the operator to enter the maintenance booth, carrying out a cleaning measure in the maintenance booth, acknowledging after the operator has left the maintenance booth and closed the access door, locking the access door to the maintenance booth, changing the operating mode of the cubicle to automatic mode, locking the access door to the maintenance booth after the operator has left the maintenance booth and closed the access door, acknowledging the locking of the access door to the maintenance booth by the operator after leaving the maintenance booth, opening the maintenance window of the maintenance booth, moving the coating robot out of the maintenance booth through the open maintenance window, and finally closing the maintenance window of the maintenance booth.

[0053] In the handling robot cleaning mode briefly mentioned above, a check is carried out to determine whether a user has requested a handling robot to be cleaned. This allows an operator to request such cleaning if the operator detects that a handling robot is dirty. The control system then controls the coating device accordingly to clean the handling robot, with the aforementioned steps for cleaning the coating robot being performed accordingly for cleaning the handling robot.

[0054] In the accessory cleaning mode mentioned above, the pivoting maintenance device (e.g., atomizer cleaning device) is pivoted into the maintenance position within the maintenance booth so that the maintenance device can then be serviced within the maintenance booth. Preferably, the door lock of the access door to the maintenance booth is unlocked so that an operator can enter the maintenance booth and perform the maintenance work on the maintenance device. In the current manual process, access is requested when all conditions are met, then unlocked, and then the cleaner is pivoted into the maintenance booth ("cubicle") by the operator. With an automated process, this would be as described: first pivot the cleaner, then access, unless pivoting is safe, in which case it would also work the other way around. Fig. 12 represents this automated operation.

[0055] It has already been mentioned above that in the coating system according to the invention, several robots are arranged within the coating booth. The different types of robots (coating robots, hood-opening robots, door-opening robots) are preferably arranged vertically distributed one above the other at different levels.

[0056] The hood-opening robots are preferably located on an upper level to open and close hoods (e.g., engine hoods, trunk lids) of vehicle bodies. The hood-opening robots are preferably movable along an upper travel rail. The upper arrangement of the hood-opening robots allows them easy and largely unobstructed access to the hoods of the vehicle bodies that need to be opened.

[0057] The coating robots, on the other hand, are preferably located at a central level in the coating booth and can be moved along a central travel rail. This central arrangement of the coating robots also allows for largely uninterrupted coating operations.

[0058] The lower level of the coating booth, on the other hand, is where the door-opening robots, which open and close the doors of the vehicle bodies, are preferably located. These robots are preferably designed as SCARA robots (SCARA: Selective Compliance Assembly Robot Arms) and can, for example, be moved along a lower travel rail. This lower arrangement of the door-opening robots allows them largely unobstructed access to the doors to be opened.

[0059] Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin is preferably arranged at such a height that all robot types (hood opener robot, coating robot, door opener robot) can all drive their robot arm through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin.

[0060] Furthermore, it should be noted in general that the coating booth preferably has a rectangular floor plan, with a maintenance cubicle being arranged in each of the four corners of the coating booth, as is generally known from the aforementioned patent publication WO 2021 / 063444 A1. The maintenance cubicle ("service cubicle") could also be located between two stations, allowing access from both sides.

[0061] The coating robots and the handling robots can be mounted either stationary or movable along a travel rail.

[0062] It should also be mentioned that the applicator is preferably an atomizer, such as a rotary atomizer. However, within the scope of the invention, it is also possible for the applicator to be a so-called print head, which applies the coating agent with almost no overspray (i.e. with an application efficiency of almost 100%) and does not emit a spray jet of the coating agent, but rather spatially narrowly limited jets of coating agent. Such print heads have been developed recently and are described, for example, in EP 2 953 732 B1, EP 2 566 627 B1, EP 311 217 6B1, EP 3 554 714 A1, WO 2018 / 108 572 A1, WO 2018 / 108 568 A1 and EP 3 698 881 A1.

[0063] It should also be noted that the maintenance booth can be equipped with a fresh air purge system that flushes the maintenance booth with fresh air to ensure a breathable atmosphere in the maintenance booth when the coating agent is being applied. This is particularly advantageous in observation mode, when an operator observes himself in the maintenance booth while the coating agent is being applied in the coating booth.

[0064] In addition to the coating device according to the invention described above, the invention also claims protection for a corresponding operating method. The individual process steps of the operating method according to the invention are already apparent from the above description of the coating device according to the invention, so that a separate description of the operating method according to the invention is unnecessary.

[0065] Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the figures. Brief description of the drawings

[0066] Figure 1 shows a cutaway perspective view of a paint booth according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a top view of the paint booth from Figure 1 . Figure 3A shows a window closure for closing a maintenance window of a maintenance cabin, wherein the window closure is in an open position. Figure 3B shows the window closure Figure 3A in a cleaning position when cleaning a painting robot. Figure 3C shows the window closure Figure 3A in a cleaning position for cleaning a door opener robot designed as a SCARA robot. 3D figure shows the window closure Figure 3Ain a closed position in which the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin is closed. Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a maintenance cabin with a pivoting atomizer cleaning device. Figure 5 shows a simplified schematic representation of the coating device according to the invention with a control system. Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of a control panel on the paint booth. Figure 7 shows a flow chart to illustrate the inventive access protection for the maintenance cabin. Figure 8 shows a flowchart to illustrate the control of access to the maintenance cabin for the robots. Figure 9 shows a flow chart to illustrate automatic operation. Figure 10 shows a flow chart to illustrate a painting robot cleaning operation. Figure 11 shows a flowchart to illustrate a handling robot cleaning operation. Figure 12shows a flow chart to illustrate an automated cleaning operation for the atomizer cleaning device. Figure 13 shows a flow chart to illustrate an observation operation. Figure 14A and 14B show a modification of the Figures 3A-3D . Figure 15 shows a further variation of the Figures 3A-3D . Figure 16 shows a variation of Figure 4 . Detailed description of the drawings

[0067] In the following, the embodiment according to the Figures 1 and 2 described, which show a painting booth 1 according to the invention in which motor vehicle bodies 2 are painted, wherein the motor vehicle bodies 2 to be painted are conveyed by a linear conveyor (not shown) in the direction of the arrow through the painting booth 1

[0068] In the painting booth 1, there are two painting robots 3, 4 on either side of the linear conveyor, each of which guides a rotary atomizer (not shown) as an application device over the surfaces of the motor vehicle body 2.

[0069] In addition, two door-opening robots 5, 6 are arranged in the painting booth 1 on both sides of the linear conveyor. These robots are designed as SCARA robots and have the task of opening and closing the doors of the motor vehicle body 2 to be painted so that the interior of the motor vehicle body 2 can also be painted.

[0070] Furthermore, two hood-opening robots 7, 8 are arranged in the painting booth 1 on both sides of the linear conveyor, which have the task of opening the hoods and trunk lids of the motor vehicle bodies 2 in order to be able to paint the motor vehicle body 2 also in its interior.

[0071] The hood opener robots 7, 8 are arranged in an upper level in the painting booth 1 and can be moved along an upper travel rail 9 parallel to the linear conveyor.

[0072] The painting robots 3, 4, on the other hand, are arranged in a central plane in the painting booth 1 and can be moved along a central travel rail 10 parallel to the linear conveyor.

[0073] The door opener robots 5, 6, on the other hand, are arranged in a lower level in the painting booth 1 and can be moved along a lower travel rail 11.

[0074] The distribution of the different types of robots (painting robots 3, 4, door opener robots 5, 6 and hood opener robots 7, 8) on three levels above each other is advantageous because the different robot types interfere with each other only minimally.

[0075] In the four corners of the painting booth 1 there is a maintenance booth 12, 13, 14, 15, whereby the maintenance booths 12-15 are separated from the rest of the painting booth 1 by booth walls.

[0076] The maintenance booths 12-15 are each accessible to operators through an access door 16-19, whereby the access doors 16-19 allow access to the maintenance booths 12-15 from the outside without having to enter the paint booth 1.

[0077] In addition, the maintenance booths 12-15 each have a maintenance window 20-22, wherein the maintenance windows 20-22 serve to enable the various robot types in the painting booth 1 to insert their robot arm through the maintenance windows 20-22 into the respective maintenance booth 12-15 in order to carry out a maintenance or cleaning measure there, as will be described in detail below.

[0078] For example, a maintenance measure may involve the painting robot 3 placing or replacing an external charging ring in the maintenance booth 14. For this purpose, the painting robot 3 is moved along the travel rail 10 toward the maintenance booth 14 and then inserted with its robot arm through the maintenance window 21 into the maintenance booth 14, so that the external charging ring can then be replaced or exchanged in the maintenance booth 14.

[0079] In addition, for example, the door opener robot 5 with its robot arm can be introduced through the maintenance window 21 into the maintenance cabin 14 so that a handling tool of the door opener robot 5 can be cleaned inside the maintenance cabin 14.

[0080] Furthermore, the maintenance booths 12-15 enable observation operation, in which an operator is located in one of the maintenance booths 12-15 and then observes the painting operation in the painting booth 1 through the maintenance windows 20-22.

[0081] The following are the Figures 3A-3D which show a window closure for a maintenance window 23 as described above with reference to the Figures 1-2 described, wherein the maintenance window 23 is arranged in a cabin wall 24 of a maintenance cabin.

[0082] The window closure essentially consists of a closure plate 25 which is displaceable in the direction of the arrow, wherein the displacement of the closure plate 25 can be driven, for example, by an electric motor which is controlled by a control system of the painting device, as will be described in detail below.

[0083] At the lower end of the closure plate 25 there is a cutout 26 which is adapted to the cross-section of a robot arm 27, the meaning of the cutout 26 being described in detail below.

[0084] Figure 3A shows the window closure in an open position, in which the closure plate 25 is fully raised and therefore completely exposes the maintenance window 23 in the cabin wall 24. This allows a robot to move its robot arm 27 through the maintenance window 23 into the maintenance cabin to perform maintenance or cleaning work there.

[0085] Figure 3Bshows the window closure in a cleaning position, in which the closure plate 25 is moved downward, with the robot arm 27 of a robot to be cleaned extending into the maintenance cabin through the cutout 26 in the closure plate 25. The closure plate 25 closes the maintenance window 23 almost completely, since the cutout 26 is adapted in shape to the outer contour of the robot arm 27.

[0086] Figure 3C shows a corresponding cleaning position for cleaning a SCARA robot with a slimmer robot arm 28. Even in this cleaning position, the cover plate 25 almost completely closes the maintenance window 23.

[0087] 3D figureFinally, shows a closed position of the window closure, in which the closure plate 25 is moved all the way down and completely closes the maintenance window 23. It should be noted that the closure plate 25 is transparent. This offers the advantage that an operator in the maintenance cabin can also see into the closed position according to 3D figure the painting process in the painting booth 1 can be observed through the transparent cover plate 25.

[0088] In the following, the perspective view is shown according to Figure 4 which shows a maintenance cabin 29 with a maintenance window 30, the technical significance of the maintenance window 30 having already been described above.

[0089] Below the maintenance window 30 there is a pivoting opening in the cabin wall of the maintenance cabin 29, with an atomizer cleaning device 31 ("Cleaner") pivotably mounted in the pivoting opening.

[0090] The drawing shows the atomizer cleaning device 31 in an operating position, in which the atomizer cleaning device 31 is pivoted out of the maintenance booth 29 and is thus located in the surrounding paint booth. In this cleaning position, a rotary atomizer can be inserted into the atomizer cleaning device 31 and cleaned therein.

[0091] However, the atomizer cleaning device 31 can also be pivoted inward into the maintenance cabin 29 in the direction of the double arrow by means of a pivoting mechanism. In this internal maintenance position within the maintenance cabin 29, the atomizer cleaning device 31 can then be serviced, for example.

[0092] The pivoting mechanism for pivoting the atomizer cleaning device 31 has two closure plates 32, 33, which are arranged at a fixed angular position to one another and pivot together with the atomizer cleaning device 31. In the cleaning position shown in the drawing, the closure plate 32 closes the pivot opening in the booth wall of the maintenance booth 29. In the internal maintenance position, however, the other closure plate 33 closes the pivot opening in the booth wall of the maintenance booth 29. The pivot opening in the booth wall of the maintenance booth 29 is therefore closed in both pivoting positions of the atomizer cleaning device 31. This is advantageous because it prevents paint mist (overspray) from the painting booth from penetrating the maintenance booth 29.

[0093] The following is a schematic representation of a painting system according to the invention according to Figure 5 described.

[0094] Thus, the painting system according to the invention comprises a control system 34 that controls the operation of the painting system. It should be noted that the control system 34 is depicted as a single component. In practice, however, the functions of the control system 34 can be distributed across multiple components.

[0095] The control system 34 is connected to robot controls 35, which are installed in the painting booth 1 according to the Figures 1 and 2 each control one robot, ie one of the painting robots 3, 4, door opener robots 5, 6 or one of the hood opener robots 7, 8.

[0096] In addition, the control system 34 is connected to a pivoting mechanism 36, which in the embodiment according to Figure 4 controls the pivoting movement of the atomizer cleaning device 31.

[0097] Furthermore, the control system 34 controls a window closure 37 in each of the individual maintenance cabins 12-15, the functioning of the window closure 37 being described above with reference to the Figures 3A-3D was described.

[0098] Furthermore, the control system 34 controls a door lock 38, which locks the respective access door 16-19 of the individual access doors 16-19 of the maintenance cabins 12-15 in order to prevent the respective access door 16-19 from being opened.

[0099] A door sensor 39 is arranged at each of the individual access doors 16-19 to the maintenance cabins 12-15, which detects the opening state of the respective access door 16-19 and reports it to the control system 34.

[0100] For user control of the operation, a control panel 40 is provided, which is shown schematically in Figure 6is shown and will be described in detail below. At this point, it should only be briefly mentioned that the control panel 40 controls the operation of the paint booth 1.

[0101] Furthermore, a request button 41 is provided, which enables the user to request opening of the respective access door 16-19 to the respective maintenance cabin 12-15.

[0102] Furthermore, an acknowledgement button 42 is provided which enables an operator, after leaving one of the maintenance cabins 12-15, to acknowledge leaving the maintenance cabin 12-15 and closing the associated access door 16-19 so that access to the respective maintenance cabin 12-15 can then be released for the robots.

[0103] The control panel 40 also has an operating mode selector switch 43 for selecting the desired operating mode, as will be described in more detail.

[0104] In addition, several request buttons 44, 45, 46 and 47 are provided to request a cleaning process for the various robots by the user, as will be described in detail below.

[0105] Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of the control panel 40 with the operating mode selector switch 43 and the request buttons 44-47 for requesting the various robot types or a cleaning device for a cleaning process.

[0106] Furthermore, Figure 6 the request button 41 and the acknowledgement button 42, whereby these two buttons are provided on each of the maintenance cabins 12-15.

[0107] To Fig. 6 It should be noted that the components shown in the drawing are preferably all provided on the respective maintenance cabin.

[0108] The operating mode selector switch 43 enables either automatic operation A, observation operation B or cleaning operation R. Automatic operation A is in Figure 9 and is described in more detail below. The cleaning mode R is shown in the Figures 10 and 11 and will also be described in detail. Finally, the observation operation in Figure 13 shown and will also be described.

[0109] Figure 7 shows a simplified flow chart to explain the inventive access protection.

[0110] In a first step (S1), a check is made to determine whether the access protection is disabled. This is the case, for example, if all robots in the paint booth are disabled and thus in a safe state. If this is the case, access to the respective maintenance booth is granted through the access door in a step (S4).

[0111] Otherwise, a check is carried out in step S2 to determine whether the maintenance window of the respective maintenance booth is closed. If this is the case, access to the respective maintenance booth is also granted in step S4.

[0112] Otherwise, access to the maintenance cabin is blocked by the access door in a step S3 in which the access door remains locked.

[0113] This prevents an operator in the maintenance cabin from being endangered.

[0114] Figure 8 shows a flowchart to illustrate the access protection with regard to controlling access through the maintenance windows for the robots.

[0115] In step S1, it is checked whether the access door of the respective maintenance cabin is closed and locked and whether there is no operator in the maintenance cabin.

[0116] If this is the case, access through the respective maintenance window is released for the robots in step S2.

[0117] Otherwise, in a step S3, access to the respective maintenance cabin through the maintenance window is blocked for the robots by the window lock keeping the respective maintenance window closed.

[0118] The following is the flow chart according to Figure 9 which explains the automatic operation.

[0119] In a first step S1, the access door to the respective maintenance cabin is closed and locked and there is no operator in the maintenance cabin.

[0120] In a step S2, the maintenance window of the respective maintenance cabin is then closed, unless it is already closed.

[0121] In a step S3, it is then checked whether there is a maintenance request from one of the robots, for example to change an external charging ring of a rotary atomizer.

[0122] If this is the case, the painting operation is first terminated in a step S4 and the electrostatic paint charge is switched off and discharged in a step S5 in order to establish a safe operating state.

[0123] In the next step S6, the maintenance window of the respective maintenance cabin is opened.

[0124] The robot to be serviced is then moved through the open maintenance window into the respective maintenance cabin in step S7.

[0125] In the next step S8, maintenance is then carried out in the maintenance cabin, for example by changing the external charging ring.

[0126] The next step S9 then involves moving the robot out of the maintenance cabin again.

[0127] Finally, in a final step S10, the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin is closed again.

[0128] The Figures 10 and 11 show flow charts for cleaning a painting robot ( Figure 10 ) or a handling robot ( Figure 11 ), whereby the processes are identical, so that the two flowcharts are described together below. The flowchart according to Figure 10 for cleaning the painting robot differs from the flow chart according to Figure 11 for cleaning the handling robot only through the additional step of discharging the electrostatic paint charge, which of course does not play a role with a handling robot.

[0129] In a first step S1, the user requests cleaning of the painting robot or the handling robot. This is done by the user pressing the corresponding request button 44, 45, or 46 on the control panel 40.

[0130] If such a user request for a cleaning process is made, the painting operation or the current job of the handling robot is then terminated in a step S2.

[0131] Subsequently, in a step S3, the electrostatic paint charge is optionally discharged if this is provided for in the painting robot.

[0132] In the next step S4, the maintenance window of the corresponding maintenance cabin is opened.

[0133] The next step S5 then provides for the robot to be cleaned to be moved into the maintenance cabin through the open maintenance window and switched off in order to put the robot to be cleaned into a safe operating state without any potential hazard.

[0134] In the next step S6, the previously opened maintenance window is then closed into the cleaning position, in which the robot arm extends through the maintenance window into the maintenance cabin and the window closure nevertheless closes the maintenance window almost completely.

[0135] In the next step S7, the access door to the maintenance cabin is then released and in step S8 an operator can enter the maintenance cabin and clean the painting robot inside the maintenance cabin.

[0136] In the next step S9, the operator then leaves the maintenance cabin again.

[0137] In the next step S10, the access door to the maintenance cabin is closed and locked by the operator and leaving the maintenance cabin is acknowledged by pressing the acknowledgement button.

[0138] The maintenance window of the maintenance cabin can then be opened again in step S11.

[0139] The painting robot then moves out of the maintenance cabin again in step S12.

[0140] Finally, in a step S13, the maintenance window of the maintenance cabin is closed.

[0141] The following is the flow chart according to Figure 12 which explains the automated cleaner cleaning operation, whereby the description Figure 4 reference is made.

[0142] In a first step S1, an operator can request cleaning of the atomizer cleaning device 31 by pressing the associated request button 47 on the control panel 40.

[0143] The corresponding maintenance window 30 of the maintenance cabin 29 is then closed in a step S2.

[0144] The next step S3 then provides that the atomizer cleaning device 31 is pivoted into the maintenance cabin 29.

[0145] Subsequently, in a step S4, the access door to the maintenance cabin 29 is released.

[0146] In the next step S5, an operator can then enter the maintenance cabin 29 and clean the atomizer cleaning device 31 in the maintenance cabin 29.

[0147] The operator then leaves the maintenance cabin 29 again in a step S6.

[0148] After leaving the maintenance cabin 29, the operator presses the corresponding acknowledgement button 42 and thereby reports to the control system 34 that the maintenance cabin 29 is empty.

[0149] In the next step S8, the atomizer cleaning device 31 is then pivoted out of the maintenance cabin 29 again.

[0150] Finally, the flowchart is now drawn according to Figure 13 which explains the so-called observation mode, which can be selected on the control panel 40 by selecting the observation mode B with the mode selector switch 43.

[0151] In a first step S1, the maintenance window of the desired maintenance cabin is closed.

[0152] Subsequently, in step S2, the access door to the maintenance cabin is opened.

[0153] In the next step S3, an operator enters the maintenance booth and can then observe the painting processes in the painting booth from the maintenance booth.

[0154] The operator can then leave the maintenance cabin again in a step S4 and then confirm leaving the maintenance cabin by pressing the acknowledgement button 42 in a step S5, whereupon the access door is then locked.

[0155] In the following, the embodiment according to Figures 14A and 14B which is largely identical to the one described above and in the Figures 3A-3D illustrated embodiment, so that to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description and the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

[0156] Fig. 14A shows the open state of the closure plate 25 according to the state in Fig. 3A, while Fig. 14B the closed state of the closure plate 25 shows the state in Fig. 3B .

[0157] A special feature of this embodiment is the shape of the cutout 26 in the closure plate 25. Thus, the cutout 26 is not - as in the embodiment according to the Figures 3A-3D- rectangular. Instead, the cutout 26 tapers towards its upper end in the shape of a triangle. This addresses the problem that the maintenance window 23 must be suitable for different robots (types). On the one hand, the maintenance window 23 should be able to be opened wide enough so that the maintenance window 23 is sufficiently large for every robot, regardless of its size. On the other hand, the maintenance window 23 should not be unnecessarily large, since safety regulations stipulate that the free cross-section must be so small that reaching through with the hand is not possible. The triangular shape of the cutout 26 in the movable closing plate 25 offers the option of closing the maintenance window 23 so far that reaching through with the hand is impossible, depending on the size of the robot.It should be noted that the robot arm 27 protruding through the cutout 26 in the closure plate 25 can alternatively also have a round cross-section.

[0158] Figure 15 shows a further modification of the embodiment according to Figure 14 , so that in order to avoid repetition, reference is again made to the above description, the same reference numerals being used for corresponding details.

[0159] A special feature of this embodiment is that the cutout 26 in the closure plate 25 tapers upwards in a semicircular shape. This has the same technical meaning as the tapering in the shape of a triangle in the embodiment according to Figure 14 , so that the above technical explanations Figure 14 is referred to.

[0160] Figure 16 shows a modification of the embodiment according to Figure 4, so that in order to avoid repetition, reference is again made to the above description, the same reference numerals being used for corresponding details.

[0161] A special feature of this embodiment is that the atomizer cleaning device 31 is not pivotable about a vertical pivot axis, but about a horizontal pivot axis 48 on the underside of the atomizer cleaning device 31. The atomizer cleaning device 31 can therefore be pivoted in the direction of the double arrow about the pivot axis 48 into the maintenance cabin 29 or pivoted out of the maintenance cabin 29.

[0162] The Fig. 4The embodiment shown has the disadvantage that, when the atomizer cleaning device 31 is pivoted out or in, a large free space is created to the side of the atomizer cleaning device 31, which allows a hand to reach through it and thus contradicts safety regulations. However, if the atomizer cleaning device 31 is tilted about the horizontal pivot axis 48, i.e., moved from a vertical position to a position directed diagonally toward the interior of the maintenance cabin 29, a free space is created above the atomizer cleaning device 31 that is small enough to comply with safety regulations. The same applies to the reverse movement. When the atomizer cleaning device 31 is completely folded into the maintenance cabin 29 (maintenance position), its outer upper edge forms a closure (this does not have to be airtight).To fold the atomizer cleaning device 31, its holding plate is equipped with a handle pointing into the maintenance cabin 29. The tilting mechanism can be equipped with a damper (similar to the motion dampers on front doors). A further advantage of the tilted version is that it requires slightly less space on the exterior wall of the maintenance cabin 29. List of reference symbols

[0163] 1Paint booth 2Vehicle body 3, 4Painting robot 5, 6Door opener robot (SCARA robot) 7, 8Hood opener robot 9Upper travel rail for the hood opener robot 10Middle travel rail for the painting robot 11Lower travel rail for the door opener robot (SCARA robot) 12-15Maintenance booths ("Cubicles") 16-19Access doors to the maintenance booths 20-22Maintenance windows of the maintenance booths 23Maintenance window of the maintenance booth 24Cabin wall of the maintenance booth 25Closing plate for closing the maintenance window of the maintenance booth 26Cutout in the closing plate 27Robot arm of the painting robot 28Robot arm of the door opener robot (SCARA robot) 29Maintenance cabin 30Maintenance window of the maintenance cabin 31Atomizer cleaning device ("Cleaner") 32Closing plate for closing the swivel opening when the atomizer cleaning device is swung out 33Closing plate for closing the swivel opening when theAtomizer cleaning device 34Control system 35Robot controls 36Swivel mechanism of the atomizer cleaning device 37Window lock of the maintenance window of the maintenance booth 38Door lock of the access door of the maintenance booth 39Door sensor of the access door of the maintenance booth 40Control panel 41Request button for requesting the opening of the access door of the maintenance booth 42Acknowledgement button for acknowledging the closing of the access door of the maintenance booth 43Operating mode selector switch of the maintenance booth 44Request button for requesting the hood opener robot 45Request button for requesting the painting robot 46Request button for requesting the door opener robot (SCARA robot) 47Request button for requesting the atomizer cleaning device 48Swivel axis for swiveling the atomizer cleaning device ("Cleaner")

Claims

1. Coating device for coating components (2), in particular motor vehicle body components (2), with a coating agent, in particular with a paint, an adhesive, a sealant or an insulating material, a) a coating booth (1) for receiving the components (2) to be coated during coating, b) at least one robot (3-8) arranged in the coating booth (1), in particular b1) at least one coating robot (3, 4) for coating the components (2) with the coating agent, the coating robot (3, 4) guiding an applicator, in particular a rotary atomizer or a print head, and / or b2) at least one handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) for handling the components (2) to be coated, in particular i) as a door opener robot (5, 6) for opening and closing doors of the motor vehicle bodies (2) or ii) as a hood opener robot (7, 8) for opening and closing hoods of the motor vehicle bodies (2), c) at least one maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) for carrying out maintenance measures within the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) c1) is arranged within the coating booth (1) and separated from the rest of the coating booth (1), c2) has an access door (16-19) through which an operator can enter the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and c3) has a maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), so that the robot (3-8) can introduce its robot arm (27, 28) at least partially through the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and d) a control system (34) for controlling the operation of the coating device, characterized in e) that the control system (34) only allows access through the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) for the robot (3-8) if the access door (16-19 ) to the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) is closed and preferably also locked.

2. Coating device according to claim 1, characterized in a) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) comprises a door sensor (39) to detect the opening status of the access door (16-19), and / or b) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) comprises a controllable door lock (38) which, in a locked state, prevents the access door (16-19) from being opened, so that the access door (16-19) can only be opened in an unlocked state, c) that the control system (34) preferably queries the door sensor (39) and controls the door lock (38) in order to control access to the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

3. Coating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in a) that the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) comprises an adjustable window closure (37) in order to either open or completely or partially close the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), and / or b) that the window closure (37) optionally has a movable or pivotable closure plate (25) which, depending on its position, releases or completely or partially closes the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), and / or c) that the movable or pivotable closure plate (25) has a cutout (26) which is adapted to the cross section of a robot arm (27, 28) of the coating robot (3, 4) or the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), so that the closure plate (25) can close the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) up to the robot arm (27, 28) when the robot arm (27, 28) protrudes into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) through the maintenance window (20-22; 23 ; 30), and / or d) that the closure plate (25) is optionally transparent so that an operator can observe processes in the coating booth (1) through the closure plate (25) from the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and / or e) that the closure plate (25) is movable in the vertical direction, and / or f) that the control system (34) controls the window closure (37), and / or g) that the cutout (26) in the closure plate (25) tapers starting from the edge of the closure plate (25), in particular in the form of a triangle or a semicircle.

4. Coating device according to claim 3, characterized in a) that the window closure (37) essentially completely releases the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) in an open position, so that the coating robot (3, 4) and / or the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) with a robot arm (27, 28) can move unhindered through the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and b) that the window closure (37) essentially completely closes the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) in a closed position, so that the operator can be in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29 ) while the components (2) are being coated in the coating booth (1), and c) that, in a cleaning position, the window closure (37) covers the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) up to the contour of a robot arm (27, 28) of the coating robot (3, 4) or of the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), so that the robot arm (27, 28) can protrude into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

5. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that the access door (16-19) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) connects the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) with the rest of the coating booth (1), so that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) can be entered from the interior of the coating booth (1) through the access door (16-19), or b) that the access door (16-19) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) connects the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) with an outside space outside the coating booth (1), so that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) can be entered through the access door (16-19) from outside the coating booth (1).

6. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that a maintenance device (31) is provided, in particular as a1) applicator cleaning device (31) for cleaning the applicator, in particular as an atomizer cleaning device (31) with an insertion opening for inserting the atomizer to be cleaned into the atomizer cleaning device (31) and for cleaning the atomizer within the atomizer cleaning device (31 ), or a2) jet testing device for testing the coating agent jets emitted by the applicator designed as a print head, or a3) cleaning device for cleaning handling tools of the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), b) that the maintenance device (31) is pivotably mounted in a pivot opening in a cabin wall (24) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) by means of a pivoting mechanism, c) that the maintenance device (31) can be pivoted by means of the pivoting mechanism (36) between an operating position within the coating booth (1) and a maintenance position within the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), in particular about a vertical pivot axis or around a horizontal pivot axis (48), d) that the pivoting mechanism (36) optionally closes the pivot opening both in the operating position and in the maintenance position, e) that the pivoting mechanism (36) optionally has a first closure plate (32) in order to close the pivot opening when the maintenance device (31) is pivoted into the operating position within the coating booth (1), f) that the pivoting mechanism (36) optionally has a second closure plate (33) in order to close the pivot opening when the maintenance device (31) is pivoted into the maintenance position within the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), g) that the two closure plates (32, 33) of the pivoting mechanism (36) are optionally angled at a fixed angle to one another and pivot together, the angle preferably being essentially 90°, h) that a handle is optionally attached to the maintenance device (31) in order to be able to pull the maintenance device (31) from inside the maintenance cabin (29) into the maintenance cabin (2), i) that the pivoting mechanism (36) optionally has a damper to dampen the pivoting movement of the maintenance device (31).

7. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) has a door opener button (41) to open the access door (16-19), and b) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) has an acknowledgment button (42) to acknowledge the operator leaving the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and c) that the door opener button (41) and the acknowledgment button (42) are connected to the control system (34).

8. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) can be operated in several different operating modes in order to ensure the safety of the operator during operation, and b) that the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) is assigned an operating mode selector switch (43) in order to select the operating mode of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), c) wherein the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) preferably can be operated in at least one of the following operating modes: c1) automatic operation, c2) coating robot cleaning operation for cleaning the coating robot (3, 4), c3) handling robot cleaning operation for cleaning the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), c4) accessory cleaning operation for cleaning accessories, in particular the applicator cleaning device (31) or an external charging ring for an atomizer for an external electrostatic charge of the applied coating agent, c5) observation operation for observing processes in the coating booth (1).

9. Coating device according to claim 8, characterized in that, in the automatic operation, the control system (34) checks whether there is a maintenance request for a coating robot (3, 4) or a handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) and when a maintenance request is made, performs some or all of the following steps, in particular in the following order: a) terminating the coating operation on the coating robot (3, 4) to be cleaned, b) discharging the electrostatic coating agent charging system on the coating robot (3, 4) to be cleaned, c) locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to prevent the access door (16-19) from being opened and entry into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), d) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), e) introducing the coating robot (3, 4) or the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), f) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) into the cleaning position, g) unlocking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to allow the operator to enter the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), h) carrying out a cleaning measure in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), i) locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) after the operator has left the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) and closed the access door (16-19), j) acknowledgment of the locking of the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) by the operator after leaving the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), k) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), l) moving the coating robot (3, 4) or the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) out of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), m) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

10. Coating device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that, in the coating robot cleaning operation, the control system (34) checks whether there is a user-side cleaning request for a coating robot (3, 4) and, in the event of a cleaning request, several or all of the following steps executes, in particular in the following order: a) terminating the coating operation on the coating robot (3, 4) to be cleaned, b) discharging the electrostatic coating agent charging system on the coating robot (3, 4) to be cleaned, c) locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to prevent the access door (16-19) from being opened and entry into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), provided that the access door ( 16-19) is not yet locked, d) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), e) introducing the coating robot (3, 4) to be cleaned through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), f) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) into the cleaning position, g) switching off the coating robot (3, 4), h) unlocking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to allow the operator to enter the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), i) carrying out a cleaning measure in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), j) locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) after the operator has left the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) and closed the access door (16-19); k) acknowledgment of the locking of the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) by the operator after leaving the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), l) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), m) moving the coating robot (3, 4) out of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), n) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

11. Coating device according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, in the handling robot cleaning operation, the control system (34) checks whether there is a user-side cleaning request for a handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) and if there is a cleaning request performs some or all of the following steps, particularly in the following order: a) terminating the current job of the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), b) Locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to prevent the access door (16-19) from being opened and entry into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), provided that the access door ( 16-19) is not yet locked, c) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), d) introducing the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) to be cleaned through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), e) switching off the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8), f) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) into the cleaning position, g) unlocking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to allow the operator to enter the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), h) carrying out a cleaning measure in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), i) locking the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) after the operator has left the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) and closed the access door (16-19), j) acknowledgment of the locking of the access door (16-19) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) by the operator after leaving the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), k) opening the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), l) moving the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) out of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) through the open maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30), m) closing the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

12. Coating device according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in a) that the control system (34) carries out the following steps when carrying out the maintenance measure in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29): a1) cleaning the applicator or the robot arm (27, 28) in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) using a cleaning device, and / or a2) placing and / or replacing an external charging ring of the atomizer in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and / or b) that it is provided in the accessory cleaning operation, b1) that the control system (34) pivots the atomizer cleaning device into the maintenance position in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), b2) that the control system (34) optionally unlocks the door lock of the access door (16-19) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) in order to allow the operator access to the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), and / or c) that it is provided in the observation operation, c1) that the control system (34) controls the window closure (37) of the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) in such a way that the window closure (37) assumes the closed position and the maintenance window (20 - 22; 23; 30) is completely closed, and c2) that the control system (34) unlocks the door lock of the access door (16-19) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) to allow the operator access to the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29).

13. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that at least one hood opener robot (7, 8) is optionally arranged in an upper level in the coating booth (1) in order to open and close hoods of the motor vehicle bodies (2), in particular movable on an upper travel rail (9 ), b) that at least one coating robot (3, 4) is arranged in a middle level in the coating booth (1), in particular movable on a middle travel rail (10), and c) that at least one door opener robot (5, 6) is optionally arranged in a lower level in the coating booth (1) in order to open and close doors of the motor vehicle bodies, in particular movable on a lower travel rail (11), d) that the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) is preferably arranged at such a height that the hood opener robot (7, 8) , the coating robot (3, 4) and the door opener robot (5, 6) can move into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) with a robot arm (27, 28) through the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30).

14. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in a) that the coating booth (1) has a rectangular floor plan with four corners, with a maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) being arranged in each of the four corners of the coating booth (1), and / or b) that the coating robot (3, 4) can be moved or is mounted stationary in the coating booth (1) along a travel rail (10), and / or c) that the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) is movable or mounted stationary in the coating booth (1) along a travel rail (9, 11), and / or d) that a conveyor is provided to convey the components (2) to be coated through the coating booth (1), in particular with a driverless transport system, and / or e) that the applicator is an atomizer, in particular a rotary atomizer, or a print head, and / or f) that a fresh air purging system is provided, which purges the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) with fresh air in order to ensure a breathable atmosphere in the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29), when the coating agent is applied in the coating booth (1), and / or g) that the cabin wall (24) of the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) is impermeable to the coating agent, and / or h) that one of the handling robots (5, 6,) is a SCARA robot which is designed to open and close doors of the motor vehicle bodies (2), and / or i) that one of the handling robots (7, 8) is an articulated robot which is designed to open and close hoods of motor vehicle bodies (2).

15. Operating method for a coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control system (34) allows access through the maintenance window (20-22; 23; 30) into the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) for the coating robot (3, 4) and the handling robot (5, 6, 7, 8) is monitored and only released when the access door (16-19) to the maintenance cabin (12-15; 29) is closed and preferably also locked.

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