Spray gun having a plastic trigger

Abstract

A spray gun having a plastic trigger, which is easier to operate and clean.

Description

[0001] Paint spray gun with plastic operating handle

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The invention relates to a paint spray gun with a plastic operating handle, which is easier to use and has improved cleaning properties.

[0004] Background of the invention

[0005] Paint spray guns are used to atomize flowable material and apply it to a surface. The material to be applied can be either liquid or powder. Since paint spray guns are usually reused after the application of the flowable material, the aspect of cleaning the paint spray gun is particularly important. It is therefore essential that the relevant parts of the paint spray gun that come into contact with the material to be applied are accessible for cleaning. Particularly with paints, but also with other materials to be applied, the problem often arises that these must be removed from the paint spray gun using solvents. For this reason, the paint spray gun must also be resistant to these solvents.However, the solvents used usually need to be removed from the spray gun before it is used again to apply a flowable material, as the solvent can affect the material being applied. Therefore, when cleaning the spray gun, the ability to remove the solvent is also important.

[0006] Summary of the invention

[0007] According to the invention there is provided a paint spray gun according to independent claim 1, further developments of which are embodied in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to one embodiment, a paint spray gun is provided which comprises a paint spray gun body and an actuating bracket with an actuating bracket body having a finger rest for triggering a painting process, wherein the paint spray gun body has a region for fixing the actuating bracket, which is made of metal, wherein the actuating bracket is movably fixed to the paint spray gun body and the actuating bracket body is made of plastic.

[0009] In this way, a paint spray gun can be provided with easier handling and improved cleaning characteristics. The paint spray gun body is the component of a paint spray gun in or on which the functional components of the paint spray gun are installed and which usually represents the main load-bearing component of the paint gun. The surface of the paint spray gun body separates it from the surroundings, so that its outer surface represents the contact surface for the user. The actuating lever is a generally movable part of the paint gun that is used to actuate the paint spray gun and thus to start or meter the dispensing of the material to be applied. The actuating lever body is the component of an actuating lever that usually represents the main shaping and load-bearing component of the actuating lever.A finger rest is the area or surface of an actuating handle on which the body part used by the user to actuate the handle rests, usually one or more fingers. The area for attaching the actuating handle to the paint spray gun or paint spray gun body is the area of ​​the paint gun or paint gun body where the forces exerted on the actuating handle are transferred to the paint gun or paint gun body. This can be a single axis of rotation or multiple axes of rotation, such as in the case of a trapezoidal suspension, but in principle any one- or multi-dimensional pivot bearing or transverse plain bearing. A plastic is a polymerized material that can be made from, for example, crude oil or biological materials (biopolymers).At this point, a plastic does not exclude the possibility that a body formed from it may also contain fillers that do not have a polymer structure, such as carbon or graphite powder or fibers, glass powder or fibers, mineral powder or fibers, etc. The area made of metal on the paint spray gun body where the actuating lever is attached, made of plastic, allows for a very dimensionally stable paint spray gun and reliable interaction between its components, as well as a very precise fastening of the actuating lever, while at the same time ensuring good cleaning properties, particularly for components that are frequently operated or touched by the user and are therefore frequently soiled by the material or paint being applied.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the paint spray gun body is made with a metal surface.

[0011] In this way, a spray gun can be provided that has a dimensionally stable surface and thus also an overall dimensionally stable structure to which functional components of the spray gun can be attached. This includes a spray gun body made entirely of metal.

[0012] According to one embodiment, the actuating bracket is mounted on the paint spray gun body so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis, and the finger rest is formed on the actuating bracket body, which is provided at a distance from the rotational axis, by means of which a torque about the rotational axis can be generated by a bending finger movement on the finger rest.

[0013] In this way, the plastic actuating handle can provide a suitable user interface to the paint spray gun, which can be actuated in a controlled manner using the finger rest provided on the actuating handle. According to one embodiment, the actuating handle body has, at a distance from the axis of rotation in which the finger rest is formed, a projection extending away from the surface of the actuating handle body facing away from the finger rest. The paint spray gun body has a projection stop surface against which the projection rests upon maximum actuation of the actuating handle.

[0014] In this way, the actuating travel of the actuating bracket can be limited by the projection on the actuating bracket, which strikes a stop surface provided on the paint spray gun body for the projection when it is actuated to its maximum. The actuating travel of the actuating bracket is the distance the actuating bracket deflects, moving an air piston from the sealing seat in the direction opposite an air nozzle to an end point when the air valve is opened. At the end point, the forces in the area of ​​the transition between the air piston and actuating bracket are limited, with the stop being lever-free in particular, i.e. when struck it is essentially orthogonal to the stop surface and also transfers the actuating forces to it orthogonally. When the air valve is closed, the air piston and the actuating bracket move in opposite directions along the actuating travel.

[0015] According to one embodiment, the actuating bracket body has a sail-shaped reinforcing structure which extends between a surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest and the projection in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation such that forces acting in the orthogonal direction to the axis of rotation upon actuation of the actuating bracket are diverted from the projection stop surface of the paint spray gun body to the projection to the surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest.

[0016] In this way, the forces acting on the protrusion when the actuating lever is actuated, which are exerted by the protrusion stop surface of the spray gun body, can be diverted, preventing the protrusion from bending or breaking off. The sail-shaped reinforcement structure can divert any non-orthogonal forces into the actuating lever body along the upper edges of the sail. The sail-shaped reinforcement structure can extend in different directions.

[0017] According to one embodiment, the sail-shaped reinforcing structure extends in both directions of the projection orthogonal to the axis of rotation.

[0018] In this way, forces that do not act directly orthogonally on the projection can also be diverted, in particular forces that act upwards toward the axis of rotation or downwards away from the axis of rotation. According to one embodiment, a surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest is formed with a reinforcing structure. This reinforcing structure can, in particular, be designed as a honeycomb-shaped reinforcing structure.

[0019] This allows for an efficient reinforcement structure that prevents or reduces deformation of the actuating bracket during actuation. A honeycomb reinforcement structure offers a good balance between stability and material usage.

[0020] According to one embodiment, a transition from the surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest to webs of the reinforcing structure and the actuating bracket body has a surface tension such that it is geometrically designed such that hexadecane with a surface tension of 27.6 mN / m drips off automatically due to gravity when the actuating bracket body is vertically aligned.

[0021] In this way, drops of a typical cleaning agent or solvent related to hexadecane can be prevented from remaining on the actuating lever, especially on its inside, or their removal can be facilitated, allowing the cleaning agent or solvent to be removed independently or under the influence of an air stream, such as compressed air. This also applies to other cleaning agents with similar surface tensions to that of hexadecane.

[0022] According to one embodiment, a transition from the surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest to webs of the reinforcing structure has an intermediate angle surface which is at an angle of greater than 90°, in particular greater than 100°, to the surface facing away from the finger rest.

[0023] In this way, a reinforcing structure, in particular a honeycomb-shaped reinforcing structure, can be provided which has improved cleaning properties. The larger the angle, the lower the risk of a cleaning agent sticking in a fold of the angle. In the case of a transition between a honeycomb wall which is essentially perpendicular to the honeycomb base, the intermediate angle surface can, for example, be inclined on both sides at an angle of approximately 135° to the honeycomb wall or to the honeycomb base. However, the honeycomb wall can also taper conically upwards towards the edge, resulting in an angle at the transition from the honeycomb wall to the honeycomb base of more than 90°, measuring, for example, 100° or 110°.

[0024] According to one embodiment, a transition from the surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest to webs of the reinforcing structure has a concave surface with a radius greater than 1 mm, in particular greater than 2 mm.

[0025] In this way, a reinforcement structure, in particular a honeycomb-shaped reinforcement structure, can be provided that has improved cleaning properties, especially if sharp-edged folds at angles can be dispensed with. An individual honeycomb of the honeycomb-shaped reinforcement structure can have a flat demolding chamfer, which represents a gradual transition from the honeycomb wall to the honeycomb base. This not only facilitates demolding from an injection mold. It can also promote dripping of the cleaning agent, so that no drops of solvent or cleaning agent remain on the inside of the handle, or they can easily detach, for example, under an air stream. A large radius facilitates cleaning here.

[0026] According to one embodiment, a region of the actuating bracket body is concave on a surface of the actuating bracket body facing away from the finger rest and has flanks extending orthogonally to the axis of rotation in the region of the finger rest, which flanks have a greater wall thickness than a flank region outside the finger rest.

[0027] In this way, the deformation of the actuating lever body under user force can be minimized while using minimal material. The actuating lever body essentially features a greater lever flank thickness to maintain the grip contour. This prevents the actuating lever from bending or deforming, and reduces finger contact. Furthermore, the bending moment (area moment of inertia) is prevented from decreasing, allowing the spray gun to be operated more precisely, and the user can achieve a nozzle release movement that is activated according to their finger deflection.

[0028] According to one embodiment, the flanks extending orthogonally to the axis of rotation have reinforcing webs which extend on the concave side of the flank substantially parallel to the projection.

[0029] This allows the side flanks to be further stiffened, preventing the handle from constricting at the sides. The operating bar thus retains its longitudinal and transverse structure even when the user exerts considerable force, and the side bars maintain its grip contour. This prevents deformation and the associated loss of finger contact on the operating bar, which is essential for precise work.

[0030] According to one embodiment, the paint spray gun further comprises a dosing device which is displaceable along an axis and has a dosing needle extending in a paint dispensing direction, wherein the rotational axis serves as a support for a lever arm of a one-sided lever formed by the actuating bracket body, which lever arm is subjected to a lever force in the region of the finger rest, and the actuating bracket body has a dosing device contact surface between the rotational axis and the finger rest, on which the displaceable dosing device rests at least partially at a contact point over the actuating path of the actuating bracket and slides along when the actuating bracket is actuated and is displaceable along said axis, so that the contact point moves along the dosing device contact surface, wherein the dosing device contact surface is designed such thatthat a tangent through the respective point of contact is inclined to the direction of extension of the lever arm and lies in the same plane as it.

[0031] In this way, the force-displacement characteristic of the spray gun's actuation can be adjusted. As the contact point slides along the contact surface, the ratio of the lever arms between the rotation axis, contact point, and finger contact of the actuating lever changes. The inclination of the contact surface at the point where the actuating device rests on the contact surface—i.e., the tangent through the contact point—relative to the lever extension can be used to adjust the desired force ratio or force-displacement characteristic.

[0032] According to one embodiment, the tangent between the contact point and the axis of rotation is inclined in the dosing triggering direction.

[0033] In this way, an accelerated response of the actuating device can be achieved when the actuating bracket is actuated, since the actuating travel is increased by a ramp-shaped system surface position.

[0034] According to one embodiment, the dosing device contact surface is divided in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation and the dosing device rests on both sides against the divided contact surface and slides along it when the actuating bracket is actuated, wherein the dosing needle extends through the divided contact surface in said paint dispensing direction.

[0035] This improves force distribution and reduces transverse forces acting on the dispensing needle. The needle is enclosed by the contact surfaces of the actuating bracket on both sides, with a projection resting on both sides of the contact surfaces to prevent bending forces from being exerted on the needle. The contact surface has a characteristic geometry that enables the dispensing needle to exhibit specific movement characteristics. It should be understood that the geometry of the contact surface can be adapted to the requirements of the dispensing needle's movement profile. This can, for example, result in a linearization of the dispensing needle movement or a disproportionately large or small movement of the dispensing needle within certain movement ranges.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the actuating bracket body is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic, in particular a fiber-reinforced polyamide, in particular a glass-fiber-reinforced compound of polyamide 6 and polyamide 6.6, in particular a glass-fiber-reinforced compound of polyamide 6 and polyamide 6.6 with a volume fiber content of between 30% and 50%. In this way, the toughness of the actuating bracket can be further increased. Fiber reinforcement can alternatively or additionally be achieved with other fiber types, such as carbon fibers or mineral fibers. The fibers can be introduced into an injection mold together with the liquid plastic during an injection molding process or can also be inserted into the injection mold beforehand.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the actuating bracket body has an apron extending in said paint dispensing direction, wherein the apron at least partially concentrically encompasses the dispensing needle extending in said paint dispensing direction.

[0038] In this way, the dispensing needle is covered in the area that does not run into the spray gun body and is protected from external influences. In this context, concentric means that the apron at least partially surrounds the dispensing needle, whereby the dispensing needle can also be located off-center in the surrounding apron. The covering apron is used particularly with single-axis guns. The apron can also limit a forward movement of the actuating lever in a direction opposite to the actuation direction and thus prevent or reduce strain on the needle feedthrough. Furthermore, the apron covers the dispensing needle in one area of ​​the feedthrough and protects it from stress if the user inadvertently places the gun upright in this area to hang it up.

[0039] According to one embodiment, at least one of the projection, the sail-shaped reinforcing structure, the reinforcing webs and the apron is materially integrated with the actuating bracket body.

[0040] This allows for an efficient manufacturing process and ensures a reliable connection of the structures. Material-integrated means that the projection, the reinforcement structure, the reinforcement webs, or the skirt are connected to the base body of the actuating bracket body in a material-to-material connection, e.g., by manufacturing from the same material, injection molding from a single material in a single injection molding step, and / or 2K injection molding with two or more materials in a single injection molding step.

[0041] The features described above, including those from different embodiments, can also be combined with each other, resulting in synergistic interactions that go beyond the sum of the individual effects.

[0042] Short description of the characters

[0043] The invention is explained below using exemplary embodiments, which are described with reference to the following figures: Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a paint spray gun according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0044] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an actuating bracket for a paint spray gun according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0045] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a detail in the area of ​​the attachment of an actuating bracket for a paint spray gun according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0046] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a further detail of an actuating bracket for a paint spray gun according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0047] Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of an actuating bracket on a paint spray gun according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0048] Figure 6 shows a change in the actuation characteristics in the edge areas “unactuated lever” and “(fully) actuated lever”.

[0049] Exemplary embodiments are described and explained below with reference to the figures listed above. Like reference symbols or analogous reference symbol structures refer to analogous or interacting components.

[0050] Description of exemplary embodiments

[0051] Figure 1 shows a schematic side view of a paint spray gun 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The paint spray gun 100 has a paint spray gun body 10, on or in which all functional components of the paint spray gun are fixed. The paint spray gun 100 has an air supply 91, which, depending on the type of paint gun, can also be a compressed air supply 91. Furthermore, the paint spray gun 100 has a material or paint supply 92, via which the material to be applied is supplied. It should be understood that the material can also be supplied at other locations, depending on the design principle and field of application of the paint spray gun. The embodiment shown here further has an air supply regulator or a so-called air micrometer 81, which regulates or doses the supplied air quantity.Furthermore, the embodiment shown here features a material quantity regulator 82, with which the supplied material quantity can be metered, adjusted, or limited. The embodiment shown here also features a so-called air cap 95, which serves to supply and shape an air flow for forming the material jet. A round or

[0052] Wide jet control 83 allows the spray jet emerging from a material nozzle or paint nozzle 96 to be shaped differently. The user can meter the dispensed quantity during a material application via an actuating lever 30, which is mounted on the paint gun body 10 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 20. By actuating the actuating lever 30 in a metering trigger direction D, a displaceable metering device 60 within the paint gun body 10 is deflected along a movement axis B of the metering device 60 and the metering needle 70 is released from its valve seat within the material nozzle or paint nozzle 96, so that the material to be applied is dispensed from the material nozzle or paint nozzle 96 in the direction of a paint dispensing direction L. The actuating bracket 30 has a projection 43 which can be integrally connected to the actuating bracket body 40 and limits the movement of the actuating bracket 30 in the direction of the paint spray gun body 10.This limitation can be achieved by providing a stop surface 13 on the paint spray gun body 10, against which the projection 43 strikes upon maximum deflection of the actuating bracket 30. In the embodiment shown here, the actuating bracket 30 can have a skirt or dispensing needle cover skirt 50, which can also be formed integrally with the actuating bracket body 40. It should be understood that the skirt 50 can also be provided as a separate component, for example to retrofit paint guns with such a skirt. The paint spray gun body 10 can have a skirt contact surface 15, against which the skirt can rest against the paint spray gun body 10 upon movement of the actuating bracket counter to the dispensing trigger direction D, in order to limit movement in this direction.It should be understood, however, that a movement limitation can also occur at another location where a structure of the actuating bracket 30 abuts the paint spray gun body 10 for limiting movement (not shown here).

[0053] Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an actuating lever 30 for a paint spray gun 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The actuating lever 30 is mounted on the paint spray gun body 10 such that it can rotate and be deflected about a rotation axis 20 relative to the paint spray gun body 10. It should be understood that the actuating lever 30 can also have another type of suspension on the paint spray gun body 10 that allows deflection, such as a trapezoidal mount. The actuating lever 30 has an actuating lever body 40 that has a finger rest 41 on which the user can place their fingers to adjust the actuating stroke. On a side 42 of the actuating bracket body 40 facing away from the finger rest 41, a projection 43 is provided which can limit a deflection of the actuating bracket 30 relative to the paint spray gun body 10 by abutting against a stop surface 13 on the paint spray gun body 10.The projection 43 can be supported by a reinforcing structure 44 in the shape of a sail in order to prevent the projection from breaking off or bending when it comes into contact with the stop surface 13. The sail-shaped reinforcing structure 44 of the projection 43 can extend in both directions, i.e. upwards towards the axis of rotation 20 and / or downwards away from the axis of rotation 20. To maintain dimensional stability, the actuating bracket body 40 can have a reinforcing structure 45, which can be honeycomb-shaped, for example. Alternatively, other structures can also be used, for example in the shape of squares, rectangles, diamonds, or the like. The actuating bracket 30 further has flanks 46 which extend from the finger rest 41 in the direction of the side 42 facing away from the finger rest 41 and increase the dimensional stability of the actuating bracket 30, such that the actuating bracket 30 does not bend or lose its geometry when actuated.The flanks 46 can be provided on the inside, the side 42 facing away from the finger rest 41, with reinforcing webs 47, which prevent the actuating bracket 30 from constricting inwards. The flanks 46 can be provided with a thickened portion 46a or a greater wall thickness in the area of ​​the finger rest 41 than in areas outside the finger rest 41, which further increases the dimensional stability of the actuating bracket 30. In the embodiment shown here, the actuating bracket 30 has a dosing device contact surface 48, against which the dosing device 60 rests and is deflected along the axis B when the actuating bracket 30 is actuated. The contact surface 48 shown here encompasses the dosing needle (not shown here) coupled to the dosing device 60 and allows it to reach through.Furthermore, the actuating bracket 30 has an apron 50 which covers the dispensing needle, in particular in an area in which the dispensing needle runs outside the paint spray gun body.

[0054] Figure 3 shows a perspective view of a detail of the actuating bracket 30 in the area where the actuating bracket 30 is attached to a paint spray gun 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. The attachment bracket 30 is mounted on the paint spray gun body 10 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 20. The actuating bracket 30 has a contact surface 48 formed on its actuating bracket body 40, against which a metering device 60 bears, to which a metering needle 70 is coupled and extends in a paint dispensing direction L toward the material nozzle 96 in the air cap 95. The metering device 60 can be moved by deflecting the actuating bracket along the movement axis B of the metering device 60. For this purpose, the metering device 60 has a corresponding contact surface that bears against the contact surface 48 of the actuating bracket 30.As the actuating bracket 30 rotates about the rotation axis 20, the contact point of the contact surface 48, against which the contact surface of the dosing device 60 rests, changes. The contact point slides along the contact surface 48 when the actuating bracket 30 is actuated. Depending on how inclined or curved the contact surface is, a characteristic of the actuating path of the actuating bracket 30 can be adjusted relative to a movement path of the dosing device 60. It should be understood that the characteristic can also be determined by the shape of the contact surface on the dosing device side. A dosing needle 70 can be coupled to the dosing device 60 and extend through an opening in the contact surface 48. The contact surface 48 on the actuating bracket 30 can have two partial surfaces 48a, 48b that run laterally of the dosing needle. The partial surfaces 48a, 48b can also be connected to each other in a U-shape, as shown here.The partial surfaces allow a contact on both sides of the dispensing needle 70, so that no bending forces are exerted on the dispensing needle 70, or these are significantly reduced.

[0055] Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a further detail of an actuating lever 30 for a paint spray gun in the region of the finger rest 41 according to an exemplary embodiment. The actuating lever 30 has an actuating lever body 40, which has a finger rest 41 in the direction of a paint dispensing direction L, onto which the user can place their fingers to meter an actuating stroke. This finger rest can have a textured surface to provide better grip for the user's fingers. However, this texture should meet the requirements for cleaning and the required drip-off behavior of a cleaning agent. On a side 42 of the actuating lever body 40 facing away from the finger rest 41, a projection 43 is provided, which can limit a deflection of the actuating lever 30 relative to the paint spray gun body 10 by abutting against a stop surface 13 on the paint spray gun body.The projection 43 can be supported by a reinforcing structure 44 in the shape of a sail to prevent the projection from breaking off or bending when it strikes the stop surface 13. The sail-shaped reinforcing structure 44 of the projection 43 can be divided into two or more parts, with, for example, a first sail-shaped reinforcing structure 44a extending upwards in the direction of the rotation axis 20, while a second sail-shaped reinforcing structure 44b extends downwards away from the rotation axis 20. Additional sail-shaped reinforcing structures can also be provided, for example if transverse forces are expected, which can thereby be diverted laterally. To maintain dimensional stability, the actuating bracket body 40 can have a reinforcing structure 45, which can, for example, be honeycomb-shaped.This reinforcement structure, designed here as a honeycomb-shaped reinforcement structure 45, has, for example, webs 45a, 45b that transition into a honeycomb base. The transition can have an angle of greater than 90°, approximately 100° or more. The webs can taper upwards from the honeycomb base. The honeycomb-shaped reinforcement structure 45 can also have intermediate angle surfaces 45c, which represent a type of chamfer between the webs 45a, 45b and the honeycomb base, thus providing a smoother transition from the webs to the honeycomb base. The angles between the webs 45a, 45b and the intermediate angle surface 45c, or between the intermediate angle surface 45c and the honeycomb base, are, for example, greater than 120°, e.g., approximately 135° in both transitions. The transition from the webs 45a, 45b to the honeycomb base can also be designed with a radius greater than 1 mm, for example, 2 mm. This prevents cleaning agents from adhering as much and makes them easier to remove.This geometric measure can be combined with a design of a surface tension of the material or the surface of the actuating bracket 30, so that a cleaning agent, such as hexadecane, drips off automatically due to gravity, or drips off more easily with the aid of an air flow.

[0056] The actuating bracket 30 further comprises flanks 46 which extend from the finger rest 41 in the direction of the side 42 facing away from the finger rest 41 and increase the dimensional stability of the actuating bracket 30, so that the actuating bracket 30 does not bend or lose its geometry upon actuation. The flanks may have a thickening 46a or a greater wall thickness in the lateral region at the level of the finger rest 41 than in other regions of the actuating bracket, resulting in greater dimensional stability in the region of the finger rest 41 in a bending direction in the direction of the dispensing direction D. The flanks 46 may further be provided on the inner side, the side 42 facing away from the finger rest 41, with reinforcing webs 47a, 47b, which prevent the actuating bracket 30 from constricting inwards. These webs 47a, 47b can be formed as a continuation of the honeycomb reinforcement 45 and continue in the honeycomb webs 45a, 45b.

[0057] Figure 5 shows a schematic side view of an actuating bracket 30 on a paint spray gun 100 according to an exemplary embodiment. With regard to the projection 43 and the reinforcing structures 44, 44a, 44b, 45, 45a, 45b, 45c, 46, 46a, 47, 47a, and 47b, reference is made to the above explanations regarding Figures 1 to 4, which apply analogously here. In the embodiment shown here, the actuating bracket 30 has a skirt or dispensing needle covering skirt 50. This skirt covers an area of ​​the dispensing needle 70 that is exposed at this point. This protects the movable dispensing needle 70 from mechanical influences, for example, when the user hangs the paint spray gun 100 at this point and the support point strikes the vulnerable part of the dispensing needle 70. The spray gun body 10 can have a skirt contact surface 15, on which the skirt 50 is supported when the actuating bracket 30 moves in the opposite direction to the metering trigger direction D, iein the direction of the paint discharge direction L, can rest against the paint gun body 10 in order to limit the movement in this direction. The apron 50 can be formed integrally or materially integrated with the actuating bracket body 40. However, the apron 50 can also be provided as a separate element, which can be secured to the actuating bracket, for example, with a clip mechanism.

[0058] Figure 6 shows the systematic functioning of a change in the actuation characteristics in the marginal areas of “unactuated lever” and “(fully) actuated lever,” which, in combination with the previously mentioned features as well as independently, is considered an invention. The actuating lever 30 represents a one-sided lever arm IH, which has the rotational axis 20 as a support. The force is introduced via the finger support surface or the finger support point 41, at which an actuating force FK acts. The force is dissipated at a contact point A, at which the dosing device 60 rests against the dosing device contact surface 48. The lever arm IH is divided into a load arm IL, which lies between the rotational axis 20 and the contact point A, and a force arm IK, which lies between the contact point A and the finger support point 41. As can be seen from Figure 2, the length of the force arm IK is significantly greater than the length of the load arm II.In particular, the ratio between the length of the load arm II and the length of the force arm IK is less than 1:5, in particular less than 1:7. When force is exerted on the finger contact surface 41, the actuating bracket 30 is deflected in the direction of the dosing trigger direction D and rotates about the rotation axis 20. In the process, the dosing device 60 is deflected along the movement axis B of the dosing device 60. The contact point A between the dosing device 60 and the dosing device contact surface 48 shifts due to the circular segment movement of the lever arm IH and the linear movement of the dosing device 60 along the movement axis B, here the longitudinal axis of the dosing device 60.

[0059] The dosing device contact surface 48 on the actuating bracket 30 has a tangent that is inclined between the contact point A and the rotational axis 20 in the direction of the dosing triggering direction. The extension direction of the lever arm IK and the tangent lie essentially in one plane. This results in a triggering characteristic that differs from a dosing device contact surface 48 that runs purely in the direction of the lever arm IH. If the dosing device contact surface 48 is flat, the inclination of the tangent T is constant. In this case, however, upon rotation of the actuating bracket 30 about the rotational axis 20, the angle of incidence between the actuating axis B and the dosing device contact surface 48 changes. In the case of a convex curvature, the inclination of the tangent T increases in the direction of the rotational axis 20. In the case of a concave curvature, the tangent T decreases in the direction of the rotational axis 20. This allows the triggering orDosing characteristics can be adjusted and adapted to the respective application as needed, for example, to reduce the effects of the changing angle of attack between the lever arm and the actuating axis B or to increase them as needed. It is also possible to exchange the actuating bracket 30 and replace it with an actuating bracket 30 with a different triggering or dosing characteristic.

[0060] Due to the angular position of the movement axis B of the dosing device relative to the rotation axis 20 of the actuating bracket, when the actuating bracket 30 is actuated, the contact point A is shifted along the dosing device contact surface 48. As a result of this shift of the contact point A along the dosing device contact surface 48, the length of the load arm II is shortened over the actuation path in the dosing triggering direction D. This change in the length of the load arm II results in an increase in the triggering force FL acting on the dosing device 60 with the actuation force FK remaining constant over the actuation path in the dosing triggering direction D.The dosing device contact surface 48 is inclined to the force arm IK in such a way that the point at which the dosing device 60 rests against the dosing device contact surface 48 when the actuating bracket 30 is fully actuated is spaced from the force arm IK in such a way that the actuating path of the dosing device 60 is greater than the actuating path of the force arm IK at the same height of the force arm IK.

[0061] In order to reduce or cancel out the effect of the triggering force FL ZU decreasing over the actuation travel, the dosing device contact surface 48 can be convexly curved, whereby the force component acting perpendicular to the tangent T on the dosing triggering direction D is kept constant. Thus, in one embodiment, the dosing device contact surface 48 is convexly curved in the region of the contact point A, at which the dosing device 60 rests against the dosing device contact surface 48 when the actuating bracket 30 is not actuated. In this case, the convex curvature of the dosing device contact surface 48 can flatten towards the contact point A, at which the dosing device 60 rests against the dosing device contact surface 48 when the actuating bracket is actuated, in such a way that the radius of curvature of the convex curvature approaches zero.In this embodiment, the partial surfaces 48a and 48b of the dosing device contact surface 48 can be designed such that they form an egg-shaped recess in the actuating bracket 30. It is understood that the dosing device contact surface 48 can also be composed of different geometries. For example, convex and concave areas can alternate, or flat or ramp-shaped partial surfaces can be provided.

[0062] Reference symbol

[0063] 10 spray gun bodies

[0064] 13 Stop surface for projection of the operating bracket

[0065] 15 apron contact surface

[0066] 20 Rotation axis of the operating bracket

[0067] 30 operating brackets

[0068] 40 operating bracket body

[0069] 41 Finger rest of the operating bracket body

[0070] 42 from the surface of the operating bracket body facing away from the finger rest

[0071] 43 Projection of the operating bracket body

[0072] 44 sail-shaped reinforcement structure of the projection

[0073] 44a, 44b sail-shaped reinforcement structure of the projection

[0074] 45 (honeycomb) reinforcement structure of the operating bracket body

[0075] 45a, 45b Webs of the (honeycomb-shaped) reinforcement structure

[0076] 45c Intermediate angle surface between reinforcement structure and operating bracket body

[0077] 46 flanks of the operating bracket body

[0078] 46a Thickening of the flanks, greater wall thickness of the flanks

[0079] 47 reinforcement bars of the flanks

[0080] 47a, 47b Reinforcing webs of the flanks

[0081] 48 Dosing device contact surface

[0082] 48a, 48b Partial surfaces or sliding surfaces of the dosing device contact surface

[0083] 50 Apron or dispensing needle cover apron of the actuating bracket body

[0084] 60 movable dosing device

[0085] 70 Dosing needle

[0086] 81 Air supply regulation, air micrometer

[0087] 82 Material quantity regulation

[0088] 83 (Round-wide) jet regulation

[0089] 91 (Compressed) air supply

[0090] 92 Material or paint supply

[0091] 95 air cap

[0092] 96 Material nozzle or paint nozzle

[0093] 100 paint spray gun

[0094] A Contact point of the dosing device on the dosing device contact surface

[0095] B Movement axis dosing device

[0096] D Dosing trigger direction

[0097] FK leverage

[0098] FL release force

[0099] IH lever arm

[0100] 11 Load arm

[0101] IK force arm L paint delivery direction

[0102] T Tangent to the dosing device contact surface at contact point A

Claims

Claims 1. A paint spray gun (100) comprising: a paint spray gun body (10), an actuating lever (30) with an actuating lever body (40) having a finger rest (41) for initiating a painting process, wherein the paint spray gun body (10) has a region for securing the actuating lever (30), which is made of metal; wherein the actuating lever (30) is movably attached to the paint spray gun body (10), and the actuating lever body (40) is made of plastic.

2. Paint spray gun (100) according to claim 1, wherein the paint spray gun body (10) is made with a metal surface.

3. A paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the actuating bracket (30) is mounted on the paint spray gun body (10) so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis (20), and the finger rest (41) is formed on the actuating bracket body (40), which finger rest is provided at a distance from the rotational axis (20), by means of which a torque about the rotational axis (20) can be generated by a bending finger movement onto the finger rest (41), wherein the actuating bracket body (40), in a distance range from the rotational axis (20) in which the finger rest (41) is formed, has a projection (43) extending away from the surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41), wherein the paint spray gun body (10) has a projection stop surface (13), against which the projection (43) rests upon maximum actuation of the actuating bracket (30).

4. Paint spray gun according to claim 3, wherein the actuating bracket body (30) has a sail-shaped reinforcing structure (44, 44a, 44b) which extends between a surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (30) facing away from the finger rest (41) and the projection (43) in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation (20) such that forces acting in the orthogonal direction to the axis of rotation (20) upon actuation of the actuating bracket (30) are diverted from the projection stop surface (13) of the paint spray gun body (10) onto the projection (43) onto the surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (30) facing away from the finger rest (41).

5. Paint spray gun according to claim 4, wherein the sail-shaped reinforcing structure (44a, 44b) extends in both directions of the projection (43) orthogonal to the axis of rotation (20).

6. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41) is formed with a reinforcing structure (45), in particular a honeycomb-shaped reinforcing structure (45).

7. Paint spray gun according to claim 6, wherein a transition from the surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41) to webs (45, 45a, 45b) of the reinforcing structure (45) and the actuating bracket body (40) has a surface tension such and is geometrically designed such that hexadecane with a surface tension of 27.6 mN / m drips off automatically due to gravity when the actuating bracket body (40) is vertically aligned.

8. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 6 and 7, wherein a transition from the surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41) to webs (45, 45a, 45b) of the reinforcing structure (45) has an intermediate angular surface (45c) which is at an angle of greater than 90°, in particular greater than 100° to the surface (42) facing away from the finger rest (41), and / or a transition from the surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41) to webs (45, 45a, 45b) of the reinforcing structure (45) has a concave surface with a radius greater than 1 mm, in particular greater than 2 mm.

9. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a region of the actuating bracket body (40) on a surface (42) of the actuating bracket body (40) facing away from the finger rest (41) is concave and has flanks (46) extending orthogonally to the axis of rotation (20) in the region of the finger rest (41), which flanks have a greater wall thickness than a flank region outside the finger rest (41).

10. Paint spray gun according to claim 9, wherein the flanks (46) extending orthogonally to the axis of rotation (20) have reinforcing webs (47, 47a, 47b) which extend on the concave side on the flank (46) substantially parallel to the projection (43).

11. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a metering device (60) displaceable along an axis (B) with a metering needle (70) extending in a paint dispensing direction, wherein the rotational axis (20) serves as a support for a lever arm (II) of a one-sided lever formed by the actuating bracket body (40), which lever arm is acted upon in the region of the finger rest (41) with a lever force (FK), and the actuating bracket body (40) has a metering device contact surface (48) between the rotational axis (20) and the finger rest (41), on which the displaceable metering device (60) bears at least partially against a contact point (A) over the actuating path of the actuating bracket (30) and slides along when the actuating bracket (30) is actuated and is displaceable along said axis (B), so that the contact point (A) moves along the Dosing device contact surface (48) moves,wherein the dosing device contact surface (48) is designed such that a tangent through the respective contact point (A) is inclined to the direction of extension of the lever arm (IH) and lies in one plane therewith.

12. Paint spray gun according to claim 1 to 11, wherein the actuating bracket (30) is mounted on the paint spray gun body (10) so as to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (20) and a metering device contact surface (48) is provided for contacting a displaceable metering device (60), which at least partially contacts a contact point (A) over the actuating path of the actuating bracket (30), wherein the tangent between the contact point (A) and the axis of rotation (20) is inclined in the metering triggering direction (D).

13. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the metering device contact surface (48) is divided in a direction orthogonal to the rotation axis (20) and the metering device (60) rests on both sides against the divided contact surface (48a, 48b) and slides along when the actuating bracket (30) is actuated, the metering needle (70) extending through the divided contact surface (48a, 48b) in said paint dispensing direction.

14. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the actuating bracket body (40) is made of a fiber-reinforced plastic, in particular of a fiber-reinforced polyamide, in particular a glass fiber-reinforced compound polyamide 6 and polyamide 6.6, in particular of a glass fiber-reinforced compound polyamide 6 and polyamide 6.6 with a volume fiber content of between 30% and 50%.

15. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the actuating bracket body (40) has an apron (50) extending in said paint dispensing direction, wherein in particular the apron at least partially concentrically surrounds the dispensing needle (65) extending in said paint dispensing direction.

16. Paint spray gun according to one of claims 1 to 15, wherein at least one of the projection (43), the sail-shaped reinforcing structure (44, 44a, 44b), the reinforcing webs (47a, 47b) and the apron (50) is materially integrated with the actuating bracket body (40).

Images