System and process for the production of paints in batches

Description

DESCRIPTION of the industrial invention entitled: “System and process for the production of paints in lots” by: DROMONT SpA, Italian nationality, Via Borzone 42, 12060 Grinzane Cavour (CN). Designated Inventor: DROCCO Luca. Filed on: October 4, 2024 **** DESCRIPTION TEXT Field of invention The present invention relates to the production of paints and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a system for high-speed production of finished products through dosing and mixing of semi-finished products, additives and dyes in a completely automatic way, in the quantity exact as expected from a specific customer order and within timeframes very small. The invention was developed in particular for the production of frequent batches of medium and small size, for example example with volumes varying from 100 to 3000 litres. From another perspective, the invention concerns a process for the production of paints in batches. State of the art The main components for the production of paints include binders or resins, which provide adhesion and duration; solvents and thinners, used to modify the viscosity; additives, which can improve or confer specific properties; pigments, which give color and coverage; and fillers, which can affect the texture and the weight of the paint. These elements are combined in precise proportions to create different types of paints, each suitable for specific applications and finishes. Batch paint preparation is a process that requires special attention to ensure quality of the final product. One of the critical aspects is the supply of raw materials in proportions that carefully follow the formula. The components are mixed in a container of mixing, often under agitation to ensure a homogeneous amalgam. After mixing, the batch is subjected to quality control to verify that the paint meets the required technical specifications. Then, the finished paint is transferred from the mixing containers to distribution containers in which the paint is placed on the market. The mixing containers are then washed before being reused for the production of a new lot. Current systems for the preparation of paints in batches inside mixing containers use a gravimetric dosage which involves weighing the mixing container during the introduction of the raw material and stop the introduction of raw material first when the quantity expected by the recipe. This dosing system requires a sequential feeding of the materials to be mixed. An example of a gravimetric dosing system sequential is described in EP0715883B2 of the same applicant. The main drawback of dosing sequential gravimetric is that it is necessary to feed individually each of the components to be mixed and this takes a long time to complete the dosage, especially when the recipe calls for a large number of raw materials in large quantities. Purpose and summary of the invention The object of the present invention is to provide a system for the production of paints in batches that exceed problems of the prior art. According to the present invention, this purpose is achieved by a system having the characteristics of the claim 1. From another perspective, the invention concerns a process for the preparation of paints in batches having the features of claim 9. The claims form an integral part of the teaching provided in relation to the invention. Brief description of the drawings The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, given for information purposes only non-limiting example, where: - Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of a system for the production of paints in batches according to the present invention, - figures 2 and 3 are elevation and cross-section views plan of the mass dosing station indicated by arrow II in figure 1, - figures 4 and 5 are views in elevation and in plan of a mobile mixing unit indicated by the arrow IV in figure 2, and - figures 6 and 7 are schematic details in view front and side of the part indicated by the arrow VI in figure 2. It will be appreciated that the attached drawings are schematic and that in certain figures some components may not be illustrated to simplify understanding of the figures. It will also be appreciated that various figures may not be represented on the same scale. Detailed description With reference to figure 1, 10 indicates a system for the production of paints in batches by means of mixing of raw materials. System 10 comprises a plurality of units of 12 mobile mixing and a plurality of stations operational each of which is configured to receive a mobile mixing unit 12. System 10 includes a movement system 30 configured to move mobile mixing units 12 of the said operating stations. The movement system 30 may comprise: - lanes for the movement of units 14 furniture mixing by forklifts, - rails and chain conveyors for the automatic movement of mixing units 14 furniture via shuttles, - lanes for the automatic movement of units 12 mobile mixing machines via AGV or LGV vehicles (Automatic Guided Vehicle / Laser Guided Vehicle). With particular reference to figures 5 and 6, each of the mobile mixing units 12 includes a basic structure 54 carrying a container of mixing 14. The mixing container 14 can have a variable volume from 500 to 3000 liters. The mixing container 14 has a top wall in which at least one filling mouth 16 is formed. In the embodiments illustrated in the drawings the Mixing container 14 has two filling mouths 16 located in diametrically opposite positions to a central vertical axis A of the container mixing 14. The filling mouths 16 are closed by respective removable lids 48. Each of the 12 mobile mixing units includes a rotating mixer element 36 which is extends inside the mixing container 14. Each of the mobile mixing units 12 comprises a motor 38 configured to rotate the element 36 swivel mixer. The 36 swivel mixer element comprises a vertical shaft 44 rotating around the axis central vertical A of the mixing container 14. Each of the 12 mobile mixing units includes a first electrical connector 40 connected electrically to the 38 engine and intended to connect with stationary electrical connectors located in one or more of the operating stations and connected to an electrical network stationary. Each of the 12 mobile mixing units It also includes a drain valve 50 located at a lower end of the respective container of mixing 14. Referring to figures 1-3, system 10 includes a 20 mass dosing station. The station mass metering 20 includes a plurality of valves 34 dosing machines associated with respective supply pipes 32 and facing the filling mouths 16 of a unit of mobile mixing 12 located in the station mass dosage 20. The metering valves 34 are configured to dispense simultaneously a plurality of product flows. quantity of products dispensed inside the container mixing 14 are dosed by means of the respective valves dosing valves 34. Each of the dosing valves 34 is a three-way valve with no partialization, therefore at rest allows the passage of the recirculating liquid in a tank. In delivery conditions each of the metering valves 34 close the recirculation path and open the dosage route. The reaction times of the passage recirculation / dosing are very fast (of the order of a few tenths of a second) to ensure precision and repeatability of the dosage. The incoming flow, of each valve, is measured using a suitable gauge range chosen based on the products, the ranges and of the precision required by the process. This allows for simultaneously dose the different bases that make up the paint, greatly reducing preparation times compared to to traditional processes. In one possible implementation, the station mass dosage 20 can include four valves dosing machines 34 for each filling mouth 16, so the mass dosing station 20 is able to deliver simultaneously up to eight metered flows of different products. This allows to significantly increase the production speed of paint batches compared to a traditional production system with dosing gravimetric, which requires sequential dispensing of the different products to carry out the measurement of the quantity dispensed of each product. The metering valves 34 can be three-way valves 2½” diameter ways. The system with eight valves dosing machines 34 can be capable of delivering a flow dosed with a flow rate greater than 9 m / h with an accuracy of about 1%. The mass dosing station 20 comprises a second electrical connector 42 connected to the network electrical and configured to establish a connection electric with the first electrical connector 40 of the unit mixing 12 located in the dosing station massico 20 in order to electrically power the engine 38 during dosing and mix the products during dispensing. The mass dosing station 20 includes a 48 lid remover configured for remove the covers 48 from the filling ports 16 of the mobile mixing unit 12 located in the station of mass dosage 20. System 10 may include a dosing station gravimetric 28 configured for sequential dispensing of products in a mixing container 14, with the product dosing based on weight measured by a mobile mixing unit 12 located in gravimetric dosing station 28. System 10 may include a dosing station volumetric 26 configured for the delivery of small quantity of product with high dosing precision. System 10 may comprise a station quality control 52 configured to receive one or more 12 mobile mixing units for performing samples for quality control of paint batches products in mixing containers 14. System 10 may comprise a plurality of 24 parking stations configured to receive respective 12 mobile mixing units kept on standby during the subsequent preparation operations. System 10 may comprise a plurality of 22 emptying stations each of which can be equipped with a hydraulic connector configured for establish a hydraulic connection with the valve discharge 50 of a mobile mixing unit 12 located in the emptying station 22. Each station emptying 22 is connected to one or more machines filling machines that use the batches of paints produced in the 14 mixing containers for filling distribution containers. The system may include a washing station 60 provided with means for washing the container mixing 14 of a mobile mixing unit 12 located in washing station 60. The system may include a dosing station 62 powders for gravimetric dosing of solid products of varying granulometry within a unit of mobile mixing 12 located in the powder station 62. Finally, the system may also include a maintenance station 54 for carrying out operations maintenance on mobile mixing units 12. The system previously described in operation implements a process for the production of paints in lots, including: - provide for a plurality of mixing units 12 pieces of furniture each of which includes a container of mixing 14 having at least one filling mouth 16, - provide for a plurality of operating stations each of which is configured to receive a unit of mixing 12, wherein at least one of the operating stations is a mass dosing station 20 including a plurality of metering valves 34 associated with respective tubes of power supply 32 and facing at least one mouth of filling 16 of a mobile mixing unit 12 located in mass dosing station 20, - move the 12 mixing units between the stations operational, and - in the mass dosing station 20 dispense simultaneously in the mixing container 14 a plurality of product flows dosed via respective metering valves 34. The process may involve mixing the products in the mixing container 14 by means of a 36 rotating mixer element extending inside of the mixing container 14 at the same time to the simultaneous delivery of product flows. The system and procedure according to this invention are optimal for batch production frequent medium and small size. System 10 allows high-speed production of finished products through dosing and mixing of semi-finished products, additives and colorants in a completely automatic way, in the quantities exact as expected from a specific customer order and within timeframes very small. Naturally the construction details and shapes The implementation times can be varied widely with respect to what is described and illustrated, without this to go beyond the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

1. System (10) for the production of paints in lots, including: - a plurality of mobile mixing units (12) each of which includes a container of mixing (14) having at least one filling mouth (16), - a plurality of operating stations each configured to receive a mobile mixing unit (14), - a handling system (30) configured for move said mobile mixing units (14) between said operating stations, and - at least one mass dosing station (20) including a plurality of metering valves (34) associated with respective supply tubes (32) and facing said at least one filling mouth (16) of a mobile mixing unit (12) located in the mass dosing station (20) and configured to dispense simultaneously dosed quantities of a plurality of flows of products.

2. System according to claim 1, wherein each of said mobile mixing units (12) includes a rotating mixer element (36) extending inside the mixing container (14), a motor (38) configured to drive in rotation the rotating mixing element (36), a first connector electric (44) electrically connected to said motor (38), and in which at least one mass dosing station is dictated (20) includes a second electrical connector (42) connected to a stationary power grid and configured to establish an electrical connection with the first electrical connector (40) of a mixing unit (12) located in the mass dosing station (20).

3. System according to claim 2, wherein said rotatable mixing element (36) comprises a shaft vertical (44) rotating around a vertical axis central (A) of the mixing container (14), and in which the mixing container (14) comprises two mouths of filling (16) located on an upper wall of the mixing container (14) in positions diametrically opposed to the said vertical axis central (A).

4. System according to any of the claims previous, where said mobile mixing units (12) they are equipped with respective removable lids (46) associated with respective filling mouths (16), and in which said at least one mass dosing station (20) includes a lid removal device (48) configured to remove the covers (48) from the filling mouths (16) of the mobile mixing units (12).

5. System according to any of the claims previous, including an emptying station (22) equipped with a hydraulic connector configured for establish a hydraulic connection with a valve exhaust (50) located at a lower end of a mixing container (14) of a unit of mobile mixing (12) located in the station emptying (22).

6. System according to any of the claims previous, including a washing station (60) provided with means for washing the container mixing (14) of a mobile mixing unit (12) located in the washing station (60).

7. System according to any of the claims previous, including at least one parking station (24) configured to receive a mixing unit mobile (12).

8. System according to any of the claims previous, including at least one dosing station gravimetric (28) configured for sequential dispensing of products in the mixing container in quantity dosed according to the measured weight of a unit of mobile mixing (12) located in the dosing station gravimetric (28).

9. Process for the production of paints in batches, including: - provide for a plurality of mixing units furniture (12) each of which includes a container of mixing (14) having at least one filling mouth (16), - provide for a plurality of operating stations each of which is configured to receive a unit of mixing (12), wherein at least one of said stations operational is a mass dosing station (20) including a plurality of metering valves (34) associated with respective supply pipes (32) and facing said at least one filling mouth (16) of a unit of mobile mixing (12) located in the dosing station massive (20), - move said mixing units (12) between said operating stations, and - in said mass dosing station (20) deliver simultaneously in said mixing container (14) a plurality of product flows dosed via respective metering valves (34).

10. Process according to claim 9, comprising mixing the products in said container of mixing (14) by means of a rotating mixing element (36) extending inside the container of mixing (14), simultaneously with the dispensing simultaneous production of said product flows.