Dual-Width Paint Baking Oven for Uniform Vehicle Coating

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional paint baking ovens struggle to ensure uniform baking conditions across the entire vehicle body, particularly in narrow areas around hinges, due to the structure of the vehicle body, which can lead to inadequate curing of the paint film.

Innovation Solution

A paint baking method utilizing a dual-oven configuration where the second oven body has a wider width to accommodate the vehicle with open side doors, allowing hot air to be blown directly to the wet coating films in these areas, while the first oven body maintains a narrower width to prevent unnecessary volume increase and heat inefficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the oven body width is increased to accommodate open side doors for baking narrow areas, then the baking coverage is improved, but the oven volume and heat loss increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebaking coverage areaVSAvoidheat loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The oven body is segmented into a first oven body with narrower width for general baking and a second oven body with wider width for accommodating open side doors. This segmentation allows the wider configuration to be used only when needed for baking narrow areas around hinges, thereby improving baking coverage while minimizing overall oven volume and heat loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The side doors are dynamically adjusted between open and closed states during the baking process. The doors are opened in the second oven body to allow hot air circulation around hinges and other narrow areas, then closed in the first oven body to reduce heat loss. This dynamic adjustment optimizes both baking coverage and energy efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Manufacturing precision

If the side doors are opened to improve hot air circulation around hinges, then the baking uniformity is improved, but the heat loss increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebaking uniformityVSAvoidheat loss
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The baking process is segmented into two stages: the first oven body stage with closed side doors for general heating, and the second oven body stage with open side doors for targeted heat circulation to narrow areas. This segmentation achieves baking uniformity while minimizing overall heat loss by keeping doors closed during the majority of the baking cycle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The side doors are periodically opened and closed during the baking process. They remain closed during the first oven body passage to minimize heat loss, then are opened during the second oven body passage to improve hot air circulation around hinges. This periodic action balances baking uniformity requirements with energy conservation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Use of energy by stationary object

If the oven body is designed with fixed narrow width, then the heat efficiency is improved, but the ability to bake narrow areas around hinges is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat efficiencyVSAvoidbaking adaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Use of energy by stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The oven body is divided into two segments with different width characteristics: the first oven body maintains a narrower width for heat efficiency, while the second oven body provides a wider configuration for baking adaptability. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high heat efficiency during normal operation while providing enhanced adaptability when needed for specific baking requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The oven body width parameter is changed between two discrete states corresponding to the first and second oven bodies. The narrower width of the first oven body optimizes heat efficiency, while the wider width of the second oven body provides the necessary adaptability for baking narrow areas around hinges when side doors are opened.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method ensures that the baking condition of 140°C for 20 minutes is met across the entire vehicle body, improving coating film quality and energy efficiency by targeting hard-to-reach areas and minimizing overheating of easily accessible body parts.

Implementation Method 1

a hot air supply device configured to blow the hot air to the vehicle body in the second oven body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

to bake the wet coating film

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectEvaporation: Evaporation

Data Source

PatentEP3252409B1Method for drying coating
Publication Date: 2019.07.10 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD
  • EP3252409B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3252409B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3252409B1 patent drawingFigure 2A

AI summary

A paint baking oven (1) is provided which bakes a wet coating film applied to a vehicle body (B) while conveying the vehicle body (B). The vehicle body (B) has a main shell body (B1) to which side doors (D1, D2) are attached via hinges (HI, H2). The topcoat paint baking oven (1) includes a oven body (10) and a hot air supplier (20) that supplies hot air into the oven body (10). The oven body (10) is configured to include a first oven body (121) and a second oven body (122). The first oven body (121) has a side-to-side width (W3) corresponding to a body width (W1) of the vehicle body in a state of closing the side doors. The second oven body (122) has a width (W4) wider than the side-to-side width (W3) of the first oven body. The width (W4) of the second oven body (122) corresponds to a body width (W2) of the vehicle body in a state of opening the side doors.