Rotary Electrostatic Sprayer Removable Electrode Ring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electrostatic sprayers face challenges in efficiently coating interior surfaces of objects like motor vehicle bodyworks due to electrode dirtiness and the need for frequent cleaning, which limits their operational duration and versatility.

Innovation Solution

A rotating electrostatic sprayer design with electrodes and resistors mounted on a removable ring that can be easily taken out for cleaning, allowing for quick exchange and minimizing downtime, while maintaining a compact form for interior surface coating.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If electrodes are mounted on a fixed ring structure, then the sprayer can maintain structural stability, but the ring becomes soiled and requires regular disassembly and cleaning, leading to long interruptions in operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural stabilityVSAvoidoperational interruption time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode assembly is segmented into a modular ring structure that can be independently removed from the sprayer body. The ring with electrodes and resistors forms a separable unit that can be quickly detached and reattached, allowing cleaning without complete disassembly and minimizing operational interruptions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If electrodes are arranged with diverging configuration toward the front of the projector, then charging effectiveness is improved, but a relatively large hood is required, making the projector bulky

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharging effectivenessVSAvoidprojector size
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The electrode arrangement utilizes the radial dimension of the rotating bowl to achieve diverging configuration. Electrodes are positioned at different radial distances from the rotation axis, allowing effective charging geometry without extending the axial length of the projector body, thus maintaining compactness.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the sprayer is designed for interior surface coating, then versatility is improved, but spray guns are highly susceptible to overspray and get dirty quickly, particularly around electrodes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoating application capabilityVSAvoidoverspray and dirt accumulation
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The removable ring design enables the electrode assembly to serve itself through easy removal and cleaning. The modular structure allows rapid detachment of the soiled electrode ring from the sprayer body, facilitating quick cleaning or replacement without affecting the main sprayer components, thus maintaining interior coating capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables efficient and rapid cleaning of the sprayer components, extending the operational duration and allowing for continuous production without interruptions, while maintaining the sprayer's compactness for interior surface coating applications.

Implementation Method 1

a drive turbine mounted in the body and configured to drive the bowl in rotation around an axis of rotation defined by the body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 2

charge a coating product leaving the spray nozzle of a spray bowl by the corona effect, using electrodes arranged on the body of a sprayer and held at high voltage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCorona discharge: Corona Discharge

Data Source

PatentEP3831497B1Rotary electrostatic sprayer for coating product and spraying installation comprising such a sprayer
Publication Date: 2023.08.02 EXEL INDUSTRIES
  • EP3831497B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3831497B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3831497B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

This rotating electrostatic coating sprayer (10) includes a spray bowl (106), a body (102), and a drive turbine mounted in the body and configured to rotate the spray bowl about an axis of rotation (A100) defined by the body. The sprayer also includes electrodes (146) for charging the coating product sprayed by the spray bowl, these electrodes being mounted on a ring (160) attached to the body and each supplied with high voltage through a resistor.Each resistor (180) extends axially outside the ring (160) and is equipped, at its end opposite the electrode (146) which it supplies, with a first electrical connection plug (208) on a second plug of corresponding geometry provided on the body (102), with a movement parallel to the axis of rotation, and in that the ring (160) is configured to be mounted and connected (F2) on the body (102), or dismounted and disconnected (F1) from the body, being equipped with the electrodes (146) and the resistors.