Disposable Paint Cartridge With Solvent Piston for Zero Waste Color Change
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current paint delivery systems for multiple colors are inefficient, resulting in up to 40% paint waste and excessive solvent use due to the distance between the paint supply and applicator, requiring system cleaning during color changes.
Innovation Solution
A paint cartridge with a piston that divides the cavity into a paint chamber and a solvent chamber, where solvent is used to discharge paint through a valve assembly, minimizing waste by allowing solvent to flush the paint chamber during color changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a paint delivery system delivers multiple paint colors over a distance, then the applicator can access multiple colors, but large quantities of solvent are used to flush the pump and lines during color changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the paint delivery into separate cartridges, each containing a single color. This segmentation allows each cartridge to be independently disposed of after use, eliminating the need to flush the entire delivery system with solvent when changing colors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable paint cartridges that are discarded after containing a single color supply. This disposable approach eliminates the need for cleaning and solvent flushing of the delivery system between color changes, significantly reducing solvent waste.
2Length of moving object
If the paint supply is located at a distance from the applicator, then the system can deliver paint to remote areas, but the system requires extensive cleaning with solvent during color changes
Solution Approach 1:
The paint supply is segmented into individual cartridges that can be positioned close to the applicator or replaced at the applicator location. This eliminates the need for long-distance piping that would require extensive solvent flushing when changing colors.
Solution Approach 2:
Disposable cartridges eliminate the need for cleaning distant piping systems. Each cartridge is used until empty and then discarded, preventing the accumulation of paint residues in long delivery lines that would require solvent flushing.
3Productivity
If the paint system is designed for low volume applications, then it is suitable for precision work, but paint waste reaches up to 40% on non-recirculated supplies
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable cartridge system ensures that paint is delivered directly to the applicator without residual paint remaining in the system. Each cartridge is completely utilized and discarded, eliminating the 40% waste associated with non-recirculated supplies in traditional systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the paint supply into separate, self-contained cartridges that are connected to the applicator only when needed. This extraction eliminates the need for large reservoirs and long supply lines where paint would otherwise be wasted during color 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
Significantly reduces paint and solvent waste by enabling efficient color changes with minimal material loss, optimizing the paint delivery process in low-volume applications.
Implementation Method 1
A solvent inlet provides solvent to the solvent chamber to move the piston
Implementation Method 2
Each valve is configured to selectively provide a path for solvent to pass through the paint chamber and out the paint outlet, at least a portion of the path extending along and being defined by the valve
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A paint cartridge (100) includes a housing (102) and a piston (150) slidably disposed within a cavity in the housing to divide the cavity into a paint chamber (240) and a solvent chamber (230). A valve assembly (170) extends through an aperture in the piston (150) to selectively put the paint chamber (240) in fluid communication with the solvent chamber (230). A solvent inlet (112) provides solvent to the solvent chamber to move the piston. Movement of the piston discharges paint from the paint chamber through the paint outlet (132).