Painting Device Divided Circulation Path Cleaning Cycle Time

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Solution Overview

Problem

In painting devices with divided paint circulation paths, there is a waiting time required after cleaning before refilling all sections with paint, which lengthens the cycle time.

Innovation Solution

The painting device is equipped with a paint head and a divided paint circulation path that is individually cleaned from the upstream side, and during cleaning, paint is sequentially filled into upstream sections that have completed washing, utilizing switching valves to manage the flow.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the paint circulation path is divided into multiple sections and cleaned individually, then the cleanability of each component and downstream cleanability are improved, but the time required to refill all sections with paint after cleaning increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovecleanabilityVSAvoidrefill time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by enabling paint to be refilled into upstream sections during the cleaning process of downstream sections. The cleaning liquid flows through the paint circulation path from upstream to downstream, and paint is refilled into sections that have already been cleaned (upstream sections) while downstream sections are still being cleaned. This overlapping of operations reduces the total time required for the refill process after cleaning.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If cleaning liquid flows from the upstream side of the paint circulation path, then the cleaning action is obtained, but the cleaning action is less likely to be obtained downstream resulting in longer cleaning time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning actionVSAvoidcleaning time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the paint circulation path into multiple sections (first section, second section, third section, head section) and cleans each section individually in sequence. The cleaning liquid flows through each section one at a time, ensuring thorough cleaning of each segment. This segmentation allows the cleaning process to be optimized for each section's specific requirements and ensures complete cleaning coverage throughout the entire circulation path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP4549030A1Coating device
Publication Date: 2025.05.07 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
  • EP4549030A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4549030A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4549030A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem to be solved] To provide a painting device capable of reducing the time required for refilling the paint after cleaning when cleaning a paint circulation path by dividing it into sections. [Means for solving the problems] The painting device 10, which is equipped with a paint head 47 that ejects paint, is composed of a supply path 48 that supplies paint to the coating head 47, a return path 49 that returns the paint not ejected from the paint head 47 to the upstream side of the supply path 48, and the paint head 47 that is equipped with a paint circulation path 41 that is divided into a plurality of sections S1, S2, S3, S4, HS, and the plurality of sections S1, S2, S3, S4, HS are individually cleaned in order from the upstream side of the paint circulation path, and after washing is completed and the next section is being washed, the paint is sequentially filled into the upstream section where washing has been completed.