Pneumatic Dosing Valve Head for Mobile Coating Dispensing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional dosing systems for coating compositions in the automotive industry are inflexible and cumbersome, particularly in laboratory settings, due to their reliance on fixed pipelines and mechanical drives, which limits their ability to handle a wide variety of additives and effect pigment pastes, leading to high cleaning efforts and inefficient use of resources.

Innovation Solution

A container with a removable lid and integrated pneumatic valve head and agitator, allowing for flexible and mobile pneumatic dosing of components into another container, eliminating the need for fixed pipelines and reducing cleaning efforts by enabling easy material changes and precise dosing control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If fixed pipelines and mechanical drives are used in conventional dosing systems, then reliable material transport is achieved, but flexibility and mobility are lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliable material transportVSAvoidflexibility and mobility
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The dosing system is divided into modular components: a mobile dosing unit with integrated valve and container that can be independently positioned, and fixed infrastructure elements. This segmentation allows the dosing unit to be flexibly positioned while maintaining reliable material transport through the integrated pneumatic pathway.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces mechanical drive systems with pneumatic actuation. The dosing valve is controlled by compressed air supplied through a pneumatic line, eliminating complex mechanical drives and enabling more flexible positioning while maintaining reliable operation through pneumatic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If fixed pipelines are used to supply multiple additives, then comprehensive material supply is achieved, but cleaning efforts increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomprehensive material supplyVSAvoidcleaning efforts
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The system allows dynamic reconfiguration of the dosing unit for different materials. The mobile container can be quickly exchanged or repositioned when switching between additives, eliminating the need to clean extensive fixed pipelines while maintaining the ability to supply multiple materials comprehensively.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The dosing function is extracted from the fixed infrastructure and consolidated into a mobile unit. This separates the material supply function (which can use fixed storage) from the dosing and delivery function (which moves with the material), reducing cleaning requirements for fixed components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If fixed pipelines are used for effect pigment pastes, then material transport is possible, but residue remains in pipelines after use

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematerial transport capabilityVSAvoidresidue in pipelines
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The mobile dosing container and its internal pathways are designed as disposable or easily replaceable components. After use with effect pigment pastes, the entire dosing unit can be quickly discarded or emptied without cleaning, eliminating residue problems in fixed infrastructure while maintaining productive material transport capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having fixed pipelines that require cleaning after use, the system inverts the approach by having the dosing unit move with the material. The pathways are contained within the mobile unit itself, which can be easily emptied or replaced, reversing the traditional fixed-infrastructure model to eliminate residue accumulation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

4Ease of operation

If mechanical drives control dosing valves, then dosing operation is achieved, but control precision and response time are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedosing operation capabilityVSAvoidcontrol precision and response time
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical valve control systems with pneumatic actuation controlled by air pressure regulation. This substitution enables more precise control of dosing timing and quantity through pneumatic pressure control, achieving millisecond response times while maintaining ease of operation through automated pneumatic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

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

The solution provides a highly flexible and precise dosing system that minimizes cleaning steps, allows for the use of a wide range of coating compositions, and achieves millisecond control times, effectively addressing the limitations of conventional systems by enabling easy integration and removal of containers and reducing residue issues with effect pigment pastes.

Implementation Method 1

at least one compressed air connection (4) for pneumatically driving the valve head (9)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatic drive: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

at least one other compressed air connection (5) is integrated into the lid (3), with compressed air being applied to the connection (5), by means of which a component located in the container (1) can be promoted for the purpose of dosing it

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPneumatic promotion: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 3

an agitator (7) is integrated into the lid (3), which has a motor (8) for driving the agitator (7)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAgitation: Stirring

Data Source

PatentEP3803289B1Container with valve head for pneumatic dosing and dosing device comprising such a container
Publication Date: 2022.07.06 BASF COATINGS GMBH
  • EP3803289B1 patent drawingFigure 1a~1b
  • EP3803289B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3803289B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a container (1) suitable for the pneumatic dosing of a component contained therein into another container different from container (1), wherein the container (1) has a container body (2), a container bottom (2a) and a removable lid (3) suitable for closing the container (1), and wherein the container (1) comprises at least one valve head (9) set into the container bottom (2a), to which a container (10) different from container (1) can be connected, into which container a pneumatic dosing of a component contained in container (1) can be carried out, and at least one compressed air connection (4) for pneumatically driving the valve head (9) and at least one other compressed air connection (5) as well as an agitator (7) are integrated into the lid (3) of the container (1). The invention also relates to a use of the container (1) according to the invention for the above-mentioned purpose, to a dosing facility (20) comprising at least one container (1) according to the invention, to a method for pneumatic dosing using the container (1), and to a method for producing a coating agent composition or a precursor thereof that can be used in the car industry, utilising said container (1).