Segmented Coating Circulation Passage for Painting Head Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing painting devices face challenges in efficiently cleaning the coating material circulation passage, leading to prolonged cleaning times and residual pigment in difficult-to-reach areas.

Innovation Solution

The painting device is designed with a coating material circulation passage divided into multiple segments, each containing specific circuit components or the painting head. This allows for individual cleaning of each segment using appropriate methods, including the use of cleaning liquid and air, with varying quantities and repetition based on the segment's requirements.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If cleaning liquid is passed through the coating material circulation passage from the upstream side to clean the passage, then the coating material is removed from the passage, but the cleaning time is prolonged and residual pigment remains in difficult-to-reach areas

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

Solution Approach 1:

The coating material circulation passage is divided into multiple segments (first segment including pump and supply passage, second segment including painting head, third segment including return flow passage). Each segment can be cleaned individually by introducing cleaning liquid and air from the upstream side of each segment, allowing targeted cleaning that reduces overall cleaning time while ensuring thorough removal of residual pigment from difficult-to-reach areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If cleaning liquid is passed through the coating material circulation passage from the upstream side, then the passage is cleaned, but the coating material removed by cleaning flows together with the cleaning liquid making it difficult to obtain cleaning effect on the downstream side

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecleaning process simplicityVSAvoidcleaning effectiveness on downstream side
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the circulation passage into multiple independent cleanable sections, the system allows cleaning liquid to be introduced at the upstream side of each specific segment. This prevents already-used cleaning liquid from flowing downstream and contaminating areas that need cleaning, ensuring each segment receives fresh cleaning liquid for effective pigment removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of passing cleaning liquid through the entire circulation passage from one end to the other, the invention introduces cleaning liquid and air from the upstream side of each segment locally. This reverse approach of localised upstream cleaning for each segment ensures cleaning effectiveness while maintaining operational simplicity.

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

Data Source

PatentEP4163016B1Painting device
Publication Date: 2025.04.23 ABB (SCHWEIZ) AG
  • EP4163016B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4163016B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4163016B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

[Problem] To shorten the cleaning time of a coating material circulation passage by more efficiently obtaining a cleaning effect on the coating material circulation passage. [Solution] The painting device of the present invention is a painting device equipped with a painting head having multiple nozzles that discharge coating material toward an object of painting, the painting device being characterized in that it comprises a supply passage that supplies the coating material to the painting head, and a return flow passage that returns, to the upstream side of the supply passage, the portion of the coating material supplied to the painting head that was not discharged from the multiple nozzles possessed by the painting head, wherein the supply passage, the painting head and the return flow passage constitute a coating material circulation passage, wherein the coating material circulation passage is divided into multiple segments, each of which contains at least one of the multiple circuit component parts arranged in the coating material circulation passage or the painting head, and wherein the coating material circulation passage allows the multiple segments to be cleaned individually.