A shaping air ring for a rotary bell atomizer spray device includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced nozzles disposed in the shaping air ring, wherein each nozzle has a mix chamber, at least one inlet on an upstream end of the mix chamber, and an outlet at a downstream end of the mix chamber. First and second air flows are provided to the mix chamber through the at least one inlet and a combined air flow is discharged through the outlet. The combined air flow shapes the spray pattern of the liquid sprayed by the rotary bell atomizer spray device.

Exemplary coating methods and coating systems, e.g., for coating the component surface of a component with a coating agent by means of an atomizer in a coating system, for example to paint a body part of a motor vehicle with paint, are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises moving the atomizer over the component surface of the component to be coated, or moving the component in the spray jet, thereby applying the coating agent to the component surface by means of the atomizer. The atomizer may be operated with at least one electrical and/or kinematic operating variable comprising a certain voltage for the electrostatic charging of the coating agent and/or a certain rotational speed of a rotating spray element of the atomizer. In one example, the electrical and/or kinematic operating variable of the atomizer may be dynamically varied during the movement of the atomizer.

A shaping air spurting member (9) is formed in a tubular shape by using a conductive material, and is arranged on an outer peripheral side of a rotary atomizing head (4) in a state where a front end thereof is positioned in an intermediate section of the rotary atomizing head (4) in a length direction. The shaping air spurting member (9) has a front surface section (9D) that is provided with many numbers of air spurting holes (10, 12) for spurting shaping air toward paint particles sprayed from the rotary atomizing head (4). In addition, a shield member (14) composed of an annular body extending radially is provided on an outer diameter side of the front surface section (9D) in the shaping air spurting member (9) to shield electric flux lines traveling toward the rotary atomizing head (4) from each of electrodes (6C) in an external electrode member (6).

The present invention solves a problem of a trade-off between increases in paint discharge rate and maintenance of painting quality. A rotary atomizing electrostatic applicator includes a bell cup 10 whose back 10a is hit by atomization air SA-IN at an angle of 90 degrees or less; and first air holes 30 adapted to discharge the atomization air SA-IN directed at the back 10a of the bell cup, wherein the first air holes 30 are arranged at equal intervals on a circumference centered around a rotation axis of the bell cup 10, the first air holes 30 are oriented in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of the bell cup 10; and the atomization air SA-IN discharged through the first air holes 30 is twisted in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the bell cup 10 at an angle of 50 degrees or more and less than 60 degrees.

The present invention relates to a painting method and a rotating atomization type painting device. On an inner surface of a bell cup constituting the rotating atomization type painting device are formed a first paint diffusion unit positioned on the inside in the radial direction and a second paint diffusion unit positioned between the first paint diffusion unit and a peripheral edge part. The first paint diffusion unit has a convex shaped curved surface extending toward the center of rotation of the bell cup, whereas the second paint diffusion unit has a concave shaped curved surface extending away from the center of rotation. The diameter of the bell cup is set at 75-150 mm, and the speed of rotation of the bell cup is set at 8000-30000 rpm.

Various exemplary illustrations of an electrode assembly for an electrostatic atomizer, for example for a rotation atomizer, and exemplary methods of making and/or using the same, are disclosed. An exemplary electrode assembly may not include an electrode holder arrangement for holding at least one electrode creating an electrostatic field about a symmetrical axis, wherein there is dielectric material for influencing a discharge current component extending in the direction of the symmetrical axis.

A painting device is provided with: a bell-shaped cup for discharging paint; a housing for holding the cup so as to be freely rotatable; and first tip openings disposed on the outside in the radial direction on the base end side of the tip side outer peripheral edge of the cup and throwing paint onto a workpiece by spraying shaping air in the direction of the tip. When a tangent line that is tangent to the tip side outer peripheral edge of the cup from a first tip opening is drawn in a front view of the painting device, the first tip opening sprays shaping air at an inclination more to the inside in the radial direction of the cup than the tangent line.

An electrostatic coater capable of realizing high-level coating quality is provided. Shaping air SA, discharged from an air port, is directed radially outward. An elevation angle thereof preferably ranges from 10 to 20 degrees. Further, the shaping air SA is a flow in a state of being twisted in a direction opposite to the rotation direction R of a bell cup. The twisting angle about the axis O of the bell cup preferably ranges from 38 to 60 degrees. A liquid thread of paint extends radially outward from the outer peripheral edge of the bell cup, and the paint separated from the tip end thereof becomes a particle. It is preferable that the shaping air SA collides with the paint particle at a point P where the momentum of the paint particle is decreased of the paint particle is decreased.

An electrostatic spray device for spraying a liquid coating product, including a rotating bowl and a device for driving the bowl around a rotational axis, the bowl defining a concave surface for distributing the coating product and an edge which limits an area for the spraying the coating product. The spray device includes an electrode that charges by ionization of drops of the coating product. The electrode is arranged, in relation to the edge and along the rotational axis, opposite the spray area, between the edge and the device for driving the bowl. A second electrode mounted on a stationary body allows the creation of an electrostatic field for transporting drops. A third electrode, which is also mounted on a stationary body, is brought to an intermediate potential between those of the first and second electrodes during the operation of the spray device.

Various exemplary illustrations of an electrode assembly for an electrostatic atomizer, for example for a rotation atomizer, and exemplary methods of making and/or using the same, are disclosed. An exemplary electrode assembly may include an electrode holder arrangement for holding at least one electrode creating an electrostatic field about a symmetrical axis, wherein there is a dielectric material for influencing a discharge current component extending in the direction of the symmetrical axis.