[Problem to be solved] Provided is a painting robot capable of realizing at least one of improvement in movement performance, reduction of the influence of a water head pressure difference, and prevention of occurrence of a state in which the pressure cannot be adjusted by a first adjustment valve and a second adjustment valve.

[Means for solving the problems] The painting robot 10 comprises a robot arm R1 attaching the painting head unit 50 to the tip, a paint supply mechanism 70 disposed between the robot arm R1 and the painting head unit 50, and a control unit 100, the control unit 100 comprising a paint supply means 90, a paint supply control unit 140 that performs control of at least one actuation of the paint supply means 91, the first adjustment valve 92 and the second adjustment valve 93 so as to be a pressure set point read from the control memory 141, and controls operation of at least one of the paint supply means 90 and the paint recovery means 91 while adjusting the openness of the first adjustment valve 92 and the second adjustment valve 93 within a predetermined adjustment range when controlling the pressure of the paint to be a pressure set point.

A painting robot includes a painting head mounted on the tip end side of a robot arm, a coating material supply passage connected to the coating material supply side of the painting head, a return flow passage which recovers coating material that was not ejected from the nozzles, and a bypass flow passage that is provided in the robot arm and allows coating material to flow through in parallel to the painting head. The painting robot further includes a shutoff valve, a control unit which controls the opening and closing of the shutoff valve, and a first air bubble removal member and second air bubble removal member which are provided in a stable part of the robot arm.

An inkjet-type vehicle painting machine capable of keeping temperature elevation of a nozzle head to a certain temperature or less. The painting robot comprises a power supply means for supplying power to drive a piezoelectric substrate of a nozzle head, and a robot arm for moving the nozzle head. The nozzle head is provided in an explosion-proof housing equipped with an explosion-proof construction. A heat dissipation means that dissipates heat generated from the nozzle head within the explosion-proof housing is attached to the nozzle head. A temperature measurement means for measuring the temperature of the heat dissipation means is attached to the heat dissipation means.

A liquid ejection device includes: a nozzle through which a liquid is ejected; a liquid transporting pipe coupling to the nozzle; a pulsation generator configured to change a volume of a liquid chamber coupling to the liquid transporting pipe; a pump configured to send a liquid to the liquid transporting pipe; and a control unit configured to control driving of the pulsation generator and the pump. The control unit drives the pulsation generator and the pump such that Vf/Q is 0.3 or more, in which V [mm.sup.3] is a volume change amount of the liquid chamber, Q [mL/min] is a flow rate of a liquid to the liquid transporting pipe by the pump, and f [kHz] is a frequency at which the pulsation generator applies a pulsation to a liquid.

Provided are an ink-jet type vehicle coating machine and an ink-jet type vehicle coating method that enable formation of a uniform coating film thickness at a coating portion including an end of a vehicle. In a state where a longitudinal direction of a nozzle head 53 is orthogonal to a scanning direction, a first nozzle array 55A and a second nozzle array 55B are disposed such that droplets discharged from nozzles 54 of the second nozzle array 55B are discharged to intermediate portions between droplets discharged from nozzles 54 adjacent to each other in the first nozzle array 55A. In addition, on the basis of trajectory data for moving the nozzle head 53, attitude data for keeping the longitudinal direction of the nozzle head 53 perpendicular to a main scanning direction of the nozzle head 53 is formed. An arm control unit 110 controls a robot arm on the basis of the trajectory data and attitude data such that, in a state where the nozzle head 53 performs coating while moving in the main scanning direction, the longitudinal direction of the nozzle head 53 is kept perpendicular to the main scanning direction.

A method for monitoring a nozzle mouthpiece for placing on a nozzle for spraying materials, in particular dispersions, emulsions or suspensions.

A pulsating device with two preset pressure-responding normally-closed valves is disclosed. The first valve is used for accumulating fluid. The second valve is used for creating resistance so as to force the first valve to open widely. The second valve may be configured so it creates little to no resistance once opened. In some embodiments, the pulsating device converts a low controlled and/or continuous flow of fluid, such as water and/or air, to a high pulsating and/or intermittent flow. A pulsating device may operate, for example, one or more drip lines, pop ups, sprinklers, misters and/or other irrigation devices.

A liquid ejection device includes: a nozzle through which a liquid is ejected; a liquid transporting pipe coupling to the nozzle; a pulsation generator configured to change a volume of a liquid chamber coupling to the liquid transporting pipe; a pump configured to send a liquid to the liquid transporting pipe; and a control unit configured to control driving of the pulsation generator and the pump. The control unit drives the pulsation generator and the pump such that Vf/Q is 0.3 or more, in which V [mm.sup.3] is a volume change amount of the liquid chamber, Q [mL/min] is a flow rate of a liquid to the liquid transporting pipe by the pump, and f [kHz] is a frequency at which the pulsation generator applies a pulsation to a liquid.

The present disclosure provides a flow control valve for controlling the flow of a cleaning media, such as controlling the flow of cleaning media to a nozzle positioned to distribute the cleaning media to a vehicle surface. The nozzle is integrated with the flow control valve. Vehicles and systems incorporating a flow control valve are also provided.

Fluid delivery devices and methods are described, where the device may comprise a piezoelectric actuator operatively coupled to an ampoule with fluid, under a preloading force. The ampoule may comprise a thin-walled thermoplastic package which includes one or more apertures positioned on the wall of the ampoule. The piezoelectric actuator may be configured to clamp at least partially around the circumference of the ampoule and apply oscillations to its wall. The oscillations, typically in ultrasonic frequency, produce cycles of acoustic pressure in the fluid, leading to ejection of the fluid droplets or streams from the apertures.