EQUIPPING DEVICE FOR RECEIVING A SUPPLY, AND COATING MATERIAL

Abstract

An equipping device can accommodate a supply of coating material for a coating machine or a material storage system. The coating material can be kept available and/or evaluated by means of such an equipping device. Additionally, the present disclose also relates to workpieces in the field of furniture and components industry that can be coated with a coating material that can help the user identify the quantity of coating material being used or remaining.

Claims

1. An equipping device for accommodating a supply of coating material for coating a plate-shaped workpiece, the equipping device comprising at least one determining means for determining a parameter of the coating material.

2. The equipping device according to claim 1, wherein the determining means comprises a first determining means for determining a first parameter of the supply of coating material and a second determining means for determining a second parameter of the supply of coating material.

3. The equipping device according to claim 2, wherein the supply of coating material to be accommodated comprises an edge band roll for coating a narrow side of the plate-shaped workpiece, the edge band roll having an inner dimension, and an outer dimension, and wherein the first parameter is the inner dimension and the second parameter is the outer dimension.

4. The equipping device according to claim 2, in which the first determining means comprises a rotatably actuatable manipulator, wherein different values of the first parameter are associated with different positions of the manipulator.

5. The equipping device according to claim 4, wherein the first determining means further comprises at least one stop which can be brought at least into a first position and into a second position by actuation of the manipulator, wherein the first position is associated with a first value of the first parameter, and wherein the second position is associated with a second value of the first parameter.

6. The equipping device according to claim 5, wherein the first position corresponds to an actual position of an inner surface of a coating material having a first inner dimension, and wherein the second position corresponds to an actual position of an inner surface of a coating material having a second inner dimension.

7. The equipping device according to claim 5, wherein the stop can be brought into contact with an inner surface of a coating material by actuation of the manipulator.

8. The equipping device according to claim 4, wherein the second determining means comprises a plurality of scale groups including a first scale group and a second scale group, wherein the equipping device is further configured such that (i) bringing the manipulator into the first position causes a preselection of a first scale group of the second determining means and (ii) bringing the manipulator into the second position causes a preselection of a second scale group of the second determining means.

9. The equipping device according to claim 8, in which the first determining means is connected to the second determining means by means of an actuator element.

10. The equipping device according to claim 8, wherein when the manipulator is in the first position, the first scale group of the second determining means is in a display area, and wherein when the manipulator is in the second position, the second scale group of the second determining means is in the display area.

11. The equipping device according to claim 8, in which the first scale group comprises at least a first scale and a second scale, wherein the first scale is adapted to indicate a remaining quantity of a coating material having a first thickness, and wherein the second scale is adapted to indicate a remaining quantity of a coating material having a second thickness.

12. The equipping device according to claim 1, in which the determining means comprises: one or more cameras; one or more optoelectronic sensors; one or more capacitive sensors; one or more ultrasonic sensors; one or more radar sensors; or one or more light barriers.

13. The equipping device according to claim 2, in which the first determining means comprises an input means for inputting the first parameter and for inputting a third parameter.

14. The equipping device according to claim 1, wherein the determining means comprises weighing scales for determining a mass of the supply of coating material.

15. The equipping device according to claim 1, further comprising an output device for outputting a remaining quantity of a supply of coating material to be provided.

16. A coating machine for coating a narrow side of a plate-shaped workpiece, wherein the coating machine comprises at least one coating unit and an equipping device according to claim 1.

17. (canceled)

18. Coating material for coating a plate-shaped workpiece wherein the coating material comprises a means for indicating a remaining quantity of coating material.

19. The coating material according to claim 18, wherein the means for indicating a remaining quantity of coating material comprises a scale.

20. The coating material according to claim 18, wherein the means for indicting a remaining quantity of coating material is provided in one or two edge areas of the coating material.

21. The coating material according to claim 18, wherein the means is attached on a contact surface of the coating material, a decorative surface of the coating material, or an end face of the coating material.

22. The coating material according to claim 21, wherein the means is glued on or attached on the contact surface of the coating material by means of a hook-and-loop fastener, printed, notched, or milled in.

23. The equipping device according to claim 9, wherein the actuator element comprises: (i) a gear unit such as a spur gear, a planetary gear, a belt gear, a friction gear, or a rack-and-pinion gear; (ii) a rigid connection between the manipulator and at least one component of the second determining means; or (iii) a drive, an electrically operable drive, a hydraulically operable drive, or a pneumatically operable drive.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] Further features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description of embodiments with reference to the enclosed drawings.

[0059] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of an equipping device.

[0060] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of an equipping device.

[0061] FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of a coating material.

[0062] FIG. 4a is a detailed view of the coating material shown in FIG. 3.

[0063] FIG. 4b is a modification of the coating material according to FIGS. 3, 4a.

[0064] FIG. 5 is a second embodiment of a coating material.

[0065] FIG. 6 shows a third embodiment of a coating material.

[0066] FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of a coating material.

[0067] FIG. 8 is a detailed view of the coating material shown in FIG. 7.

[0068] FIG. 9 is a fifth embodiment of a coating material.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0069] Identical reference numbers that are used in different figures designate identical, corresponding or functionally similar elements.

[0070] According to a first embodiment (FIG. 1), an equipping device 10 for accommodating a supply of coating material 20 is provided. The coating material 20 may be used to coat a plate-shaped workpiece, for example a workpiece consisting at least in parts of wood, wood material, composite material, plastic, aluminum, or the like. In particular, this may be a workpiece that is used in the field of furniture and components industry.

[0071] The equipping device 10 comprises a first determining means 30 which, according to the embodiment, is configured as a scale in a central area of the equipping device 10. Using the determining means 30, an inner diameter of the coating material 20 provided as roll material can be detected as a first parameter of the supply of the coating material 20.

[0072] Furthermore, the equipping device 10 comprises a second determining means 40 using which an outer diameter of the coating material 20 provided as roll material/edge band roll can be detected as a second parameter of the supply of coating material 20.

[0073] The second determining means 40 comprises a first scale group 50a, a second scale group 50b, a third scale group 50c, a fourth scale group 50d and a fifth scale group 50e. Each scale group 50a to 50e is designed for a specific outer diameter of the supply of coating material 20.

[0074] Each scale group 50a to 50e comprises a first scale and a second scale. In FIG. 1, a first scale Ma and a second scale Mb are illustrated by way of example using the scale group 50d. The first scale Ma is adapted to indicate a remaining quantity of the coating material 20 provided at the equipping device 10 having a certain (first) thickness, whereas the second scale 51b is adapted to indicate a remaining quantity of a coating material having a second thickness.

[0075] In the embodiment examples, the supply of coating material 20 is aligned with an auxiliary line for an inner diameter of 300 mm. Further common inner diameters are 150 mm, 200 mm and 400 mm. Thus, the user knows that to determine the remaining quantity of coating material 20, the fourth scale group 50d associated with this inner diameter must be observed. Thus, knowing the thickness of the coating material, the user can use the first scale 51a or the second scale 51b of the fourth scale group to determine the remaining quantity of the coating material 20 provided at the equipping device.

[0076] According to a second embodiment (FIG. 2), an equipping device 10′ for accommodating a supply of coating material 20′ is provided. Similar to the equipping device 10 of the first embodiment, the equipping device 10′ is adapted to accommodate a coating material available in roll form.

[0077] The equipping device 10′ has a first determining means 30′ which, according to the embodiment, is configured in a central area of the equipping device 10′ and is adapted to determine an inner diameter of the supply of coating material. The first determining means 30′ comprises a rotatably actuatable manipulator 60 adapted to be brought into contact with the inner diameter of the coating material 20′.

[0078] For this purpose, the first determining means 30′ comprises at least one stop 70a, 70b, which can be brought at least into a first position and into a second position by actuation of the manipulator 60, wherein the first position is associated with a first value of a first parameter, and wherein the second position is associated with a second value of the first parameter. The mentioned first and second positions are different positions of one scale.

[0079] Furthermore, the equipping device 10′ comprises a second determining means 40′ using which an outer diameter of the coating material 20′ provided as roll material can be detected as a second parameter of the supply of the coating material 20′.

[0080] Similar to the second determining means 40 of the first embodiment, the second determining means 40′ comprises a plurality of scale groups, wherein according to the second embodiment only one of the scale groups, hereinafter designated as the first scale group 50a′, is visible in a display area 90 formed as a viewing window.

[0081] If a user operates the manipulator 60 and thus brings the stop 70a, 70b into contact with the inner diameter of the coating material 20′, the corresponding scale group (here: scale group 50a′) is moved into the display area 90. The user can easily read the information there, or the information is detected by a sensor.

[0082] According to a further embodiment (FIG. 3), a coating material 100 is provided in the form of an edge band roll. The coating material 100 has an (imaginary) central axis.

[0083] One side of the coating material 100 is formed as a decorative surface 110. The decorative surface 110 forms the visible exterior after a workpiece has been coated. A contact surface 140 is provided on the opposite side of the coating material 100 for contacting the workpiece. The contact surface 140 may comprise an activatable layer or may be configured to receive an adhesive.

[0084] Further, the coating material 100 comprises a means, configured as a scale 120, for indicating a remaining quantity of the coating material 100, the scale 120 being provided on the contact surface 140.

[0085] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the scale 120 is formed as an imprint on the coating material 100 (see also detailed view according to FIG. 4a).

[0086] According to a modification, however, a scale 120′ can also be a measuring tape (detailed view according to FIG. 4b) that is wound with, and in particular detachably attached to, the coating material 100′. In this case, the scale 120′ is on the side of the contact surface 140′ of the coating material 100′, although according to a modification (not shown), the scale can also be arranged on the side of the decorative surface.

[0087] When using the coating material 100′, the scale 120′ can be separated from the coating material 100′ in a coating machine.

[0088] A further embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. A coating material 100″ according to this embodiment has a decorative surface 110″ and a contact surface 140″, with a scale 120″ extending in a radial direction of the coating material 100″ formed as an edge band roll. In the embodiment example, the scale 120″ is attached to an outer surface of a hook-and-loop fastener, which provides the additional functionality of securing the coating material 100″ against unwinding. The scale 120″ is attached to an end face of the coating material 100″.

[0089] FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a coating material 100— which is also present as an edge band roll. The coating material 100′″ has a decorative surface 110′″ and a contact surface 140′″. Furthermore, the coating material 100′″ has a scale 120— as a means for indicating a remaining quantity of the coating material, which is printed or milled on an end face (narrow surface) of the coating material 100′″. With a coating material 100′″ in light color, this may be a dark imprint. If the coating material is formed in a dark color according to a modification, the scale is formed as an imprint in a light color.

[0090] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 show a further embodiment of a coating material 100″″, which is formed as an edge band roll as in the previous embodiments. The coating material 100″″ has a decorative surface 110″″ and a contact surface 140″″. Scales 120″″ are printed or milled on the side of the contact surface 140″″ in edge areas of the contact surface 140″″. Here, too, a dark print of the scales 120″″ can be applied to a light edge decor, or vice versa. A free area 150″″ is provided between the scales 120″″.

[0091] Since the scales 120″″ are provided in an edge area of the coating material 100″″, the scales are removed when the coating material is processed in a coating machine during the processing of protruding portions of the coating material 100″″.

[0092] Although two scales 120″″ are provided in the fourth embodiment, the coating material may comprise only one scale according to a modification.

[0093] FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment of a coating material 100″— comprising a decorative surface 110″″ and a contact surface 140″″ similar to the previous embodiments.

[0094] A scale 120″″′ is printed or milled on the side of the decorative surface 110″″ at one of the edge areas. Similar to the embodiments previously described, a dark print of the scales 120″″ may be applied in the case of a light edge decor, or vice versa.

[0095] Since the scale 120″″ is provided in the edge area of the coating material 100″″, the scale 120″″ is removed when the coating material 100— is processed in a coating machine during the processing of protruding portions of the coating material 100″″.

[0096] Although one scale 120″″′ is provided in the fifth embodiment, the coating material may also comprise two scales in edge areas according to a modification.

[0097] The coating materials shown in FIGS. 3 to 9 may be used in an equipping device according to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 such that the respective advantages complement each other and may be combined.

[0098] It is apparent to the person skilled in the art that individual features described in different embodiments can also be implemented in a single embodiment, provided that they are not structurally incompatible. Similarly, various features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided in several embodiments either individually or in any suitable sub-combination.