Color change system
11084056 · 2021-08-10
Assignee
Inventors
- Harald Sonnleitner (Offenbach, DE)
- Heinz-Dieter Sonnleitner (Offenbach, DE)
- Rolf Weiler (Eppstein-Vockenhausen, DE)
Cpc classification
International classification
F16K11/22
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A color change system includes a stator having a plurality of media valves where each of the plurality of media valves has a valve closing body disposed within a valve chamber that is formed in the stator. A fluid connection is provided which emanates a plurality of control channels which lead to a respective control pressure chamber of the media valves where a respective mechanically operable switch valve is located in each of the plurality of control channels. Mechanical actuators are disposed such that only one switch valve is activatable selectively dependent on a relative position of a selector head to the stator.
Claims
1. A color change system, comprising: a stator with a front side and having a plurality of media valves (3), wherein a respective inlet of the plurality of media valves is connected with a media feed line (4), wherein a respective outlet (5) of the plurality of media valves discharges into the front side of the stator (1), wherein each of the plurality of media valves (3) has a valve closing body (24) disposed within a valve chamber that is formed in the stator, wherein the valve closing body is slidable toward a valve opening (25), wherein the valve closing body is connected with a set piston (27) that is pressurizable by a fluid pressure and which is disposed within the stator, wherein the set piston adjoins a respective control pressure chamber (28) of the plurality of media valves; and a selector head (2) which is rotatable and is disposed before the front side of the stator (1) around an axis proceeding vertically to the front side of the stator and/or which is slidable parallel to the front side of the stator; wherein the selector head (2) has a media inlet (8) at a rear side of the selector head facing the front side of the stator, wherein the media inlet is alignable, by turning and/or sliding the selector head (2), with one of the media valve outlets (5), and wherein the selector head (2) has a media line (7) which connects the media inlet (8) with a media extraction of the color change system; a fluid connection (16) from which emanates a plurality of control channels (18) which lead to a respective control pressure chamber of the media valves (3) wherein a respective mechanically operable switch valve is located in each of the plurality of control channels; and mechanical actuators which are disposed such that only one switch valve is activatable selectively dependent on a relative position of the selector head (2) to the stator (1).
2. The color change system according to claim 1, wherein the switch valves are formed such that they lock the respective control pressure line in their non-activated state and such that they open it in their activated state.
3. The color change system according to claim 2, wherein the respective switch valves (19) are actuatable mechanically by a cam, respectively, wherein the cam (22) is arranged at the rear side of the selector head (2) which, after the rear side of the selector head is docked to the front side of the stator, opens the switch valve (19) and thus the control channel (18), which leads to the media valve (3), and whose media valve outlet (5) in the stator is connected with the media inlet (8) in the selector head (2).
4. The color change system according to claim 3, wherein the selector head (2) is movable vertically to the front side of the stator, wherein the cam (22) is formed at the rear side of the selector head (2) and protrudes vertically from it, wherein the switch valves (19) are accommodated at holes (23) that discharge at the front side of the stator, wherein the cam (22) is adapted to dip into the holes, and wherein the holes are orientated, respectively, in a same manner to the media valve outlets (5) as the cam (22) to the media inlet (8).
5. The color change system according to claim 1, each of the control channels has a feed line (61), which leads to a corresponding opening (62) in the selector head side of the stator (1), wherein a pipe (63) emanates from the opening (62), which leads to the respective media valve (3), wherein a plug (64) is arranged at a stator side of the selector head (2) that are orientated in such manner to the openings (62) that at the selector head (2), which is applied at the stator (1), all feed lines (61) will be closed by the plug (64) except for one so that the connection of the feed lines (61) to the pipes (63) will be interrupted, wherein next to the media inlet (8) a closure (66) exists instead of the plug, which closure covers the corresponding opening (62) without interrupting the connection of the feed line (16) to the pipe (63).
6. The color change system according to claim 5, wherein a line (17) running in the stator (1), which line is connected to the fluid connection (16), from which the feed lines (61) emanate which discharge into the selector head side of the stator (1), where they form the opening (62), respectively, wherein the pipe (63) emanates from each opening (62) that leads to the respective media valve (3).
7. The color change system according to claim 6, wherein the closure (66) is provided to close the opening (62) of the respective active media valve (3) at the selector head (2).
8. The color change system according to claim 7, wherein the closure (66) is formed by a closure area at the front side of selector head (2), wherein the closure area is surrounded by a ring seal (67).
9. The color change system according to claim 5, wherein the plug (64) is cylinders that protrude from the front side of the selector head (2) whose diameter is a little bit smaller than the feed lines (61).
10. The color change system according to claim 5, wherein a seal ring (65) is located, respectively, at a cylinder's lateral surface that seals the cylinder's lateral surface off to a lateral surface of the feed line (61).
11. The color change system according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the plugs (64) has a through-hole (68).
12. The color change system according to claim 1, wherein a circulating valve (40) is assigned to at least one media valve (3) in the stator (1), whose outlet has a connection to the inlet of the media valve (3), wherein the media valve (3) is formed such that it will be opened after its control pressure chamber was pressurized, wherein the valve closing body of the circulating valve (40) is connected with the set piston, which is arranged within the stator (1) and which is pressurizable with a fluid pressure, and which set piston is adjacent to the control pressure chamber, wherein the circulating valve (40) is formed such that it will be closed when its control pressure chamber is pressurized.
13. The color change system according to claim 12, wherein the control pressure chamber of the circulating valve (40) is connected with the fluid connection (16) via a switchable additional control channel (42).
14. The color change system according to claim 13, wherein an additional switch valve (41) is located in the additional control channel (42).
15. The color change system according to claim 14, wherein the additional switch valve (41) in the additional control channel (42) is mechanically operable by a cam (45), wherein an additional cam (45) is mounted at the rear side of selector head (2), which opens the additional switch valve (41) that belongs to the circulating valve (40) when the rear side of the selector head (2) is applied to the front side of the stator (1).
16. The color change system according to claim 1 further comprising at least one rinse line (11), in which is at least one rinse check valve (12) that opens in the direction of the media line (7) discharging into the media line (7), wherein a lock check valve (10), which locks towards the rear side of the selector head (2), is disposed in the media inlet (8), which is directly connected to the rear side of the selector head (2), and wherein a rinse line (11), in which a rinse check valve (12) is located, discharging downstream of the lock check valve (10) into the media line (7).
17. The color change system according to claim 1 further comprising a minimum of one rinse line (11), in which is located at least one rinse check valve (12) that opens in the direction of the media line (7) discharging into the media line (7), wherein there is no valve in the media line at least in the area between the confluence of the rinse line (11) into the media line (7) and the media inlet (8).
18. The color change system according to claim 1, wherein the valve closing body (24) is located at the end of a valve shaft, wherein the valve shaft exhibits a hollow channel (50), which ends before the valve closing body (24), and which has lateral outlets (51).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(17) The system's individual positions are explained by means of
(18) The color change system consists of a stator 1 and a selector head 2, which is implemented, for example, as a rotor or as a linear slide.
(19) A multitude of media valves 3 are located in stator 1, which are connected with a media feed line 4, respectively, and whose media valve outlets 5 are located at the front side 6 of stator 1. The media valves 3 are located, for example, on a circle so that by turning selector head 2, its media line 7, which discharges into a media inlet 8 in the rear side 9 of selector head 2, can be brought to alignment with one of the media valve outlets 5.
(20)
(21) The media valve 3 is pneumatically controlled (in principle, a hydraulic or electric control could also be an option). In addition, the valve closing body is connected with a set piston 27 on which a fluid pressure can be applied and which is arranged within the stator that is adjacent to a control pressure chamber 28. The set piston is not depicted in
(22) Each media valve 3 is embedded in a cartridge, which is attached in a recession at the rear side of the stator 1. Within the cartridge exists a hollow valve shaft at whose head the valve closing element is arranged, which is conically formed. It acts together with the valve seat that is also conically shaped and which is formed in the cartridge's head. The hollow embodiment of the valve shaft causes the medium to be led in an aerodynamically efficient manner.
(23) Stator 1 has a fluid or compressed air connection 16 at a ring line or branch line 17 at its rear side that is connected via a control channel 18, respectively, with the activation of media valves 3. A switch valve 19 is located in each of these control channels 18, which exhibits, for example, a dumbbell-shaped closing body 20 whereby one head of closing body 20 can be applied to a seal ring 21 so that control channel 18 will be closed.
(24) The actuation of closing body 20 is realized by means of a cam 22, which is located at the rear side 9 of a selector head 2, and which dips into a hole 23, in which the switch valve 19 is located.
(25)
(26)
(27) As shown in
(28) When now pulling back selector head 2 (see
(29) An additional embodiment of the invention is shown in
(30) In
(31) The arrangement shown here of media valve 3 and circulating valve 40 serves to clarify the mode of operation. As a rule, the amount of media valves 3 required is such that they can be arranged on two circles at the stator 1. In doing so, the media valves 3 and circulating valves 40 are preferably arranged in different circles—offset to each other. This generally requires that two parallel switch valves (19, 41) be provided, namely one for the media valve 3, and an additional switch valve 41 for the circulating valve 40, as depicted here. However, only one switch valve will be required to function that opens or closes the control channels 18, 42.
(32) As can be gathered from
(33) In the position shown in
(34) The additional control channel 42 to the circulating valve 40 can basically also be controlled by the switch valve 19 of the media valve 3 so that the depicted additional switch valve 41 can be eschewed for the circulating valve 40.
(35)
(36) A medium that is in contact with the media feed line 4 of the media valve can, as described in connection with
(37)
(38) As cams 22, 45 are removed from the switch valves 19, 41 as well, they are closed so that independently of a pressurization at the fluid connection 16, which might be necessary to open the other media valves, the shown media valve 3 will be closed and the circulating valve 40 will be opened in any event.
(39) This will allow for a change of colors and a subsequent rinse of both valves. For this purpose, a so-called push medium will be let in initially at the media feed line 4 of the media valve, which pushes out the current color from the media valve 3 and the circumference valve 40; subsequently the rinse medium and air are fed in turns to clean the media valve, the connective channel 44, and the circulating valve from the remaining varnish. It is possible thereafter to apply a new color of varnish via the media feed line 4 of the media valve 3. It is also possible to feed a new color or a rinsing agent to the respective media valve 3 via the circulating valve 40.
(40) This rinse process occurs while the system continues to operate as a whole, and color is delivered to another media valve where applicable.
(41) To thoroughly clean the area of the media valve 3 around the valve closing body 24 and the valve seal seat 25, it must be provided—as
(42) The head dips into a sheath 52 in which valve seal seat 25 of the media valve 3 is formed, and in whose outer lateral surface runs a circumferential groove. Since the lateral surface abuts at the wall of a media valve locating hole in stator 1, a ring channel 53 is created that is connected with hollow channel 50 via a cross hole 54 in sheath 52.
(43) The cross hole 54 is located at the level of the lateral outlets 51 of valve closing body 24 when it is in its closed position.
(44) The connective channel 44 discharges into ring channel 53 opposite cross hole 54.
(45) The air or the rinse medium which exists from the lateral outlets 51 is thus forced to flow outside around the valve closing body 24 to enter the ring channel 53 via the cross hole 54 to be able to flow from there in the direction of the connective channel 44. This opposite arrangement of connective channel 44 and cross hole 54 ensures that the valve closing body 24 will be cleaned all-around.
(46) An additional example of an embodiment is to be explained by means of
(47) The color change system consists—as mentioned before—of a stator 1 and a selector head 1, which is realized, for example, as a rotor.
(48) A multitude of media valves 3 are located in the stator 1, which are connected with a media feed line 4, respectively, and whose media valve outlets 5 are situated at the front side 6 of stator 1. The media valves 3 are resting on one or several concentric circles, for instance, so that by turning selector head 2 its media line 7, which discharges into a media inlet 8 on the rear side 9 of selector head 2, can be aligned with one of the media valve outlets 5. In the illustration in
(49) A minimum of one lock check valve 10 is located directly behind the media inlet 8, which opens in the media line 7. A rinse line 11 discharges downstream from media line 7, in which an additional rinse check valve 12 is located, which opens in the direction of the media line 7.
(50) The media valve 3 is pneumatically controlled (in principle, a hydraulic or electric control would be an option as well). In addition, the valve closing body is connected with a set piston on which a fluid pressure can be applied and which is arranged within the stator that is adjacent to a control pressure chamber. The set piston is not shown here. However, a suitable embodiment of the media valve having a set piston is described in DE 10 2015 102 332 A1: The valve closing elements are located, respectively, within a valve chamber that is formed in the stator 1, and they are adjustable against a valve seal seat that is directed in the valve chamber.
(51) Each media valve 3 is embedded in a cartridge, which is attached in a recession on the rear side of the stator 1. Within the cartridge exists a hollow valve shaft, at the head of which the valve closing element is arranged, which could be, for example, conically formed. It acts together with the valve seat that is also conically shaped, and which is formed in the cartridge's head. The hollow embodiment of the valve shaft causes the medium to be led in an aerodynamically efficient manner.
(52) The stator 1 has a fluid or compressed air connection 16 at a ring line 17 at its rear side that is connected, respectively, via a control channel 18 with the activation of media valves 3.
(53) Feed lines 61 proceed from ring line 17, which discharge into openings 62 in the selector head side of the stator 1, and proceed vertically to it.
(54) The opening 62 has a larger cross section than the feed line 61 itself so that a diagonal pipe 63 proceeds to the respective media valve 3 from the bottom of the openings. These openings 62 all have the same orientation to the respective media valve 3.
(55) A multitude of plugs 64 are located at the stator side of the selector head 2, whereby its number is less by one than the number of media valves 3 or the number of the respective corresponding openings 62.
(56) The distribution of plugs 64 on the selector head 2 corresponds to the distribution of the openings at the stator 1 so that all plugs 64 will find an opening 62, respectively, when the selector head 2 is docked at the stator 1 which is independent from the direction of its rotational angle towards the stator 1.
(57) The plugs 64 are short cylinders which dip into the feed lines 61, whereby a seal ring 65 is located at the cylinders' outer edge that is applied at the lateral surface of feed line 61; that is, when the plug 64—as it is shown in
(58) No plug 64 is located next to the media inlet 8 but there exists a closure 66 so that the feed line 61 to the media valve 3, which is located across from the media inlet 8, will not correspond with a plug 64, and will thus not be interrupted. The closure 66 merely covers the opening 62. This will prevent a leakage of the control fluid of fluid connection 16, but it will not prevent the access to pipe 63.
(59) As in this example of an embodiment, the selector head 2 is formed by a disk, which exhibits a flat front side facing the stator; the closure 66 will be formed by a partial area of the front side, which fully covers the respective opening 62. The imperviousness of the partial area towards the opening 62 can be improved by placing a seal ring 67 in the front side, which surrounds the opening 62.
(60) The
(61) The media valve 3 will be opened as soon as the compressed air is applied at the fluid connection 16, by which means the valve closing body 24 distances itself from the valve seal seat 25. The inflowing varnish pushes the valve ball of the lock check valves 10 before itself and further opens the media inlet 8. The rinse line 11 will be locked by means of the rinse check valve 12.
(62) To change a color, the compressed air will initially be turned off again so that the media valve 3 will close and so that the lock check valve 10 will move into a position that is mostly closed. When introducing a rinse agent via the rinse line 11 at this time, the rinse check valve 12 will open and the rinse agent will flow into the media line 7. A discharge via the media inlet 8 will be prevented as it is sealed off by means of a seal of the lock check valve 10.
(63) All the examples of embodiments presented so far have in common that a lock check valve 10 has been provided. However, the respective suggested control of the media valves 3 can also be used independently from the arrangement of a lock check valve 10 in the media inlet 8. A lock check valve 10 allows for a rinse even if a selector head 2 was separated from the stator 1, in other words in case of a continued movement of the selector head 2 from one media valve 3 to the next. No lock check valve will be required when wanting to pass on a rinse during the change of position of the selector head 2, as the media lines' rinse can be realized even if the selector head 2 is docked with a closed media valve 3, however.
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(68) The valve 83 is actuated in a fluidic manner, and particularly in a pneumatic manner. For this purpose, a fluid channel 84 leads into an activation chamber 85 of the valve 83. If this chamber 85 is pressurized, valve 83 will open so that for instance a push medium reaches the media line 7 via the second rinse line 81 that is now open.
REFERENCE CHARACTERS
(69) TABLE-US-00001 1 Stator 2 Selector head 3 Media valves 4 Media feed 5 Media valve outlets 6 Front side 7 Media line 8 Media inlet 9 Rear side 10 Lock check valve 11 Rinse line 12 Rinse check valve 16 Fluid connection 17 Ring or branch line 18 Control channel 19 Switch valve 20 Closing body 21 Seal ring 22 Cams 23 Hole 24 Valve closing body 25 Valve seal seat 26 Seal ring 31 Control channel 32 Fluid connection 33 Check valve 34 Collection control channel 40 Circulating valve 41 Additional switch valve 42 Additional control channel 44 Connective channel 45 Cams 50 Hollow channel 51 Outlets 52 Sleeve 53 Ring channel 54 Cross hole 61 Feed lines 62 Openings 63 Pipe 64 Plug 65 Seal ring 66 Closure 67 Seal ring 68 Through-hole 70 Closure plate 71 Shaft 72 Valve spring 73 Control chamber 74 Set piston 75 Closing body 76 Shaft 80 First rinse line 81 Second rinse line 82 Rinse check valve 83 Valve 84 Fluid channel 85 Actuation chamber