Bell cup or atomizer ring comprising an insulating coating

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a coating plant components and an assembly of such components for a rotary atomizer. The components may be a bell cup and/or an atomizer ring. The component includes a metal main part and a non-metal material at least partially covering or coating the main part. The coating or insert of non-metal material is positioned to provide a barrier to inhibit metal-on-metal contact between, e.g., a bell cup and an atomizer ring. The present disclosure further provides a method for applying non-metal material to a coating plant component.

Claims

1. A component for a rotary atomiser, the component comprising: a bell cup and a directing-air ring operably configured about an axis of the rotary atomizer, one of the bell cup or the directing air ring including a metallic base body having a circumferential surface; and a non-metallic material at least partially covering the circumferential surface, wherein the circumferential surface is configured about the axis of the rotary atomizer, the circumferential surface being configured to face the other of the bell cup and the directing-air ring, the circumferential surface being configured with a shape complementary to the other of the bell cup and the directing-aft ring, wherein the non-metallic material is configured to be a barrier between the metallic base body and the other of the bell cup and the directing-aft ring, wherein the bell cup includes a rear-backwardly protruding portion, wherein the directing-aft ring is provided with a recess configured to receive the rear backwardly protruding portion of a bell cup, wherein the recess includes a continuous arcuate surface that extends from radially outward of the rear-backwardly protruding portion, behind the rear-backwardly protruding portion, to radially inward of the rear-backwardly protruding portion, the recess including a rear apex behind the rear-backwardly protruding portion, wherein the directing aft ring defines a groove at the rear apex, and the non-metallic material is in the groove, and wherein the directing aft ring and the non-metallic material together provide the continuous arcuate surface of the recess.

2. The component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material is arranged in an annular circumferential shape on the circumferential surface.

3. The component according to claim 2, wherein the non-metallic material is one of a coating, an insert and a cover.

4. The component according to claim 1, further comprising at least one intermediate layer between the metallic base body and the non-metallic material.

5. The component according to claim 4, wherein the at least one intermediate layer is an electrostatic layer.

6. The component according to claim 1, wherein the metallic base body includes a sandblasted portion configured to improve the adhesion of the non-metallic material to the metallic base body.

7. The component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material is a plastics material.

8. The component according to claim 7, wherein the non-metallic material is selected from the group comprising: thermoplastic plastics material, organic polymer, polyoxymethylene (POM), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polymethylpentene (PMP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE).

9. The component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material is electrically conductive.

10. The component according to claim 1, wherein the non-metallic material has a width of less than 3 mm.

11. The component according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the non-metallic material is greater than 1.4 mm.

12. The component according to claim 1, wherein the recess is arranged in an annular circumferential manner in the front side of the directing-air ring.

13. The component according to claim 1, wherein directing-air outlet openings of the directing-air ring are arranged radially outside the non-metallic material.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) The features of the present disclosure described herein can be combined with one another and are further disclosed the following detailed description of the present disclosure, with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a front portion of a rotary atomiser having a directing-air ring according to an implementation of the present disclosure,

(3) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of a front portion of a rotary atomiser having a directing-air ring according to an implementation of the present disclosure,

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a front portion of a rotary atomiser having a bell cup according to an implementation of the present disclosure,

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a front portion of a rotary atomiser having a directing-air ring according to an implementation of the present disclosure,

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a front portion of a rotary atomiser having a directing-air ring according to an implementation of the present disclosure, and

(7) FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of a method according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) It should be understood that, similar components or features of the present disclosure are provided with the same reference numerals. Therefore, the description and disclosure of such components should be understood to apply to all implementations of the present disclosure unless otherwise indicated, in order to avoid repetition.

(9) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an electrostatic rotary atomiser 10 for lacquering motor vehicle bodies and/or add-on parts therefor. The rotary atomiser 10 comprises a bell cup 1, which rotates during operation, for atomising lacquer and for delivering a spray jet of lacquer. The rotary atomiser 10 further comprises a directing-air ring 2, which does not rotate during operation, for delivering a directing-air stream from directing-air outlet openings 7 for shaping the spray jet of lacquer delivered by the bell cup 1. The bell cup 1 is arranged in front of the directing-air ring 2.

(10) The bell cup 1 comprises a metallic base body 1.1 and can be driven by an atomiser shaft 6 in order to rotate during operation. The directing-air ring 2 likewise comprises a metallic base body 2.1. Between the bell cup 1 and the directing-air ring 2 there is a relatively small gap or air space 4.

(11) If the directing-air ring 2 becomes detached or loosens during operation, for example because it has not been mounted correctly and/or because of the pressure for the directing-air that is present during operation, unintentional contact with the bell cup 1 rotating during operation can occur.

(12) In order to prevent sparks and/or flying sparks which may be caused by metal-on-metal rotational contact, the metallic base body 2.1 of the directing-air ring 2 is provided with an at least partial insert or coating of a non-metallic material 3. According to the present disclosure, should the directing-air ring 2 become detached or loosen during operation, the non-metallic material 3 provides a barrier between the metallic base body 2.1 and the bell cup 1, to inhibit metal-on-metal contact. Rather, according to the present disclosure, in such an event, the interface of the bell cup 1 and the directing-air ring 2 is metal-on-non-metal, and thus sparks and/or flying sparks are inhibited.

(13) The non-metallic material 3 is thus designed and arranged to prevent, during operation, metal-on-metal rotational contact between the bell cup 1 and the directing-air ring 2 and consequently sparking if the directing-air ring 2 unintentionally becomes detached or loosens during operation and strikes the rotating bell cup 1. Because the non-metallic material 3 strikes the rotating, metallic base body 1.1 of the bell cup 1 during operation, the non-metallic material 3 is a coating with sufficient thickness to accommodate partial wear or removal of material in such circumstances while maintaining a barrier to the metallic base body 2.1 of the directing-air ring 2. For example, in some implementations, the non-metallic material 3 can have a thickness D of at least about 1.5 mm.

(14) The non-metallic material 3 is arranged in particular on or in the front side of the directing-air ring 2, that is to say the side that faces the bell cup 1 during operation. The non-metallic material 3 is arranged in an annular circumferential manner and is housed in a recess 5 of the directing-air ring 2, which recess is likewise annularly circumferential. Referring to the exemplary implementation of FIG. 1, the non-metallic material 3 is received in the recess 5 as an insert and/or filling and is concave in shape on the side facing the bell cup 1.

(15) The recess 5 serves on the one hand to receive the non-metallic material 3 and on the other hand to receive a rear, backwardly protruding portion 8 of the bell cup 1. The portion 8 projects axially into the recess 5, so that the bell cup 1 and the directing-air ring 2 overlap axially. A compact bell cup/directing-air ring arrangement can thereby be achieved.

(16) The recess 5 is in particular in such a form that it comprises two receiving regions, namely a front receiving region on the front side for receiving the portion 8 and a rear receiving region on the rear side for receiving the non-metallic material 3, the rear receiving region axially extending over the thickness D of the insert of non-metallic material 3.

(17) The directing-air outlet openings 7 of the directing-air ring 2 for delivering the directing-air stream are arranged radially outside the non-metallic material 3.

(18) The non-metallic material 3 is, in some implementations, a suitable plastics material, for example a thermoplastic plastics material, an organic polymer, polyoxymethylene (POM), polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyamide (PA), polycarbonate (PC), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polymethylpentene (PMP), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and/or ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (Halar/ECTFE).

(19) The non-metallic material 3 may be electrically conductive.

(20) The non-metallic material 3, as an alternative or in addition to being arranged on the directing-air ring 2, may also be arranged at least partially on the bell cup 1, so that not only metal-on-non-metal contact but also non-metal-on-non-metal contact can occur within the scope of the present disclosure if the directing-air ring 2 with a coating of non-metallic material unintentionally becomes detached or loosens during operation and comes into contact with the rotating bell cup 1.

(21) The base body 1.1 of the bell cup and the base body 2.1 of the directing-air ring 2 are, however, made of a metal, for example of titanium or stainless steel, for reasons of stability or strength.

(22) FIG. 2 shows a front portion of a rotary atomiser 10 having a bell cup 1 and a directing-air ring 2, shown schematically, according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

(23) In this exemplary implementation of the present disclosure, of the directing-air ring 2 of FIG. 2 is that the non-metallic material 3 is not a relatively thick non-metallic insert as in FIG. 1 but is in the form of a relatively thin non-metallic coating.

(24) The non-metallic material 3 is received in an annular recess 5, which additionally serves to receive the rear, backwardly protruding portion 8 of the bell cup 1.

(25) The recess 5 in FIG. 2 accordingly comprises only one receiving region, which receives together both the non-metallic material 3 and the rear, backwardly protruding portion 8 of the bell cup 1.

(26) The non-metallic material 3 is concave in shape on the side facing the bell cup 1, because the recess 5 is concave in shape.

(27) FIG. 3 shows a front portion of a rotary atomiser 10 having a bell cup 1 according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

(28) A particular feature of the exemplary implementation shown in FIG. 3 is that the non-metallic material 3 is formed not on the directing-air ring 2 but on the bell cup 1.

(29) The non-metallic material 3 is in the form of a non-metallic coating on the rear, backwardly protruding portion 8 of the bell cup 1. The non-metallic material 3 and the portion 8 are arranged in an annular circumferential manner. The portion 8, as already mentioned, serves to be received in the recess 5 on the front side of the directing-air ring 2.

(30) The non-metallic material 3 is convex in shape on the side facing the directing-air ring 2, because the portion 8 is convex in shape.

(31) In an implementation which is not shown, the non-metallic material could also be arranged in a recess in the rear, backwardly protruding portion of the bell cup.

(32) In an implementation which is likewise not shown, the non-metallic material, instead of being in the form of a coating, can be fitted to the rear, backwardly protruding portion of the bell cup as a put-on part in the form of a cap or crown.

(33) FIG. 4 shows a front portion of a rotary atomiser 10 having a directing-air ring 2 according to another exemplary implementation of the present disclosure.

(34) The implementation shown in FIG. 4 is similar to the implementation shown in FIG. 1, but the recess 5 for receiving the non-metallic material 3 and the rear, backwardly protruding portion 8 of the bell cup 1 is larger. This results in a greater axial overlap between the bell cup 1 and the directing-air ring 2 and/or in a more compact bell cup/directing-air ring arrangement. The non-metallic material 3 is shown only schematically. Again, a rear portion of the recess 5 serves to receive the non-metallic material 3.

(35) FIG. 5 shows a front portion of a rotary atomiser 10 having a directing-air ring 2 according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

(36) In the implementation shown in FIG. 5, the non-metallic material 3 is arranged in the form of a coating in the recess 5 of the metallic base body 2.1 of the directing-air ring 2.

(37) The non-metallic material 3 extends in a conically widening manner on the side facing the bell cup 1, because the recess 5 widens conically on the side facing the bell cup 1.

(38) In addition or alternatively, the non-metallic material 3 shown in FIG. 5 can also be formed on the opposite face of the bell cup 1. The non-metallic material 3 then extends in a conically tapering manner on the side facing the directing-air ring 2, because the metallic base body 1.1 tapers conically on the side facing the directing-air ring 2.

(39) FIG. 6 shows a flow diagram of a method for providing a coating plant component 1 with a non-metallic material 3 according to an implementation of the present disclosure.

(40) The coating plant component 1 can in particular be a bell cup 1 or a directing-air ring 2 as described hereinbefore.

(41) In a step S1, the coating plant component 1 is subjected to a burning process in order to render it free of grease and/or residues.

(42) In a step S2, the coating plant component 1 is sandblasted in order to improve the adhesion of the carrier material (e.g. titanium/stainless steel).

(43) In an optional step S3, an electrostatic layer is applied to the coating plant component 1.

(44) In a step S4, the metallic base body 1.1; 2.1 of the coating plant component 1 is provided with a non-metallic material 3. The non-metallic material 3 can be applied, for example, by thermal spraying, powder coating or polymer coating or can be attached as a put-on part or insert to or in the metallic base body 1.1; 2.1.

(45) The present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary implementations described above. Rather, a plurality of variants and modifications is possible, which likewise make use of the principles of the present disclosure.