POWDER CHAMBER AND STATION FOR A POWDER CHAMBER

Abstract

A powder chamber, in particular for powder polishing devices, including a casing and two functional sectors, whereby the two functional sectors are arranged to be opposite to each other, and whereby at least one functional sector is designed to provide an opening for a working medium such as air or a mixture of powder and air, and whereby the two functional sectors are designed to allow the powder chamber to be locked. The two functional sectors are preferably arranged along an axis and are rotationally symmetric.

Claims

1. A powder chamber, in particular for powder polishing devices, comprising a casing and two functional sectors, wherein the two functional sectors are arranged to be opposite to each other, and that at least one functional sector is designed to provide an opening for a working medium such as air or a mixture of powder and air, and that at least one of the two functional sectors is designed to allow the powder chamber to be locked.

2. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein a first functional sector is a bottom plate which is form and force-fittingly, and removable, connected with the casing.

3. The powder chamber according to one of the claims 1, wherein a second functional sector is designed as a removable closure element arranged form and force-fittingly on the casing.

4. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein the locking causes the powder chamber to be sealed, wherein the locking is by means of force application along an axis directed from one functional sector to the other functional sector.

5. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein the first functional sector comprises an opening designed as inlet for the working medium.

6. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein the second functional sector comprises an opening designed as a mixture outlet for a mixture of powder and air.

7. The powder chamber according to claim 6, wherein the opening is a central opening, parallel to the axis directed from one functional sector to the other functional sector, wherein the mixture outlet, facing the inside of the powder chamber, is arranged angled to such axis.

8. The powder chamber according to claim 6 wherein the powder chamber is designed rotationally symmetrical and that the openings of the functional sectors are substantially on the rotational axis.

9. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein at least one functional sector is provided with a recess which is designed to prevent the lateral displacement of the powder chamber.

10. The powder chamber according to claim 1, wherein the powder chamber is at least partly magnetic.

11. A station in particular for powder polishing devices, wherein the station is provided with two substantially opposite connecting sections, and that the connecting sections are designed to hold a powder chamber.

12. The station according to claim 11 comprising a jamming mechanism designed to move at least one of the connecting sections such that the powder chamber can be locked.

13. The station according to claim 11 comprising an arrangement aid designed to facilitate an arrangement of a powder chamber.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Other advantages and characteristics result from the following description of preferred embodiments of the powder chamber according to the disclosure and the station according to the disclosure with reference to the attached drawings. The individual characteristics can be combined with each other within the framework of the disclosure. In the attached drawings

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a view of an embodiment of the powder chamber in cross section;

[0049] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a station in which the powder chamber is arranged;

[0050] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of a station in a perspective view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] FIG. 1 shows a powder chamber 10 comprising a casing 12. The powder chamber 10, which is substantially of rotationally symmetrical design (see rotational axis R) comprises a first lower functional sector 20 and a second upper functional sector 40. The upper functional sector 40 is formed by a closure element 41 which is arranged within an access 14 formed by an upwardly tapering section of casing 12. Closure element 41 comprises an outlet 42 formed by two drill holes. Closure element 41 also comprises a recess/depression 30 in whose area a seal 50, here in the form of an O ring, is provided. Closure element 41 is also sealed toward casing 12 via a sealing element 50. At the contact surfaces between casing 12 and the functional sectors 20, 40 are appropriate sealing surfaces or sealing walls (52) which in the embodiment shown here extend substantially along or across rotational axis R. Within casing 12, an insert 18 and a venturi nozzle 19 are provided. Insert 18 is sealed toward casing 12 via an appropriate seal 50. In the lower area, the powder chamber 10 comprises the first functional sector 20 which in the embodiment shown here is plugged inside insert 18 which is screwed to casing 12 with a thread 54. To be noted is a seal 50 at the first functional sector 20 which is similarly designed at functional sector 40.

[0052] When a force or pressure is applied to the first functional sector 20 as well as the second functional sector 40, this is a simple method of sealing powder chamber 10. The first functional sector 20 designed as a bottom plate 21 comprises an inlet 22 for air, in particular compressed air, whereby a seal 50 is provided concentrically to inlet 22. In the area of inlet 22, the bottom plate 21 is also provided with an appropriate recess/depression 30 which in particular serves to arrange powder chamber 10 in a correspondingly congruently designed station or a correspondingly congruently designed powder polishing device. In particular, lateral surfaces 32 of recess/depression 30 can prevent that powder chamber 10 is pulled out, for example out of a station. Above bottom plate 21, a circulating magnetic ring 15 is provided which is meant to facilitate the positioning of powder chamber 10 in a station or in a powder polishing device. The first functional sector 20 has a diameter d20 while the second functional sector 40 has a diameter d40. Finally derived from these diameters are force application sectors or pressure surfaces 20 and 40 via which the force/pressure can be applied to brace or jam powder chamber 10.

[0053] The opening 42 is, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a central opening, parallel to the axis R, directed from one functional sector 20 to the other functional sector 40, wherein the mixture outlet 44 for a mixture of powder and air, facing the inside of the powder chamber 10, is arranged angled to such axis R, preferably perpendicular. Such arrangement prevents that the powder/air mixture, exiting the venture nozzle, will impinge on such outlet 44, which leads to an uneven flow, but the powder/air mixture leaves the powder chamber through such mixture outlet 44 at a region where an even distribution of the mixture can be achieved, usually sideways spaced apart from the centre of the upper functional sector 40.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a station 60 in which a powder chamber 10 is arranged. The basic structure of this powder chamber 10 is the same as that known from FIG. 1, and therefore no detailed description is necessary. However, it should be noted that there is a magnetic ring 15 of powder chamber 10, which is shown here to suitably interact with a magnetic area 64 provided in station 60. This allows powder chamber 10 to be easily pulled into station 60. Station 60 comprises a lower connecting section 61 and an upper connecting section 62, which in the embodiments shown here are both provided with appropriate projections/processes 65. This allows an ideal interaction with the correspondingly designed first functional sector 20 or the correspondingly designed second functional sector 40. The station is substantially U-shaped and can therefore surround the powder chamber in the fashion of a screw clamp. A carrier structure, which gives the station its appropriate strength/stiffness, is not shown here for the sake of simplicity. Projections/processes 65 and the corresponding recesses/depressions 30 in functional sectors 20, 40, allow the positioning a well as locking or fastening of powder chamber 10 in the correct position. The upper connecting section 62 comprises a corresponding outlet 67 of a mixture of powder and air, whereby the dotted arrow only indicates that station 60 may be provided with a corresponding connection or exit for removing the mixture of powder and air. As indicated here, this removal may be upward leading out of the device, but alternatively also within the device at any other place toward the outside. A jamming mechanism, designed to move the lower connecting section 61 and/or the upper connecting section 62 along a rotational axis R of powder chamber 10, is not shown here. However, the dotted lines in the area of the lower connecting section 61 indicate that for instance the move can be toward the bottom, which would allow powder chamber 10 to be easily removed from station 60.

[0055] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an also substantially U-shaped station 60, whereby a lower connecting section 61 can be seen with a process 65. One arrangement of a powder chamber can be such that it is inserted by its second (upper) functional sector into station 10 at a corresponding upper connection section (not shown here) and is then automatically pulled via a magnet 64 and with the help of a stud/peg 63 into the correct position on the lower connecting section 61, while the used does not have to watch for the exact positioning. Suitably, station 60 also comprises a light source 68 which can indicate, for example, that the powder chamber is under pressure. It can also be used to illuminate the interior of the powder chamber which is suitably transparent or at least partly transparent, and this allows, for example, to very accurately read a filling level.