Coating agent deflection by a coating device

Abstract

A coating device is provided for application of a coating agent, in particular a paint, sealant, separating agent, function layer or adhesive, to a component such as a motor vehicle body and/or attachment therefor. The coating device comprises an applicator that has at least one outlet opening and is configured to emit at least one coating agent jet. The coating device includes a deflector that is configured for deflecting the coating agent jet.

Claims

1. A coating device for application of a coating agent to a component, comprising: an applicator including at least one outlet opening and configured to emit at least one coating agent jet in a first outlet direction, the applicator and the component configured to be linearly movable relative to each other; and a deflector integrated in the applicator downstream of the at least one outlet opening, the deflector being arranged about the at least one coating agent jet and configured to direct the at least one coating agent jet from the first outlet direction to deflected directions, wherein the deflector is configured to create a pattern on the component comprising at least one swirl application resulting from a movement overlay, wherein the movement overlay comprises one of a circular and arcuate movement of the at least one coating agent jet between the deflected directions generated by the deflector, and a linear movement between the applicator and the component.

2. The coating device of claim 1, further comprising a vibration generator for coupling a vibration into the coating agent.

3. The coating device of claim 2, wherein the vibration generator is provided to introduce a vibration into the at least one coating agent to cause the coating agent jet to break down into droplets.

4. The coating device of claim 1, wherein at least one of an amplitude and a frequency of the deflected directions of the coating agent jet created by the deflector is changeable during an application and a deflection process.

5. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises several outlet openings with a specific nozzle inner diameter and a specific nozzle distance, wherein the nozzle distance is at least equal to at least three times the nozzle inner diameter.

6. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the coating device comprises a movement unit which is configured to move the applicator relative to the component, during at least one of an application and a deflection process.

7. The coating device of claim 6, wherein the applicator, the deflector and the movement unit are configured such that during an application and deflection process, the applicator is at least one of (a) at least temporarily moved by the movement unit along a predefined path relative to the component, and (b) at least temporarily held stationary by the movement unit while the component is moved relative to the applicator.

8. The coating device of claim 6, wherein the applicator and the movement unit are configured such that the output of coating agent is temporarily interrupted while the movement unit moves the applicator relative to the component, whereafter the output of coating agent is resumed at another component position.

9. The coating device of claim 1, further comprising a handling unit for the component, wherein the applicator, the deflector and the handling unit are configured such that during an application and deflection process, the component is at least one of (a) at least temporarily moved by the handling unit along a predefined path relative to the applicator, and (b) at least temporarily held stationary by the handling unit.

10. The coating device of claim 9, wherein the applicator and the handling unit are configured such that the output of coating agent is temporarily interrupted while the handling unit moves the component relative to the applicator, whereafter the output of coating agent is resumed at another component position.

11. The coating device of claim 1, configured so that output of the coating agent is switched on and off with a switching duration of less than seventy milliseconds.

12. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the applicator is configured to emit an at least partially cohesive coating agent jet.

13. The coating device of claim 12, configured such that the coating agent jet hits the component as a droplet jet comprising individual droplets.

14. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the deflector comprises at least two deflection units, a deflection influence of which on the coating agent jet has an amplitude variation such that a deflected part of the coating agent jet produces a first coating on the component and an undeflected part of the coating agent jet produces a second coating on the component, wherein the first coating and the second coating are separated from each other and thereby constitute individual coatings.

15. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the applicator is configured such that the outlet speed of the coating agent is a maximum of thirty meters per second.

16. The coating device of claim 1, wherein the deflector comprises at least two deflection units and is configured for at least one-dimensional deflection of the coating agent jet.

Description

(1) The embodiments described above may be combined arbitrarily. Other advantageous refinements of the disclosure are disclosed in the claims or arise from the following description of embodiments in conjunction with the enclosed figures.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic view of a coating device according to one embodiment;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application in relation to the coating device in FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector according to one embodiment;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator position and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 3,

(6) FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 3,

(7) FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic view of a coating device according to another embodiment;

(8) FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application in relation to the coating device of FIG. 6;

(9) FIG. 8 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector according to yet another embodiment;

(10) FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator position and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 8;

(11) FIG. 10 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 8;

(12) FIG. 11 shows a diagrammatic view of a coating device according to yet a further embodiment;

(13) FIG. 12 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application in relation to the coating device of FIG. 11;

(14) FIG. 13 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector according to yet another embodiment;

(15) FIG. 14 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator position and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 13;

(16) FIG. 15 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator path and a resulting application relative to the deflector of FIG. 13;

(17) FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector according to yet another embodiment;

(18) FIG. 17 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve, an applicator pat and a resulting application in relation to the deflector of FIG. 16;

(19) FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic view of a coating device according to another embodiment.

(20) The various embodiments described with reference to the figures partially correlate to one another, wherein similar or identical parts carry the same reference signs and for their explanation, reference is also made to the description of other embodiments or figures to avoid repetition.

(21) FIG. 1 shows a coating device 1 for application of a coating agent, in particular a paint, to a component B, in particular a motor vehicle body and/or an attachment therefor.

(22) The coating device 1 comprises an applicator 10 which has at least one outlet opening 11 and is configured to emit at least one coating agent jet S1. Also, the applicator 10 comprises a vibration generator (not shown) for introducing a vibration into the coating agent to break the coating agent jet S1 into droplets.

(23) The applicator 10 is configured such that it emits the coating agent in the form of an initially cohesive, continuous coating agent jet which then, because of the vibration, breaks down into droplets before hitting the component B. The coating agent jet S1 thus comprises an initially cohesive region (see region directly behind the opening 11) and a subsequent region comprising droplets. It should be stated that the cohesive region may also be extremely short, e.g., smaller than 5 mm, or even smaller than 1 mm.

(24) The coating device 1 furthermore comprises a deflector 20 for acoustic, one-dimensional deflection of the coating agent jet S1. The deflector 20 is arranged downstream of the outlet opening 11 and configured so that it acts on the coating agent jet S1 at least almost at a right angle. To this end, the deflector 20 comprises at least one, possibly two mutually opposing deflection units 21-22.

(25) The deflector 20 deflects the coating agent jet S1 laterally outward. This allows the contact point of the coating agent jet S1 on the component B to deviate from the theoretical contact point of the centre axis M of the outlet opening 11, or, in other words, the centre axis of the coating agent jet S1 undergoes a direction change and thus deviates from the centre axis M of the outlet opening 11, which is indicated by offset L in FIG. 1.

(26) The coating device 1 also comprises a movement unit 30 e.g., a multi-axis robot, by which the applicator 10 can be moved relative to the component B.

(27) The movement unit 30 serves in particular to move the applicator 10 relative to the component B during a deflection and application process. Thus the applicator 10, the deflector and the movement unit 30 are configured such that the applicator 10 can be moved by the movement unit 30 along a predefined path relative to the component B as required during an application and deflection process, and alternatively or additionally can be temporarily held static or stationary as required.

(28) FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve which can be created by means of the deflector 20 of FIG. 1, an applicator path which can be generated by the movement unit 30 of FIG. 1 for the applicator 10 shown in FIG. 1, and an application resulting therefrom.

(29) In period t1 to t3, the applicator 10 is moved linearly over the component B by the movement unit 30.

(30) In period t1, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while there is no deflection of the coating agent jet S1. This generates a rectilinear stripe application.

(31) In period t2, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while the deflector 20 is activated to deflect the coating agent jet S1 laterally outward. This also gives a rectilinear stripe application, but with an offset to the stripe application generated in period t1.

(32) In period t3, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while the deflector 20 is deactivated. This again gives a rectilinear stripe application, but with an offset to the stripe application generated in period t2.

(33) By means of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, for example a continuous dcor stripe with at least one offset can be generated.

(34) FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector 20 according to a further embodiment, which may be used instead of the deflector 20 shown in FIG. 1.

(35) The deflector 20 shown in FIG. 3 is initially also configured for acoustic deflection of the coating agent jet S1, but comprises four deflection units 21-24 and can thus deflect the coating agent jet S1 not only one-dimensionally but also two-dimensionally.

(36) The deflection units 21-22 form a first pair and are arranged opposite each other. The deflection units 23-24 form a second pair and are arranged opposite each other. The first pair 21-22 and the second pair 23-24 are oriented orthogonally to each other and act at least almost orthogonally on the coating agent jet S1.

(37) FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve which can be generated by the deflector 20 of FIG. 3 during a static, stationary positioning of the applicator 10 and an application resulting therefrom.

(38) Throughout the entire period t1 to t4, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B.

(39) Throughout the entire period t1 to t4, the deflection units 21-22 create a sine-wave shaped deflection influence on the coating agent jet S1, while deflection units 23-24 generate a cosine-wave shaped deflection influence on the coating agent jet S1.

(40) Also, throughout the entire period t0 to t4, the applicator 10 is held static, i.e., stationary. This may be achieved e.g., in that the movement unit 30 holds the applicator 10 stationary during the application and deflection process. Alternatively, it may be achieved in that the applicator 10 is mounted in a stationary manner in a paint booth.

(41) By the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a continuous dcor ring for example can be produced.

(42) FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve which can be generated by means of the deflector 20 of FIG. 3, an applicator path for the applicator 10 and an application resulting therefrom.

(43) Throughout the entire period t0 to t4, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B in an initially identical fashion to FIG. 4.

(44) Also initially identically to FIG. 4, the deflection units 21-22 create a sine-wave shaped deflection influence on the coating agent jet S1 throughout the entire period t0 to t4, while the deflection units 23-24 apply a cosine-wave shaped deflection influence on the coating agent jet S1 throughout the entire period t0 to t4.

(45) However in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the applicator 10 is not held static during the application and deflection process but is moved linearly over the component B by means of the movement unit 30.

(46) Thus a movement overlay occurs of the circular movement of the coating agent jet S1 produced by the deflector 20 (see FIG. 4, bottom) and the linear movement of the applicator 10 generated by the movement device 30. The movement overlay creates a swirl application, shown at the bottom in FIG. 5.

(47) With the embodiments described above, relatively simple geometric patterns are produced. Other, more complicated patterns and design or detail applications can be generated, e.g., a finish flag pattern or a line pattern comprising several dcor lines, or even company logos or pictograms. Thus, e.g., between individual application and deflection processes, the applicator 10 can be switched off, the output of coating agent interrupted, the applicator 10 moved by the movement unit 30 to the next coating position above the component B, and then a further application and deflection process carried out. The output of coating agent may be switched on or off with a switching duration of less than 50 ms (milliseconds), 20 ms, 10 ms, 5 ms or 1 ms. Also, the amplitude and frequency of the deflection influence created by the deflector 20 on the coating agent jet S1 can be changed as required during an application and deflection process. Thus more complicated deflection influences can be achieved, corresponding to the pattern, pictogram or company logo to be produced.

(48) The patterns, pictograms and company logos, and/or detail/design applications produced are distinguished in particular by their edge sharpness, which have a maximum deviation from a predefined edge course which can no longer be perceived with the naked eye. Also, the output speed of the coating agent is dimensioned such that it does not rebound on contact with the component B, which could lead to coating agent splashes.

(49) The embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10 correspond largely to the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. A special feature however is that the deflector 20 is configured for pneumatic deflection of the coating agent jet S1, e.g., by means of an air or gas flow. A further special feature is that the applicator 10 is configured to output individual droplets which create a coating agent droplet jet S1.

(50) The embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 15 correspond largely to the embodiments described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. A special feature however is that the deflector 20 is configured for electrostatic deflection of the coating agent jet S1.

(51) FIG. 16 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflector 20 which can be used e.g., in a coating device 1 shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 17 shows a diagrammatic view of a deflection influence curve for the deflector 20 shown in FIG. 16, an applicator path for the assigned applicator 10 guided by the movement unit 10, and a resulting application.

(52) Throughout the entire period t0 to t4, the applicator 10 is moved linearly over the component B by the movement unit 30 and at the same time applies the coating agent to the component B.

(53) In period t0 to t1, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while there is no deflection of the coating agent jet S1. This gives a rectilinear stripe application.

(54) In period t1 to t2, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while the deflector 20 is activated, in order to deflect the coating agent jet S1 laterally outward and by an amplitude variation such that a deflected part of the coating agent jet S1 merges into a whole with an undeflected part of the coating agent jet S1 on the component B. This creates a stripe application which is wider than in period t0 to t1.

(55) In period t2 to t3, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while there is no deflection of the coating agent jet S1. This creates a rectilinear stripe application as in period t0 to t1.

(56) In period t3 to t4, the applicator 10 applies the coating agent jet S1 to the component B while the deflector 20 is activated, in order to deflect the coating agent jet S1 laterally outward and by an amplitude variation such that three separate stripe applications which run parallel to each other are produced on the component B.

(57) FIG. 18 shows a diagrammatic view of a coating device 1 according to a further embodiment.

(58) In principle, a continuous coating agent jet, after leaving the applicator 10 until reaching a break-down length, first has a cohesive region in the jet direction. After the break-down length, the coating agent jet breaks down into droplets which are separated from each other in the jet direction. If the distance between the applicator and component is less than the break-down length, the cohesive coating agent jet reaches the component.

(59) The applicator 10 shown in FIG. 18 is configured such that it outputs the coating agent from the output opening 11 in the form of a cohesive coating agent jet S2, which meets the component B even before reaching its break-down length and hence in cohesive form. The coating agent jet in the context of the invention may thus be a jet which is cohesive at least partially and/or a droplet jet at least partially.

(60) The invention therefore comprises embodiments in which a coating agent jet S1 comprising individual droplets meets the component B, and embodiments in which a cohesive coating agent jet S2 meets the component B.

(61) It should be stated that the disclosed subject matter has been described above partially with reference to the movement unit 30. Alternatively or additionally, the coating device 1 may comprise a handling unit (not shown), e.g., a multi-axis robot, for moving the component B relative to the applicator 10. The applicator 10, the deflector 20 and the handling unit may be configured such that during an application and deflection process, the component B is at least temporarily moved by the handling unit along a predefined path relative to the applicator 10, and alternatively or additionally, during an application and deflection process, the component B is at least temporarily held static or stationary by the handling unit. Furthermore, the applicator 10 and the handling unit may be configured such that the output of coating agent is temporarily interrupted while the handling unit moves the component B relative to the applicator 10, and then the output of coating agent is resumed at another component position.

(62) It should furthermore be stated that the deflector 20 may also comprise a deflector nozzle, preferably integrated in the applicator 10, the coating agent output direction of which can be changed relative to the applicator 10 in order to be able to deflect the coating agent jet S1, S2. The disclosed subject matter thus also comprises deflector 20 which are configured for physico-mechanical action on the coating agent.

(63) The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described above. Rather, a plurality of variants and derivatives is possible which also use the inventive concept and therefore fall within the scope of protection.