SPRAY GUN, IN PARTICULAR A PRESSURISED AIR ATOMISATION PAINT SPRAY GUN, IN PARTICULAR A HAND-HELD PRESSURISED AIR ATOMISATION PAINT SPRAY GUN

Abstract

A spray gun has at least one air valve that can be actuated by at least one trigger, having at least one valve inlet region and at least one valve outlet region. The spray gun has at least one material valve designed in such a way that it can be pneumatically actuated by air from the at least one valve outlet region. With this design, the force to be exerted to actuate the actuation element by the user of the spray gun is significantly lower than in prior spray guns, which allows for effortless operation.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A spray gun comprising: at least one air valve activatable by means of at least one activation element and having at least one valve inlet region and at least one valve outlet region; at least one material valve for material to be sprayed, the at least one material valve designed such that the at least one material valve is able to be pneumatically activated by means of air from the at least one valve outlet region.

19. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the at least one material valve can assume at least one first terminal position in which the at least one material valve is closed, and one second terminal position in which the at least one material valve is completely opened, wherein the at least one activation element can assume at least one first terminal position in which the at least one activation element is non-activated, and one second terminal position in which the at least one activation element is completely activated, wherein the position of the at least one activation element determines the position of the at least one material valve.

20. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the at least one material valve by means of the at least one activation element, at least in a position portion of the at least one activation element, is adjustable in a stepless manner and/or in steps.

21. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the position of the at least one material valve at least in a position portion of the at least one activation element continually changes as a function of the variation of the position of the at least one activation element.

22. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the at least one material valve has at least one material needle and one material outlet opening which is able to be closed by means of the at least one material needle, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the at least one material needle by activating the at least one activation element is able to be moved out of the material outlet opening, wherein activating the at least one activation element over a first distance generates a movement of the at least one material needle over a second distance, and wherein the second distance is a function of the first distance.

23. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the at least one material valve has at least one material needle and one material outlet opening which is able to be closed by means of the at least one material needle, wherein a material valve activation element, designed as a piston, of a material valve activation device is disposed on the at least one material needle, wherein the piston is movably disposed within a material valve activation cylinder, and wherein the piston is designed such that the piston is able to be activated by air from the at least one valve outlet region.

24. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun has at least one second air valve having at least one second valve inlet region and at least one second valve outlet region, wherein the at least one second air valve is able to be activated by means of the at least one activation element by the at least one first air valve.

25. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun has at least one second air valve which is disposed upstream of the at least one first air valve and has at least one second valve outlet region which is disposed between the at least one first air valve and the at least one second air valve which opens into at least one air outlet opening of the spray gun and/or into at least one forming-air outlet opening and/or at least one transport-air outlet opening.

26. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun is designed such that, when activating the at least one activation element within a first position portion of the at least one activation element, the at least one first air valve between at least one first valve inlet region and at least one first valve outlet region is closed, and at least one second air valve between at least one second valve inlet region and at least one second valve outlet region is opened, and wherein, when activating the at least one activation element within a second position portion of the at least one activation element, the at least one first air valve between the at least one first valve inlet region and the at least one first valve outlet region is opened and the second air valve between the at least one second valve inlet region and the at least one second valve outlet region is opened.

27. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the at least one first air valve is integrated in a second air valve.

28. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the at least one first air valve is formed by at least part of the main body of the spray gun and by a valve piston which has at least one clearance (90), in particular a clearance and is enlarged in the direction of the at least one activation element of the spray gun, and is disposed between the at least one activation element and a closure part of a second air valve, and/or wherein a second air valve is formed by at least part of the main body of the spray gun and by a closure part.

29. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun has a material valve activation device, wherein the material valve activation device has at least one air inlet, one air outlet and an intervening air chamber, wherein the air chamber on at least one side is delimited by at least one material valve activation element for activating the at least one material valve, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the pressure in the air chamber is determined at least by the quantity of air fed to the air chamber by way of the air inlet and by at least one air outlet valve.

30. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun has a material valve activation device, wherein the material valve activation device has at least one air inlet and one air outlet, wherein the material valve activation device is designed in such a manner that the air flowing from the air inlet activates a material valve activation element for activating the at least one material valve by exerting on the material valve activation element a force in a first direction, wherein the material valve activation element furthermore has at least one material valve resetting device which is designed such that the at least one material valve resetting device counteracts the activation of the material valve activation element by exerting on the material valve activation element a force in a second direction, different from the first direction.

31. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun is designed such that the air flowing from the at least one valve outlet region and used for activating the at least one material valve is fed to at least one air outlet opening of the spray gun and/or to at least one forming-air outlet opening and/or to at least one transport-air outlet opening.

32. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun has at least one activation element resetting device.

33. The spray gun of claim 32, wherein the spray gun is designed such that resetting of the at least one material valve by means of the material valve resetting device takes place in that air from an air chamber can escape by way of the at least one air outlet, while decreasing the air pressure in the air chamber.

34. The spray gun of claim 18, wherein the spray gun further comprises: at least one main body; at least one air nozzle having at least one air outlet opening for exhausting air for atomizing a material to be sprayed, at least one forming-air outlet opening for exhausting air for changing the shape of a spray jet, and/or at least one transport-air outlet opening for exhausting air for transporting an atomized spray medium; at least one activation element; at least one air valve coupled to the at least one activation element by way of a valve piston; at least one spray gun air inlet; at least one material needle; and at least one material nozzle having at least one material outlet opening; wherein the spray gun is designed such that, when activating the at least one activation element to a first degree of activation, the at least one air valve opens so that compressed air from the at least one spray gun air inlet of the spray gun by way of at least one second valve outlet region flows to the at least one air nozzle and flows from the at least one air outlet opening of the at least one air nozzle, wherein when activating the at least one activation element beyond the first degree of activation compressed air from the at least one spray gun air inlet by way of a clearance in the valve piston, by way of the at least one first valve outlet region additionally flows into a material valve activation device which has at least one material valve activation cylinder and at least one material valve activation element which is movably disposed within the at least one material valve activation cylinder and designed as a piston, wherein the quantity of air flowing into the material valve activation device increases as the degree of activation of the at least one activation element increases, wherein the air flowing into the material valve activation device exerts on the at least one material needle disposed in the material valve activation device and/or on a part disposed on the at least one material needle a force in a direction facing away from the at least one material nozzle, wherein the force exerted on the at least one material needle and/or on the part disposed on the at least one material needle increases as the degree of activation of the at least one activation element increases, as a result of which the at least one material needle in a direction facing away from the at least one material nozzle is moved over a second distance, and as a result is moved out of the at least one material outlet opening of the at least one material nozzle by the second distance, wherein the second distance is a function of a first distance by which the at least one activation element when activated is activated from the first degree of activation, and wherein the air, at least upon reaching a maximum pressure within the material valve activation device, flows from the material valve activation device to the at least one air nozzle.

Description

[0077] The invention will be explained in more detail by way of example hereunder by means of four figures in which:

[0078] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun according to the invention;

[0079] FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun according to the invention, having a non-activated activation element;

[0080] FIG. 3 shows an illustration of the schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun according to the invention, having a partially activated activation element; and

[0081] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun according to the invention, having a completely activated activation element.

[0082] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention, having a main body 3, a spray gun air inlet 4 being disposed on the lower end of said main body 3. The spray gun 1 furthermore has an air nozzle 5 which presently comprises an air cap 9 which by means of an air nozzle ring 11 is screwed to the main body 3 of the spray gun 1. The air cap 9 in the exemplary embodiment shown has two horns 13a, 13b having in each case two forming-air outlet openings 20. Moreover, said air cap 9 possesses a central opening which presently, conjointly with a material nozzle that is screwed into the main body 3, forms an atomization air outlet opening 15 designed as an annular gap. A plurality of transport-air outlet openings 17, which can also be referred to as control openings and can act as such, are in each case incorporated on two mutually opposite sides of the atomization air outlet opening 15, so as to be next to the atomization air outlet opening 15. A material quantity control which is able to be activated by way of a material quantity rotary control button 19 is disposed in the spray gun 1. A rear detent for a paint needle is able to be defined by way of the material quantity control, i.e. it can be adjusted by way of the material quantity control how far the paint needle can exit the material outlet opening of the material nozzle when the activation element 18, presently designed as a trigger, is completely activated. As a result, the maximum flow cross section for the material flowing out of the material outlet opening of the material nozzle, and thus the quantity of the material sprayed by the spray gun 1, is defined.

[0083] The spray gun 1 moreover has a device by way of which the quantity of air which from an air inlet duct assembly which is not visible in FIG. 1 and from the spray gun air inlet 4 extends upward through the handle of the spray gun 1 flows into an upper part of the gun body 3 is able to be adjusted. To this end, a so-called air micrometer can be used, which presently is able to be activated by means of an air micrometer rotary button 21. The air micrometer can be designed as a sleeve, for example, which in the wall thereof has an opening, the degree of overlap of said opening with the port of the air inlet duct assembly being able to be adjusted. The flow cross section through which the air from the handle region of the spray gun 1 can flow into an upper part of the gun body 3 is able to be adjusted in this way.

[0084] The present exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention in the interior thereof has a first air outlet duct assembly, not visible in FIG. 1, and a second air outlet duct assembly, likewise not visible in FIG. 1. The first air outlet duct assembly can in particular be an air outlet duct assembly for directing air for the atomization of a material to be sprayed. This air outlet duct assembly can be referred to as an atomization air duct assembly or as an atomization air duct. The air directed by said duct assembly or duct can flow out of the atomization air outlet opening 15, which is formed by the central opening and by the material nozzle screwed into the main body 3 and is configured as an annular gap, and said air can be referred to as atomization air. The second air outlet duct assembly can in particular be an air outlet duct assembly for directing air for changing the shape of a spray jet. This air outlet duct assembly can be referred to as a forming-air duct assembly or as a forming-air duct. The air directed by said duct assembly or duct can flow out of the forming-air outlet openings 20 of the horns 13a, 13b and be referred to as forming air. Visible in FIG. 1 is a round-broad jet rotary button 23 for activating a control device for distributing between the atomization air duct assembly and the forming-air duct assembly the air flowing out of the air inlet duct assembly.

[0085] The spray gun 1 moreover has a device for entering and/or adjusting and/or detecting and/or determining and/or displaying the air pressure prevalent in an air chamber during the operation of the spray gun 1, said device having a display 29. In the present exemplary embodiment, this is a device for determining and displaying the air pressure prevalent in an air chamber during the operation of the spray gun, said device furthermore having a device for detecting an air pressure, in particular a pressure sensor.

[0086] FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show in each case an illustration of the schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention.

[0087] The spray gun 1 has in each case an activation element 18 which is designed as a trigger, by way of which a valve piston 78 is able to be activated, i.e. said valve piston 78 presently being mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction in a valve piston receptacle duct 79 in the main body 3 of the spray gun 1. The valve piston receptacle duct 79 has approximately the same diameter as the valve piston 78, and the valve piston 78 is disposed in a sealing manner in the valve piston receptacle duct 79. The valve piston 78 presently has a clearance 90 which in the exemplary embodiment shown is enlarged, in particular depressed, in the direction of the activation element 18. A region of the valve piston 78 which does not have any clearance and preferably bears in a sealing manner on the wall of the valve piston receptacle duct 79 is situated so as to be adjacent to the clearance 90 in the valve piston 78. This region of the valve piston 78, conjointly with the wall of the valve piston receptacle duct 79, which is part of the main body 3 of the spray gun 1, forms a first air valve 80. A short duct portion having a somewhat larger diameter than the diameter of the valve piston receptacle duct 79 is situated upstream of the valve piston receptacle duct 79. This duct portion can be designed as at least part of a first valve inlet region 62. An upstream edge of the first valve inlet region 62 can be designed as a valve seat for the closure part, in particular the air valve head, of a second air valve 82.

[0088] In order to improve the tightness between the valve piston 78 and the wall of the valve piston receptacle duct 79, in particular of the main body 3 of the spray gun 1, sealing elements can be disposed between the valve piston 78 and the wall of the valve piston receptacle duct 79, in particular directly upstream of the clearance 90 in the valve piston 78 and in a region of the valve piston 78 that faces away from this sealing element.

[0089] FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 furthermore show in each case a material valve 96 having a material nozzle 40. The material nozzle 40, or the material valve 96, respectively, has a material outlet opening 28 and a material needle 42. A material valve activation element 43, presently designed as a piston, for activating, in particular for opening and/or closing, the material valve 96 is fixedly disposed on the material needle 42, in particular so as to be immovable in the axial direction. The material valve activation element 43 is mounted so as to be movable in the axial direction in a material valve activation cylinder 44. A material valve resetting device 48 designed as a compression spring bears on the side of the material valve activation element 43 that faces away from the material nozzle 40. An air chamber 50 which is supplied with air by way of an air inlet 98 is situated on the side of the material valve activation element 43 that faces away from the material valve resetting device 48. The material valve 96, or the air chamber 50, respectively, furthermore has an air outlet 99 from which air can flow out of the air chamber 50. The assembly composed of the material valve activation element 43, the material valve resetting device 48, the air chamber 50, the air inlet 98 and the air outlet 99 can be designed as a material valve activation device 49 which is preferably disposed within the main body 3 of the spray gun 1 but may also be disposed outside the latter.

[0090] The air inlet 98 is connected to a first valve outlet region 92, presently by way of a connection element 8. However, the first valve outlet region 92 and the air inlet 98 can also be directly adjacent to one another, and/or be designed as a common duct.

[0091] The present exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention furthermore has a second valve outlet region 93 and a spray gun air inlet 4. The second valve outlet region 93 and the first valve inlet region 62 at least in regions are presently designed as a common duct. Furthermore, the spray gun 1 according to the invention can have an activation element resetting device 94 which can in particular be designed as one or a plurality of compression springs and which returns the activation element 18, when released, to the non-activated terminal position thereof and/or holds said activation element 18 in the latter.

[0092] A schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention, having a non-activated activation element 18 is shown in FIG. 2, i.e. the activation element 18 is situated in a first terminal position. The first air valve 80 as well as the second air valve 82 are closed. This means that air, in particular compressed air, which flows into the spray gun air inlet 4 of the spray gun 1, cannot flow out of the valve inlet region, in particular from the second valve inlet region 64 of the second air valve 82, by way of the second air valve 82, and thus can also not flow to the first air valve 80. The material valve 96 is non-activated, i.e. the material outlet opening 28 of the material nozzle 40, or of the material valve 96, respectively, is presently closed by the material needle 42. A medium to be sprayed, which is fed to the material nozzle 40 by way of a material infeed presently not shown, cannot exit the material outlet opening 28. In this status shown in FIG. 2, air also does not flow out of the air outlet openings of the air nozzle 5 of the spray gun 1 shown in FIG. 1.

[0093] In contrast, a schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention, having a partially activated activation element 18, is shown in FIG. 3. The activation element, illustrated by dashed lines, represents the position of the activation element 18 in the non-activated position shown in FIG. 2. The first terminal position of the activation element 18, which is shown in FIG. 2 and in which the activation element 18 is non-activated, and the first intermediate position of the activation element 18 which is shown in FIG. 3 and in which the activation element 18 is partially activated, define, in particular delimit, a first position portion A of the activation element 18. When the activation element 18 is activated within this first position portion A, the second air valve 82 is thus opened, whereupon air from the spray gun air inlet 4 of the spray gun 1 can flow into the second valve inlet region 64 of the second air valve 82, through the second air valve 82 and out of the second valve outlet region 93. The air from the second valve outlet region 93 is preferably fed to air outlet openings in the air nozzle 5 of the spray gun 1 shown in FIG. 1, preferably to at least one atomization air outlet opening 15, but possibly also to transport-air outlet openings 17 and/or forming-air outlet openings 20. The air flowing out of the atomization air outlet opening 15 in particular serves as the preliminary air described above, before said preliminary air can fulfill the purpose thereof as atomization air once the material valve 96, or the material nozzle 40, respectively, has been activated, in particular opened and the material to be sprayed can exit the material outlet opening 28.

[0094] In the situation shown in FIG. 3, the first air valve 80 is still just closed so that no air from the first valve inlet region 62, which is simultaneously part of the second valve outlet region 93, as already mentioned, can flow through the first air valve 80 into the first valve outlet region 92. The material valve 96 continues to be non-activated, i.e. the material outlet opening 28 of the material nozzle 40, or of the material valve 96, respectively, presently is still closed by the material needle 42. A medium to be sprayed, which is fed to the material nozzle 40 by means of a material infeed presently not shown, can still not exit the material outlet opening 28.

[0095] FIG. 4 shows an illustration of the schematic functional principle of an exemplary embodiment of a spray gun 1 according to the invention, having a completely activated activation element 18. The activation element illustrated by dashed lines represents the position of the activation element 18 in the partially activated position shown in FIG. 3. The partially activated position of the activation element 18 which is shown in FIG. 3, and the terminal position of the activation element 18 which is shown in FIG. 4 and in which the activation element 18 is completely activated, define, in particular delimit, a second position portion B of the activation element 18. The second air valve 82 as well as the first air valve 80 are opened within this second position portion B of the activation element 18. Air flows through the spray gun air inlet 4 of the spray gun 1 and into the second valve inlet region 64 of the second air valve 82, and from there into the second valve outlet region 93 which is simultaneously part of the first valve inlet region 62, as has already been mentioned. The air is divided in this region. The significantly larger part of the air flows out of the second valve outlet region 93, while a smaller part of the air flows through the first air valve 80 into the first valve outlet region 92. From there, said air, presently by way of a connection element 8, flows into the air chamber 50 by way of the air inlet 98. The air outlet 99 of the air chamber preferably has a throttle, in particular a throttle valve. Therefore, the air, if at all, can escape from the air chamber only very slowly, which is why the pressure within the air chamber 50 increases. This pressure exerts a force on the material valve activation element 43, said force, counter to the force exerted by the material valve resetting device 48 on the material valve activation element 43, moving the material valve activation element 43 rearward in the direction facing away from the material nozzle 40. The material valve activation element 43 in FIG. 4 has reached the completely activated position thereof, i.e. said material valve activation element 43 bears on a rear detent. This detent, or another detent on which the material needle 42 per se impacts, in all embodiments can be adjustable, in particular by way of a material quantity control which can be activated by way of a material quantity rotary control button 19 shown in FIG. 1. Since the material valve activation element 43 is fixedly disposed on the material needle 42, in particular so as to be immovable in the axial direction, the material needle 42 conjointly with the material valve activation element 43 moves toward the rear and out of the material outlet opening 28. The activation element 18 in the situation shown in FIG. 4 is completely activated, the material valve activation element 43 is likewise completely activated, and the material valve 96, or the material nozzle 40, respectively, are completely opened. In this situation, the maximum possible quantity of material to be sprayed flows out of the material outlet opening 28, or the maximum possible quantity of material to be sprayed is suctioned out of the material outlet opening 28 by the atomization air, or by the negative pressure generated by the atomization air at the front end of the material nozzle 40, respectively.

[0096] The spray gun 1 according to the invention in all embodiments is preferably designed in such a manner that in otherwise identical conditions, in the situation shown in FIG. 3 in which the activation element 18 is partially activated, the same quantity of air from the spray gun air inlet 4 of the spray gun 1 flows into the second valve outlet region 93 as in the situation shown in FIG. 4 in which the activation element 18 is completely activated. This quantity of air, in particular this volumetric flow, does not change even when the activation element 18 is activated within the second position portion B of the activation element 18. As has already been described above, pressure variations which could have a negative influence on the painting result can be avoided in this way.

[0097] When the activation element 18 is moved from the position illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 4, i.e. from the partially activated position in which the first air valve 80 is just not yet opened, to the position illustrated by solid lines in FIG. 4, i.e. to the completely activated position, the material valve activation element 43 thus moves from the terminal position shown in FIG. 3, the non-activated position, to the position shown in FIG. 4, the completely activated terminal position. In this second position portion B the material valve 96 is thus able to be pneumatically activated, in particular opened. In the present case, said material valve 96 is even able to be activated, in particular opened, exclusively pneumatically, i.e. air exclusively initiates the status change in the material valve 96 and/or in the closure part of the material valve 96, and not exclusively or additionally an activation element which is coupled to the material valve or a material valve activation element as in the prior art. In the prior art, the activation element, as already described above, in most instances engages on a follower disposed on a material needle, as a result of which the material needle is extracted from the material outlet opening of a material nozzle toward the rear, the material valve thus being mechanically activated. This is not the case here. The material valve 96 presently is able to be activated, in particular opened, by means of air from at least one valve outlet region, here the first valve outlet region 92, specifically exclusively by means of air from the first valve outlet region 92. There is no physical contact between the activation element 18 and the material valve 96.

[0098] The position of the activation element 18 determines the position, or the status, respectively, of the material valve 96 at least in the second position portion B.

[0099] The spray gun 1 according to the invention is designed in such a manner that the material valve 96 by means of the activation element 18, at least in a position portion of the activation element 18, presently in the second position portion B, is able to be adjusted in a preferably stepless manner, however potentially also in steps.

[0100] The position, or the status, respectively, of the material valve 96 at least in a position portion of the activation element 18, presently in the second position portion B, continually changes as a function of the variation of the position of the activation element 18, preferably so as to be substantially proportional to the position of the activation element 18, preferably in both activation directions, i.e. when activating as well as when releasing in the context described above.

[0101] When the activation element 18 is activated even somewhat further from the position illustrated by dashed lines in FIG. 4, i.e. from the partially activated position in which the first air valve 80 is just not yet opened, i.e. moved somewhat further in the direction of complete activation, the first air valve 80 is thus opened somewhat so that air from the spray gun air inlet 4 of the spray gun 1 flows through the first air valve 82 into the second valve inlet region 64. As already mentioned, the largest part of the air flows out of the second valve outlet region 93, wherein however a smaller part of the air flows through the slightly opened first air valve 80 into the first valve outlet region 92, and from there into the air chamber 50. Since the quantity of air flowing into the air chamber 50 is relatively minor, the pressure in the air chamber 50 increases only slightly, as a result of which the material valve activation element 43, counter to the force exerted by the material valve resetting device 48 on the material valve activation element 43, is moved only slightly rearward in the direction facing away from the material nozzle 40. The material needle 42 as a result is likewise moved only slightly out of the material outlet opening 28. The material valve 96 is only slightly activated, and a relatively small quantity of material to be sprayed can exit the material nozzle 40.

[0102] When the activation element 18 is held in the slightly activated position, a small quantity of air continues to flow through the first air valve 80 into the air chamber 50. In this situation however, the air outlet 99, or the throttle of the air outlet 99, respectively, enables that approximately the same amount of air can flow through the air outlet 99 out of the air chamber 50 as flows into the air chamber 50 through the first air valve 80 and the air inlet 98, so that the pressure in the air chamber 50 is constantly kept at the relatively low level. It is only when the activation element 18 is activated somewhat further, the first air valve 80 thus being opened somewhat further, that somewhat more air flows into the air chamber 50, as a result of which the pressure in the air chamber 50 rises and the material valve activation element 43 is pushed somewhat further to the rear, and the material needle 42 is moved somewhat further out of the material outlet opening 28, whereupon somewhat more material can exit the material outlet opening 28.

[0103] When the activation element 18 is moved from a slightly activated position within the second position portion B to a more slightly activated position within the second position portion B, the activation element 18 thus being slightly released, less air thus flows through the first air valve 80 and the air inlet 98 into the air chamber 50 again. The pressure in the air chamber 50 drops, and the material valve resetting device 48 pushes the material valve activation element 43 somewhat further in the direction of the material nozzle 40 again.

[0104] When the activation element 18 is completely released from a slightly activated position within the second position portion B, the first air valve 80 first closes before the second air valve 82, whereupon air no longer flows through the first air valve 80 into the air chamber 50. The material valve resetting device 48 and the material valve activation element 43 force the remaining air in the chamber 50 out of the air outlet 99 of the air chamber 50 until approximately the ambient pressure prevails in the air chamber 50 again and the material valve 96 is non-activated.

[0105] The region below the connection element 8 can be considered as an activation region 95 and/or be designed as such. The activation region 95 can be able to be separated from a trigger region, the latter here being considered the material valve 96 or potentially having the material valve 96.

[0106] In general, the individual components mentioned in the exemplary embodiments can be used in all exemplary embodiments. The explanations pertaining to the exemplary embodiments can also apply to all exemplary embodiments.

[0107] The exemplary embodiments described describe only a limited selection of potential embodiments and thus do not represent any limitation of the present invention.