CONNECTOR UNIT FOR A SPRAY GUN, SPRAY GUN AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SPRAY GUN

Abstract

A connector unit (23) for a spray gun (10) for spraying a flowable material using compressed air includes a first connector (28) for the connection of an air line (29) and a second connector (30) for the connection of a material line (31), the connector unit being configured as a swivel joint (25) in such a manner that the first connector and the second connector are rotatable around a shared rotation axis (32) relative to the spray gun.

Claims

1. A connector unit (23) for a spray gun (10) for spraying a flowable material using compressed air, the connector unit comprising a first connector (28) for the connection of an air line (29) and a second connector (30) for the connection of a material line (31), the connector unit being configured as a swivel joint (25) in such a manner that the first connector and the second connector are rotatable around a shared rotation axis (32) relative to the spray gun.

2. The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit (23) is configured for being arranged on a handle (12) of the spray gun (10).

3. The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit (23) comprises a fixed part (26) fixed relative to the spray gun 10 and a swivel part (27) rotatably connected to the fixed part, the swivel part having the first connector (28) and the second connector (30).

4. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the compressed air and the material are separately guidable from the swivel part (27) to the spray gun (10) via the fixed part (26).

5. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the swivel part (27) comprises a first connector element (37), which comprises the first connector (28), and a second connector element (40), which comprises the second connector (30), said second connector element (40) being rigidly connected to the first connector element.

6. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the fixed part (26) comprises a socket element (41) rigidly connectable to the spray gun (10) and an axis element (42) rigidly connected to the socket element, the swivel part (27) being rotatably mounted on said axis element (42).

7. The connector unit according to claim 6, wherein the axis element (42) has a material channel (43).

8. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the connector unit (23) comprises a bearing arrangement (33) having at least one bearing via which the swivel part (27) is rotatably connected to the fixed part (26).

9. The connector unit according to claim 8, wherein the bearing arrangement (33) comprises at least one axial bearing.

10. The connector unit according to claim 9, wherein the at least one axial bearing comprises an axial rolling bearing (34).

11. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the fixed part (26) has an air channel (60), the swivel part (27) having a ring channel (61) for the compressed air, said ring channel (61) opening into the air channel in such a manner that the compressed air is guidable from the ring channel to the air channel irrespective of a rotation angle formed between the fixed part and the swivel part.

12. The connector unit according to claim 10, wherein the connector unit (23) is disposed such on the spray gun (10) that the air channel (60) of the fixed part (26) opens into an air channel (21) of a handle (12) of the spray gun.

13. The connector unit according to claim 10, wherein the swivel part (27) has an air channel (64) running from the first connector (28) to the ring channel (61).

14. The connector unit according to claim 13, wherein the air channel (64) extends at an angle relative to the rotation axis (32).

15. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the fixed part (26) comprises a material outlet (58) which is connectable to a material inlet (19) of the spray gun via a material line (59), said material inlet (19) being disposed on a shaft (13) of the spray gun (10).

16. The connector unit according to claim 3, wherein the material is guidable parallel to the rotation axis (32) from the swivel part (27) into the fixed part (26) by means of the connector unit (23).

17. The connector unit according to claim 1, wherein the connector unit (23) comprises a fastening element (24) for fastening the connector unit to the spray gun (10).

18. A spray gun (10) for spraying a material using compressed air, said spray gun (10) comprising a connector unit (23) according to claim 1.

19. A method for operating a spray gun (10) configured for spraying a flowable material using compressed air, an air line (29) being connected to a first connector (28) of a connector unit (23) of the spray gun and a material line (31) being connected to a second connector (30) of the connector unit, comprising providing the first connector and the second connector for rotating relative to the spray gun around a shared rotation axis (32), by means of the connector unit configured as a swivel joint (25).

20. A method, comprising providing a connector unit (23) for a spray gun (10) configured for spraying a flowable material using compressed air, the connector unit having a first connector (28) for the connection of an air line (29) and a second connector (30) for the connection of a material line (31), the connector unit being configured as a swivel joint (25) in such a manner that the first connector and the second connector are rotatable around a shared rotation axis (32) relative to the spray gun.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the attached drawing.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a spray gun;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of FIG. 1 in the area of a connector unit of the spray gun.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] A combined view of FIGS. 1 and 2 shows a spray gun 10 for dispensing a flowable material using compressed air, said spray gun 10 comprising a housing 11, which forms a handle 12 and a shaft 13. Furthermore, spray gun 10 comprises a nozzle unit 14 which is disposed at the end in shaft 13, a mixing chamber 16 which is disposed in a dispensing direction 15 of the material upstream of nozzle unit 14 and which is disposed in shaft 13, and a valve unit 17 which disposed in shaft 13 and which is coupled to a trigger 18 laterally disposed on shaft 13. The material can enter spray gun 10 and thus mixing chamber 16 via a material inlet 19 of spray gun 10 by passing through a filter unit 65, said material inlet 19 being laterally disposed on shaft 13. The compressed air can enter spray gun 10 via an air inlet 20 formed by handle 12 at the end of spray gun 10, an air channel 21, which is formed by handle 12 and via which the compressed air can enter mixing chamber 16, being located behind air inlet 20. By an operator of spray gun 10 actuating trigger 18, the material can be supplied to mixing chamber 16, where it can interact with the compressed air flowing into mixing chamber 16 by actuating trigger 18, so that it can be dispensed as a spray afterwards by means of a nozzle 22 of nozzle unit 14.

[0034] Furthermore, spray gun 10 comprises a connector unit 23 which is fastened to the end of handle 12 by means of a fastening element 24 of connector unit 23. Connector unit 23, which is configured as a swivel joint 25, comprises a fixed part 26 fixed relative to spray gun 10 and a swivel part 27 rotatably connected to fixed part 26, swivel part 27 having a first connector 28, to which an air line 29 is connected, and having a second connector 30, to which a material line 31 is connected. First connector 28 and second connector 30 are rotatable around a shared rotation axis 32 relative to spray gun 10 so that the freedom of movement of the operator is increased. To this end, connector unit 23 comprises a bearing arrangement 33 having an axial rolling bearing 34, having a radial plain bearing 36, which is disposed in axial direction 35 parallel to rotation axis 32 adjacent to axial rolling bearing 34, and having an axial plain bearing 54, which is disposed opposite axial direction 35 adjacent to axial rolling bearing 34, which rotatably connect swivel part 27 to fixed part 26.

[0035] More specifically, swivel part 27 comprises a first connector element 37, which forms a central portion 38 and a side portion 39, side portion 39 forming first connector 28, and said swivel part 27 comprises a second connector element 40, which is rigidly connected to first connector element 37 and which forms second connector 30. Furthermore, fixed part 26 comprises a socket element 41 rigidly connected to handle 12 by means of fastening element 24 and an axis element 42 rigidly connected to socket element 41, swivel part 27 being rotatably mounted on said axis element 42 via bearing arrangement 33.

[0036] Axis element 42, which forms a material channel 43, is inserted in a passageway 44 formed by central portion 38; axial rolling bearing 34, which is fastened to a flange 45 of axis element 42 and to a ledge 47, fastening swivel part 27, which rests on axial rolling bearing 34, along axial direction 35 relative to fixed part 26 and, together with radial plain bearing 36, allowing the rotation of swivel part 27 around rotation axis 32 relative to fixed part 26, said ledge 47 being provided in axial direction 35 downstream of flange 45 and being formed by an inner wall 46 of central portion 38 in passageway 44. With a first end 48 of axis element 42 accommodated in passageway 44, axis element 42 extends into material channel 50 which is formed from second connector element 40 engaging in a broadened first end 49 of passageway 44 and which is disposed downstream of second connector 30 in axial direction 35, wherein axis element 42 abuts against second connector element 40 via a seal 51 of connector unit 23 so as to be impermeable my material. Radially on the outside in a contact area 52 of seal 51, first connector element 37 forms an overflow 53 through which the material can overflow to the outside in the event of a defect of seal 51. Axial plain bearing 54 is provided between flange 45 and second connector element 40. With a second end 55 of axis element 42 protruding over passageway 44 in axial direction 35, axis element 42 extends into a material channel 57 which is formed by the socket element engaging into a broadened second end 56 of passageway 44 and which kinks perpendicular to axial direction 35 in a further course of material channel 57, essentially into dispensing direction 15, and which leads to a material outlet 58 of socket element 41, said material outlet 58 being connected to material inlet 19 via a material line 59 of connector unit 23. Thus, the material supplied by means of material line 31 can enter mixing chamber 16 from a material source (not shown), to which material line 31 can be connected, by passing through material channel 50 of second connector element 40, subsequently passing through material channel 43 of axis element 42, further subsequently passing through material channel 57 of socket element 41 and further subsequently passing through material line 59.

[0037] Furthermore, socket element 41 forms an air channel 60, central portion 38 or broadened second end 56 forming a ring channel 61 for the compressed air which is limited by socket element 41 in axial direction 35 and which opens into air channel 60 in such a manner that the compressed air can be guided from ring channel 61 into air channel 60 irrespective of a rotation angle formed between fixed part 26 or socket element 41 and swivel part 27 or first connector element 37. First connector element 37 abuts against axis element 42 via a seal 62 and against socket element 41 via a seal 63 in an air-tight manner. Furthermore, socket element 41 is disposed on handle 12 or air inlet 20 in such a manner that air channel 60 opens into air channel 21. Furthermore, side portion 39 forms an air channel 64 extending from first connector 28 to ring channel 61 at an angle to rotation axis 32. Thus, the compressed air introduced by means of air line 29 can enter mixing chamber 16 from a compressed-air source (not shown), to which air line 29 can be connected, by passing through air channel 64 of first connector element 37, subsequently passing through ring channel 61 of first connector element 37, further subsequently passing through air channel 60 of socket element 41 and further subsequently passing through air channel 21 of handle 12.