TRANSPORTABLE BODY FOR PAINT SPRAYING

Abstract

A transportable body (10) suitable for spraying vehicles comprising a main body having a spray compartment (12) with a floor, a ceiling, opposed side walls (16, 18), and a vehicle entry door (20) an upper air inlet plenum for introducing air through the ceiling and an air exhaust in the floor wherein the air inlet and air exhaust are configured to provide a downdraft ventilation system the opposed side walls of the spray compartment are outwardly moveable from a transport position in which the main body can be loaded onto a transporter and a spray position a utility compartment (14) housing an air inlet handling unit (24) with an air inlet fan for supplying air to the air inlet and an air exhaust handling unit (26) with an air exhaust fan for drawing exhaust air from the air exhaust in the floor, the compartments being arranged end to end and a wall separating the compartments.

Claims

1. A transportable body suitable for spraying vehicles comprising: a main body having a spray compartment with a floor, a ceiling, opposed side walls, and a vehicle entry door; an upper air inlet for introducing air through the ceiling and an air exhaust in the floor, wherein the upper air inlet and the air exhaust are configured to provide a downdraft ventilation system; the opposed side walls of the spray compartment are outwardly moveable from a transport position in which the main body can be loaded onto a transporter to a spray position; a utility compartment housing an air inlet handling unit with an air inlet fan for supplying air to the air inlet and an air exhaust handling unit with an air exhaust fan for drawing exhaust air from the air exhaust in the floor, the compartments being arranged end to end; and a wall separating the compartments.

2. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the utility compartment further houses a heating system.

3. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the air exhaust handling unit comprises an active carbon filtration system.

4. The transportable body of claim 1 further comprising telescopic actuators for moving the walls from the transport position to the spray position.

5. The transportable body of claim 1, including a serial communications protocol that transmits signals or data relating to at least one operational parameter to a remote controller.

6. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the air exhaust handling unit further comprises an exhaust flue.

7. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the downdraft ventilation system further comprises an air diffuser system.

8. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the spray compartment further comprises LED lights.

9. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the utility compartment further comprises a compressed air handling unit.

10. The transportable body of claim 1, wherein the internal width of the transportable body is at least 4.2 meters when the opposed side walls of the spray compartment are in an extended position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of one aspect of a transportable body in which the side walls are in the spray position;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the air flow within the transportable body as shown in FIG. 1;

[0035] FIG. 3 is a front end view of the body shown in FIG. 1;

[0036] FIG. 4 is the view as shown in FIG. 3 in the transport position;

[0037] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view showing the air flow within the body as shown in FIG. 1;

[0038] FIG. 6 is an end view showing the air flow and

[0039] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the electrical system of the transportable body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 is a perspective schematic view of one aspect of a transportable body 10 as disclosed herein. The body 10 has a forward spray compartment 12, a rear utility compartment 14 and a wall 13 separating the compartments.

[0041] The forward spray compartment 12 has opposed side walls 16, 18 that in FIG. 1 are shown in the open spray position. The forward compartment 12 has a door 20 through which a vehicle can enter and leave the spray compartment. A door way 22 is also provided for a painter to enter and leave the spray compartment 12.

[0042] The rear compartment 14 houses an exhaust air handling unit 24. In practice, the exhaust handling unit 24 may be connected to an exhaust flue or ducting for exhausting air away from the body.

[0043] The rear utility compartment 12 also houses an air intake handling unit 26.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows schematically the arrangement of the spray compartment 12 and the air intake handling unit 26 and the air exhaust handling unit 24. The air intake handling unit 24 has a filter bank 50, a supply fan 52 and a gas fired heating system. The gas fired heating system allows for the temperature in the spray compartment to be increased and controlled for paint curing. Gas fired heating of permanently installed spray booths is a known option and gas fired spray booth heating equipment is commercially available.

[0045] The exhaust handling unit 24 includes an activated carbon filter bank 60 and an exhaust air fan 62.

[0046] The rear utility compartment 14 also includes a compressed air handling unit, a direct gas fired heater system, an electrical operating system and a compressed air unit including the associated regulators for spraying and breathing air.

[0047] FIG. 3 is an end view of the body 10 showing the extended side walls 16, 18. The area within the extended side walls 16, 18 provides space for a painter to spray paint a vehicle therein.

[0048] The body 10 includes four electrically controlled and operated actuators 8 on each wall 16, 18. The actuators extend the walls 16, 18 to accommodate an internal width of 4.2m that is sufficient to allow a painter the space necessary to spray a vehicle. Operation of the actuators is controlled via the electronic control panel in the utility compartment.

[0049] FIG. 4 shows the walls 16, 18 in the transport position. The width of the body in the transport position is suitably that of a conventional shipping container that can be loaded and unloaded onto a conventional transporter such as a truck.

[0050] FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the air flow within the body 10. A vehicle 28 is shown within the forward spray compartment 12. The forward spray compartment 12 has a plenum 30 in the ceiling 32 for inputting air into the spray area in a downwards direction as shown by arrows A. Fresh air intake filters are located in the roof line of the compartment.

[0051] The air passes below the vehicle 28 into an exhaust pit 34 in the floor 36 of the forward spray compartment 12. The exhaust air shown be arrows B flows to the exhaust air handling unit 24. In this figures the respective exhaust 24a and intake 26 air ducts are shown. Exhaust filtration is located in the sub-structure of the floor area.

[0052] FIG. 6 is an end view showing the down draft air flow. It will be appreciated that the down draft air flow is not interrupted by the air space within the extended wall sections 16a 18a.

[0053] In practice, the transportable body is transported to the desired work site and placed on the work site ground surface. The exhaust duct 24a is then erected and if required the exhaust duct 24a is penetrated through the work site roofline and sealed off. The air intake handling unit 26 can either utilise the work site internal air space for induction. Depending upon the quality of the internal air space it may be extended to draw external air through an inlet air duct 26a as a result of the lack of linear or angular air flow experience by ventilation systems other than downdraft ventilation.

[0054] The body 10 is then connected to mains electrical power through an electrical control panel that is in the utility compartment 14.

[0055] Mains gas supply is then connected to the gas fired heater system that is also located in the utility compartment.

[0056] FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the electrical system of the transportable body. The system has an electrical control panel 70 that is electrically connected to the lighting for the spray booth, 72, a door sensor 74 that confirms that the doors to the spray compartment are closed, a spray compartment temperature probe 76 for monitoring the temperature in the spray compartment 12, the ventilation motors 78, the gas heating system 80, equipotential bonding 82, the side wall actuators 84, the air compressor for the spray function 86, spray enable 88 and bake enable controls 90 and indicator lights 92.

[0057] After deployment of the services connections, the walls 16, 18 may then be extended outwardly so as to provide the work area for the painter.

[0058] The transportable body employs a serial communications protocol, suitably an OEM MODBUS system. The MODBUS system operates the heating function together with a “back to base” interface that alerts a remote controller 94 of any electrical, air, combustion or any other issues with system operation. The remote controller is suitably familiar with the system and can provide the site operator with real time online instructions to attend to general issues that may arise.

[0059] It will be appreciated that the presently disclosed transportable body provides many advantages over conventional fixed spray booths. The transportable body can be deployed to a work site and can be operational within a short period of time such as one to three days, compared to 6 to 8 weeks. In some circumstances there may be an unprecedented but temporary increase in vehicle spray painting requirements such as after a heavy storm or the like. In this case, a paint shop can arrange for an additional spray booth(s) to be delivered for a temporary period of time. Should the paint shop change locations, the cost of removing and reinstalling fixed spray booths can be significant.

[0060] Importantly, the transportable body of the present invention can supply a full down draft ventilation system. The inventors are unaware of any transportable or mobile spray booth that can offer this function. Down draft ventilation systems are known in the industry to be the best accepted standard in terms of painter safety and quality of finish. The end to end arrangement of the utility and spray compartments allows the body to be mounted on a conventional truck bed transporter.

[0061] It will be appreciated that various changes and modifications may be made to the body as disclosed and claimed herein without departing from the spirt and scope thereof.