IES20000046A2 - A method and apparatus for spray painting articles - Google Patents

Abstract

A spray painting room (1) has a preparation area (2), three spray painting booths (3,4,5) and a finishing area (6). Access between the areas (2,6) and each spray booth (3,4,5) is provided by sealable access doors (3a,3b,3c). The preparation and finishing areas (2,6) are maintained at a positive pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere to exclude external contaminants. A material interlock area with outer and inner doors (51,52) provides access of articles to and from the room while avoiding ingress of contaminants.

Description

According to the invention there is provided a spray painting apparatus comprising: a preparation area for preparing articles to be painted; a spray painting booth; a finishing area for painted articles; access means between the areas and the spray booth for delivery of articles from the preparation area to be painted and for delivery of painted articles from the booth to the finishing area; means for maintaining a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth during painting; and means for maintaining at least the preparation area at a positive pressure to exclude external contaminants from the area.

In one embodiment of the invention the preparation area and the finishing area share a common positive pressure atmosphere.

IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -2Preferably the means for maintaining a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth includes means for maintaining a negative pressure in the booth during painting for removal of airborne particles from the booth.

In a preferred arrangement there are at least two separate spray booths, each having control means for maintaining a desired controlled atmosphere in the booths. Preferably there are separate control means for each booth.

In one embodiment of the invention the preparation area includes a cleaning station for cleaning the articles prior to painting. Preferably the preparation area includes a heating station for pre-heating the articles prior to painting.

In one embodiment the heating station includes means for applying heat directly to the articles. Alternatively or additionally the heating station includes means for applying indirect heat to the articles.

Preferably the finishing area includes a drying station for drying the painted articles.

Ideally the finishing area includes an inspection station for inspection of the dried painted articles.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the apparatus includes an interlock means for access to and from the preparation and/or finishing areas.

Preferably the finishing and/or preparation areas include a plurality of separate service points for compressed air, electrical power and the like.

The invention also provides a method for painting articles comprising the steps of:IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -3leading articles to be painted into a preparation area; maintaining a positive pressure in the preparation area to exclude contaminants; preparing the articles for painting; leading the prepared articles through an access means to a spray booth; closing the access means; spray painting the article in the spray booth in a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth; on completion of painting, delivering the painted article from the spray booth into a finishing area; maintaining the finishing area at a positive pressure to exclude contaminants; finishing the painted article; and delivering the finished painted article from the finishing area.

In one embodiment of the invention the prepared articles are led into a spray booth for application of a primer material, and after drying, the articles are led into the same or another spray booth for final painting. Preferably, the article is prepared by a method including cleaning the article.

IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -4Preferably the article is prepared by a method including pre-heating the article. The article may be pre-heated by application of direct heat. Alternatively or additionally, the article is pre-heated by application of indirect heat.

In one embodiment of the invention the article is finished by a method which includes the step of drying the painted article.

Brief Description of Drawings The invention will he more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings which are schematic plan views of a spay painting apparatus of the invention.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings there is illustrated a stray painting apparatus according to the invention. The apparatus comprises a room 1 with a preparation area 2 for preparing articles such as phone cases and the like to be painted, at least one, and in this case three spray painting booths 3, 4, 5, and a finishing area 6 for painted articles. There is a preparation area 2 and a finishing area 6 associated with each spray booth. Access means between the areas 2, 6 and each spray booth is provided by sealable access door 3a, 3b, 3c.

A controlled atmosphere is maintained in each spray booth 3, 4, 5 during painting. The atmosphere in each spray booth is independently controlled. An independent humidified air supply 15 delivers up to 4,000 cubic feet per minute of air into each booth along ducts 16, 17 through which a vacuum is pulled on the booths 3, 4, 5 by a fan 20 which draws, typically, 4010 cfm of air from each booth IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -5maintaining a negative pressure. Robots 30, 31, 32 are used to handle the articles in the respective booths for painting.

The preparation areas 2 and finishing areas 6 are maintained at a positive pressure relative to the surrounding atmosphere to exclude external contaminants from the areas 2, 6. A humidifier unit 40 delivers 4000 cftn of air through a duct 41 to maintain positive pressure.

A material interlock area 50 with outer and inner doors 51, 52 provides access of articles to and from the room 1 while avoiding ingress of contaminants. A personnel access area 55 is also interlocked in the same way and has outer and inner doors 56, 57.

In more detail, each preparation area 2 includes a cleaning station 60 for cleaning articles and a heating station 61 for pre-heating the articles prior to delivery into a spray booth for painting. The heating station 6 may include means for applying heat directly to the articles and/or means for applying indirect heat to the articles. Each finishing area 6 includes a drying station 70 for drying the painted articles and an inspection station 71 for inspection of the dried painted articles.

The finishing and preparation areas include a plurality of separate service points. These include local vacuum points 80 as illustrated in Fig. 3 and compressed air points 85 as illustrated in Fig. 2. In this way each preparation/finishing module has its own independent supply which may be dedicated to preparing and finishing articles associated with a particular booth.

In operation, articles to be painted are first delivered into the clean room environment through the material access interlock area 50. The articles are assigned to a particular preparation area 2, spray booth 3, 4, 5 and finishing area 6. The articles are first cleaned at the cleaning station 60 and then pre-heated at the pre-heating station 61. The articles are then delivered into a spray booth 5 and IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -6painted using the associated robot 32. A controlled negative pressure atmosphere is maintained in the booth during painting. After painting, the articles are delivered to the associated finishing area 6 at which they are first dried at the drying station 70 and then inspected at the inspection station 71 prior to transfer through the interlock 50.

The environment is fully controlled at all stages to maximise efficiency while also maximising finished product quality.

The apparatus may, for example be used to paint articles which require a softtouch finish. In this case a primer is applied in a first stage followed by a final soft-touch finish.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

NYPR03/C/IESD

Claims (5)

Claims IE000046

1. A spray painting apparatus comprising: a preparation area for preparing articles to be painted; a spray painting booth; a finishing area for painted articles; access means between the areas and the spray booth for delivery of articles from tihe preparation area to he painted and for delivery of painted articles from the booth to the finishing area; means for maintaining a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth during painting; and means for maintaining at least the preparation area at a positive pressure to exclude external contaminants from the area.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preparation area and the finishing area share a common positive pressure atmosphere, preferably the means for maintaining a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth includes means for maintaining a negative pressure in the booth during painting for removal of airborne particles from the booth, preferably there are at least two separate spray booths, each having control means for maintaining a desired controlled atmosphere in the booths, preferably there are separate control means for each booth, preferably the preparation area includes a cleaning station for cleaning the articles prior to painting, preferably the preparation area includes a heating station for pre-heating the articles prior to painting, preferably the heating station includes means for applying heat IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -8directly to the articles, alternatively or additionally the heating station includes means for applying indirect heat to the articles, preferably the finishing area includes a drying station for drying the painted articles, preferably the finishing area includes an inspection station for inspection of the dried painted articles, preferably the apparatus includes an interlock means for access to and from the preparation and/or finishing areas, preferably the finishing and/or preparation areas include a plurality of separate service points.

3. A method for painting articles comprising the steps of:leading articles to be painted into a preparation area; maintaining a positive pressure in the preparation area to exclude contaminants; preparing the articles for painting; leading the prepared articles through an access means to a spray booth; closing the access means; spray painting the article in the spray booth in a controlled atmosphere in the spray booth; on completion of painting, delivering the painted article from the spray booth into a finishing area; maintaining the finishing area at a positive pressure to exclude contaminants; IE000046 NYPR03/C/IESD -9finishing the painted article; and delivering the finished painted article from the finishing area.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the prepared articles are led into a spray booth for application of a primer material, and after drying, the articles are led into the same or another spray booth for final painting, preferably the article is prepared by a method including cleaning the article, 10 preferably the article is prepared by a method including pre-heating the article, preferably the article is pre-heated by application of direct heat, alternatively the article is pre-heated by application of indirect heat, preferably the article is finished by a method which includes the step of drying the painted article.

5. Articles whenever painted using an apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 and/or by a method as claimed in claim 3 or 4.