EP1066117A1 - A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form - Google Patents

A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form

Info

Publication number
EP1066117A1
EP1066117A1 EP98925863A EP98925863A EP1066117A1 EP 1066117 A1 EP1066117 A1 EP 1066117A1 EP 98925863 A EP98925863 A EP 98925863A EP 98925863 A EP98925863 A EP 98925863A EP 1066117 A1 EP1066117 A1 EP 1066117A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
bell
shaped member
air
rotary
transmitting
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98925863A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1066117B1 (en
Inventor
John David Stratton
Robert Dennis Taylor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Rdt Advanced Painting Technology Ltd
Westwind Air Bearings Ltd
Original Assignee
Rdt Advanced Painting Technology Ltd
Westwind Air Bearings Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Rdt Advanced Painting Technology Ltd, Westwind Air Bearings Ltd filed Critical Rdt Advanced Painting Technology Ltd
Publication of EP1066117A1 publication Critical patent/EP1066117A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1066117B1 publication Critical patent/EP1066117B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B3/00—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements
    • B05B3/02—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements with rotating elements
    • B05B3/10—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements with rotating elements discharging over substantially the whole periphery of the rotating member, i.e. the spraying being effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B3/1064—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements with rotating elements discharging over substantially the whole periphery of the rotating member, i.e. the spraying being effected by centrifugal forces the liquid or other fluent material to be sprayed being axially supplied to the rotating member through a hollow rotating shaft
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/025—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
    • B05B5/04—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B5/0403—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces characterised by the rotating member
    • B05B5/0407—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces characterised by the rotating member with a spraying edge, e.g. like a cup or a bell
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/025—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
    • B05B5/04—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B5/0415—Driving means; Parts thereof, e.g. turbine, shaft, bearings
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/025—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
    • B05B5/04—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B5/0418—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces designed for spraying particulate material
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B3/00—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements
    • B05B3/02—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements with rotating elements
    • B05B3/10—Spraying or sprinkling apparatus with moving outlet elements or moving deflecting elements with rotating elements discharging over substantially the whole periphery of the rotating member, i.e. the spraying being effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B3/1092—Means for supplying shaping gas
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/025—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
    • B05B5/04—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements, i.e. spraying being also effected by centrifugal forces
    • B05B5/0426—Means for supplying shaping gas
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/025—Discharge apparatus, e.g. electrostatic spray guns
    • B05B5/053—Arrangements for supplying power, e.g. charging power
    • B05B5/0531—Power generators

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to rotary devices for transmitting material in particulate form particularly for deposition on a surface.
  • the material may be a solid, a liquid, a gel, a powder or a suspension when supplied, but is or becomes particulate when airborne.
  • Rotary devices are known, for example electrostatically controlled atomising paint spraying devices, where the material to be deposited is forced through a high speed rotary bell-shaped outlet which atomises and directs the material as a conical beam onto a surface while assisted by a high voltage electrostatic charge between the surface and the particles .
  • the material to be deposited such as paint
  • a conical or cylindrical curtain of high velocity air can be supplied so as to encircle the emerging conical beam or mist of atomised particles . This constrains the beam so as to re-shape the beam into a more closely confined and accurate spray.
  • supply means for supply of material from a reservoir source and centrally outwards from said principal axis and towards a peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell-shaped member to create said conical curtain of small particles
  • an inner rotary bell-shaped member is provided co-axially with said outer bell-shaped member and is arranged to rotate at a different rate to that of said outer bell-shaped member so that at least a major part of the material emerging from said supply means is subject to differing rotary forces imparted by both the inner and outer rotary bell-shaped members.
  • an inner surface of the outer bell-shaped member in an operative region where it receives emergent material for atomisation should be roughened. Also it is desirable that the outer bell- shaped member should in its operative region extend outwardly of the inner bell-shaped member.
  • the two bell-shaped members will rotate in opposing directions, but that is not always to be preferred. In some cases rotation in the same direction but at significantly different rates will be effective.
  • Another advantage is that the difference in speeds of the two bell-shaped members can be adjusted if desired in order to optimise performance of the device. If this is required, the two bell-shaped members should be independently adjustable in speed.
  • a centrally located diffuser disc is provided 5 externally to said supply means and perpendicular to said principal axis and includes a centrally located deflector which deflects at least some of the emergent material into contact with an internal surface of said inner bell- shaped member and thence to an internal surface of the outer bell-shaped member.
  • the rotary diffuser disc may be integral with the inner bell-shaped member so as to rotate integrally with it.
  • the remainder of said material is arranged to be passed through apertures in said disc and onto an external face of said disc and then to be fed centrifugally into the region of said peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell- shaped member.
  • the two rotary bell-shaped members can be rotated by any suitable driven rotor system, but the use of air pressure is particularly convenient.
  • the bell-shaped members can form part of, in each case, an air turbine.
  • air bearings utilising air under pressure can, if desired, be used to support rotation of the rotary parts of the device.
  • these bearings should be supplied with air separately from the air turbines to avoid undesired interactions, that is separate conduits are provided for the air turbines and for the bearings .
  • the device operates most effectively when there is a high voltage electrostatic charge between the particles and their target. This can, if desired, be achieved by earthing the target and applying a high voltage to the emerging particles or to the material prior to its becoming particulate.
  • the voltages required can be generated internally within the device. If a rotary member carries conductors or magnets and a static part of the device carries the converse, an electric generator arises and the resultant generated voltage can be arranged to charge the particles.
  • the device is of particular advantage when used in a painting (coating) tool with two turbines incorporating the bell-shaped members and driven by compressed air, 7 which enclose a central tube carrying the deposition material which is then forced outwardly towards the turbines .
  • Both bell-shaped members produce a form of centrifugal acceleration of the paint particles which are at least partially atomised as they strike against the inner surfaces of the bell-shaped members .
  • the atomised particles are then propelled in the general direction of the object to be painted (coated) .
  • the resulting coating has a characteristically very smooth and even surface profile.
  • Both turbines are supported preferably on air bearings.
  • the compressed air can be fed to each turbine through an inlet or inlets in the casing and which then exits to atmosphere, and can be supplied separately and in parallel, in each case to a hollow cylinder bearing downstream from the turbine drive in a parallel operation which also exits to atmosphere.
  • the cylinders are of plastics or ceramic materials.
  • the components carrying the coating medium may be in the form of a ceramic, metal or composite outer casing having suitably selected surface properties .
  • the figure shows a longitudinal section through a coating 9 tool.
  • the surface to be painted is labelled 1, and is located at a distance from the tool which is dependent on the application parameters to be used.
  • the tool essentially comprises a central tube 2, which carries a coating medium which has been supplied from an external supply source, an inner turbine 3 an outer turbine 4, together with supporting bearings (in this case air bearings) 10 and 11 and a fixed casing 5.
  • Both turbines are driven by compressed air which passes from the rear of the casing via conduits to the turbine blades 8 and 9, through separate supply holes. Similar supply connections and conduits are provided for reverse or braking motion of the turbines 8A and 9A.
  • the impact surfaces of the turbine blades 8 and 9 are so arranged that the turbines 3 and 4 rotate in a counter direction to one another.
  • the bearings provide both axial and radial support for the turbines by the use of air, supplied from a connection on the housing through numerous controlled conduits or passageways 15 and 13, quite separate from and in parallel with the conduits for the turbines, to accurately controlled voids between the static and rotating surfaces .
  • the air then exhausts 1 through passage 6.
  • the turbines 3 and 4, thus supported are centred and free to rotate on air bearings while having no physical contact with each other or their bearings, or the casing 5.
  • bell shaped members 23 and 24 Carried at the ends of the turbines 3 and 4 are bell shaped members 23 and 24. These are arranged so as to rotate concentrically, with the end of the inner bell shaped member 23 being inside the outer bell shaped member 24, and the outer bell-shaped member extending beyond the front edge of the inner bell-shaped member.
  • the outer bell shaped member has an inner surface, at its end which is of a selected shape and roughness 24A to promote atomisation, while the inner bell shaped member incorporates a conical diffuser 21 and a transfer disc 23A, which are integral with the inner bell-shaped member and therefore rotate integrally with it.
  • the roughened surface of the outer bell-shaped member should extend from a region opposite the tip of the inner bell-shaped member to the outermost end, or tip, of the outer bell-shaped member.
  • a controlled orifice which ejects the coating medium onto the diffuser 21 which is revolving as part of the inner bell shaped 11 member 23, 23A. This diverts a proportion of the medium through a controlled gap between the inner bell shaped member 23 and the transfer disc 23A while allowing the remainder to pass through a hole or holes in the transfer disc, to the front of the rotary transfer disc 23A.
  • the medium passes, either side of the transfer disc, to be thrown from the tip in a generally radial trajectory 26.
  • the spray thus produced now impinges on the roughened inner surface of the outer bell shaped member 24A which has the effect of "atomising” and shaping the trajectory of the droplets .
  • the cone of mist may then be subjected to the effects of shaping from the air curtain produced by the controlled passage of air through a shaping air ring 27, via supply line 27A.
  • This electrostatic charge can be applied outside the tool (via electrodes penetrating the mist) or inside via a connection to the paint tube from an 12 externally or internally generated source, and can be applied to the medium prior to, during or after atomisation.
  • Various other features may be included in the tool, such as speed indication (and control via external equipment) . This is achieved by the feedback of optical, electrical, pneumatic or audible signals to a suitable output device from the turbines .
  • Hole 19 on the drawing is an access for a pin to lock the turbine to facilitate removal and replacement of the bell.
  • the invention is not limited to the exemplary design 13 described above. A number of variants is conceivable which are able to make use of features of the invention, even where some aspects of detail may be different.

Landscapes

  • Electrostatic Spraying Apparatus (AREA)

Abstract

A device for transmitting a beam of material in particulate form for example for use as an atomised particle paint sprayer comprising an outer bell-shaped member (24) which is rotatable about a principal axis and arranged to project a conical curtain of small particles flowing generally towards a target, supply means for supply of material from a reservoir source and centrally outwards from said principal axis and towards a peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell-shaped member to create said conical curtain of small particles there being an inner rotary bell-shaped member (23) which is provided coaxially with said outer bell-shaped member and is arranged to rotate at a different rate to that of said outer bell-shaped member so that at least a major part of the material emerging from said supply means is subject to differing rotary forces imparted by both the inner and outer rotary bell-shaped members (23, 24), and preferably the bell-shaped members being driven by an air supply conduit which is separate from an air supply conduit for air bearings (10, 11) supporting rotation of said bell-shaped members.

Description

1
"A Rotary Device for Transmission of Material in
Particulate form"
The present invention relates to rotary devices for transmitting material in particulate form particularly for deposition on a surface. The material may be a solid, a liquid, a gel, a powder or a suspension when supplied, but is or becomes particulate when airborne.
Rotary devices are known, for example electrostatically controlled atomising paint spraying devices, where the material to be deposited is forced through a high speed rotary bell-shaped outlet which atomises and directs the material as a conical beam onto a surface while assisted by a high voltage electrostatic charge between the surface and the particles .
Generally the material to be deposited, such as paint, will be a liquid or suspension, but other suspended materials, solids and powders can be handled in this way dependent on the application provided they are able to be in particulate form when airborne .
There are various design problems associated with provision of an efficient rotary deposition device. 2 It is desirable that an accurate beam of atomised material is achieved with minimum energy input, and for certain applications it is desirable that the unit should be small, light and controllable, particularly when it is to fit on the end of a robot arm.
To this end a conical or cylindrical curtain of high velocity air can be supplied so as to encircle the emerging conical beam or mist of atomised particles . This constrains the beam so as to re-shape the beam into a more closely confined and accurate spray.
However a problem arises in that the velocity required for the shaping air curtain needs to relate to the particle velocity required for adequate atomisation. Otherwise there is a risk of damage of the mist shape and coagulation of the mist particles.
According to one aspect of the invention therefore there is provided a device for transmitting a beam of material in particulate form,
comprising an outer bell-shaped member which is rotatable about a principal axis and arranged to project a conical curtain of small particles flowing generally towards a target ,
supply means for supply of material from a reservoir source and centrally outwards from said principal axis and towards a peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell-shaped member to create said conical curtain of small particles
characterised in that an inner rotary bell-shaped member is provided co-axially with said outer bell-shaped member and is arranged to rotate at a different rate to that of said outer bell-shaped member so that at least a major part of the material emerging from said supply means is subject to differing rotary forces imparted by both the inner and outer rotary bell-shaped members.
Generally for best results an inner surface of the outer bell-shaped member in an operative region where it receives emergent material for atomisation should be roughened. Also it is desirable that the outer bell- shaped member should in its operative region extend outwardly of the inner bell-shaped member.
Use of two bell-shaped members has the immediate advantage that the velocities required for adequate 4 atomisation or mist production can be substantially reduced. This means that if an external air curtain is to be used, the differences in velocity of the mist particles and of the air curtain can be reduced, and so better results can be achieved.
Generally the two bell-shaped members will rotate in opposing directions, but that is not always to be preferred. In some cases rotation in the same direction but at significantly different rates will be effective.
Other benefits of reduced velocity are that less energy is required, and that - even in the absence of an external air curtain - the conical beam will be subject to less external scattering since the centrifugal velocity energy of the particles (dependent on the square of the velocity) will be reduced.
Another advantage is that the difference in speeds of the two bell-shaped members can be adjusted if desired in order to optimise performance of the device. If this is required, the two bell-shaped members should be independently adjustable in speed.
Preferably a centrally located diffuser disc is provided 5 externally to said supply means and perpendicular to said principal axis and includes a centrally located deflector which deflects at least some of the emergent material into contact with an internal surface of said inner bell- shaped member and thence to an internal surface of the outer bell-shaped member. The rotary diffuser disc may be integral with the inner bell-shaped member so as to rotate integrally with it. Preferably the remainder of said material is arranged to be passed through apertures in said disc and onto an external face of said disc and then to be fed centrifugally into the region of said peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell- shaped member.
Generally it is preferred to provide an external cylindrical or conical curtain of air surrounding said beam of particles . Since air under an elevated pressure is required for this purpose, it is convenient to use the same air pressure source for other functions within the device .
The two rotary bell-shaped members can be rotated by any suitable driven rotor system, but the use of air pressure is particularly convenient. Thus the bell-shaped members can form part of, in each case, an air turbine. Also, air (, bearings utilising air under pressure can, if desired, be used to support rotation of the rotary parts of the device. However it is an important preferred feature of the invention that these bearings should be supplied with air separately from the air turbines to avoid undesired interactions, that is separate conduits are provided for the air turbines and for the bearings .
The device operates most effectively when there is a high voltage electrostatic charge between the particles and their target. This can, if desired, be achieved by earthing the target and applying a high voltage to the emerging particles or to the material prior to its becoming particulate.
In a convenient form of the invention the voltages required can be generated internally within the device. If a rotary member carries conductors or magnets and a static part of the device carries the converse, an electric generator arises and the resultant generated voltage can be arranged to charge the particles.
The device is of particular advantage when used in a painting (coating) tool with two turbines incorporating the bell-shaped members and driven by compressed air, 7 which enclose a central tube carrying the deposition material which is then forced outwardly towards the turbines . Both bell-shaped members produce a form of centrifugal acceleration of the paint particles which are at least partially atomised as they strike against the inner surfaces of the bell-shaped members . The atomised particles are then propelled in the general direction of the object to be painted (coated) . The resulting coating has a characteristically very smooth and even surface profile.
Both turbines are supported preferably on air bearings. The compressed air can be fed to each turbine through an inlet or inlets in the casing and which then exits to atmosphere, and can be supplied separately and in parallel, in each case to a hollow cylinder bearing downstream from the turbine drive in a parallel operation which also exits to atmosphere.
It was found that counter rotation of the two turbines reduces the required speed considerably while improving the quality of the coating. Conventional turbine driven paint tools rotate at a speed ranging from 16,000 min1 and 70,000 min1 while counter-rotation enables the speed of each turbine to be reduced to approximately 10,000 8 min1, or in some cases as low as 5,000 min1. As a result, the size and weight of the turbines can be reduced. The propelled compressed air is able to have a lower kinetic energy content which ultimately means that the volume of the compressed air generating blower or ventilator can be reduced. All these factors play a decisive role if the output of the paint (coating) application tool has to be directed very precisely over the object to be coated, as is the case for instance, for vehicle bodywork paint spraying systems.
A desirable aim in many cases is to reduce weight and to this end it is preferable that when perforated hollow cylinders are used to provide air bearings, the cylinders are of plastics or ceramic materials. For a quick and economical change of coating medium, e.g. the colour of a car paint, the components carrying the coating medium may be in the form of a ceramic, metal or composite outer casing having suitably selected surface properties .
An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing .
The figure shows a longitudinal section through a coating 9 tool. The surface to be painted is labelled 1, and is located at a distance from the tool which is dependent on the application parameters to be used. The tool essentially comprises a central tube 2, which carries a coating medium which has been supplied from an external supply source, an inner turbine 3 an outer turbine 4, together with supporting bearings (in this case air bearings) 10 and 11 and a fixed casing 5.
Both turbines are driven by compressed air which passes from the rear of the casing via conduits to the turbine blades 8 and 9, through separate supply holes. Similar supply connections and conduits are provided for reverse or braking motion of the turbines 8A and 9A. The impact surfaces of the turbine blades 8 and 9 are so arranged that the turbines 3 and 4 rotate in a counter direction to one another.
In the case described, the bearings provide both axial and radial support for the turbines by the use of air, supplied from a connection on the housing through numerous controlled conduits or passageways 15 and 13, quite separate from and in parallel with the conduits for the turbines, to accurately controlled voids between the static and rotating surfaces . The air then exhausts 1 through passage 6. The turbines 3 and 4, thus supported are centred and free to rotate on air bearings while having no physical contact with each other or their bearings, or the casing 5.
Carried at the ends of the turbines 3 and 4 are bell shaped members 23 and 24. These are arranged so as to rotate concentrically, with the end of the inner bell shaped member 23 being inside the outer bell shaped member 24, and the outer bell-shaped member extending beyond the front edge of the inner bell-shaped member. In the case described, the outer bell shaped member has an inner surface, at its end which is of a selected shape and roughness 24A to promote atomisation, while the inner bell shaped member incorporates a conical diffuser 21 and a transfer disc 23A, which are integral with the inner bell-shaped member and therefore rotate integrally with it. The roughened surface of the outer bell-shaped member should extend from a region opposite the tip of the inner bell-shaped member to the outermost end, or tip, of the outer bell-shaped member.
At the end of the medium supply tube 2 is a controlled orifice which ejects the coating medium onto the diffuser 21 which is revolving as part of the inner bell shaped 11 member 23, 23A. This diverts a proportion of the medium through a controlled gap between the inner bell shaped member 23 and the transfer disc 23A while allowing the remainder to pass through a hole or holes in the transfer disc, to the front of the rotary transfer disc 23A.
By virtue of the centrifugal forces exerted on the coating medium by the rotational movement, the medium passes, either side of the transfer disc, to be thrown from the tip in a generally radial trajectory 26. The spray thus produced, now impinges on the roughened inner surface of the outer bell shaped member 24A which has the effect of "atomising" and shaping the trajectory of the droplets .
The cone of mist may then be subjected to the effects of shaping from the air curtain produced by the controlled passage of air through a shaping air ring 27, via supply line 27A.
The application of a high electrostatic potential between the coating medium and the target 1 will enhance the performance. This electrostatic charge can be applied outside the tool (via electrodes penetrating the mist) or inside via a connection to the paint tube from an 12 externally or internally generated source, and can be applied to the medium prior to, during or after atomisation.
Various other features may be included in the tool, such as speed indication (and control via external equipment) . This is achieved by the feedback of optical, electrical, pneumatic or audible signals to a suitable output device from the turbines .
Hole 19 on the drawing is an access for a pin to lock the turbine to facilitate removal and replacement of the bell.
The application of a high voltage between the tool and the surface 1 which produces an electrostatic acceleration of the atomised paint particles, is not shown. This can as previously mentioned be supplied from an external source or it can be generated by the counter- rotation movements of the outer and inner turbines 4 and 5 to allow this high voltage to be generated using a generator effect arising from the relative movement of these components .
The invention is not limited to the exemplary design 13 described above. A number of variants is conceivable which are able to make use of features of the invention, even where some aspects of detail may be different.

Claims

14 CLAIMS :
1. A device for transmitting a beam of material in particulate form
comprising an outer bell-shaped member which is rotatable about a principal axis and arranged to project a conical curtain of small particles flowing generally towards a target,
supply means for supply of material from a reservoir source and centrally outwards from said principal axis and towards a peripheral internal shaping region of said outer bell-shaped member to create said conical curtain of small particles
characterised in that an inner rotary bell-shaped member is provided coaxially with said outer bell-shaped member and is arranged to rotate at a different rate to that of said outer bell-shaped member so that at least a major part of the material emerging from said supply means is subject to differing rotary forces imparted by both the inner and outer rotary bell-shaped members.
2. A device for transmitting a beam of material according to Claim 1 in which each bell-shaped member is 15 integral with an air turbine which is driven by air pressure to rotate said bell-shaped member.
3. A device for transmitting a beam of material according to Claim 1 or 2 in which each bell-shaped member is arranged to be supported and rotated on air bearings, and the bearings are supplied with air via conduits which are separate from conduits supplying air to the air turbines, so that the bearings are supplied with air separately from the air turbines.
4. A device for transmitting a beam of material according to any preceding claim comprising a centrally located rotary diffuser disc for transmission of material from said supply means and to the inner rotary bell- shaped member.
5. A device according to Claim 4 which includes a centrally located rotary deflector which is arranged to deflect at least some of the emergent material into contact with an internal surface of said inner bell- shaped member.
6. A device according to Claim 5 in which said diffuser disc and said deflector are integral with said inner 1 bell-shaped member so as to rotate therewith.
7. A device according to Claim 6 in which said disc has apertures therethrough so that some of said material can pass through said apertures and onto an external face of said disc so as to be forced outwards centrifugally towards the outer bell-shaped member.
EP98925863A 1998-03-27 1998-06-08 A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form Expired - Lifetime EP1066117B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GBGB9806709.3A GB9806709D0 (en) 1998-03-27 1998-03-27 A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form
GB9806709 1998-03-27
PCT/GB1998/001675 WO1999049983A1 (en) 1998-03-27 1998-06-08 A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1066117A1 true EP1066117A1 (en) 2001-01-10
EP1066117B1 EP1066117B1 (en) 2006-01-18

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98925863A Expired - Lifetime EP1066117B1 (en) 1998-03-27 1998-06-08 A rotary device for transmission of material in particulate form

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1066117B1 (en)
JP (1) JP4162853B2 (en)
AU (1) AU7783098A (en)
DE (1) DE69833252T2 (en)
GB (1) GB9806709D0 (en)
WO (1) WO1999049983A1 (en)

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9806709D0 (en) 1998-05-27
JP2002509796A (en) 2002-04-02
DE69833252D1 (en) 2006-04-06
AU7783098A (en) 1999-10-18
WO1999049983A1 (en) 1999-10-07
EP1066117B1 (en) 2006-01-18
DE69833252T2 (en) 2006-09-07
JP4162853B2 (en) 2008-10-08

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