EP3115216A1 - Coating device and associated coating method - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a coating device and a coating method for coating components with a coating agent, in particular for the coating of motor vehicle body components with a paint, with an application device which applies the coating agent. It is proposed that the application device is a print head (8, 9) which ejects the coating agent from at least one coating agent nozzle.

Description

The invention relates to a coating device for coating components with a coating agent, in particular for painting motor vehicle body components with a paint. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding coating method.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view through a conventional paint shop for painting automotive body components. Here, the vehicle body components to be painted are transported on a conveyor 1 at right angles to the plane through a painting booth 2, in which the vehicle body components are then painted by painting robots 3, 4 in a conventional manner. The painting robots 3, 4 have a plurality of pivotable robot arms and each lead via a multi-axis robot hand axis an application device, such as a rotary atomizer, an air atomizer or a so-called airless device.

A disadvantage of these known application devices, however, is the non-optimal application efficiency, so that a designated as overspray part of the sprayed paint does not land on the vehicle body part to be painted and must be removed with the cabin air from the spray booth 2. Therefore, a so-called plenum 5, is introduced from the air through a ceiling 6 of the spray booth 2 down in the direction of arrow in the paint booth 2 above the spray booth 2. The cabin air then passes with the contained therein overspray down from the spray booth 2 in a below the spray booth 2 located leaching 7, in which the overspray is removed again from the cabin air and bound to water.

This wastewater with the overspray contained therein must then be re-processed in a complex process, the resulting paint sludge is a hazardous waste and must be disposed of consuming.

In addition, the Luftsinkgeschwindigkeit in the spray booth 2 at least in the range of about 0.3-0.5 m / s, in order to quickly remove the resulting during painting overspray from the spray booth 2.

Further, the resulting when painting overspray can temporarily and locally create a potentially explosive atmosphere, so that the relevant legal ATEX product policies (ATEX: At phere ex plosible) must be observed.

On the one hand cause the known application devices so because of their unsatisfactory order efficiency and the resulting overspray high investment costs for the required leaching and the necessary explosion protection.

On the other hand, the known application devices are also associated with high operating costs due to the paint losses and the disposal costs for disposal of the overspray due to the resulting in operation overspray.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a corresponding improvement.

This object is achieved by a coating device according to the invention and a corresponding coating method according to the independent claims.

The invention comprises the general technical teaching of using an application device with such a high degree of application efficiency that leaching can be dispensed with, in which convention the overspray is washed out of the cabin air. An advantage of the coating device according to the invention is therefore in the preferred embodiment is that can be dispensed with a separate leaching. However, the invention is not limited to paint shops that have no leaching at all. Rather, by the use of application equipment with a higher order efficiency, the possibility of a smaller dimensioning of the leaching, if a complete waiver is not possible.

Preferably, the application device is a printhead, as used in similar form, for example in inkjet printers. For example, it may be a bubble jet printhead or a piezo printhead. However, the invention is not limited to Bubble Jet printheads and piezo printheads in terms of the technical principle of the printhead used, but in principle also with other ejection mechanisms feasible.

Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention, the possibility that the print head ejects the coating agent pneumatically. For example, the individual coating agent drops can be ejected by short air pulses, which the coating agent drops in the direction of the coated Speed component, whereby the painting distance can be increased.

It should also be mentioned that the print head can eject the coating agent optionally in individual coating agent droplets or continuously. In addition, within the scope of the invention, it is possible that a part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head continuously ejects the coating agent, whereas another part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head ejects the coating agent in individual coating agent droplets.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the printhead is positioned by a multi-axis robot, the robot preferably having a plurality of pivotable robot arms and a multi-axis robotic hand axis to which the printhead is mounted.

Alternatively, there is also the possibility that the print head is mounted on a machine that movably positions the print head relative to the component to be coated. For example, such a machine may be a conventional roofing machine or a side machine, which are known per se from the prior art and therefore need not be described in detail.

In contrast to the conventional printheads, which are used for example in inkjet printers, the printhead in the coating device according to the invention preferably has a much larger surface coating performance, preferably greater than 1m ² / min., 2m ² / min., 3 m ² per minute or 4m ² / min. is.

In contrast to conventional inkjet printers, the printhead in the coating device according to the invention must also be able to apply liquid lacquers which contain solid lacquer constituents, such as, for example, pigments and so-called metallic flakes (Mika's). The individual coating agent nozzles of the print head are therefore preferably adapted in terms of their size to the solid paint components, so that the print head can also apply paints with the solid paint components.

Instead of a printhead, however, an atomizer which ejects the coating agent from at least one coating agent nozzle can also be used within the scope of the invention.

Also in the case of the coating device according to the invention, the application device is preferably arranged in a painting booth in which the components are coated with the coating agent. Such paint booths are known from the prior art and therefore need not be described in detail.

However, it has already been mentioned above that the printheads used in the context of the invention as application devices have a much greater application efficiency than conventional application devices, such as rotary atomizers. The leaching located below the spray booth can therefore be dimensioned substantially smaller than in conventional spray booths with rotary atomizers as application devices. In one embodiment of the invention, the high degree of application efficiency of the printheads used as application devices even allows a complete elimination of leaching or other complex filtering measures, such as dry separation or the like. below the paint booth. Sufficient are in In this case, simple filters that are replaced or cleaned cyclically (eg weekly, monthly, semi-annual or yearly).

Furthermore, the high degree of application efficiency of the printheads used as application devices in the invention makes it possible to dispense with explosion protection measures in accordance with the relevant statutory ATEX directives, since less overspray is generated and therefore no potentially explosive atmosphere arises during operation. In one embodiment of the invention, therefore, no explosion protection is provided in the paint booth.

However, in the case of the coating device according to the invention, it is also preferable to provide an air extraction system which sucks the cabin air out of the painting booth, with the suction preferably taking place downwards. The cabin air is in this case preferably sucked off by an air filter which filters the overspray from the cabin air, wherein the air filter may be formed, for example, as a filter cover, which is arranged at the bottom of the paint booth, so that the cabin air sucked through the filter cover from the paint booth down becomes.

Due to the greater order efficiency of the printheads used in the invention as application devices and the lower overspray, the air sink rate in the spray booth can be lower than in conventional spray booths, which use, for example, rotary atomizers as application devices. In the paint shop according to the invention, the air sink rate in the paint booth can therefore be less than 0.5 m / s, 0.4 m / s, 0.3 m / s, 0.2 m / s or 0.1 m / s.

In one variant of the invention, at least one color changer is associated with the print head, which is connected on the output side to the print head and supplied with various coating agents on the input side, so that the color changer selects one of the coating agents and feeds the print head with the selected coating agent. Preferably, the color changer is supplied with various coating agents in the primary colors of a color system (e.g., the CMYK color system) so that a desired color tone can be mixed together from the different colored coating agents.

In addition, the color changer on the input side can be supplied with various effect coatings, such as special paints, metallic paints or mica paints.

In this case, it may be advantageous if the color changer supplies only a single coating agent nozzle of the print head with the selected coating agent. In a variant of the invention, therefore, each coating agent nozzle of the print head is assigned a separate color changer, so that the coating agent to be applied can be selected individually for the individual coating agent nozzles.

The individual color changers can in this case preferably be controlled independently of one another and individually in order to select the desired coating agent for the respective coating agent nozzles.

In another embodiment of the invention, the color changer on the output side each feeds a group of several coating agent nozzles with the same coating agent, wherein the coating agent nozzles, for example, in one Row, for example in a row or a column.

It is also possible for the color changer on the input side to be preceded by a color mixer, which is supplied on the input side with differently colored coating agents in the primary colors of a color system (for example CMYK color system). The color mixer can then mix together a desired color tone from the different primary colors of the respective color system and provide it to the color changer for selection. In addition, the color changer in this embodiment is preferably supplied with at least one effect varnish, for example a mica varnish, a metallic varnish and / or a special varnish. The color changer can then either select the color shade mixed together by the color mixer or access one of the effect colors.

In another embodiment of the invention, a group of adjacent coating agent nozzles are each supplied with a primary color of a color system. For example, four adjacent coating agent nozzles can be supplied with the primary colors cyan, magenta, yellow and black, respectively. A further adjacent coating agent nozzle is then supplied in this embodiment by a color changer with one of several effect paints. The coating agent nozzles for the primary colors and for the effect coating are arranged in this case so closely adjacent to one another in the print head that the ejected coating compositions on the component to be coated mix to a desired color shade with a desired effect paint. In this embodiment, therefore, a color mixture takes place on the component to be coated.

It has already been mentioned above that the coating agent nozzles in the print head can be arranged in rows, for example in rows and columns. Preferably, the coating agent nozzles are thus arranged in the form of a matrix in the printing head.

In the context of the invention, it is possible for the individual coating agent rows to each have a base color (for example, cyan, magenta, yellow, black), so that the coating agent nozzles of one row apply the same color. Furthermore, it is possible here for the coating agent nozzles within a row of nozzles to be alternately supplied with the respective base color (for example cyan, magenta, yellow, black) and with an effect lacquer.

Furthermore, there is the possibility that the individual rows of nozzles are each supplied by a color changer with the coating agent to be applied, the color changer in each row of nozzles being supplied with a specific base color and with an effect varnish. For example, the color changer of one row of nozzles can be supplied with a coating agent of the cyan color and with a special coating, while the color changer of the next nozzle row is supplied with a coating agent of the color magenta and with the special coating. The color changers in the next nozzle rows are then supplied with the color yellow or black and with the special color in a CMYK color system.

In addition, there is the possibility that the color changer of the individual nozzle rows are connected on the input side together with another color changer, which selects one of several effect coatings. The color changers in the individual rows of nozzles can then either the directly supplied base color or access the special colors supplied indirectly via the further color changer.

In another embodiment of the invention, a group of coating agent nozzles is supplied via a paint mixer together with a particular hue, which is mixed together by the color mixer from the primary colors of a color system. An adjacent further coating agent nozzle, in contrast, in this exemplary embodiment is supplied with another color changer, which selects one of several effect coatings. Here, too, a mixture of the selected effect varnish with the previously mixed together color on the component to be coated.

In another embodiment of the invention, a portion of the coating agent nozzles of the printhead are connected together to a color mixer, which is supplied on the input side with the primary colors of a color system. On the other hand, another part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head is connected together with a special ink supply. Again, the coating agent nozzles in the printhead are preferably arranged in matrix form in rows and columns. There is the possibility that the coating agent nozzles in the individual rows of nozzles (rows or columns) are alternately connected to the color mixer and the special ink supply.

In addition, within the scope of the invention it is also possible for all the coating agent nozzles of the print head or at least a large part thereof to be connected together to a single coating agent feed line and therefore to apply the same coating agent.

Alternatively, within the scope of the invention, it is possible that a part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head is connected to a first coating agent feed line, while a second part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head is connected to a second coating agent feed line, so that the print head can apply two different coating agents. Preferably, the coating agent nozzles in the individual rows of nozzles (rows or columns) are in this case connected alternately with the one coating agent supply line or with the other coating agent supply line.

In one embodiment of the invention, the print head has at least one separate coating agent nozzle, which applies only effect paint with effect particles contained therein. In addition, the print head then preferably has at least one further coating agent nozzle which applies normal paint which contains no effect particles. The various coating agent nozzles can then be adjusted accordingly.

It is also conceivable that in the color mixing processes described above, the effect particles (e.g., metallic, mica, etc.) are applied to the object with a separate coating agent nozzle. As a result, effects can be applied specifically to the object with local differences. Also under certain circumstances effects can be generated that are unthinkable today. With the new inkjet technique it is possible to use, effect particles e.g. just to place on the surface of the layer.

Furthermore, it is a major advantage of the invention that it is the first time possible with the inventive solution, even a complete body with sufficient area performance to coat, but also targeted to print details and graphics.

It has already been mentioned above that the coating agent nozzles in the print head are preferably arranged in matrix form in a plurality of rows and columns. In a variant of the invention, the individual coating agent nozzles of the print head are essentially the same size. In this case, the adjacent rows of nozzles can be arranged offset from each other in the longitudinal direction, in particular by half a nozzle width, which allows a maximum packing density of the coating agent nozzles in the nozzle head. In addition, the individual rows of nozzles are preferably aligned transversely, in particular at right angles to the feed direction of the nozzle head.

In another embodiment of the invention, the print head has different sized nozzle openings. For example, rows of nozzles with large coating agent nozzles and rows of nozzles with small coating agent nozzles can be arranged alternately in the print head. Again, it may be useful if the rows of nozzles are arranged offset with the larger coating agent nozzles relative to each other, in particular by half a nozzle width.

In another variant of the invention, the print head is rotatably mounted and rotates during the coating. In this case too, the print head can have different sized coating agent nozzles, wherein the smaller coating agent nozzles are preferably arranged closer to the axis of rotation of the print head than the larger coating agent nozzles.

In another variant of the invention, a plurality of printheads are provided, which together by a device (eg a multi-axis robots) are guided and are pivotable relative to each other, allowing an adaptation to curved component surfaces.

It has already been mentioned above that within the scope of the invention, different primary colors of a color system can be mixed in order to obtain a desired color shade, wherein the color mixture can be carried out optionally in a color mixer or on the component surface to be coated. The color system can be either the CMYK color system or the RGB color system, just to name a few examples. However, the invention is not limited to the above examples in terms of the color system used.

Furthermore, it has already been mentioned above that, for example, a special lacquer, a metallic lacquer or a mica lacquer can be used as the effect lacquer.

It may also be advantageous to provide the coming into contact with the coating agent surface areas of the print head (for example, lines) at least partially with a wear-reducing coating, such as a DLC coating (DLC: D iamond- l ike C arbon), a diamond coating, a hard metal or a material combination of a hard and a soft material. Furthermore, the surface areas of the print head which come into contact with the coating agent can be coated with titanium nitride, titanium oxide or chemical nickel or with another layer which is PVC (PVC: P hysical V apour D eposition) in the CVD process (CVD: C hemical V apour D eposition) or in the anodizing process (Eloxal: E lektrolytische oxidation of A lumium) produced or provided with an "easy-to-clean" coating.

Further, to improve the application efficiency of the printhead, electrostatic coating agent charging and / or compressed air assist may be provided.

Another possibility is a position detection which detects the spatial position of the print head and / or the component surface to be coated and controls or regulates the positioning of the print head accordingly.

Currently, there are also efforts to mix automotive coatings directly in the paint shops from 6-10 base pastes. For this purpose, the pastes are mixed in a conventional manner in mixing stations and adjusted the color tones. From these pastes all, used in the automotive industry paints (uni, metallic and mica or effect paints) can be produced. It is conceivable that these pastes are mixed directly in the atomizer or an upstream device. This has the advantage that only the required amount is provided fully automatically directly before or during the application. The dosage of the individual components can be done with the known dosing techniques (pressure regulator, dosing pumps, gear measuring cells, flow cells, piston dispensers, ...). The "mixing space" may be a mixing chamber, a piece of tubing or a mixing system (e.g., Keenix mixer). The problem is the very precise dosage of the individual components to make the exact color. Therefore, a color sensor for controlling the metering unit may be useful.

However, the dosing technique can also be inkjet technology. In this case, the required amount of individual droplets that are dependent on the opening time of the nozzle and the pressure can be generated. These inkjet nozzles in turn mix the color tone in a mixed room.

Furthermore, there is the possibility within the scope of the invention that a sensor is provided which detects the course of a guide track in order to position the print head in relation to the guide track.

In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is mounted on the printhead or on the robot, but in principle other constructions are possible. For example, the sensor can detect the preceding painting track, so that the current painting track can be applied in a specific relative position relative to the preceding painting track. Thus, it is generally desirable that the current coating path is applied at a certain distance parallel to the preceding coating path, which is possible by the sensor detection described above.

In the preferred embodiment, the sensor is an optical sensor, but in principle, other types of sensors are possible.

The aforesaid guideway may also be a separate web which is applied only for guidance purposes and may comprise, for example, a normally invisible color which is visible to the sensor only when illuminated with ultraviolet (UV) or infrared (IR) light.

In this context, there is also the possibility of using a laser measuring system, as is known per se from the prior art. Such a laser measuring system can also detect the distance to the surface of the component to be coated and keep it constant within the scope of a regulation. In this variant of the invention, a robot controller is provided which is connected on the input side to the sensor and on the output side to the robot, wherein the robot controller positions the printhead as a function of the course of the guideway.

In one variant of the invention, the printhead has an enveloped stream nozzle which emits an enveloping stream of air or another gas, the enveloping stream enveloping the coating medium stream emitted from the coating compound nozzle in order to atomize or delineate the coating agent droplets. In addition, this envelope flow in the form of an air curtain can direct the resulting overspray on the component surface, whereby the order efficiency is improved.

In one embodiment of the invention, the print head has a plurality of coating agent nozzles which are arranged side by side with respect to the web direction, wherein the outer coating agent nozzles deliver less coating agent than the inner coating agent nozzles, resulting in a corresponding layer thickness distribution transverse to the web direction. It is not necessarily arranged nozzles in a row. It can be controlled for each nozzle and each pixel, the amount of color. By different amounts of color z. B. also controlled the hue intensity. In this case, there is the possibility that the layer thickness distribution is a Gaussian normal distribution. Alternatively, there is the possibility that the amount of coating agent dispensed from the individual coating agent nozzles is selected such that the layer thickness distribution is a trapezoidal distribution. Such a trapezoidal layer thickness distribution is advantageous because the adjacent coating center webs can overlap each other so that the superposition of the trapezoidal Layer thickness distributions of the adjacent coating center webs leads to a constant layer thickness.

In another embodiment of the invention, the components to be coated are conveyed along a conveying path, which is known per se from the prior art of paint shops and therefore need not be described in detail. In this embodiment, a portal spans the conveying path, wherein on the portal numerous print heads are mounted, which are directed to the components on the conveying path and coat these components.

It should also be mentioned that the coating agent is preferably applied to the component in the form of pixels, the individual pixels each consisting of a plurality of primary colors of a color system in order to achieve a desired hue of the pixel by color mixing. The color mixture may be, for example, a subtractive color mixture, but in principle it is also possible to achieve the desired color shade by additive color mixing. The different basic colors (eg red, green, blue) of the respective color system (eg RGB color system) are arranged in layers in the individual pixels. In such a pixelike application of the coating composition, there is the possibility that the topmost layer of a pixel each has an effect varnish and is semi-transparent, so that the topmost layer achieves the desired effect and at the same time transmits the desired color produced by the underlying layers.

Finally, the invention also includes a corresponding coating method, as already apparent from the above description.

The technology according to the invention can also be used for the targeted coating of cut edges of pre-coated sheets, stamped sheets or for the efficient sealing of seams and edges

Figur 1

eine Querschnittsansicht durch eine herkömmliche Lackieranlage zur Lackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen,

Figur 2

eine Querschnittsansicht durch eine erfindungsgemäße Lackieranlage zur Lackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen mit Druckköpfen als Applikationsgeräte,

Figur 3A

eine Düse des Druckkopfs mit einem Farbwechsler und der zugehörigen Beschichtungsmittelversorgung,

Figur 3B

eine Düsenreihe des Druckkopfs mit mehreren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen und jeweils individuell zugeordneten Farbwechslern,

Figur 4A

eine Düsenreihe mit mehreren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen und einem zugeordneten Farbwechsler

Figur 4B

eine Abwandlung von Figur 4A, wobei der Farbwechsler eingangsseitig nur eine einzige Sonderfarbversorgung aufweist,

Figur 5

eine Abwandlung von Figur 4A, wobei der Farbwechsler eingangsseitig mit einem Farbmischer verbunden ist, der mit den Grundfarben eines Farbsystems versorgt wird,

Figur 6

eine Düsenreihe des Druckkopfs mit mehreren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen, wobei vier der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen jeweils mit einer Grundfarbe eines CMYK-Farbsystems gespeist werden, während die fünfte Beschichtungsmitteldüse von einem Farbwechsler mit einem Effektlack gespeist wird,

Figur 7

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, denen jeweils eine Grundfarbe eines CMYK-Farbsystems zugeordnet ist,

Figur 8

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, denen jeweils ein Farbwechsler und jeweils eine Grundfarbe eines CMYK-Farbsystems zugeordnet ist,

Figur 9

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, denen jeweils eine Grundfarbe eines CMYK-Farbsystems und ein Farbwechsler zugeordnet ist, wobei die Düsenreihen alternativ über einen weiteren Farbwechsler mit einem Effektlack versorgt werden können,

Figur 10

eine Düsenreihe des Druckkopfs, wobei vier benachbarte Beschichtungsmitteldüsen über einen Farbmischer mit einem gemischten Farbton versorgt werden, während die fünfte Beschichtungsmitteldüse über einen Farbwechsler einem Effektlack versorgt wird,

Figur 11

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, die gemeinsam über einen Farbmischer mit einem Mischfarbton versorgt werden,

Figur 12

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs mit jeweils einem Farbwechsler, wobei die Farbwechsler der einzelnen Düsenreihen über einen Farbmischer mit einem Farbmischton versorgt werden,

Figur 13

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, die gemeinsam über einen Farbwechsler und einen Farbmischer mit dem zu applizierenden Beschichtungsmittel versorgt werden,

Figur 14

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, die gemeinsam über eine einzige Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung versorgt werden,

Figur 15

mehrere Düsenreihen des Druckkopfs, wobei die einzelnen Düsen innerhalb der Düsenreihen abwechselnd mit einer ersten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung und einer zweiten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung verbunden sind,

Figur 16

eine Düsenanordnung in einem Druckkopf,

Figur 17

eine alternative Düsenanordnung in dem Druckkopf mit kleineren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen,

Figur 18

eine alternative Anordnung der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen in dem Druckkopf, wobei die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen unterschiedliche Düsengrößen aufweisen,

Figur 19

eine Abwandlung von Figur 18, wobei die Düsenreihen mit den größeren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen versetzt zueinander angeordnet sind,

Figur 20

ein Schema zur Verdeutlichung der Lackierung einer scharfen Kante mit dem erfindungsgemäßen Druckkopf,

Figur 21

einen rotierenden Druckkopf,

Figur 22

eine Druckkopfanordnung mit mehreren verschwenkbaren Druckköpfen zur Anpassung an gekrümmte Bauteiloberflächen,

Figur 23

ein schichtförmig aufgebautes Pixel mit mehreren Schichten in den Grundfarben eines Farbsystems und einer obersten Schicht aus einem Metalliclack,

Figur 24

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Beschichtungseinrichtung mit einem mehrachsigen Roboter, der einen Druckkopf und einen Sensor führt, um den Druckkopf zu positionieren,

Figur 25

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Beschichtungseinrichtung, bei der mehrere Komponenten zu einem Gemisch zusammengemischt werden, wobei der Druckkopf dann das Gemisch appliziert,

Figur 26

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Druckkopfs, der mehrere Komponenten unabhängig voneinander appliziert, wobei die Mischung auf der Bauteiloberfläche erfolgt,

Figur 27

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Druckkopfs mit einer Hüllstromdüse,

Figur 28

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Druckkopfs, bei dem die Beschichtungsmitteltropfen pneumatisch ausgestoßen und beschleunigt werden,

Figur 29

eine schematische Darstellung eins Druckkopfs, der eine trapezförmige Schichtdickenverteilung erzeugt,

Figur 30

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Beschichtungseinrichtung, bei der zahlreiche Druckköpfe an einem Portal angebracht sind,

Figur 31 und 32

Abwandlungen der Figuren 18 und 19 mit einer maximalen Packungsdichte der einzelnen Düsen.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims or are explained in more detail below together with the description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to FIGS. Show it:

FIG. 1

a cross-sectional view through a conventional paint shop for painting automotive body components,

FIG. 2

a cross-sectional view through an inventive paint shop for painting automotive body components with printheads as application devices,

FIG. 3A

a nozzle of the print head with a color changer and the associated coating agent supply,

FIG. 3B

a nozzle row of the printhead having a plurality of coating agent nozzles and individually assigned color changers,

FIG. 4A

a row of nozzles with several coating agent nozzles and an associated color changer

FIG. 4B

a modification of FIG. 4A , wherein the color changer has on the input side only a single spot color supply,

FIG. 5

a modification of FIG. 4A in which the color changer is connected on the input side to a color mixer which is supplied with the primary colors of a color system,

FIG. 6

a nozzle row of the printhead having a plurality of coating agent nozzles, wherein four of the coating agent nozzles are each fed with a base color of a CMYK color system, while the fifth coating agent nozzle is fed by a color changer with an effect varnish,

FIG. 7

several nozzle rows of the print head, each of which is assigned a base color of a CMYK color system,

FIG. 8

a plurality of nozzle rows of the print head, each associated with a color changer and a respective base color of a CMYK color system,

FIG. 9

a plurality of rows of nozzles of the print head, each of which is assigned a base color of a CMYK color system and a color changer, wherein the nozzle rows can be alternatively supplied with an effect varnish via a further color changer,

FIG. 10

a nozzle row of the printhead, wherein four adjacent coating agent nozzles are supplied with a mixed color tone via a color mixer, while the fifth coating agent nozzle is supplied with an effect varnish via a color changer,

FIG. 11

several nozzle rows of the print head, which are supplied together via a color mixer with a mixed color,

FIG. 12

several rows of nozzles of the print head, each with a color changer, wherein the color changer of the individual rows of nozzles are supplied via a color mixer with a color mixing sound,

FIG. 13

several nozzle rows of the print head, which are supplied together via a color changer and a color mixer with the coating agent to be applied,

FIG. 14

several nozzle rows of the print head, which are supplied together via a single coating agent feed line,

FIG. 15

a plurality of rows of nozzles of the print head, wherein the individual nozzles are connected within the nozzle rows alternately with a first coating agent supply line and a second coating agent supply line,

FIG. 16

a nozzle arrangement in a printhead,

FIG. 17

an alternative nozzle arrangement in the printhead with smaller coating agent nozzles,

FIG. 18

an alternative arrangement of the coating agent nozzles in the print head, wherein the coating agent nozzles have different nozzle sizes,

FIG. 19

a modification of FIG. 18 , wherein the rows of nozzles are arranged offset with the larger coating agent nozzles,

FIG. 20

a scheme for clarifying the coating of a sharp edge with the printhead according to the invention,

FIG. 21

a rotating printhead,

FIG. 22

a printhead assembly having a plurality of pivotable printheads for conforming to curved component surfaces;

FIG. 23

a layered pixel with several layers in the primary colors of a color system and a top layer of a metallic paint,

FIG. 24

a schematic representation of a coating device according to the invention with a multi-axis robot, which leads a printhead and a sensor to position the print head,

FIG. 25

1 is a schematic representation of a coating device according to the invention in which a plurality of components are mixed together to form a mixture, wherein the print head then applies the mixture,

FIG. 26

1 is a schematic representation of a printhead according to the invention, which applies a plurality of components independently of one another, wherein the mixture takes place on the component surface,

FIG. 27

a schematic representation of a printhead according to the invention with a jacket nozzle,

FIG. 28

a schematic representation of a printhead according to the invention, in which the coating agent drops are ejected and accelerated pneumatically,

FIG. 29

a schematic representation of a printhead, which generates a trapezoidal layer thickness distribution,

FIG. 30

a schematic representation of a coating device according to the invention, in which numerous print heads are mounted on a portal,

FIGS. 31 and 32

Modifications of the Figures 18 and 19 with a maximum packing density of the individual nozzles.

The cross-sectional view in FIG. 2 shows a painting according to the invention, which partially with the initially described and in FIG. 1 In order to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, the same reference numerals being used for corresponding details.

A special feature of the painting plant according to the invention consists firstly in that the painting robots 3, 4 as application device do not carry rotary atomizers, but rather print heads 8, 9, which have a much greater degree of application efficiency of more than 95% and therefore generate substantially less overspray.

On the one hand, this offers the advantage that in accordance with the conventional paint shop FIG. 1 existing leaching 7 can be dispensed with.

Instead, located in the paint shop according to the invention under the spray booth 2, an air suction 10, which sucks the cabin air through a filter cover 11 down from the spray booth 2. The filter cover 11 filters out the excess air in the cabin air overspray out without the leaching 7 is required as in the conventional painting.

The printheads 8, 9 operate in this embodiment as conventional printheads according to the piezo principle, however, the surface coating performance of the printheads 8, 9 compared to conventional printheads much larger, so that the vehicle body components can be painted with a satisfactory operating speed.

FIG. 3A shows a coating agent nozzle 12, which is arranged in each case in the print heads 8, 9 in addition to numerous other coating agent nozzles, wherein the coating agent nozzle 12 is supplied by a color changer 13 with the coating agent to be applied. On the input side, the color changer 13 is connected to a total of seven coating agent supply lines, of which the color changer 13 can select one for coating agent supply of the coating agent nozzle 12. Four coating agent supply lines of the color changer 13 are used to supply differently colored coating compositions in the primary colors C (cyan), M (magenta), Y (yellow = yellow) and K (key = black). The other three coating agent supply lines of the color changer 13 on the other hand serve to supply a metallic lacquer, a mica lacquer and a special lacquer.

In this embodiment, the desired hue of the coating agent is mixed on the vehicle body component to be coated, with either temporal or local mixing being possible.

In a temporal mixture, for example, successively coating agent droplets in the primary colors C, M, Y and K are applied in the desired color ratio, so that the coating agent droplets then mix on the motor vehicle body component to be coated.

In the case of a local mixture, on the other hand, coating agent droplets of a specific base color C, M, Y or K are applied from the coating agent nozzle 12, which then become on the vehicle body components to be coated with other coating agent droplets mix, which are applied by another, not shown here Beschichtungsmitteldüse.

FIG. 3B shows a modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 3A , wherein a nozzle row with four coating agent nozzles 14.1-14.4 and four color changers 15.1-15.4 is shown.

The color changers 15.1-15.4 are connected in parallel to five coating agent supply lines, via which the color changers 15.1-15.4 are supplied with the four primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system and additionally with a special paint S.

FIG. 4A shows a group of coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.5, which are connected together with the output of a color changer 17 and therefore apply the same coating agent in operation.

The color changer 17 is connected on the input side to seven coating agent supply lines, four of the coating agent supply lines supplying the primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system, while the other three coating agent supply lines supply a metallic lacquer, a mica lacquer or a special lacquer.

The embodiment according to FIG. 4B is largely consistent with that described above and in FIG. 4A illustrated embodiment, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this exemplary embodiment consists firstly in that the color changer 17 is connected on the output side to a total of six coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.6, which thus apply the same coating agent.

Another special feature of this embodiment is that the color changer 17 is connected on the input side only with five coating agent supply lines, four of the coating agent leads the primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system, whereas the fifth coating agent supply line supplies a special paint.

The embodiment according to FIG. 5 partially in accordance with the embodiment FIG. 4A to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein like reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the color changer 17 is connected on the input side to a color mixer 18, wherein the color mixer 18 is connected on the input side to four coating agent supply lines, which supply the four primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system. The color mixer 18 can therefore mix any color from the four primary colors C, M, Y, K and feed the color changer 17.

Furthermore, it can be seen from the drawing that the color changer 17 can optionally supply only the coating agent nozzle 16.1 with the coating agent to be applied or optionally also the coating agent nozzles 16.2, 16.3 and possibly also further coating agent nozzles which are not shown in the drawing.

The embodiment according to FIG. 6 again partially coincides with the embodiments described above, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the adjacent coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.4 are connected directly to a respective coating agent supply line, via which in each case one of the primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system is supplied.

On the other hand, the adjacent coating agent nozzle 16.5 is connected via the color changer 17 to three further coating agent supply lines which supply a metallic lacquer, a mica lacquer or a special lacquer.

In operation, the color changer then selects the desired effect varnish (metallic varnish, mica varnish or special varnish) and applies it via the coating compound nozzle 16.5. In addition, the four primary colors C, M, Y and K of the CMYK color system are applied in the desired ratio via the coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.4. On the component to be coated then mix the primary colors C, M, Y, K with the selected effect varnish.

FIG. 7 shows several nozzle rows 19.1-19.4 with numerous coating agent nozzles 20, wherein the individual nozzle rows 19.1-19.4 each one of the four primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system is assigned. Thus, the coating agent nozzles 20 of the coating agent series 19.1 apply the base color C (cyan), while the coating agent series 19.2 applies the base color M (magenta). The coating agent nozzles In contrast, 20 of the nozzle row 19.3 apply coating agent of the base color Y (yellow = yellow), while the coating agent nozzles 20 of the nozzle row 19.4 apply coating agent of the base color K (key = black).

In addition, the nozzle rows 19.1-19.4 can also apply a special paint S. In the individual nozzle rows 19.1-19.4, therefore, every second of the coating agent nozzles 20 is connected to a special paint supply line. In the individual nozzle rows 19.1-19.4, the individual coating agent nozzles 20 can thus alternately apply the special coating S and one of the four primary colors C, M, Y, K.

FIG. 8 also shows four nozzle rows 21.1-21.4, each comprising numerous coating agent nozzles 22.

Furthermore, in this case four color changer 23.1-23.4 are provided, each supplying all coating agent nozzles 22 of one of the four nozzle rows 21.1-21.4 with a coating agent. Thus, the color changer 23.1 feeds all coating agent nozzles 22 of the nozzle row 21.1, while the color changer 23.2 feeds all coating agent nozzles 22 of the nozzle row 21.2. In contrast, the color changer 23.3 feeds all the coating agent nozzles 22 of the nozzle row 21.3, while the color changer 23.4 supplies all coating agent nozzles 20 of the nozzle row 21.4 with the coating agent to be applied.

On the input side, the color changers 23.1-23.4 are each supplied with a base color C, M, Y, K, so that each of the primary colors C, M, Y, K is assigned to one of the four nozzle rows 21.1-21.4. In addition, the color changer 23.1-23.4 are connected to several special color supply lines, on the special colors, Metallic paints or the like can be supplied.

Also in this nozzle arrangement, a color mixture takes place on the component to be coated.

The embodiment according to FIG. 9 partly in agreement with the one described above and in FIG. 8 illustrated embodiment, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the color changer 23.1-23.4 are connected on the input side together with another color changer 24, wherein the color changer 24 is supplied on the input side with three different effect coatings S1, S2, S3. The color changer 24 thus selects one of the effect coatings S1, S2 or S3 during operation and makes the selected effect coating available to the other color changers 23.1 to 23.4 for selection. The color changer 23.1-23.4 can thus optionally select the respective base color C.M, Y or K or the effect varnish provided by the color changer 24.

The embodiment according to FIG. 10 partially in accordance with the embodiment FIG. 6 to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein like reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.4 are not separated from each other with one of the primary colors C, M, Y and K, respectively be supplied. Rather, the coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.4 supplied together by a color mixer 25 with the coating agent to be applied, the color mixer 25 is supplied on the input side with the primary colors C, M, Y, K of the CMYK color system and mixes a desired color tone according to the control, the then applied by the coating agent nozzles 16.1-16.4.

The embodiment according to FIG. 11 partly in agreement with the one described above and in FIG. 7 illustrated embodiment, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the individual nozzle rows 19.1-19.4 are not supplied with different primary colors, but with a mixed-together coating agent which is mixed together by a color mixer 26 of the primary colors C, M, Y and K.

The embodiment according to FIG. 12 partly in agreement with the one described above and in FIG. 8 illustrated embodiment, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the individual color changer 23.1-23.4 are supplied together with a color mixture which is provided by a color mixer 27, wherein the color mixer 27 is supplied on the input side with the primary colors C, M, Y and K.

FIG. 13 shows a further embodiment of a nozzle arrangement in the print heads 8, 9, wherein here four nozzle rows 28.1-28.4 are shown, each having numerous coating agent nozzles 29. All coating agent nozzles 29 and all coating agent rows 28.1-28.4 are in this case supplied together by a color changer 30 with the same coating agent.

On the input side, the color changer 30 is connected to three special color supply lines via which three special paints S1, S2, S3 are supplied.

In addition, the color changer 30 is connected on the input side to a color mixer 31, which mixes a desired color tone from the primary colors C, M, Y, K and makes it available to the color changer 30 for selection.

The embodiment according to FIG. 14 partly in agreement with the one described above and in FIG. 13 illustrated embodiment, so reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that all coating agent nozzles 29 are connected in all nozzle rows 28.1-28.4 to a common coating agent supply line 31, via which the same coating agent is supplied.

The embodiment according to FIG. 15 partially in accordance with the embodiment FIG. 11 match, so that to Reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the coating agent nozzles 20 in the individual nozzle rows 19.1-19.4 are alternately connected to a first coating agent line 32 and a second coating agent supply line 33.

FIG. 16 shows a nozzle assembly 34 for the print heads 8, 9 of the painting system according to the invention, wherein the arrow indicates the feed direction of the print heads 8, 9, ie the printing direction.

It can be seen from the drawing that the nozzle arrangement 34 has a plurality of nozzle rows 35.1-35.7, each of which comprises a plurality of coating agent nozzles 36.

The coating agent nozzles 36 in this case have a uniformly large nozzle opening within the entire nozzle arrangement 34.

The adjacent rows of nozzles 35.1-35.7 are arranged offset from one another in the longitudinal direction by half a nozzle width, which enables a maximum packing density of the coating agent nozzles 36 within the nozzle arrangement 34.

FIG. 17 shows a modified nozzle assembly 34, which is largely with the above-described and in FIG. 16 the nozzle arrangement shown matches, so that reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description.

A special feature of this embodiment is first that the individual nozzles 36 have a much smaller nozzle size.

Another special feature of this embodiment is that the adjacent rows of nozzles are not arranged offset from one another.

FIG. 18 shows a further embodiment of a nozzle assembly 37 with five parallel nozzle rows 38.1-38.5 with relatively large nozzle openings and four nozzle rows 39.1-39.4 with relatively small nozzle openings.

The embodiment according to FIG. 19 is largely consistent with the embodiment described above FIG. 18 to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein like reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the nozzle rows are 38.1-38.5 offset with the larger nozzle openings in the longitudinal direction to each other and that by half a nozzle width.

FIG. 20 shows a scheme for painting a sharp edge 39. It can be seen that the edge 39 is composed of different sized coating agent surfaces 40, 41, 42, wherein the different sized coating agent surfaces 40-42 are produced by correspondingly different sized coating agent nozzles.

When printing a graphic, larger areas of a hue are printed with the large coating agent nozzles, whereas areas that require some edge sharpness are printed with it small coating agent nozzles are refined. This process is particularly useful for two-tone finishes (two-tone finish, eg the threshold area of a body in contrasting color). The illustration shows a border zone that is printed with three different nozzle sizes.

FIG. 21 schematically shows a rotatable printhead 43 with four large coating agent nozzles 44 and numerous smaller coating agent nozzles 45, wherein the larger coating agent nozzles 44 are arranged outside with respect to the axis of rotation of the printhead 43, while the smaller coating agent nozzles 45 are inside with respect to the axis of rotation of the printhead 43.

Finally shows FIG. 22 a printhead assembly 46 having a total of four print heads 47-50 which are pivotable relative to each other to allow a better fit to the surface of a curved member 51.

FIG. 23 FIG. 5 shows a pixel 52 which can be printed on a component 53 by means of a printing head using the coating method according to the invention, the pixel 52 being shown individually in the drawing for the sake of simplicity. In practice, however, numerous pixels 52 are applied.

The pixel 52 consists of several layers 54-57, which are arranged one above the other.

The three lower layers 55-57 consist of the primary colors red, green and blue of the RGB color system. Alternatively, however, there is also the possibility that the lower layers consist of the primary colors of another color system, such as the CMYK color system. The one above the other Layers 55-57 then produce a specific hue by subtractive color mixing.

The top layer, on the other hand, consists of a semi-transparent metallic lacquer to achieve a metallic effect.
FIG. 24 shows in greatly simplified form a coating device according to the invention with a multi-axis robot 58, which moves a print head 59 along predetermined coating medium paths over a component surface 60, wherein the robot 58 is controlled by a robot controller 61. The robot controller 61 controls the robot 58 in this case in such a way that the print head 59 is guided along the component surface 60 along predetermined coating middle paths, the coating middle webs lying next to one another in a meandering manner.

A special feature here is that an optical sensor 62 is additionally attached to the print head 59, which detects the position and the course of the preceding coating middle web in operation so that the current coating middle web can be aligned exactly on the preceding coating middle web.

FIG. 25 shows in greatly simplified form a variant of a coating device according to the invention with three separate coating agent feeds 63-65, each supplying a component of the coating agent to be applied.

The coating agent feeders 63-65 are connected on the output side to a mixer 66 which mixes the individual components into a coating agent mixture, which is then fed to a print head 67. The mix of different Components of the coating agent thus takes place before application by the print head 67.

FIG. 26 on the other hand shows in simplified form a print head 68, which applies three different components of a coating agent separately from each other on the component surface, wherein the mixture of the individual components takes place only on the component surface.

FIG. 27 shows in schematic form a print head 69 for application of coating agent drops 70 on a component surface 71st

The print head 69 in this case has a coating agent nozzle 72, from which the individual coating agent drops 70 are ejected pneumatically or in any other way.

In addition, the print head 69 has an envelope flow nozzle 73 which annularly surrounds the coating agent nozzle 72 and emits an annular envelope flow surrounding the individual coating agent drops 70.

On the one hand, this serves for atomization or delimitation of the individual coating agent drops 70.

On the other hand, the sheath flow discharged by the sheath current nozzle 73 deflects any overspray in the direction of the component surface 71 and thereby improves the application efficiency.

FIG. 28 also shows a highly simplified form of a printhead 69 according to the invention, which partially with the print head 69 according to FIG. 27 so refer to the above description to avoid repetition with the same reference numerals being used for corresponding details.

A peculiarity of this embodiment is that the individual coating agent drops 70 are pneumatically ejected from the coating agent nozzle 72, wherein the coating agent drops 70 are pneumatically accelerated, whereby the maximum possible Lackierabstand is increased because the individual coating agent drops 70 due to the pneumatic acceleration correspondingly greater genetic energy to have.

FIG. 29 shows in a highly simplified form a printhead 74 in the application of two adjacent coating paths, wherein the position of the print head 74 is designated in the current Lackierbahn without apostrophe, whereas the position of the print head 74 'is marked in the previous Lackierbahn with an apostrophe.

The printhead 74 has a plurality of coating agent nozzles 75 juxtaposed transversely to the web direction, with the outer coating agent nozzles 75 delivering less coating agent than the inner coating nozzles 75. As a result, the printhead 74 creates a trapezoidal layer thickness distribution 76 on the component surface the trapezoidal layer thickness distribution 76 is then superimposed with the likewise trapezoidal layer thickness distribution 76 'of the preceding coating path, which leads to a constant layer thickness.

FIG. 30 shows in simplified form a coating device according to the invention, in which the components to be coated 77 along a linear conveying path 78 through a paint booth be transported, which is known per se from the prior art and therefore need not be described in detail.

The conveying path 78 is in this case spanned by a portal 79, wherein on the portal numerous print heads 80 are mounted, which are directed to the components 77 on the conveying path 78 and coat them with a coating agent.

FIG. 31 shows a modification of FIG. 19 Thus, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

A special feature of this embodiment is the significantly greater packing density of the individual coating agent nozzles.

FIG. 32 shows a modification of FIG. 18 Thus, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding details.

Again, the peculiarity is that the packing density of the individual coating agent nozzles is much larger.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a variety of variants and modifications is possible, which also make use of the inventive idea and therefore fall within the scope.

1. 1. Beschichtungseinrichtung zur Beschichtung von Bauteilen mit einem Beschichtungsmittel, insbesondere zur Lackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen mit einem Lack, mit einem Applikationsgerät, welches das Beschichtungsmittel appliziert, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Applikationsgerät ein Druckkopf (8, 9) ist, der das Beschichtungsmittel aus mindestens einer Beschichtungsmitteldüse (12; 14.1-14.4; 16.1-16.6; 20; 29; 36; 44; 45) ausstößt.
2. 2. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach dem vorhergehenden Absatz, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) ein Bubble-Jet-Druckkopf ist, bei dem die einzelnen Beschichtungsmitteltröpfchen durch eine expandierende Dampfblase ausgestoßen werden, oder
   2. b) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) ein Piezo-Druckkopf ist, bei dem die einzelnen Beschichtungsmitteltröpfchen durch ein Piezoelement ausgestoßen werden, und/oder
   3. c) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) das Beschichtungsmittel in einzelnen Beschichtungsmitteltröpfchen ausstößt, oder
   4. d) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) das Beschichtungsmittel kontinuierlich ausstößt, und/oder
   5. e) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen aufweist, aus denen das Beschichtungsmittel ausgestoßen wird, und/oder
   6. f) dass der Druckkopf ein Airless-Druckkopf ist, und/oder
   7. g) dass der Druckkopf ein Airbrush-Druckkopf ist, und/oder
   8. h) dass ein Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen des Druckkopfs (8, 9) das Beschichtungsmittel kontinuierlich ausstößt, wohingegen ein anderer Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen des Druckkopfs (8, 9) das Beschichtungsmittel in einzelnen Beschichtungsmitteltröpfchen ausstoßen, und/oder
   9. i) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) von einem mehrachsigen Roboter positioniert wird, und/oder
   10. j) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) eine Flächenbeschichtungsleistung von mindestens 1m²/min, 2m²/min, 3m²/min oder 4m²/min, 5m²/min aufweist, und/oder
   11. k) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) einen Auftragswirkungsgrad von mehr als 80%, 90% oder 95% aufweist, und/oder
   12. l) dass die Luftsinkgeschwindigkeit in der Lackierkabine (2) im Betrieb kleiner ist als 0,3m/s, 0,2m/s, 0,1 m/s, 70cm/s oder 50cm/s, und/oder
   13. m) dass der Druckkopf von einer Maschine positioniert wird, insbesondere von einer Dachmaschine oder einer Seitenmaschine, und/oder
   14. n) dass der Druckkopf das Beschichtungsmittel pneumatisch ausstößt.
3. 3. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   1. a) dass der Lack flüssig ist und feste Lackbestandteile enthält, insbesondere Pigmente und Metallic-Flakes, und/oder
   2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüse (12; 14.1-14.4; 16.1-16.6; 20; 29; 36; 44; 45) des Druckkopfs (8, 9) hinreichend groß ist, um den Lack mit den darin befindlichen festen Lackbestandteilen zu applizieren.
4. 4. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 2) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   1. a) dass das Applikationsgerät (8, 9) in einer Lackierkabine (2) angeordnet ist, in der die Bauteile mit dem Beschichtungsmittel beschichtet werden, und/oder
   2. b) dass unter der Lackierkabine (2) keine Auswaschung (7) angeordnet ist, die bei herkömmlichen Lackieranlagen Overspray aus der in der Lackierkabine (2) befindlichen Kabinenluft auswäscht, und/oder
   3. c) dass die Beschichtungseinrichtung nicht explosionsgeschützt ist, und/oder
   4. d) dass eine Luftabsaugung (10) vorgesehen ist, die Kabinenluft aus der Lackierkabine (2) nach unten und/oder durch seitliche Kanäle absaugt, und/oder
   5. e) dass ein Luftfilter (11) vorgesehen ist, der stromaufwärts vor der Luftabsaugung (10) angeordnet ist und den Overspray aus der Kabinenluft filtert, und/oder
   6. f) dass der Luftfilter (11) als eine Filterdecke ausgebildet ist, die am Boden der Lackierkabine (2) angeordnet ist, so dass die Kabinenluft durch die Filterdecke (11) hindurch aus der Lackierkabine (2) nach unten abgesaugt wird.
5. 5. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 3A) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, gekennzeichnet durch
   1. a) dass dem Druckkopf (8, 9) mindestens ein Farbwechsler (13) zugeordnet ist, der ausgangsseitig mit dem Druckkopf (8, 9) verbunden ist und eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln versorgt wird, so dass der Farbwechsler (13) eines der Beschichtungsmittel auswählt und den Druckkopf (8, 9) mit dem ausgewählten Beschichtungsmittel speist, und/oder
   2. b) dass der Farbwechsler (13) eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems versorgt wird, und/oder
   3. c) dass der Farbwechsler (13) eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Sonderlacken versorgt wird, und/oder
   4. d) dass der Farbwechsler (13) eine einzige Beschichtungsmitteldüse des Druckkopfs (8, 9) mit dem ausgewählten Beschichtungsmittel versorgt.
6. 6. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 3B) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   1. a) dass dem Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Farbwechsler (15.1-15.4) zugeordnet sind, die eingangsseitig jeweils mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln versorgt werden und ausgangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (14.1-14.4) des Druckkopfs (8, 9) verbunden sind, so dass die Farbwechsler (15.1-15.4) jeweils eines der Beschichtungsmittel auswählen und der jeweiligen Beschichtungsmitteldüse (14.1-14.4) zuführen, und/oder
   2. b) dass die Farbwechsler (15.1-15.4) jeweils eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems versorgt werden, und/oder
   3. c) dass die Farbwechsler (15.1-15.4) jeweils eingangsseitig mit einem einzigen Sonderlack oder mit verschiedenen Sonderlacken versorgt werden, und/oder
   4. d) dass die einzelnen Farbwechsler (15.1-15.4) jeweils eine einzige Beschichtungsmitteldüse (14.1-14.4) mit dem ausgewählten Beschichtungsmittel speisen.
7. 7. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B) nach Absatz 5 oder 6, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Farbwechsler (17) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.6) gemeinsam mit dem ausgewählten Beschichtungsmittel versorgt.
8. 8. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 4B) nach Absatz 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die von dem Farbwechsler (17) gemeinsam versorgten Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.6) in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) in einer Reihe angeordnet sind, insbesondere in einer Zeile oder einer Spalte.
9. 9. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 5) nach einem der Absätze 5 bis 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
   1. a) dass dem Druckkopf (8, 9) ein Farbmischer (18) zugeordnet ist, der ausgangsseitig mit dem Farbwechsler (17) oder den Farbwechslern verbunden ist und eingangsseitig mit verschiedenfarbigen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems versorgt wird, und/oder
   2. b) dass der Farbwechsler (17) eingangsseitig nicht nur mit dem Farbmischer (18) verbunden ist, sondern eingangsseitig auch mit einem einzigen Sonderlack oder mehreren Sonderlacken versorgt wird.
10. 10. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 6) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.4) aufweist, die über jeweils eine Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung mit verschiedenfarbigen Beschichtungsmitteln mit jeweils einer Grundfarbe (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems versorgt werden, und/oder
    2. b) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mindestens eine zusätzliche Beschichtungsmitteldüse (16.5) aufweist, die über eine separate Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung mit einem Sonderlack versorgt wird, und
    3. c) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.5) für die Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) und für den Sonderlack räumlich so in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) angeordnet sind, dass die Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) mit dem Sonderlack auf dem zu beschichtenden Bauteil zu dem gewünschten Farbton mit dem gewünschten Effekt gemischt werden, und/oder
    4. d) dass der Sonderlack dem Druckkopf (8, 9) über einen Farbwechsler (17) zugeführt wird, der eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Sonderlacken versorgt wird.
11. 11. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 7) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, und/oder
    2. b) dass den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) jeweils eine Grundfarbe eines Farbsystems zugeordnet ist, so dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen der jeweiligen Düsenreihe (19.1-19.4) mit einem Beschichtungsmittel der jeweiligen Grundfarbe versorgt werden, und/oder
    3. c) dass jeweils mehrere benachbarte Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) Beschichtungsmittel in den verschiedenen Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) des Farbsystems applizieren, und
    4. d) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen und die Beschichtungsmittelreihen in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) so angeordnet sind, dass sich die Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) auf dem zu beschichtenden Bauteil mischen.
12. 12. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 7) nach Absatz 11, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass ein Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) jeweils das Beschichtungsmittel der jeweiligen Grundfarbe appliziert,
       und/oder
    2. b) dass ein anderer Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) jeweils einen Sonderlack appliziert, und/oder
    3. c) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) jeweils abwechselnd an eine die Grundfarbe zuführende Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung und an eine den Sonderlack zuführende Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung angeschlossen sind.
13. 13. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 8) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) jeweils innerhalb jeder Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) miteinander verbunden sind und somit dasselbe Beschichtungsmittel ausstoßen, und/oder
    3. c) dass dem Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) zugeordnet sind, die eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln versorgt werden, und/oder
    4. d) dass die einzelnen Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) ausgangsseitig mit jeweils einer der Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) verbunden sind und die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) der betreffenden Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) mit demselben Beschichtungsmittel versorgen, und/oder
    5. e) dass die Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) der einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) eingangsseitig jeweils mit einer Grundfarbe eines Farbsystems versorgt werden, so dass mehrere benachbarte Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) alle Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) des Farbsystems applizieren können, und/oder
    6. f) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (22) und die Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) so angeordnet sind, dass sich die Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) auf dem zu beschichtenden Bauteil mischen, und/oder
    7. g) dass die Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) eingangsseitig mit einem Sonderlack versorgt werden, so dass die Farbwechsler für zugehörige Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) die jeweilige Grundfarbe oder den Sonderlack auswählen können.
14. 14. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 9) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen jeweils innerhalb jeder Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) miteinander verbunden sind und somit dasselbe Beschichtungsmittel ausstoßen, und/oder
    3. c) dass den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) jeweils ein Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) zugeordnet ist, der die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen der jeweiligen Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) gemeinsam mit einem bestimmten Beschichtungsmittel versorgt, und/oder
    4. d) dass die den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordneten Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) eingangsseitig mit jeweils einer Grundfarbe eines Farbsystems versorgt wird, so dass mehrere benachbarte Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zusammen alle Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) des Farbsystems applizieren, und/oder
    5. e) dass die den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordneten Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) eingangsseitig mit einem weiteren Farbwechsler (24) verbunden sind, der einen von mehreren Sonderlacken auswählt und den Farbwechslern zuführt, die den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordnet sind, und/oder
    6. f) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen und die Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) so angeordnet sind, dass sich die Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) auf dem zu beschichtenden Bauteil mischen.
15. 15. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 10) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.5) aufweist,
    2. b) dass ein erster Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.5) des Druckkopfs (8, 9) von einem Farbmischer (25) gespeist wird, der eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems versorgt wird und ein Beschichtungsmittel mit einem gewünschten Farbton mischt, und/oder
    3. c) dass ein anderer Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (16.1-16.5) des Druckkopfs (8, 9) von einem Farbwechsler (17) gespeist wird, der eingangsseitig mit verschiedenen Sonderlacken versorgt wird.
16. 16. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 11) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, wobei jede Düsenreihe (19.1-19.4) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) enthält, und/oder
    2. b) dass ein erster Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) in den Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) mit einer gemeinsamen Sonderfarbzuleitung verbunden ist, durch die ein Sonderlack zugeführt wird, und/oder
    3. c) dass ein zweiter Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) in den Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) mit einem gemeinsamen Farbmischer verbunden ist, der eingangsseitig mit verschiedenfarbigen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben eines Farbsystems versorgt wird.
17. 17. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 12) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, wobei jede Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen enthält, und/oder
    2. b) dass den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) jeweils ein Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) zugeordnet ist, der die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) der jeweiligen Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) gemeinsam mit einem bestimmten Beschichtungsmittel versorgt, und/oder
    3. c) dass die den Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordneten Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) eingangsseitig mit mindestens einer Sonderfarbzuleitung verbunden sind, über die ein Sonderlack zugeführt wird, und/oder
    4. d) dass die den Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordneten Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) eingangsseitig gemeinsam mit einem Farbmischer (27) verbunden sind, der eingangsseitig mit mehreren verschiedenfarbigen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems gespeist wird und einen Lack mit einem gewünschten Farbton aus den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) mischt, und/oder
    5. e) dass die den einzelnen Düsenreihen (21.1-21.4) zugeordneten Farbwechsler (23.1-23.4) wahlweise den Sonderlack oder den gemischten Lack für die jeweilige Düsenreihe (21.1-21.4) auswählen.
18. 18. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 13) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (29) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (28.1-28.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (29) der verschiedenen Düsenreihen (28.1-28.4) gemeinsam von einem Farbwechsler (30) gespeist werden, und/oder
    3. c) dass der Farbwechsler (30) eingangsseitig an mehrere Sonderfarbzuleitungen angeschlossen ist, durch die dem Farbwechsler (30) Sonderlacke zugeführt werden, und/oder
    4. d) dass der Farbwechsler (30) eingangsseitig an einen Mischer (31) angeschlossen ist, der mit verschiedenfarbigen Beschichtungsmitteln in den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) eines Farbsystems gespeist wird und einen Lack mit einem gewünschten Farbton mischt, und/oder
    5. e) dass der Farbwechsler (30) wahlweise einen der Sonderlacke oder den von dem Mischer (31) gemischten Lack auswählt und den Beschichtungsmitteldüsen zuführt.
19. 19. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 14) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (29) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (28.1-28.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, wobei jede Düsenreihe mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (29) enthält, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (29) der verschiedenen Düsenreihen(28.1-28.4) gemeinsam mit einer Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (31) verbunden sind, über die das zu applizierende Beschichtungsmittel zugeführt wird, und/oder
    3. c) dass die gemeinsame Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (31) von einem Farbwechsler gespeist wird.
20. 20. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 15) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) aufweist, die in mehreren Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) angeordnet sind, insbesondere matrixförmig in Zeilen und Spalten, wobei jede Düsenreihe mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) enthält, und/oder
    2. b) dass ein erster Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) gemeinsam mit einer ersten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (32) verbunden ist, und/oder
    3. c) dass ein zweiter Teil der Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) gemeinsam mit einer zweiten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (33) verbunden ist, und/oder
    4. d) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (20) in den einzelnen Düsenreihen (19.1-19.4) abwechselnd mit der ersten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (32) und mit der zweiten Beschichtungsmittelzuleitung (33) verbunden sind.
21. 21. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 16, Fig. 17) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) zahlreiche Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (36) aufweist, die in parallelen Düsenreihen (35.1-35.7) angeordnet sind, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (36) des Druckkopfs (8, 9) im Wesentlichen gleich groß sind, und/oder
    3. c) dass die benachbarten Düsenreihen (35.1-35.7) in Längsrichtung zueinander versetzt sind, insbesondere um eine halbe Düsenbreite, und/oder
    4. d) dass die Düsenreihen (35.1-35.7) quer, insbesondere rechtwinklig, zur Vorschubrichtung des Düsenkopfs ausgerichtet sind.
22. 22. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 18) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) zahlreiche Beschichtungsmitteldüsen aufweist, die in parallelen Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) angeordnet sind, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Beschichtungsmitteldüsen innerhalb der einzelnen Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) jeweils eine im Wesentlichen einheitliche Düsengröße aufweisen, und/oder
    3. c) dass die verschiedenen Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) unterschiedlich große Düsenöffnungen aufweisen, und/oder
    4. d) dass in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) jeweils abwechselnd Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5) mit großen Düsenöffnungen und Düsenreihen (39.1-39.5) mit kleinen Düsenöffnungen angeordnet sind, und/oder
    5. e) dass die Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) quer, insbesondere rechtwinklig, zur Vorschubrichtung des Düsenkopfs ausgerichtet sind.
23. 23. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 19) nach Absatz 22, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass die Düsenreihen (38.1-38.5) mit den großen Düsenöffnungen in dem Druckkopf (8, 9) in Längsrichtung zueinander versetzt sind, insbesondere um eine halbe Düsenbreite, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Düsenreihen (39.1-39.5) mit den kleinen Düsenöffnungen in dem Düsenkopf in Längsrichtung nicht zueinander versetzt sind.
24. 24. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 21) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9, 43) um eine Drehachse drehbar gelagert ist und sich während der Beschichtung oder zwischen aufeinander folgenden Beschichtungsvorgängen dreht, und/oder
    2. b) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9, 43) verschieden große Beschichtungsmitteldüsen aufweist, und/oder
    3. c) dass die kleineren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (45) näher an der Drehachse des Druckkopfs (8, 9, 43) angeordnet sind als die größeren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (44).
25. 25. Beschichtungseinrichtung (Fig. 22) nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass zur Beschichtung gekrümmter Bauteiloberflächen mehrere Druckköpfe (47-50) vorgesehen sind, die relativ zueinander schwenkbar sind.
26. 26. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass das Farbsystem ein CMYK-Farbsystem ist mit den Grundfarben (C, M, Y, K) Cyan, Magenta, Gelb und Schwarz, oder
    2. b) dass das Farbsystem ein RGB-Farbsystem ist mit den Grundfarben Rot, Gelb und Blau.
27. 27. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Sonderlack ein Effektlack, ein Metallic-Lack oder ein Mica-Lacke ist.
28. 28. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die mit dem Beschichtungsmittel in Kontakt kommenden Oberflächenbereiche des Druckkopfs (8, 9) mindestens teilweise mit einer verschleißmindernden Beschichtung versehen sind, insbesondere mit einer DLC-Beschichtung, einer Diamantbeschichtung, einem Hartmetall oder einer Materialkombination aus einem harten und einem weichen Material.
29. 29. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, gekennzeichnet durch eine elektrostatische Beschichtungsmittelaufladung und/oder eine Druckluftunterstützung zur Verbesserung des Auftragswirkungsgrads des Druckkopfs (8, 9).
30. 30. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, gekennzeichnet durch eine Positionserkennung zur Erfassung der räumlichen Position des Druckkopfs (8, 9) und/oder der zu beschichtenden Bauteiloberfläche.
31. 31. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, gekennzeichnet durch
    1. a) einen mehrachsigen Roboter (58) zur Positionierung des Druckkopfs (59),
    2. b) einen Sensor (62), der zusammen mit dem Druckkopf (59) von dem Roboter (58) positioniert wird und den Verlauf einer Führungsbahn auf dem zu beschichtenden Bauteil (60) erfasst,
    3. c) eine Robotersteuerung (61), die eingangsseitig mit dem Sensor (62) und ausgangsseitig mit dem Roboter (58) verbunden ist, wobei die Robotersteuerung (61) den Druckkopf (59) in Abhängigkeit von dem Verlauf der Führungsbahn positioniert.
32. 32. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach Absatz 31,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Sensor (62) ein optischer Sensor ist, und/oder
    2. b) dass die Führungsbahn eine zuvor applizierte Beschichtungsmittelbahn ist, oder
    3. c) dass die Führungsbahn ein Beschichtungsmittel enthält, das nur bei Beleuchtung mit UV-Licht oder IR-Licht erkennbar ist.
33. 33. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (69) eine Hüllstromdüse (73) aufweist,
    2. b) dass die Hüllstromdüse (73) einen Hüllstrom aus Luft oder einem anderen Gas abgibt, und
    3. c) dass der Hüllstrom das aus der Beschichtungsmitteldüse abgegebene Beschichtungsmittel umhüllt.
34. 34. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (74) mehrere Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (75) aufweist, die bezüglich der Bahnrichtung nebeneinander angeordnet sind,
    2. b) dass die äußeren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (75) weniger Beschichtungsmittel abgeben als die inneren Beschichtungsmitteldüsen (75).
35. 35. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach Absatz 34,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (74) eine Beschichtungsmittelbahn mit einer bestimmten Schichtdickenverteilung (76) quer zur Bahnrichtung appliziert, und
    2. b) dass die Schichtdickenverteilung (76) eine trapezförmige Verteilung oder eine Gaußsche Normalverteilung ist.
36. 36. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, gekennzeichnet durch
    1. a) einen Förderweg (78), entlang dem die Bauteile (77) gefördert werden,
    2. b) ein Portal (79), das den Förderweg (78) quer überspannt,
    3. c) zahlreiche Druckköpfe (80), die an dem Portal (79) angebracht sind und auf die Bauteile (77) auf dem Förderweg (78) gerichtet sind.
37. 37. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Druckkopf (67) eingangsseitig mit einem Farbmischer (66) verbunden ist, der mehrere Komponenten mischt und dem Druckkopf (67) zuführt.
38. 38. Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Absätze, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Druckkopf (68) mehrere, vorzugsweise drei, verschiedene Komponenten getrennt voneinander ausstößt, so dass sich die Komponenten erst auf der Bauteiloberfläche mischen.
39. 39. Beschichtungsverfahren zur Beschichtung von Bauteilen mit einem Beschichtungsmittel, insbesondere zur Lackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen mit einem Lack, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Beschichtungsmittel mit einem Druckkopf (8, 9) appliziert wird, insbesondere mit einer Beschichtungseinrichtung nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche.
40. 40. Beschichtungsverfahren nach Absatz 39,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass zur Innenlackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen ein Zerstäuber eingesetzt wird, wohingegen zur Außenlackierung der Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteile zumindest teilweise der Druckkopf (8, 9) eingesetzt wird, oder
    2. b) dass zur Außenlackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen ein Zerstäuber eingesetzt wird, wohingegen zur Innenlackierung der Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteile zumindest teilweise der Druckkopf (8, 9) eingesetzt wird, oder
    3. c) dass zur Karossenlackierung von Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteilen ein Zerstäuber eingesetzt wird, wohingegen zur Dekorlackierung der Kraftfahrzeugkarosseriebauteile zumindest teilweise der Druckkopf (8, 9) eingesetzt wird.
41. 41. Beschichtungsverfahren nach einem der Absätze 39 bis 40, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) bei einer Flächenbeschichtung von großen Flächen rotiert, um eine gleichmäßige Beschichtung zu erreichen und/oder
    2. b) dass der Druckkopf (8, 9) bei einer Detaillackierung von kleinen Details oder Grafiken nicht rotiert, um eine hohe Ortsauflösung zu erreichen.
42. 42. Beschichtungsverfahren nach einem der Absätze 39 bis 41, gekennzeichnet durch folgende Schritte:
    1. a) Erfassung der räumlichen Position des Druckkopfs (8, 9) und/oder der zu beschichtenden Bauteiloberfläche,
    2. b) Steuerung und/oder Regelung der räumlichen Position des Druckkopfs (8, 9) in Abhängigkeit von der ermittelten Position.
43. 43. Beschichtungsverfahren nach einem der Absätze 39 bis 42, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Flächenbeschichtungsleistung zu einer Beschichtungsgrenze (39) hin verringert wird, um einen scharfen Verlauf der Beschichtungsgrenze (39) zu erreichen.
44. 44. Beschichtungsverfahren nach einem der Absätze 39 bis 43, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass das Beschichtungsmittel in Form von Pixeln (52) auf das Bauteil (53) appliziert wird, und
    2. b) dass die einzelnen Pixel (52) jeweils mehrere Grundfarben (55-57) eines Farbsystems enthalten, um durch Farbmischung einen gewünschten Farbton zu erzielen, und/oder
    3. c) dass die verschiedenen Grundfarben (55-57) in den einzelnen Pixeln (52) jeweils schichtförmig übereinander angeordnet sind.
45. 45. Beschichtungsverfahren nach Absatz 44,
    dadurch gekennzeichnet,
    1. a) dass die einzelnen Pixel (52) eine oberste Schicht (54) aus einem Effektlack aufweisen, und/oder
    2. b) dass die oberste Schicht (54) aus dem Effektlack halbtransparent ist.

* * * * *The invention also includes in particular the following items:

1. 1. Coating device for coating components with a coating agent, in particular for the coating of motor vehicle body components with a paint, with an application device, which applies the coating agent, characterized in that the application device is a print head (8, 9), the coating means of at least one Coating agent nozzle (12; 14.1-14.4; 16.1-16.6; 20; 29; 36; 44; 45).
2. 2. Coating device according to the preceding paragraph, characterized
   1. a) that the print head (8, 9) is a bubble jet print head in which the individual coating agent droplets are ejected by an expanding vapor bubble, or
   2. b) that the print head (8, 9) is a piezo print head, in which the individual coating agent droplets are ejected by a piezoelectric element, and / or
   3. c) that the print head (8, 9) ejects the coating agent in individual coating agent droplets, or
   4. d) that the print head (8, 9) continuously ejects the coating agent, and / or
   5. e) that the print head (8, 9) comprises a plurality of coating agent nozzles, from which the coating agent is ejected, and / or
   6. f) that the print head is an airless print head, and / or
   7. g) that the printhead is an airbrush printhead, and / or
   8. h) that part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head (8, 9) continuously expels the coating agent, whereas another part of the coating agent nozzles of the print head (8, 9) the coating agent eject in individual coating agent droplets, and / or
   9. i) that the print head (8, 9) is positioned by a multi-axis robot, and / or
   10. j) that the print head (8, 9) has a surface coating power of at least 1m ² / min, 2m ² / min, 3m ² / min or 4m ² / min, 5m ² / min, and / or
   11. k) that the print head (8, 9) has an order efficiency of more than 80%, 90% or 95%, and / or
   12. l) that the air sinking speed in the paint booth (2) during operation is less than 0.3 m / s, 0.2 m / s, 0.1 m / s, 70 cm / s or 50 cm / s, and / or
   13. m) that the print head is positioned by a machine, in particular a roof machine or a side machine, and / or
   14. n) that the print head ejects the coating agent pneumatically.
3. 3. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
   1. a) that the paint is liquid and contains solid paint components, in particular pigments and metallic flakes, and / or
   2. b) that the coating agent nozzle (12; 14.1-14.4; 16.1-16.6; 20; 29; 36; 44; 45) of the print head (8, 9) is sufficiently large to apply the paint with the solid paint constituents therein.
4. 4. Coating device ( Fig. 2 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
   1. a) that the application device (8, 9) is arranged in a painting booth (2) in which the components are coated with the coating agent, and / or
   2. b) that under the spray booth (2) no leaching (7) is arranged, which washes overspray from the cabin air located in the spray booth (2) in conventional paint shops, and / or
   3. c) that the coating device is not explosion-proof, and / or
   4. d) that an air extraction (10) is provided, the cabin air from the spray booth (2) sucks down and / or through lateral channels, and / or
   5. e) that an air filter (11) is provided, which is arranged upstream of the air exhaust (10) and filters the overspray from the cabin air, and / or
   6. f) that the air filter (11) is formed as a filter cover, which is arranged at the bottom of the spray booth (2), so that the cabin air is sucked through the filter cover (11) from the spray booth (2) down.
5. 5. Coating device ( Fig. 3A ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized by
   1. a) that the printhead (8, 9) at least one color changer (13) is associated with the output side of the printhead (8, 9) and the input side is supplied with different coating agents, so that the color changer (13) selects one of the coating agent and feeding the print head (8, 9) with the selected coating agent, and / or
   2. b) that the color changer (13) on the input side is supplied with different coating agents in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of a color system, and / or
   3. c) that the color changer (13) is supplied on the input side with various special coatings, and / or
   4. d) that the color changer (13) supplies a single coating agent nozzle of the print head (8, 9) with the selected coating agent.
6. 6. Coating device ( Fig. 3B ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
   1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of color changer (15.1-15.4) are assigned to the input side are each supplied with different coating agents and the output side with different coating agent nozzles (14.1-14.4) of the print head (8, 9) are connected, so that each of the color changer (15.1-15.4) select one of the coating agent and the respective coating agent nozzle (14.1-14.4) supply, and / or
   2. b) that the color changers (15.1-15.4) are each supplied on the input side with different coating compositions in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of a color system, and / or
   3. c) that the color changers (15.1-15.4) are each supplied on the input side with a single special varnish or with different special varnishes, and / or
   4. d) that the individual color changers (15.1-15.4) each feed a single coating agent nozzle (14.1-14.4) with the selected coating agent.
7. 7. Coating device ( Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B ) according to paragraph 5 or 6, characterized in that the color changer (17) supplies several coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.6) together with the selected coating agent.
8. 8. Coating device ( Fig. 4B ) According to clause 7, characterized in that the (from the color changer 17) supplied in common coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.6) in the printhead (8, 9) are arranged in a row, in particular in a row or a column.
9. 9. Coating device ( Fig. 5 ) according to any one of paragraphs 5 to 8, characterized
   1. a) that the printing head (8, 9) is associated with a color mixer (18) whose output is connected to the color changer (17) or the color changer and the input side with different colored coating agents in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of a color system is supplied, and / or
   2. b) that the color changer (17) on the input side is not only connected to the color mixer (18), but is also supplied on the input side with a single special coating or several special coatings.
10. 10. Coating device ( Fig. 6 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.4), which are supplied via a respective coating agent supply line with different colored coating agents each having a base color (C, M, Y, K) of a paint system, and / or
    2. b) that the print head (8, 9) at least one additional coating agent nozzle (16.5), which is supplied via a separate coating agent supply line with a special paint, and
    3. c) that the coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.5) for the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) and for the special paint are spatially arranged in the print head (8, 9) such that the primary colors (C, M, Y, K ) are mixed with the special paint on the component to be coated to the desired color with the desired effect, and / or
    4. d) that the special paint is fed to the print head (8, 9) via a color changer (17), which is supplied on the input side with various special coatings.
11. 11. Coating device ( Fig. 7 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) which are arranged in a plurality of nozzle rows (19.1-19.4), in particular in a matrix form in rows and columns, and / or
    2. b) that the individual nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) is assigned in each case a base color of a color system, so that the coating agent nozzles of the respective row of nozzles (19.1-19.4) are supplied with a coating agent of the respective base color, and / or
    3. c) that in each case several adjacent nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) apply coating agents in the different primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of the paint system, and
    4. d) that the coating agent nozzles and the coating agent rows in the print head (8, 9) are arranged so that mix the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) on the component to be coated.
12. 12. Coating device ( Fig. 7 ) according to paragraph 11, characterized
    1. a) that a part of the coating agent nozzles (22) in the individual rows of nozzles (19.1-19.4) each apply the coating agent of the respective base color,
       and or
    2. b) that a different part of the coating agent nozzles (22) in the individual nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) each applied a special paint, and / or
    3. c) that the coating agent nozzles (22) in the individual rows of nozzles (19.1-19.4) alternately to a the Base color supplying coating agent supply line and are connected to a special paint supplying coating agent supply line.
13. 13. Coating device ( Fig. 8 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (22) which are arranged in a plurality of rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4), in particular in a matrix form in rows and columns, and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles (22) in each case within each row of nozzles (21.1-21.4) are interconnected and thus eject the same coating agent, and / or
    3. c) that the print head (8, 9) are associated with a plurality of color changer (23.1-23.4), which are supplied on the input side with different coating agents, and / or
    4. d) that the individual color changer (23.1-23.4) on the output side with one of the nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) are connected and the coating agent nozzles (22) of the nozzle row (21.1-21.4) supply with the same coating agent, and / or
    5. e) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) of the individual rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) on the input side are each supplied with a primary color of a color system, so that several adjacent nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) all primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of Can apply color system, and / or
    6. f) that the coating agent nozzles (22) and the nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) are arranged in the print head (8, 9) so that the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) mix on the component to be coated, and / or
    7. g) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) are supplied on the input side with a special paint, so that the color changer For associated nozzle row (21.1-21.4) you can select the respective base color or the special varnish.
14. 14. Coating device ( Fig. 9 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) which are arranged in a plurality of rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4), in particular in a matrix form in rows and columns, and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles are in each case interconnected within each nozzle row (21.1-21.4) and thus eject the same coating agent, and / or
    3. c) that the individual rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) in each case a color changer (23.1-23.4) is assigned, which supplies the coating agent nozzles of the respective nozzle row (21.1-21.4) together with a certain coating agent, and / or
    4. d) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) assigned to the individual rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) is supplied on the input side with a respective base color of a color system, so that several adjacent rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) together all the primary colors (C, M, Y, K ) Apply the color system, and / or
    5. e) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) assigned to the individual rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) are connected on the input side to a further color changer (24) which selects one of several special finishes and feeds it to the color changers corresponding to the individual nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) are assigned, and / or
    6. f) that the coating agent nozzles and the nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) are arranged in the print head (8, 9), that the basic colors (C, M, Y, K) mix on the component to be coated.
15. 15. Coating device ( Fig. 10 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) has a plurality of coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.5),
    2. b) that a first part of the coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.5) of the print head (8, 9) is fed by a color mixer (25), which is supplied on the input side with various coating agents in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of a color system and mixing a coating agent with a desired hue, and / or
    3. c) that another part of the coating agent nozzles (16.1-16.5) of the print head (8, 9) is fed by a color changer (17), which is supplied on the input side with various special coatings.
16. 16. Coating device ( Fig. 11 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) which are arranged in a plurality of rows of nozzles (19.1-19.4), in particular matrix form in rows and columns, each row of nozzles (19.1-19.4) containing a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) , and or
    2. b) that a first part of the coating agent nozzles (20) in the nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) is connected to a common spot color feed line, through which a special paint is supplied, and / or
    3. c) that a second part of the coating agent nozzles (20) in the nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) is connected to a common color mixer, the input side with different colors Coating is supplied in the primary colors of a color system.
17. 17. Coating device ( Fig. 12 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) has a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) which are arranged in a plurality of nozzle rows (21.1-21.4), in particular matrix-shaped in rows and columns, each nozzle row (21.1-21.4) containing a plurality of coating agent nozzles, and / or
    2. b) that the individual rows of nozzles (21.1-21.4) in each case a color changer (23.1-23.4) is assigned, which supplies the coating agent nozzles (20) of the respective row of nozzles (21.1-21.4) together with a certain coating agent, and / or
    3. c) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) associated with the nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) are connected on the input side to at least one special color feed line, via which a special paint is supplied, and / or
    4. d) that the nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) associated color changer (23.1-23.4) on the input side together with a color mixer (27) are fed on the input side with several different colored coating agents in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) fed a color system and mixes a varnish having a desired color tone from the primary colors (C, M, Y, K), and / or
    5. e) that the color changer (23.1-23.4) assigned to the individual nozzle rows (21.1-21.4) selects either the special paint or the mixed paint for the respective nozzle row (21.1-21.4).
18. 18. Coating device ( Fig. 13 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (29) which are arranged in a plurality of nozzle rows (28.1-28.4), in particular in a matrix form in rows and columns, and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles (29) of the various nozzle rows (28.1-28.4) are fed together by a color changer (30), and / or
    3. c) that the color changer (30) is connected on the input side to a plurality of special color supply lines through which the color changer (30) special coatings are supplied, and / or
    4. d) that the color changer (30) on the input side to a mixer (31) is connected, which is fed with different colored coating agents in the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) of a color system and mixes a paint with a desired hue, and / or
    5. e) that the color changer (30) selectively selects one of the special paints or the varnish mixed by the mixer (31) and supplies it to the coating agent nozzles.
19. 19. Coating device ( Fig. 14 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (29) which are arranged in a plurality of nozzle rows (28.1-28.4), in particular matrix-shaped in rows and columns, each row of nozzles containing a plurality of coating agent nozzles (29), and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles (29) of the various rows of nozzles (28.1-28.4) are connected together with a coating agent supply line (31), via which the coating agent to be applied is supplied, and / or
    3. c) that the common coating agent supply line (31) is fed by a color changer.
20. 20. Coating device ( Fig. 15 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20) which are arranged in a plurality of rows of nozzles (19.1-19.4), in particular matrix form in rows and columns, each row of nozzles containing a plurality of coating agent nozzles (20), and / or
    2. b) that a first part of the coating agent nozzles (20) in the individual nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) is connected together with a first coating agent supply line (32), and / or
    3. c) that a second part of the coating agent nozzles (20) in the individual nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) is connected together with a second coating agent supply line (33), and / or
    4. d) that the coating agent nozzles (20) in the individual nozzle rows (19.1-19.4) are alternately connected to the first coating agent supply line (32) and to the second coating agent supply line (33).
21. 21. Coating device ( Fig. 16 . Fig. 17 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) numerous coating agent nozzles (36) which are arranged in parallel rows of nozzles (35.1-35.7), and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles (36) of the print head (8, 9) are substantially equal in size, and / or
    3. c) that the adjacent rows of nozzles (35.1-35.7) are offset in the longitudinal direction to each other, in particular by half a nozzle width, and / or
    4. d) that the nozzle rows (35.1-35.7) are aligned transversely, in particular at right angles, to the feed direction of the nozzle head.
22. 22. Coating device ( Fig. 18 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) numerous coating agent nozzles, which are arranged in parallel rows of nozzles (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5), and / or
    2. b) that the coating agent nozzles within the individual nozzle rows (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) each have a substantially uniform nozzle size, and / or
    3. c) that the different nozzle rows (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) have different sized nozzle openings, and / or
    4. d) that in the print head (8, 9) in each case alternately rows of nozzles (38.1-38.5) are arranged with large nozzle openings and nozzle rows (39.1-39.5) with small nozzle openings, and / or
    5. e) that the nozzle rows (38.1-38.5, 39.1-39.5) are aligned transversely, in particular at right angles, to the feed direction of the nozzle head.
23. 23. Coating device ( Fig. 19 ) according to paragraph 22, characterized
    1. a) that the nozzle rows (38.1-38.5) with the large nozzle openings in the print head (8, 9) are offset in the longitudinal direction to each other, in particular by half a nozzle width, and / or
    2. b) that the nozzle rows (39.1-39.5) with the small nozzle openings in the nozzle head in the longitudinal direction are not offset from one another.
24. 24. Coating device ( Fig. 21 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9, 43) is rotatably mounted about a rotation axis and rotates during the coating or between successive coating operations, and / or
    2. b) that the print head (8, 9, 43) has different sized coating agent nozzles, and / or
    3. c) that the smaller coating agent nozzles (45) are arranged closer to the axis of rotation of the print head (8, 9, 43) than the larger coating agent nozzles (44).
25. 25. Coating device ( Fig. 22 ) according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that for the coating of curved component surfaces a plurality of print heads (47-50) are provided, which are pivotable relative to each other.
26. 26. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the color system is a CMYK color system with the primary colors (C, M, Y, K) cyan, magenta, yellow and black, or
    2. b) that the color system is an RGB color system with the primary colors red, yellow and blue.
27. 27. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the special lacquer is an effect lacquer, a metallic lacquer or a mica lacquer.
28. 28. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the surface areas of the print head (8, 9) coming into contact with the coating agent are at least partially provided with a wear-reducing coating, in particular with a DLC coating, a diamond coating, a hard metal or a material combination of a hard and a soft material.
29. 29. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized by an electrostatic coating agent charging and / or a compressed air assistance to improve the order efficiency of the print head (8, 9).
30. 30. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized by a position detection for detecting the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) and / or the component surface to be coated.
31. 31. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized by
    1. a) a multi-axis robot (58) for positioning the print head (59),
    2. b) a sensor (62) which is positioned together with the print head (59) by the robot (58) and detects the course of a guideway on the component to be coated (60),
    3. c) a robot controller (61) which is connected on the input side to the sensor (62) and on the output side to the robot (58), wherein the robot controller (61) positions the print head (59) in dependence on the course of the guide path.
32. 32. Coating device according to paragraph 31,
    characterized,
    1. a) that the sensor (62) is an optical sensor, and / or
    2. b) that the guideway is a previously applied coating middle web, or
    3. c) that the guideway contains a coating agent that is visible only when illuminated with UV light or IR light.
33. 33. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (69) has an envelope flow nozzle (73),
    2. b) that the sheath flow nozzle (73) emits an envelope stream of air or another gas, and
    3. c) that the envelope stream envelops the coating agent emitted from the coating agent nozzle.
34. 34. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (74) has a plurality of coating agent nozzles (75) which are arranged next to one another with respect to the web direction,
    2. b) that the outer coating agent nozzles (75) emit less coating agent than the inner coating agent nozzles (75).
35. 35. Coating device according to paragraph 34,
    characterized,
    1. a) that the print head (74) a coating agent web with a certain layer thickness distribution (76) applied transversely to the web direction, and
    2. b) that the layer thickness distribution (76) is a trapezoidal distribution or a Gaussian normal distribution.
36. 36. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized by
    1. a) a conveying path (78) along which the components (77) are conveyed,
    2. b) a portal (79) spanning across the conveying path (78),
    3. c) a plurality of print heads (80) which are attached to the portal (79) and are directed to the components (77) on the conveying path (78).
37. 37. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the print head (67) is connected on the input side with a color mixer (66) which mixes a plurality of components and the print head (67) supplies.
38. 38. Coating device according to one of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that the print head (68) several, preferably three, different components ejected separately, so that the components mix only on the component surface.
39. 39. coating method for coating components with a coating agent, in particular for painting motor vehicle body parts with a coating, characterized in that the coating medium with a print head (8, 9) is applied, in particular with a coating device according to one of the preceding claims.
40. 40. coating method according to paragraph 39,
    characterized,
    1. a) that for the interior painting of motor vehicle body components, a nebulizer is used, whereas at least partially the print head (8, 9) is used for exterior painting of the motor vehicle body components, or
    2. b) that for the exterior painting of motor vehicle body components, a nebulizer is used, whereas for the interior painting of the motor vehicle body components at least partially the print head (8, 9) is used, or
    3. c) that for spray painting of motor vehicle body components an atomizer is used, whereas at least partially the print head (8, 9) is used for decorative painting of the motor vehicle body components.
41. 41. Coating method according to one of paragraphs 39 to 40, characterized
    1. a) that the print head (8, 9) rotates in a surface coating of large areas in order to achieve a uniform coating and / or
    2. b) that the print head (8, 9) does not rotate in a detail painting of small details or graphics in order to achieve a high spatial resolution.
42. 42. Coating method according to one of paragraphs 39 to 41, characterized by the following steps:
    1. a) detection of the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) and / or the component surface to be coated,
    2. b) controlling and / or regulating the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) in dependence on the determined position.
43. 43. Coating method according to one of paragraphs 39 to 42, characterized in that the surface coating power is reduced towards a coating boundary (39) in order to achieve a sharp progression of the coating boundary (39).
44. 44. Coating method according to one of the paragraphs 39 to 43, characterized
    1. a) that the coating agent in the form of pixels (52) is applied to the component (53), and
    2. b) that the individual pixels (52) each contain a plurality of primary colors (55-57) of a color system in order to achieve a desired hue by color mixing, and / or
    3. c) that the different primary colors (55-57) in the individual pixels (52) are each layered one above the other.
45. 45. the coating process referred to in paragraph 44,
    characterized,
    1. a) that the individual pixels (52) have an uppermost layer (54) of an effect varnish, and / or
    2. b) that the uppermost layer (54) of the effect lacquer is semitransparent.

* * * * *

Claims (21)

Coating device for coating motor vehicle body components with a multi-axis robot (3, 4), on whose multi-axis robot hand an application device is mounted, which applies the coating agent,
characterized in that the application device is a print head (8, 9, 74) which ejects the coating agent from a plurality of coating agent nozzles (75) which are arranged side by side with respect to the direction of an applied coating web,
and that the outer coating agent nozzles (75) emit less coating agent than the inner coating agent nozzles (75). Coating device according to claim 1, characterized in that the print head (74) applies a coating agent web with a layer thickness distribution (76) transversely to the web direction, which is a trapezoidal distribution or a Gaussian normal distribution. Coating device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the print head (8, 9) has different sized coating agent nozzles. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coating agent nozzles (75) are arranged in a row. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the coating agent nozzles (75) of the print head (8, 9, 74) are connected together with a coating agent supply line, via which the coating agent to be applied is supplied. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the print head (8, 9) has a surface coating power of at least 1m ² / min, 2m ² / min, 3m ² / min, 4m ² / min or 5m ² / min. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims with a painting booth, characterized in that the air sinking speed in the painting booth (2) during operation is less than 0.3 m / s, 0.2 m / s, 0.1 m / s, 70 cm / s or 50cm / s. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized
in that the coating agent is liquid paint and contains pigments, metallic flakes or other solid paint constituents, and that the coating agent nozzles of the print head (8, 9) are sufficiently large to apply the paint with the solid paint constituents therein. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized a) that the print head (8, 9) is arranged in a painting booth (2) in which the components are coated with the coating agent, b) that under the spray booth (2) no washout (7) is arranged, which washes out overspray from the booth air in the spray booth (2) in conventional paint shops, c) that the coating device is not explosion-proof, d) that an air extraction (10) is provided, the cabin air from the spray booth (2) sucks down and / or through lateral channels, and / or e) that an air filter (11) is provided upstream of the air exhaust (10) and filters the overspray from the cabin air, and the air filter (11) is formed as a filter cover, arranged at the bottom of the paint booth (2) is, so that the cabin air is sucked through the filter cover (11) through the paint booth (2) down. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized
that the common coating agent supply line is fed by a color changer. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized
in that the print head (8, 9, 43) is rotatably mounted about an axis of rotation and rotates during the coating or between successive coating operations, and / or that smaller coating agent nozzles (45) are located closer to the axis of rotation of the print head (8, 9, 43) are arranged as the larger coating agent nozzles (44). Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a plurality of application devices are provided, which are designed as printheads,
and / or that for the coating of curved component surfaces a plurality of print heads (47-50) are provided, which are preferably pivotable relative to each other. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by an electrostatic coating agent charge and / or a compressed air support for improving the order efficiency of the print head (8, 9). Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a position detection for detecting the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) and / or the component surface to be coated. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by
a sensor (62) which is positioned together with the print head (59) by the robot (58) and detects the course of a guideway on the component (60) to be coated, and a robot controller (61) which is connected to the sensor ( 62) and output side connected to the robot (58), wherein the robot controller (61) positions the print head (59) in dependence on the course of the guideway. Coating device according to claim 15,
characterized,
that the sensor (62) is an optical sensor, and / or that the guideway is a previously applied coating middle web, or
that the guideway contains a coating agent that is visible only when illuminated with UV light or IR light. Coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized
that the print head (69) has a Hüllstromdüse (73)
that the Hüllstromdüse (73) to add a co-flow of air or another gas, and
that the sheath flow envelops the Beschichtungsmitteldüse discharged from the coating agent. Printhead of the coating device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized
that the print head (74) having a plurality of coating agent nozzles (75) which are arranged next to each other with respect to a track direction,
and that the outer coating agent nozzles (75) emit less coating agent than the inner coating agent nozzles (75). A coating method for coating motor vehicle body components, wherein the coating agent is applied with a print head (8, 9, 74) which is mounted on the multi-axis robot hand of a multi-axis robot (3, 4) and ejects the coating agent from a plurality of coating agent nozzles (75),
and wherein the coating agent nozzles (75) of the print head (8, 9, 74) are juxtaposed with respect to the direction of an applied coating web and the outer coating agent nozzles (75) emit less coating agent than the inner coating agent nozzles (75). Coating method according to claim 19, characterized in that the coating agent nozzles (75) of the print head (8, 9, 74) are connected together to a coating agent supply line, via which the coating agent to be applied is supplied. Coating method according to claim 19 or 20, characterized by the following steps: a) detection of the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) and / or the component surface to be coated, b) controlling and / or regulating the spatial position of the print head (8, 9) in dependence on the determined position.

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