IES20000044A2

IES20000044A2 - An apparatus and system for pre-treating articles prior to spray painting

Info

Publication number: IES20000044A2
Application number: IE20000044A
Authority: IE
Inventors: James O'gorman; Patrick Woods
Original assignee: Nypro Res And Developments Ltd
Priority date: 1999-01-20
Filing date: 2000-01-20
Publication date: 2000-10-04
Also published as: IE990044A1; IE20000042A1; GB0001255D0; GB2346098A; GB2346098B; IES20000043A2; IES20000045A2

Abstract

A plurality of mobile telephone mouldings (21) are mounted to a frame (20) by releasable mounting clips (28). The frames (20) are releasably mounted to a trolley (3). The trolley (3) is used to deliver the frames (20) through an accessway to a treatment area (5) maintained under positive pressure to exclude contaminants. The frames (20) are removed from the trolley (3) and delivered to a pretreatment unit (6) in which the mouldings (21) are brushed with brushes (75), heated using infra red heaters (76) and high velocity de-ionised air is then applied through nozzles (77). The frames (20) of pretreated mouldings (20) are then delivered to spray paining booths (7,8,9). After painting, the mouldings (21) are cured and delivered from the treatment area (5) on a trolley (3). <Figures 18 & 20>

Description

The invention relates to a method for spray painting a plurality of individual articles such as for painting moudlings for mobile telephones and the like. The invention also relates to a system for use in the method of the invention.

Spray painting of articles on an industrial scale is especially difficult because of the hazardous nature of the chemicals used and the consequent health and safety issues that arise. To overcome these difficulties enclosed spray booths are used. However, problems arise in preparing articles to be painted. These problems are especially difficult in the case of a plurality of relatively small articles to be painted.

There is therefore a need for a spray painting method and a system for use in the method which will aheviate at least some of these problems.

Statements of Invention According to the invention there is provided apparatus for pretreatmg articles to be painted comprising: brush means for brushing at least the major surfaces of articles mounted on a frame; heating means for heating the brushed articles; and an air system for directing a stream of air against the heated articles on the frame to remove contaminants; IE 000044 NYPR04/C/IES1 -2In one embodiment of the invention the air system comprises means for directing a stream of air at the heated articles, suction means for drawing air containing contaminants removed from the articles to a filter which filters the air and an air recycle line for recycling filtered air to be applied to following heated articles.

Preferably the apparatus includes a conveyor on which a frame containing a plurality of articles to be pre-treated are hung for leading through the brush means, heating means, and the air stream.

The invention also provides a painting system comprising a pretreatment apparatus of the invention, a spray painting booth for receiving a frame containing pre-treated articles for painting and curing means for curing the spray painted articles.

In one preferred embodiment the spray painting booth includes a robotic handler for receiving a frame of pre-treated articles, for directing the frame for painting of the articles, and for directing the frame containing the painted articles for removal.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which: , Fig. 1 is a schematic view of a system for painting articles according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a mounting frame used in the system of the invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting detail of the frame; Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of the mounting detail of the frame; IE 000044 NYPR04/C/IES1 -3Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the front of one portion of the mounting; Fig. 6 is a perspective view from the rear of the mounting portion of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another portion of the mounting; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an article to be painted; Fig. 9 is an enlarged front view of a number of the articles mounted on a frame; Fig. 10 is a front view of a frame having a plurality of articles mounted thereto; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of a trolley for receiving a plurality of the frames; Fig. 12 is a front view of a detail of the trolley on an enlarged scale; Fig. 13 is a front view of the trolley with frames in position; Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a corner detail of the loaded trolley; Fig. 15 is a view of another detail of the trolley; Fig. 16 is a cross sectional view of a handle detail of the trolley; Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the handle of Fig. 16; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of a pretreatment unit used in the method and system of the invention; IE 000044 NYPRO4/C/IES1 -4Fig. 19 is a side view of the unit ofFig. 18; and Fig 20 is a plan view of the unit ofFig. 18.

Detailed Description Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 there is illustrated a method and system for spray painting a plurality of individual articles such as mouldings for mobile phones. In the invention a plurality of articles are releasable mounted on support frames at loading stations 1,2. The frames with articles in place are then loaded onto a trolley 3 which is delivered through an accessway into a treatment area 5 which is maintained under positive pressure to exclude contaminants. A trolley 3 with the frames in place is then delivered to a pretreatment unit 6. The frames are unloaded, passed through the pretreatment unit 6 and, after pretreatment the frames with the pretreated articles are re-loaded unto a trolley 3. The trolleys 3 with the frames containing pretreated articles are then delivered to one of three spray painting booths 7, 8, 9. At each booth a frame is taken from a trolley 3 and mounted on a robotic handler which takes the frame into the booth for painting of the articles. In some cases the different booths 7, 8, 9 may be used to apply different coats of paint. For example, a primer coat may be applied in booths 7 or 9 and a finishing coat applied in booth 8. After painting, frames containing the painted articles are loaded onto a trolley 3 and delivered to a curing oven 10. After curing, the trolley 3 with frames containing the cured articles are delivered from the positive pressure sterile area 5 through an accessway. The frames containing the painted articles are removed from the trolley, and the painted articles are de-mounted from the frames, ready for assembly.

Referring to Figs. 2 to 10 there is illustrated one frame 20 for mounting a plurality of articles, in this case mobile telephone moulding 21, to be processed as described above. The frame 20 is of generally rectilinear shape having a pair of side frame members 22, 23 and a plurality of spaced-apart cross members 25 interconnecting IE 000044 NYPR04/C/IES1 -5the side members 22, 23. Each of the cross members 25 has a plurality of spacedapart pre-drilled locating holes 27 to each of which a releasable mounting clip 28 is attached. The releasable mounting means is a plastics component having a pair of spaced-apart rearwardly projecting clip portions 29 which clip onto the cross member 25 as illustrated. A spud 30 of the mounting clip 28 engages in the locator hole 27, on mounting to the cross member 25. The releasable mounting clip 28 has two main engagement portions for engaging adjacent articles mounted to the frame. An upper engagement portion 32 of the mounting clip 28 is engagable in a battery charger port of the moulding 21 as illustrated in Fig. 9. A separate mounting pin 35 is retained by a curved holding arm 36 extending from the mounting clip 28. The pin 35 engages an aerial port 38 of an adjacent moulding 21 as illustrated particularly in Fig. 9. Further removable clip portions 41, 42 hold two parts of the casing 21 together and cover parts which are note to be painted.

The frame 20 also includes two T-shaped lugs 47 for mounting to a trolley 3.

Referring now to Figs. 11 to 17 there is illustrated a trolley 3 which is used for releasably mounting the frames 20. The trolley 3 in this case has a chassis 50 with wheels 51 for ease of moving the trolley 3 as described above. The trolley 3 has an upper tier 52A for receiving an upper hank of frames 20 and a lower tier 52B for receiving a lower bank of frames 20. Each of the tiers 52A, 52B has two downwardly opening rails 54 for receiving the mounting lugs 47 of the frames 20. Each tier receives a plurality of rails 54 loaded with articles to be painted. Spacer means for retaining adjacent frames 20 in a tier in spaced-apart relation is in this case provided by spacers 60 which are hingedly mounted to the trolley frame for movement between a swung-in spacing configuration as illustrated in Fig. 14 to a swung out release position.

End retaining means for retaining the outermost frames 20 in position on the trolley 3 are provided by side arms 65 which are pivotally movable from the retaining position illustrated in Fig. 14 to a release position illustrated in Fig. 12.

IE 000044 YPRO4/C/IES1 -6 The free ends of the rails 34 are also closed by stops 67 which are pivotally movable from a release position shown in Figs. 11 and 12 to a locking position illustrated in Fig. 13.

Releasable handles 68 are used to lift the frame of wet painted components from the spray booth to the trolley. The handle 68 has clip portions 69 which releasably engage adjacent frame cross members 25 as illustrated in Fig. 16.

Referring to Figs. 18 to 20 there is illustrated a pretreatment or preparation unit 6 for pretreating the articles prior to painting. The unit 6 includes a base 70 with trolley wheels 71 and upstanding supports 72 which support an overhead conveyor 73 with hooks 74 on which frames 20 containing articles to be pretreated are hung. The pretreatment unit 6 has brushes 75 for initially cleaning the articles on the frame 20 followed by a heating means in the form of banks of infra red heaters 76 which heat the brushed articles. Nozzles 77 direct a high velocity stream of deionised air against the heated brushed articles to remove contaminants. The contaminants are drawn away from the unit 6 by a suction duct 78. The suction air containing the contaminants is drawn through a filter 79 in which the contaminants are filtered from the air and purified air is recycled by a pump 80 which directs a stream of the filtered air against a following frame having a plurality of brushed and heated articles. The brushes, heaters and nozzles may all be adjusted to accommodate various article and treatment conditions.

The invention provides an integrated system for highly efficient handling, pretreating and spray painting of a plurality of relatively small articles such as mouldings for mobile telephones.

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

IE 000044yPRO4/C/IESI

Claims

1. Apparatus for pretreating articles to be painted comprising: brush means for brushing at least the major surfaces of articles mounted on a frame; heating means for heating the brushed articles; and an air system for directing a stream of air against the heated articles on the frame to remove contaminants;

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the air system comprises means for directing a stream of air at the heated articles, suction means for drawing air containing contaminants removed from the articles to a filter which filters the air and an air recycle line for recycling filtered air to be applied to following heated articles.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 including a conveyor on which a frame containing a plurality of articles to be pre-treated are hung for leading through the brush means, heating means, and the air stream.

4. A painting system comprising a pretreatment apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, a spray painting booth for receiving a frame containing pre-treated articles for painting and curing means for curing the spray painted articles.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4 wherein the spray painting booth includes a robotic handler for receiving a frame of pre-treated articles, for directing the frame for painting of the articles, and for directing the frame containing the painted articles for removal. IE 000044 IE 000044 4-7 ΐ ζ *ΐ Ξ ΐ ΞΞ ^ == κ : ^ = ΐ = 2-2> / 22. 3ΈΞ IE 000044 IE 000044 /G./3 IE 000044 IE 000044 IE 000044 IE 000044 e>/e>