JP2001259484A - Electrostatic coated non-conductive bottle - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and device for electrostatically coating, particularly electrostatically coating a non-conductive article. SOLUTION: The device and method is for electrostatically coating the non- conductive article, particularly a non-conductive vessel and bottle and has an electrostatic dispenser arranged particularly one side of the article and an electrode existing in the article side facing the coating dispenser and having a different potential from the potential of the coating dispenser and the electrode preferably has plural separated conductive projecting parts extending therefrom and arranged, for example, in an opening part of the non-conductive vessel.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to electrostatic coating, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for electrostatic coating non-conductive articles.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Electrostatic coating of non-conductive articles is generally known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,274 entitled "Electrostatic coating of charged paint particles on a dielectric support"
No. 1 has an electrostatic capacitor having a pointed electrode and having a screw-like projection disposed in the non-conductive bottle and projecting from the sharp electrode for drawing the charged paint to the outer surface of the non-conductive bottle. A coating device is disclosed.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a new method and apparatus for electrostatically coating non-conductive articles which improves and overcomes the problems in the prior art.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel electrostatic coating method and apparatus for conductive articles having improved efficiency.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel electrostatic coating method and apparatus having an improved coating coating, especially on non-conductive articles, such as non-conductive bottles.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel electrostatic coating method for non-conductive containers having an electrode with a plurality of bristles disposed within the container for drawing the charged paint to the outer surface of the container. It is to provide a device.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel electrostatic coating method and apparatus for a non-conductive container having an electrode made of water contained in the container to draw the charged paint to the outer surface of the container. Is to provide.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, there is generally provided an electrostatic dispenser on one side of a non-conductive article, and an electrical dispenser on the side of the article opposite the paint dispenser. Electrodes of different potentials,
And a novel apparatus for electrostatically coating non-conductive articles having a plurality of separate conductive protrusions from which the electrodes extend.

According to the present invention, there is provided an electrostatic coating dispenser, generally on one side of the article, and a conductive fluid on the side of the article opposite the coating dispenser and having a potential different from the potential of the coating dispenser; The present invention provides a novel apparatus for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article, comprising:

[0010] These and other objects, aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the invention and the accompanying drawings, which may not be appropriate for ease of understanding. It will be completely clear. Similar structures and steps are generally referred to by corresponding numbers and numerals.

[0011]

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 10 for electrostatically coating non-conductive articles, such as glass, plastic and other dielectric materials, particularly non-conductive containers having openings. In the illustrated application, the container is a plastic bottle 20 having a neck portion 22 with an opening.

Apparatus 10 generally comprises an electrostatic coating dispenser 30 for dispensing charged paint supplied from a source 32 toward non-conductive articles, such as Aerobel 3 by ITW Lancesburg of Indianapolis, Indiana.
Has three painting machines. The coating dispenser 30 is connected to a high voltage power supply 34 that generally applies an electrostatic charge to the coating.

In FIG. 1, an electrostatic coating dispenser 3
An electrode 50 at a potential different from the zero potential is typically located on the side of the non-conductive article opposite the paint dispenser 30 and thereby attracts the charged paint to the non-conductive article.
In the illustrated application, the electrode 50 is at least partially disposed within the non-conductive container or bottle 20, thus drawing the charged paint to the outer surface of the container.

In the exemplary embodiment, electrode 50 is connected to ground potential by conductive element 51. The electrodes 50 and conductors 51 may be mounted, for example, on an insulated workpiece holder 60 suitable for holding the container 20 during a painting operation, as is known to those skilled in the art.

[0015] The electrodes generally have a plurality of separate conductive protrusions extending therefrom. Separate conductive protrusions
Preferably having a pointed tip, in some embodiments the plurality of discrete projections are a plurality of conductive bristles.

In the exemplary embodiment, the electrode has an axial member 52 having a tip 53 and a plurality of bristles 54 projecting substantially radially from the axial member 52. For some applications, including the exemplary bottle coating example, the electrodes may be in the form of commercially available metal brushes.

In the exemplary bottle coating application, the electrode and its bristles are at least partially formed by the neck portion 22 of the bottle 20.
Is placed inside.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the conductive fluid 70
It is placed in the non-conductive container 20 and is in electrical contact with the conductive element 51 of the workpiece holder 60 holding the non-conductive container. The workpiece holder 60 may be formed with a seal member for preventing leakage of the conductive fluid when the container 20 is turned upside down, or the workpiece holder may be formed so that the container 20 is suspended upright. You may.

In one embodiment, the conductive fluid is water, but other conductive fluids and conductive additives may alternatively be used. In some applications, the non-conductive container 20 is filled with a conductive fluid.

The conductive fluid 70 generally draws the charged paint dispensed from the coating dispenser 30 into the non-conductive container 20 so that the paint adheres relatively efficiently to the outer surface of the container.

While the foregoing description of the invention will allow those skilled in the art to make and use what is currently considered the best mode of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain embodiments described herein may be modified. , Combinations and equivalents will be understood and appreciated. Therefore, the present invention should be limited not by the exemplary embodiment described herein, but by any embodiment within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exemplary apparatus for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article.

FIG. 2 is a modified electrode configuration for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Electrostatic coating apparatus 20 Bottle 22 Neck 30 Electrostatic coating dispenser 32 Supply source 34 High voltage power supply 50 Electrode 51 Conductor 52 Axial member 53 Tip 60 Workpiece holder 70 Conductive fluid

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor John A Brand Jr. 43613 Toledo Trimble Road, Ohio, United States 2747 (72) Inventor Joshua Dee White, Ohio 43614 Toledo Eastgate Road 2643 Apartment 12

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article, comprising: an electrostatic coating dispenser disposed on one side of the article; and a static dispenser disposed on a side of the article opposite the coating dispenser. An electrode having a potential different from that of the electropainting dispenser, the electrode having a plurality of separate conductive protrusions extending therefrom. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein the separate projections are a plurality of conductive bristles. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the electrode has an axial member with a tip, and the plurality of bristles project substantially radially from the axial member. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the non-conductive article is a bottle having a neck with an opening, and wherein the electrodes are at least partially disposed within the bottle. 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is a metal brush. 6. The device of claim 1, wherein the separate projections have pointed tips. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive article is a container having an opening, and wherein the electrode is disposed within the container. 8. An apparatus for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article, comprising: an electrostatic coating dispenser; a non-conductive container having an opening; and a non-conductive container having a potential different from the potential of the dispenser. , A conductive fluid. 9. The workpiece holder has a conductive element at a potential different from that of the dispenser, the non-conductive container is held by the workpiece holder, and the conductive fluid in the non-conductive container is electrically conductive to the conductive element of the workpiece holder. 9. The device of claim 8 in electrical contact with the device. 10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the conductive fluid is water. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the non-conductive container is filled with a conductive fluid. 12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the non-conductive container is a bottle having a neck with an opening. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the bottle is filled with a conductive fluid. 14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the bottle is made of plastic. 15. The device according to claim 12, wherein the conductive fluid is water. 16. A method for electrostatically painting a non-conductive article, comprising: dispensing a charged paint with an electrostatic dispenser toward the side of the non-conductive article; and a side of the article facing the coating dispenser. A method of attracting a paint to a non-conductive article provided with an electrode having a plurality of separate conductive protrusions, and a method of applying the paint to a surface of the non-conductive article. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-conductive article is a container having an opening, and wherein the non-conductive container is provided with an electrode having a plurality of separate conductive protrusions having a sharp tip disposed in the container. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein 18. The non-conductive article is a bottle having a neck portion with an opening, wherein the paint is drawn to the bottle with an electrode having a plurality of brushes protruding substantially radially from an axial member. 17. A method according to claim 16, wherein is placed at the neck of the bottle. 19. A method for electrostatically coating a non-conductive article, comprising: dispensing a charged paint from an electrostatic dispenser to a container; and distributing the charged paint to a container having a potential different from the potential of the dispenser contained in the container. A method comprising: drawing a paint into a container containing a conductive fluid; and applying the paint to an outer surface of a non-conductive container. 20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the paint is drawn to a conductive container filled with water.