MXPA00011371A - Pressure feed coating application system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is a device and a method of applying a coating to a web. The device comprises a feed nozzle (2) coupled to stiffener (11) coupled to a spring (30) coupled to a feed nozzle slide position/force adjuster (17). The feed nozzle (2) comprises a fluid reservoir (12), a feed pipe (6), a metering surface (4), end seals (27) and a back seal (3). The stiffener spring, as the frame deflects and polymer covered rolls deform, permits the rotation of the feed nozzle (2) so a proper geometry is maintained, permitting increased control and a wider film thickness control range for a specific nozzle shape. This device permits greater film thickness control, ability to process at much higher speeds than currently achievable, and a wider range of film thickness. This device permits coatings to be applied at much wider ranges of rheological characteristics. Coatings can be applied at higher percent solids with improved characteristics.

Description

SYSTEM OF APPLICATION OF COATING OF FOOD TO PRESSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a device that is a pressurized feed coating application device for applying coatings such as, but not limited to; water-based or solvent-based coatings to networks such as, but not limited to steel, aluminum, cloth, paper or film.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION This is a significantly different way much simpler to apply a coating to a network such as, but not limited to, a network of aluminum, steel fabrics, paper or film. The previous technique that it replaces includes: 2,761, 419 04/9/56 Torpey et al 3,526,528 01/9/70 Takahashi er at 3,884.61 1 20/5/75 Anderson ef at 3,940,221 24/2/76 Nissel 4,332,543 01 / 6/82 Fulton et al 4,480,898 06/1 1/84 Talor 5,234,500 10/10/93 Korokayl 5,320,679 14/6/94 Derezinski et al 5,329,964 19/7/94 Derezinski ef at 5,395,653 3/7/95 Baum 5,743,964 28/4 / 98 Pankake As can be seen from the above, this is a well-attended technique. U.S. Patent 5,743,964 exemplifies the prior art cylinder liner. The rest of the patents referred to above comprise various nozzle and groove approaches, which includes slots combined with cameras. The primary technology for application of the film at 1 milligram / square inch to 30 + milligram / square inch of fluid on a substrate at speeds greater than 250 ft / min comprises a process known as cylinder coating. This consists of collecting a fluid out of an open vessel with a collector cylinder or feeding the fluid by gravity at a higher clamping point. The fluid is then transferred from that cylinder to the next or is transmitted through a point of attachment of the next cylinder. Eventually the fluid is transferred from a cylinder to the substrate. Another commonly used approach for applying the fluid to a substrate comprises the use of a nozzle or slot. This process is normally limited to speeds of approximately 200 feet / minute. The fluid can be deposited in a cylinder to be transferred to the substrate or directly on the substrate with this method. The coating that is collected outside a vessel, sprayed or fed by a point of attachment is exposed to ambient conditions and the atmosphere. This allows to "dry" or "heal", the evaporation of volatiles that contribute to product variability and environmental contamination, "foaming", and wetting. Numerous other defects are also associated with uncontrollable and unstable fluid dynamics that occur at the point of entry of the cylinder into the fluid contained in the vessel, the point of exit of the cylinder out of the fluid in the vessel, or the point of attachment. The point of restraint means the point of extriction between cylinders. Some of these defects are often classified as omitted, marine littorals, grooved, salient, empty, perched, or patches. Fluid collected outside a vessel is liable to be thrown from the cylinder terminals creating a safety risk, product defects, and mess. The appearance and thickness of the applied fluid is governed by a very complex relationship between equipment configuration, equipment assemblies, and fluid characteristics. Some of these variables include a number of cylinders, cylinder rotation direction, cylinder material, cylinder finish, cylinder diameter, cylinder hardness, cylinder geometry, clamping point pressures, fluid viscosity, and fluid rheology. . The relationships of all these variables in the cylinder coating process now provide a relatively small window for the successful application of the specific fluid to a specific thickness. Fluids are often applied at viscosities of 10 to 500 centistokes depending on the thickness of film applied. This requires the addition of a large volume of carrier fluid solvents in many cases. As these large volumes of solvents evaporate into the atmosphere, this is very undesirable from an environmental point of view. The processing of the above process should also be done in a manner to achieve the desired film thickness while minimizing a appearance defect known as grooving in the cylinder coating process. Typically the fluids are reduced in viscosity and long emptying zones are provided. These emptying zones allow the projections to be leveled outwards. The uses of open vessels create greater limitations for rapid, repeatable product changes. Typically, a product change for a vessel feeding system requires between 10 minutes and several hours. In order to achieve product changes in less than 30 minutes, additional investments of millions of dollars in capital equipment and intense work in main network processing lines are mandatorily assigned. As will be seen from the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, these and other limitations and defects of the prior art are remedied by the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a device for and a method for applying a coating to a web of material such as, but not limited to a sheet of steel, aluminum, cloth, paper, or film. The device and method comprises an injection nozzle, through which the coating material is fed under pressure supplied by gravity or a low pressure pump. The injection nozzle is hermetically sealed against either the network or the cylinder that transfers the coating material to the network. The injection nozzle is comprised of a fluid container, a regulating surface, final seals, and a posterior seal. The fluid container in conjunction with the final obturators and the posterior obturator form a cavity, which contains the fluid as it is fed through the injection nozzle. The device further comprises a support spring, support bearings, an adjustment device for a nozzle contact angle, a profile adjusting device, an injection nozzle force sensor, a nozzle contact angle adjustment device. 32, a profile control device, a rotational closing mechanism 25, an injection nozzle cleaning installation 89, an applicator cylinder cleaning installation 54 and a reinforcement. The reinforcement can be integral with the injection nozzle or it can be a separate reinforcement attached to the injection nozzle. The support spring is coupled to the reinforcement through low friction angular bearings at both ends of the reinforcement. The bearing at one end of the reinforcement must also be a low friction axial bearing. These bearings must be able to carry the force of the injection nozzle, the weight of the installation, the force created by the slow progress of the network or applicator cylinder on the dosing surface and prevent the rotation of the coating application installation. Pressure feeding. The support spring is also coupled to a force adjuster / slide position of the advance bar that allows position adjustment and adjustments of the injection nozzle pressure against the cylinder or net. This embodiment allows the force control of the injection nozzle and the angular control of the contact surface to be operated independent of each other which can not be achieved with the slot cover or nozzle. These technologies require precise control of spaces. The support spring, as the structure is curved and the polymer coated cylinders deform, allows the rotation of the injection nozzle so that an appropriate geometry is maintained which allows for increased control and a range of thickness control of wider film for a specific nozzle shape. The Pressure Feed Casing Application Facility and the concept allows the addition of multiple injection nozzles incorporated in the reinforcement allowing a quick replacement of the injection nozzle by another injection nozzle for product changes and cleaning. The additional dynamic actuators of the nozzle force and regulation surface add new quality, speed and film thickness capacity to the network coating. The force control of the dynamic injection nozzle can be made independent of the pressure cavity vessel and the contact angle of the dosing surface. The injection nozzle and the support structure can include a profile adjustment device to control the curvature or profile through the bar that allows variable coating thickness profiles and variable correction thickness profiles through the network with this feeding system. The profile control of the housing or support can be done via hydraulic cylinders, stepper motors, pneumatic cylinders, manual couplings, etc. The profile control does not it is limited to the aforementioned but can be done in any way that will allow the repeatable and controlled curvature of the member. The profile thickness control is the control of the film thickness across the width of the product. The control of the pressurized coating and the increase of the coating on the ends of the advance bar is made by means of a final obturator in the advance bar. The final shutter can have several different configurations. Basically uses hydrodynamics or a labyrinth effect to seal the ends of the pressurized advance bar, without damaging the application surface. The coating material that is applied determines the shape. The final plug is designed to accommodate the change angle of the nozzle and the different surface shapes of an applicator cylinder or net surface. The excess coating bead at the end can be removed by using an outer segment and internal groove on the final plug. The back shutter can be made of any flexible blade compatible with the applied coating that will seal and remain sealed against the surface being coated without causing damage. Examples of suitable materials include, but are not limited to, aluminum, steel, plastic.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 illustrates a final view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pressure feed coating application installation applied to an applicator cylinder. Figure 2 illustrates details of the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of details of the present invention. Figure 4 is an exploded view illustrating a profile control system. Figure 5 illustrates a closing mechanism. Figure 6 illustrates a nozzle cleaning installation. Figure 7 illustrates an alternate (directly to the network) application of the present invention. Figure 8 illustrates a second alternate application of the present invention. Figure 9 illustrates a cylinder cleaning installation.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a pressurized feed coating application system 1 comprises at least one injection nozzle 2, at less a feed tube 6, a support spring 30, a reinforcement 1 1, at least one support bearing 26, a nozzle contact angle adjustment device 32, a profile control device, a rotational closing mechanism 25, an injection nozzle cleaning installation 39, an applicator cylinder cleaning installation 54, an injection nozzle force sensor 28 and an injection nozzle sliding force / position adjuster 17. Each injection nozzle 2 it comprises a rear plug 3, end plugs 27, a container 12, a regulating surface 4, and a receiving cavity 5. Typically a coating material, but not always, suspended in a s The solvent is fed as a fluid into the feed tube 6, under pressure either of gravity or a low pressure pump into the receiving cavity 5. The dosing surface 4 doses the fluid as it flows out of the receiving cavity 5 which is contains inside the container 12. The rear plug 3 is coupled to the container 12. The end plugs 27 are coupled to the container 12 by sealing the ends of the container 12. The container 12 in conjunction with the end plugs 27, the rear plug 3, forms the receiving cavity 5 containing fluid to be dosed from the dosing surface 4, which is a surface of the container 1 2. The dosing surface 4 of the advance bar 2 is forced against an applicator roll 35, which then transfers the coating material to a network 15 that moves around a backup cylinder 42. As shown in Figures 3, and 4, the injection nozzle 2 is coupled and reinforced by a reinforcement or 1 1, typically a specimen fabricated adjacent to, around, and along the length of the injection nozzle 2. The reinforcement is supported by at least one support bearing 26, which engages a support spring 30. The support spring 30 is coupled to an injection nozzle force sensor 28, which is coupled to an injection nozzle force / position adjuster 1 7. The injection nozzle force sensor 28 can be incorporated into the injection nozzle. the support spring 30, mounted under the support spring 30, or be incorporated in the force adjuster / injection nozzle sliding position 17. The reinforcement 1 1 may be integral with the injection nozzle 2. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the force adjuster / injection nozzle slide position 17 is typically an electric motor that drives a spherical screw 20, with a spherical nut housing 21. As is obvious to any expert in the art, there are other forms such as hydraulic motors, hydraulic cylinders, cranks to name a few. There is also a force / position of applicator cylinder 18, used when the initial application surface is a cylinder, said adjuster 1 8 includes a spherical screw 20 and a spherical nut housing 21. The applied force / cylinder position adjuster 1 8 is coupled to a base 19. A plug is held between the advance bar 2 and the initial application surface 7. The rear plug 3, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a steel ribbon for springs. This tape can be made of any flexible material that shows the necessary shutter characteristics and coating characteristics without damaging the application surface. The purpose of the connection of the injection nozzle 2 to the support spring 30 is, as the fluid pressure increases, to allow the rotation of the injection nozzle 2 so that a suitable dosing space, for the thickness of the application of fluid coating, is maintained on the dosing surface 4. By adjusting the shape of the receiving cavity 5, the heat increase of the turbulence of the coating material can be controlled. Since the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the receiving cavity 5 to the exposed surface that is reversed increases, heat is added to the coating. An oil collecting tray 8 is shown in the Figure 1 as a convenience for the collection spill. Figures 2 and 4 show cylinder supports 14 for supporting a cylinder when used as the initial application surface 7. The pressure feed coating application installation 1 is supported by and rotated within the rotational bearings of the reinforcement 1 0 by the nozzle contact angle adjusting installation 32. The rotation of said press feed coating application facility 1 allows the rapid changeover from one injection nozzle to another injection nozzle 2 allowing rapid product changes . The nozzle contact angle adjustment device 32 also serves as the device for precise control of the contact angle for the dosing surface 4. Contact force, receiving cavity pressure, the shape of the dosing surface and the angle of contact are all the control actuators. These actuators provide a wide operation control window. The contact force, the container pressure and the contact angle of the dosing surface are all the actuators that can be completely automated and dynamically controlled through mathematical algorithms or product feedback. The pressure feed lining application system 1 allows complete control of the fluid through the application process. The pre-filtered and conditioned fluid is applied under pressure directly to the product or to the applicator cylinder. There is no opportunity to develop the phenomenon that creates foams, omissions, voids, perches, spots, or deflections. The fluid does not open to the atmosphere, therefore, the fluid can not "heal" or "dry". The shape of the nozzle, the nozzle pressure, and the cylinder hardness provide precise control of the film thickness. Defects associated with unstable or uncontrolled fluid dynamics are eliminated. The elimination of long chemical bath vessels allows designing the equipment for rapid product changes. The coatings can be applied with very good appearance (without protrusions) to a much wider range of fluid viscosities. Figure 1 shows the samples of the pressure feed coating application facility 1 applied to an applicator cylinder 35, fluid applied to said applicator cylinder 35. The applicator cylinder 35 then applies the fluid to the network 1 5 which is shown moved on a backup cylinder 42. The application of the fluid directly to the product or to an applicator cylinder for transfer to the product provides significant improvements over two and three cylinder coating systems. The application of the pre-dosed coating to the applicator cylinder eliminates the need to use a second or third cylinder. Improved product characteristics can be achieved with a cylinder using this method. Under certain circumstances it may be advantageous to use this system to apply the coating to one of the cylinders removed from an applicator cylinder. This cylinder can be operated either reverse or forward direction. This system still provides many advantages over conventional two or three cylinder cylinder cladding systems. The pressurized feed coating application feeding system 1 feeds the pressurized coating to the sealed feed rod with the pressurized fluid against the cylinder or substrate as opposed to the designed spaces used in the nozzle, groove and curtain application systems. The injection nozzle is supported in location to allow any fluid application to the substrate or cylinder while sealing the ends and guiding the edge of the injection nozzle without damaging the cylinder or substrate. The leading edge of the advance bar is plugged using the rear plug 3. This rear plug 3 is a flexible material that runs the full width of the injection nozzle. The blade rests against the substrate or applicator cylinder 35. The contact pressure (sealing pressure) can develop in several different ways. The methods include tension or mechanical deflection of the posterior plug 3, deflection of the rear plug 3 against the applicator cylinder 35 or substrate with internal pressure in the injection nozzle or a combination of the two. The downstream edge or the application dosing surface of the injection nozzle 4 is specifically formed to provide the desired thickness and appearance characteristics for the substrate or cylinder and specific fluid. It can be flat, rounded, grooved, or in any number of ways. The ends of the injection nozzle 2 are sealed to the substrate or cylinder 35 by the end plugs 27 to secure the interior of the injection nozzle 2 which remains equally pressurized across the width of the injection nozzle 2. The end plugs 27 can be a labyrinth design, mechanically contact shutters, or pressurized fluid shutters.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the materials would typically be metal, usually steel or aluminum. In Figure 4 a means for varying a coating thickness across the width of the network 1 5 is achieved by altering the profile of the injection nozzle 2. The reinforcement 1 1 has a multiplicity of reinforcing structure pull openings 48 and threaded openings driving the reinforcing structure 49. In the container 12 there is a multiplicity of threaded injection nozzle drive openings 46 and injection nozzle driving surfaces 47. Adjacent to each reinforcing space 48 is a threaded opening of injection nozzle drive 46. The bolts are inserted through said space 48 to draw the container 1 2 towards the reinforcement 1 1. The bolts are threaded through the threaded reinforcing openings 49 to drag against the ejecting nozzle driving surfaces. By this means, the injection nozzle is deformed as required to achieve a variation in the coating thickness applied to the network 1 5 as desired. This method for creating deflection of the dosing surface is illustrated in Figure 4. Axially controlling the injection nozzle profile by bending the injection nozzle from the reinforcement comprises traction apparatuses, and dragging the apparatuses downwards while these devices can be manually adjusted or adjusted automatically by electro-mechanical means or other means. Figure 6 illustrates an injection nozzle cleaning installation 39, which is rotated about a pivot 51 to surround the injection nozzle 2 which is out of line. The pivot 51 can be located above the injection nozzle force sensor 28 so as not to interfere with the deposition quality of the coating film. It comprises the injection nozzle cleaning nozzles 9, through which a cleaning fluid can be sprayed to clean the injection nozzle 2 surrounded by the injection nozzle cleaning device 39. Also, since each injection nozzle 2 has its own feed tube 6, the cleaning fluid can be passed through the feed tube 6 for the off-line injection nozzle 2 to clean the injection nozzle 2 in addition to the cleaning action of the cleaning installation of injection nozzle 39. The equipment allows the cleaning of an off-line nozzle while an in-line nozzle remains in service. Figure 7 illustrates an alternate application of the pressurized feed coating application installation 1 wherein the injection nozzle 2 is applied directly to a network 1 5 against the backup cylinder 42. Figure 8 shows a second alternate application of the pressurized feed coating application installation 1 wherein the injection nozzle 2 is applied to the applicator roll 35 where the fluid dispensed from the injection nozzle 2 onto the applicator roll 35 is applied directly to the network 1 5 without a backup cylinder.

Figure 9 illustrates an applicator cylinder cleaning facility 54, which is a means for cleaning the applicator cylinder 35. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention this comprises a cleaning blade 36 coupled to a cleaning knife actuator 37, which rotates about a pivot 51, and comprises a solvent applicator cylinder applicator 33 with applicator cylinder cleaning nozzles 34. Although said means for cleaning the applicator cylinder 35 is operated manually, as is obvious to any expert in the art , said means for cleaning the applicator cylinder 35 lends itself to an automatic application in production applications. The design and position of the Pressure Feed Casing Application installation allows the implementation of such a cleaning system that can not be done with other recent technology. Although the above description contains many specifications, these could not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims in the formal application and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given.

Claims (10)

1 . A pressurized feed coating application system for coating a network with a material, characterized in that said pressurized feed coating application system has an injection nozzle for distributing the fluid, said injection nozzle comprising a rear shutter which is a flexible blade.

2. The pressurized feed coating application system according to claim 1 further comprises hydrodynamic final seals.

3. A pressurized feed coating application system according to claim 2, further comprising: a) a dosing surface, b) a container, and c) a receiving cavity, characterized in that the posterior shutter is coupled to the container, the shutters finals seal the ends of the container, such that the combination of the container, the posterior seal, and the final seals form a fluid receiving cavity, wherein the dosing surface is a surface of the container that doses the flow of fluid from the cavity. receiver

4. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1, further comprises a reinforcement, said reinforcement coupled to said injection nozzle.

5. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1 further comprises a spring coupled to said injection nozzle such that the injection nozzle rotates as the pressure of the fluid that is distributed increases.

6. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1, further comprising a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid.

7. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1, further comprises a force adjusting means of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid.

8. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1, further comprising: a) a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid and b) means for adjusting the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid.

9. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 3, further comprising a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid.

10. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 3, further comprises a force adjusting means of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. eleven . The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 3, further comprises: a) a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid and b) means for adjusting the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 12. The pressurized feed coating application installation according to claim 4 further comprises a force adjusting means of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 1 3. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 4, further comprises a force sensor that monitors the force of the injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 14. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 4. , further comprising: a) a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid and b) a force adjustment means of said injection nozzle against a surface , in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 5. The pressure feed coating application plant according to claim 3, further comprising a spring coupled to said injection nozzle in such a way that the injection nozzle rotates as the pressure of the fluid that is distributed increases. 16. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 15, further comprises a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 7. The pressure feed coating application plant according to claim 15, further comprises a means for adjusting the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 18. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 1, further comprising: a) a force sensor that monitors the force of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid and b) a force adjusting means of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid. 19. The pressure feed coating application installation according to claim 16, further comprises a force adjusting means of said injection nozzle against a surface, in which the injection nozzle is distributing fluid .. 20. The pressurized feeding cladding installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressure feed cladding installation further comprises: a) a reinforcement, b) a support spring, and c) a force adjuster / nozzle slip position of injection, wherein the injection nozzle is coupled to the reinforcement that is coupled to the support spring, which is coupled to the force adjuster / injection nozzle slip position, wherein as the fluid pressure of the fluid increases flows from the receiving cavity, the injection nozzle rotates to maintain adequate dispensing space for a film thickness of desired fluid. twenty-one . The pressure feed coating installation according to claim 4 further comprises means for adjusting the injection nozzle profile by bending the injection nozzle from the reinforcement. 22. The pressure feed cladding installation according to claim 15 further comprises means for adjusting the injection nozzle profile by bending the nozzle for injection of the reinforcement. 23. The pressure feed coating installation according to claim 22, characterized in that the means for bending the injection nozzle from the reinforcement comprises adjustable traction apparatuses, and descent apparatuses. 24. The pressure feed coating installation according to claim 23, characterized in that the means for bending the injection nozzle from the reinforcement comprises adjustable traction apparatuses and descent apparatuses. 25. The pressure feed cladding installation according to claim 24, characterized in that the traction and descent devices are automatically adjusted. 26. The pressure feed cladding installation according to claim 1, further comprises an injection nozzle contact angle adjustment device for adjusting an injection nozzle contact angle with respect to a material that is fed through the injection nozzle. 27. The pressure feed liner installation according to claim 3 further comprises an injection nozzle contact angle adjustment device for adjusting an injection nozzle contact angle with respect to a material that is fed through the injection nozzle. the injection nozzle. 28. The pressure feed liner system according to claim 1, further comprising means for cleaning an applicator cylinder, said means comprising: a) a blade and b) a knife actuator characterized in that said blade engages said blade actuator. For example, said blade can be applied to a cylinder for cylinder cleaning. 29. The pressure feed liner installation according to claim 3, further comprising means for cleaning an applicator cylinder, said means comprising: a) a blade and b) a knife actuator characterized in that said blade engages said blade actuator. whereby said blade can be applied to a cylinder for cylinder cleaning. 30. The pressure feed coating installation according to claim 1 further comprises means for cleaning the injection nozzle while the coating continues to be applied. 31 The pressure feed coating installation according to claim 3 further comprises means for cleaning the injection nozzle.