Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C19/00—Apparatus specially adapted for applying particulate materials to surfaces
  • B05C19/06—Storage, supply or control of the application of particulate material; Recovery of excess particulate material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C19/00—Apparatus specially adapted for applying particulate materials to surfaces
  • B05C19/04—Apparatus specially adapted for applying particulate materials to surfaces the particulate material being projected, poured or allowed to flow onto the surface of the work
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D5/00—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures
  • B05D5/06—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces to obtain special surface effects, finishes or structures to obtain multicolour or other optical effects
  • B05D5/061—Special surface effect
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C9/00—Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important
  • B05C9/08—Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important for applying liquid or other fluent material and performing an auxiliary operation
  • B05C9/14—Apparatus or plant for applying liquid or other fluent material to surfaces by means not covered by any preceding group, or in which the means of applying the liquid or other fluent material is not important for applying liquid or other fluent material and performing an auxiliary operation the auxiliary operation involving heating or cooling
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D1/00—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials
  • B05D1/26—Processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D2401/00—Form of the coating product, e.g. solution, water dispersion, powders or the like
  • B05D2401/30—Form of the coating product, e.g. solution, water dispersion, powders or the like the coating being applied in other forms than involving eliminable solvent, diluent or dispersant
  • B05D2401/32—Form of the coating product, e.g. solution, water dispersion, powders or the like the coating being applied in other forms than involving eliminable solvent, diluent or dispersant applied as powders
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D—PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05D3/00—Pretreatment of surfaces to which liquids or other fluent materials are to be applied; After-treatment of applied coatings, e.g. intermediate treating of an applied coating preparatory to subsequent applications of liquids or other fluent materials
  • B05D3/02—Pretreatment of surfaces to which liquids or other fluent materials are to be applied; After-treatment of applied coatings, e.g. intermediate treating of an applied coating preparatory to subsequent applications of liquids or other fluent materials by baking
  • B05D3/0254—After-treatment

Definitions

• the invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying photo-luminescent
• pigment to a substrate surface, more particularly for applying photo-luminescent pigment to aluminium or other metal strips used, for example, as stair nosings.
• invention also relates to a product produced by said method and apparatus.
• ambient light are present, or in stairwells of buildings during an emergency when there may be failure of the main lighting source.
• the electronic lighting means are often of a low
• Photo-luminescent pigment has been sprayed onto more durable substrate surfaces
• a method of applying photo-luminescent pigment to a substrate including:
• the substrate surface has depressions or channels adapted to receive the dry powder formulation.
• a light reflecting layer is applied to the substrate surface before depositing the dry powder formulation.
• powder formulation is such that the fused material exhibits substantially the same
• the volume ratio is
• the molten formulation may be cooled after heating.
• the carrier/fixer is a heat curable polymer.
• the dry powder formulation may include small quantities of additives, such as
• the substrate is stamped, extruded or milled aluminium or metal.
• an apparatus for applying photo-luminescent pigment to a substrate including: a hopper adapted to contain a dry powder formulation;
• one or more orifices adapted to allow transfer of the dry powder formulation from the hopper to a substrate surface
• the apparatus also includes a heat-curing system for providing enough heat to turn the dry powder formulation into a molten mix.
• the apparatus includes a support roller mounted directly beneath the
• the hopper to be located in the correct position so that the orifice(s) lines up with the
• the orifice is adapted to communicate snugly with the substrate surface such that the dry powder formulation is deposited substantially only where required.
• rat-holes in the dry powder formulation are re-filled.
• the apparatus includes a brush mounted below the roller, and with its
• a continuous oven process and in one embodiment may include infra-red heating
• the apparatus includes an automatic loading and unloading means at each
• the invention also provides for a product when produced according to the process, or
• FIGURE 1 illustrates a perspective cross section view through a hopper according to the invention.
• FIGURE 2 illustrates an elevation view of the hopper and a feed table
• FIGURE 3 illustrates a schematic overview of one embodiment of an apparatus according to the invention.
• the invention provides for a method and apparatus for applying photo luminescent pigment, which is stimulated by UV and visible light and will remain illuminated for a
• the resulting substrate can be used to provide floor, stair or other courtesy or emergency lighting in public areas.
• the process involves filling depressions or channels in a substrate material (typically,
• carrier/fixer typically a heat curable polymer
• additives such as a flow additive and/or de-gassing additive
• a light reflective layer can be applied to the substrate before depositing the formulation.
• the depressions or channels in the substrate are filled up with the dry powder formulation to be level with the top surface of the substrate material.
• the products used in the current invention are LUMINOVA, a photo-luminescent pigment from Nemoto Japan; and TPE, a
• photo luminescent pigment but it also has the added property of being photo-luminescent. Success has been achieved with volume ratios between 1 % and 35% photo-luminescent pigment.
• the principle of the process is to pass the substrate material, with the channels or depressions facing upwards, below a hopper which is filled with the dry powder formulation.
• the hopper has one or more bottom orifices which is shaped so that the dry powder formulation will fall under its own weight into the channels or
• the substrate material clean so that the only dry powder formulation that is removed from the hopper is that which fills the channels or depressions.
• depressions are filled to be level with the top surface of the substrate. Heat is then
• Figures 1 and 2 illustrate, in detail, the hopper section 1 0 of an apparatus for applying photo luminescent material to a substrate.
• Figure 3 illustrates a schematic
• the apparatus includes a guide rail system 8 for locating the individual substrate pieces, in this case aluminium extrusion 1 , in both a fixed horizontal plane and a fixed
• a drive system is used to push individual substrate pieces passed (below) a hopper 2.
• This drive system may be a human operator, or it may be a system of motorised
• rollers 1 1 that engage with one or two faces of the individual substrate pieces.
• support roller 3 may be motorised to drive the extrusion 1 below hopper 2.
• the motorised rollers 1 1 and 3 may be
• variable speed motor drive which may interface with a controller.
• the hopper section 1 0 comprises the hopper 2, preferably with steep sides to avoid
• An adjustable mounting bracket 4 may also be included to enable the hopper 2 to be
• Orifice 5 may be formed in a die 9, which is adapted to suit the extrusion 1 being used.
• the die 9 would butt snugly over extrusion 1 so that no formula was spilled or wasted.
• Various dies may be
• the dies may have more than
• a support roller 3 mounted directly beneath the bottom orifice 5 of the hopper 2 to
• roller 3 may be motorised but this is not essential as its main function is to hold the extrusion up to the orifice 5.
• bristle brush (not shown) may be mounted directly below the roller 3, with its bristles in contact with the roller, so that any powder that falls onto the roller is subsequently brushed off and will not to build up on the roller 3.
• a mechanism (not shown) for tapping the hopper 2 at regular intervals can be
• this "mechanism” may in fact be the hand of a human operator, but ideally this function is carried out by a solenoid or air actuated
• an auger or screw may be included which either continuously or intermittently “mixes” the formula, thereby filling any "rat holes” .
• the apparatus also includes a heat-curing system, for example an oven, 1 2 to provide a heat-curing system, for example an oven, 1 2 to provide
• the oven would most preferably be a continuous tunnel process so that after the individual substrate pieces have had their channels or depressions filled with the dry powder formulation they immediately enter a curing
• a cooling tunnel 1 3 may also be provided.
• the curing tunnel could be either a hot-air type oven or an infra-red oven. At present
• infra-red ovens provide a much faster and more direct heating method.
• the problem with infra-red ovens is that the rapid localised heating causes distortion of the substrate material.
• the degree of distortion is dependent on the form and type
• the position of the hopper assembly is adjusted as necessary to ensure that the bottom orifice lines up with the channels or depressions in the
• the hopper is then filled with a thoroughly mixed quantity of the dry powder formulation.
• the first piece of "production” substrate is then placed on the guide rail, immediately behind the representative piece of substrate, and moved towards the hopper assembly. In this way it pushes the representative piece of substrate through and
• the representative piece of substrate can subsequently have the powder
• substrate can be reused as a plug for the hopper's bottom orifice whenever
• the second piece of production substrate is picked up off a magazine and placed on the guide rail immediately behind the first piece of production substrate. Once the first piece of production substrate is away from the hopper assembly it can be taken off the guide rail and placed on racks ready for oven curing.
• the oven for the required curing cycle, then removed from the oven and allowed to cool before final inspection and packaging.
• the hopper is tapped to remove "rat-holes" in the

Landscapes

• Application Of Or Painting With Fluid Materials (AREA)
• Luminescent Compositions (AREA)
• Coating Apparatus (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Related Child Applications (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19927388

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (7)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (17)

• 2000
  • 2000-07-17 EP EP00950101A patent/EP1232022A4/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2000-07-17 CA CA002379669A patent/CA2379669C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2000-07-17 CN CNB008112185A patent/CN1159112C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2000-07-17 JP JP2001510595A patent/JP2003504199A/ja active Pending
  • 2000-07-17 AU AU63249/00A patent/AU761263B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-07-17 WO PCT/NZ2000/000127 patent/WO2001005519A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 2000-07-17 US US10/031,182 patent/US6726952B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2002
  • 2002-02-14 ZA ZA200201264A patent/ZA200201264B/xx unknown

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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