WO2019143281A1 - Holder device for a surface treatment system - Google Patents

Holder device for a surface treatment system Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2019143281A1
WO2019143281A1 PCT/SE2019/050026 SE2019050026W WO2019143281A1 WO 2019143281 A1 WO2019143281 A1 WO 2019143281A1 SE 2019050026 W SE2019050026 W SE 2019050026W WO 2019143281 A1 WO2019143281 A1 WO 2019143281A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
holder device
spacer
circular member
housing
surface treatment
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/SE2019/050026
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Joannis KARAGIANIS
Original Assignee
Epifatech Ab
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Epifatech Ab filed Critical Epifatech Ab
Publication of WO2019143281A1 publication Critical patent/WO2019143281A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B13/00—Machines or plants for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces of objects or other work by spraying, not covered by groups B05B1/00 - B05B11/00
    • B05B13/02—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D17/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D17/06—Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D17/00—Constructional parts, or assemblies thereof, of cells for electrolytic coating
    • C25D17/06—Suspending or supporting devices for articles to be coated
    • C25D17/08—Supporting racks, i.e. not for suspending
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D5/00—Electroplating characterised by the process; Pretreatment or after-treatment of workpieces
    • C25D5/02—Electroplating of selected surface areas
    • C25D5/022—Electroplating of selected surface areas using masking means
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
    • C25D7/003—Threaded pieces, e.g. bolts or nuts
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
    • F16B37/00—Nuts or like thread-engaging members
    • F16B37/14—Cap nuts; Nut caps or bolt caps
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
    • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
    • B05B5/00—Electrostatic spraying apparatus; Spraying apparatus with means for charging the spray electrically; Apparatus for spraying liquids or other fluent materials by other electric means
    • B05B5/16—Arrangements for supplying liquids or other fluent material
    • B05B5/1683—Arrangements for supplying liquids or other fluent material specially adapted for particulate materials
    • 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
    • B05D2258/00—Small objects (e.g. screws)
    • 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
    • B05D2258/00—Small objects (e.g. screws)
    • B05D2258/02—The objects being coated one after the other
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
    • F16B19/00—Bolts without screw-thread; Pins, including deformable elements; Rivets
    • F16B19/02—Bolts or sleeves for positioning of machine parts, e.g. notched taper pins, fitting pins, sleeves, eccentric positioning rings
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
    • F16B—DEVICES FOR FASTENING OR SECURING CONSTRUCTIONAL ELEMENTS OR MACHINE PARTS TOGETHER, e.g. NAILS, BOLTS, CIRCLIPS, CLAMPS, CLIPS OR WEDGES; JOINTS OR JOINTING
    • F16B33/00—Features common to bolt and nut
    • F16B33/06—Surface treatment of parts furnished with screw-thread, e.g. for preventing seizure or fretting

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a holder device for a surface treatment system.
  • a surface treatment may be to improve the protection from environmental influences on the product, to improve e.g. corrosion resistance or other forms of oxidation protection.
  • Another purpose may be to improve the visual appearance of the object, e.g. to give the object a specific colour, or to improve the wear resistance of the surface of the product by treating the surface with a wear resisting protection.
  • Electroplating is primarily used to change the surface properties of a product, such as abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities.
  • powder coating which is applied to the product as a free-flowing, dry powder.
  • the main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form.
  • the coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin".
  • the powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint.
  • Powder coating is mainly used for the coating of metals. Because powder coating does not have a liquid carrier, it can produce thicker coatings than conventional liquid coatings without running or sagging, and powder coating produces minimal appearance differences between horizontally coated surfaces and vertically coated surfaces. This allows the products to be held and supported by holders in any position, which allows for an efficient use of the available space when several products are treated at the same time.
  • Some products are provided with one or more threaded parts, such that the product can easily be attached to another product by the use of a nut.
  • Most products are first treated in an electroplating process and are thereafter treated with a powder coating.
  • the threaded part it is important that the threaded part is also electroplated such that the threaded part is also e.g. corrosion resistant. It is further important that the threaded part is not powder coated, since the powder coating will fill the threads of the threaded part, which means that the thread will have to be rethreaded after a treatment with powder coating.
  • a masking cap of some kind can be applied to the threaded part.
  • the masking cap covers the threaded part completely or partially, depending on the requirements.
  • the masking cap must be applied to the threaded part after the electroplating process, preferably when the electroplating has dried, and must be removed after the powder coating.
  • each product In order to be able to do this, each product must be masked manually before coating, which is extremely time-consuming.
  • Each product must be removed from the holder of the system jig in order to apply the masking cap and thereafter be put back on the holder. This takes time and requires handling of each product, which adds to the cost of the surface treatment, and the cost of the masking cap must also be included.
  • masking caps functions but is not cost effective and may reduce the quality of the surface treatment. There is thus room for improvements.
  • An object of the invention is therefore to provide an inventive holder device for a surface treatment system.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a hanger comprising a plurality of holder devices for a surface treatment system.
  • Claim 10 contains an advantageous hanger.
  • the other claims contain advantageous embodiments and further developments of the holder device.
  • a holder device for a surface treatment system where the holder device is adapted to hold an object comprising a circular member, where the holder device comprises a housing having an open upper end and an open lower end
  • the object of the invention is achieved in that the holder device comprises a bearing surface adapted to support an end surface of the circular member, where the bearing surface is arranged on a spacer inside the holder device, where the spacer comprises a plurality of spacer arms arranged at an inner wall of the housing, where the spacer is adapted to provide a distance between the circular member and the inner wall of the housing.
  • a holder device adapted to hold and support an object.
  • the holder device is adapted to hold the object during at least one surface treatment processes, and is further adapted to mask a circular member of the object during powder coating of the object.
  • This is especially advantageous for objects that are to be treated in more than one process, and in which a circular member should be masked in one of the processes.
  • the object will be both electroplated and powder coated.
  • the object can in this example be electroplated and powder coated without having to manually move the object, and without having to mask the circular member of the object manually.
  • the circular member may be a threaded member or may be an axle member.
  • the holder device is provided with an open upper end through which the circular member of the object is inserted, and a second open end through which liquid and powder can escape.
  • the holder device is further provided with a bearing surface on which an end surface of the circular member will bear, and spacer arms which will provide a distance between the circular member and the inner wall of the holder device. In this way, the circular member of the object will be held in the holder device, and there will be sufficient space in the holder device for surface treatment liquid to be able to enter without problems, e.g. during electroplating. At the same time, the holder device will mask the circular member from most of the powder during powder coating of the object.
  • Fig. 1 shows a holder device according to the invention
  • Fig. 2 shows a first part of a spacer of a holder device according to the invention
  • Fig. 3 shows a second part of a spacer of a holder device according to the invention
  • Fig. 4 shows a hanger according to the invention
  • Fig. 5 shows part of a hanger according to the invention.
  • Fig. 1 shows a holder device 1 according to the invention
  • Figs. 2 and 3 show a spacer for the holder device
  • Figs. 4 and 5 show a hanger comprising a plurality of holder devices.
  • the holder device is primarily intended to be used in surface treatment systems where several surface treatment steps are applied, but is equally well suited for an individual surface treatment in only one step.
  • the holder device 1 comprises a housing 2 having an open upper end 3 and an open lower end 4.
  • the housing is preferably circular, but other shapes are also possible, such as e.g. a quadratic or triangular shape. However, since the holder device is adapted to hold and support a circular member, a circular shape is preferred.
  • the housing is in the shown example made from a piece of metallic tube, in this case a stainless steel tube. The dimensions of the tube are adapted to the object that is to be held.
  • the holder device is adapted to be mounted on a support structure 31 of a hanger 30, such that several objects can be held and surface treated at the same time.
  • the holder device comprises a spacer 6 adapted to provide a distance between the circular member of the held object and the inner surface wall 8 of the holder device.
  • the spacer 6 comprises in the shown example a first spacer part 10, shown in Fig. 2, and a second spacer part 11 , shown in Fig. 3.
  • Each spacer part comprises two spacer arms 7 extending from a lower region of each spacer part 10, 11.
  • the lower region 14 of the first spacer part 10 comprises a first slit 12 and the lower region 15 of the second spacer part 11 comprises a second slit 13.
  • a first spacer part 10 and a second spacer part 11 are adapted to be mounted to each other by inserting the first slit 12 into the second slit 13. This will create the spacer 6.
  • the spacer parts are preferably stamped in a stainless steel material, but other metallic materials are also possible to use.
  • the spacer may be provided with an entrance section 9, which will simplify the insertion of an object in the holder device.
  • the entrance section comprises in the shown example angled parts of the upper ends of the spacer arms 7.
  • the spacer is inserted into the housing of the holder device. It is possible to use a press-fit, but it is preferred to attach the spacer to the housing in a fixed manner. In the shown example, the spacer is welded or soldered to the housing at the lower end of the holder device. With a proper design of the spacer parts, there is no need to fixate the spacer arms to the inner wall of the housing.
  • the spacer is provided with a bearing surface 5 which is adapted to support the end surface of a circular member of an object that is to be held. Part of the bearing surface 5 is arranged at the upper end of the first lower region 14 of the first spacer part 10, and part of the bearing surface 5 is arranged at the upper end of the second lower region 15 of the second spacer part 11. In the shown example, the bearing surface is somewhat inclined downwards towards the centre of the spacer. It is also possible to incline the bearing surface upwards towards the centre, such that the centre of the circular member will be supported.
  • the shown object comprises two threaded circular members, e.g. two bolts that are fixedly attached to the body of the object by welding or by a splined press-fit.
  • Each threaded circular member is provided with a thread.
  • the object will first be treated with a protection treatment in form of an electroplating, and the object will then be treated with a powder coating. The thread, or part of the thread, of the threaded circular member must be protected from the power coating but must first be treated with the protection treatment, i.e. the electroplating.
  • the object is first electroplated in a first treatment step, using a first hanger with holder devices for the objects.
  • a first hanger with holder devices for the objects After the electroplating, each object is removed from the hanger and a masking cap of some kind, e.g. made from silicone, is applied to the circular member.
  • the masking cap covers the circular member completely or partially, depending on how much of the circular member that has to be covered.
  • the object with the covered circular member is then placed in a second hanger with holder devices, and is powder coated.
  • the holders of the first hanger and the second hanger may be the same or may differ.
  • the same hanger can be used both for the electroplating and for the powder coating, the object must not be handled during the treatment process, all objects will be protected in the same way without variations, no cured powder flakes will peel off from the masking caps, such that no cured powder flakes may compromise the objects, and a soft powder border is created.
  • the holder device will be able to ground the object during electroplating since it is completely made of metal.
  • the holder device will further be able to mask the circular member during power coating.
  • the holder device can be used for both surface treatments without having to move the object.
  • the distance from the bearing surface of the holder device to the upper end of the holder device is adapted to the length of the circular member that is to be held. This distance is preferably somewhat shorter than the length of the circular member, such that there is a gap 22 between the upper end of the holder device and the object. In this way, the object will rest on the bearing surface and not on the upper end of the holder device. This gap should not be too large, but also not too small. If the gap is too large, powder from the powder coating process will be able to enter into the holder, and powder will deposit on the circular member, e.g. the thread or the axle surface. If the gap is too small, the powder may fill the gap and the object will stick to the holder. The powder edge will also be sharp.
  • the size of the gap depends partly on the dimensions of the object, but is preferably in the range between 1 -3 mm.
  • the width of the spacer arms i.e. the distance between the inner wall of the housing and the inner surface of a spacer arm is also partly dependent on the size of the object and the diameter of the circular member. This width gives the distance between the inner wall of the housing and the outer surface of the circular member of the object. If the width is too large, more powder may enter the holder device and deposit on the surface of the circular member. If the width is too small, liquid may not be able to leave the holder device after e.g. an electroplating process. A width of a spacer arm between 2-3 mm is preferred.
  • the invention is not to be regarded as being limited to the embodiments described above, a number of additional variants and modifications being possible within the scope of the subsequent patent claims.
  • the holder device may have any size and may be made from any suitable metallic material.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
  • Chemically Coating (AREA)

Abstract

Holder device (1) for a surface treatment system, where the holder device (1) is adapted to holdan object (20) comprising a circular member (21), where the holder device (1) comprises a housing (2) having an open upper end (3) and an open lower end (4), where the holder device (1) comprises a bearing surface (5) adapted to support the circular member (21), and a spacer (6) comprising a plurality of spacer arms (7) arranged at the inner wall (8) of the housing (2), where the spacer is adapted to provide a distance between the circular member (21) and the inner wall (8) of the housing (2).

Description

HOLDER DEVICE FOR A SURFACE TREATMENT SYSTEM TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a holder device for a surface treatment system.
BACKGROUND ART
When producing various products in metal, it is sometimes important to provide the product with a surface treatment. One purpose of a surface treatment may be to improve the protection from environmental influences on the product, to improve e.g. corrosion resistance or other forms of oxidation protection. Another purpose may be to improve the visual appearance of the object, e.g. to give the object a specific colour, or to improve the wear resistance of the surface of the product by treating the surface with a wear resisting protection.
There are different types of surface treatments. One common type of surface treatment is electroplating, in which an electric current is used to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a thin coherent metal coating on the product. Electroplating is primarily used to change the surface properties of a product, such as abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities.
Another type of surface treatment is powder coating which is applied to the product as a free-flowing, dry powder. The main difference between a conventional liquid paint and a powder coating is that the powder coating does not require a solvent to keep the binder and filler parts in a liquid suspension form. The coating is typically applied electrostatically and is then cured under heat to allow it to flow and form a "skin". The powder may be a thermoplastic or a thermoset polymer. It is usually used to create a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint. Powder coating is mainly used for the coating of metals. Because powder coating does not have a liquid carrier, it can produce thicker coatings than conventional liquid coatings without running or sagging, and powder coating produces minimal appearance differences between horizontally coated surfaces and vertically coated surfaces. This allows the products to be held and supported by holders in any position, which allows for an efficient use of the available space when several products are treated at the same time.
Some products are provided with one or more threaded parts, such that the product can easily be attached to another product by the use of a nut. Most products are first treated in an electroplating process and are thereafter treated with a powder coating. For the threaded part, it is important that the threaded part is also electroplated such that the threaded part is also e.g. corrosion resistant. It is further important that the threaded part is not powder coated, since the powder coating will fill the threads of the threaded part, which means that the thread will have to be rethreaded after a treatment with powder coating.
To prevent the threaded part to be powder coated, a masking cap of some kind can be applied to the threaded part. The masking cap covers the threaded part completely or partially, depending on the requirements. The masking cap must be applied to the threaded part after the electroplating process, preferably when the electroplating has dried, and must be removed after the powder coating. In order to be able to do this, each product must be masked manually before coating, which is extremely time-consuming. Each product must be removed from the holder of the system jig in order to apply the masking cap and thereafter be put back on the holder. This takes time and requires handling of each product, which adds to the cost of the surface treatment, and the cost of the masking cap must also be included. Since the masking is done manually, there is also a risk that all masking caps are not applied in the same way, which may affect the quality. There is also a risk that small flakes of cured powder will peel off from the masking cap, which may contaminate the products and the surface treatment system.
The use of masking caps functions but is not cost effective and may reduce the quality of the surface treatment. There is thus room for improvements.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An object of the invention is therefore to provide an inventive holder device for a surface treatment system. Another object of the invention is to provide a hanger comprising a plurality of holder devices for a surface treatment system.
The solution to the problem according to the invention is described in the characterizing part of claim 1. Claim 10 contains an advantageous hanger. The other claims contain advantageous embodiments and further developments of the holder device.
In a holder device for a surface treatment system, where the holder device is adapted to hold an object comprising a circular member, where the holder device comprises a housing having an open upper end and an open lower end, the object of the invention is achieved in that the holder device comprises a bearing surface adapted to support an end surface of the circular member, where the bearing surface is arranged on a spacer inside the holder device, where the spacer comprises a plurality of spacer arms arranged at an inner wall of the housing, where the spacer is adapted to provide a distance between the circular member and the inner wall of the housing.
By this first embodiment of the holder device according to the invention, a holder device adapted to hold and support an object is provided. The holder device is adapted to hold the object during at least one surface treatment processes, and is further adapted to mask a circular member of the object during powder coating of the object. This is especially advantageous for objects that are to be treated in more than one process, and in which a circular member should be masked in one of the processes. In one example, the object will be both electroplated and powder coated. The object can in this example be electroplated and powder coated without having to manually move the object, and without having to mask the circular member of the object manually. The circular member may be a threaded member or may be an axle member.
The holder device is provided with an open upper end through which the circular member of the object is inserted, and a second open end through which liquid and powder can escape. The holder device is further provided with a bearing surface on which an end surface of the circular member will bear, and spacer arms which will provide a distance between the circular member and the inner wall of the holder device. In this way, the circular member of the object will be held in the holder device, and there will be sufficient space in the holder device for surface treatment liquid to be able to enter without problems, e.g. during electroplating. At the same time, the holder device will mask the circular member from most of the powder during powder coating of the object.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will be described in greater detail in the following, with reference to the embodiments that are shown in the attached drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows a holder device according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a first part of a spacer of a holder device according to the invention,
Fig. 3 shows a second part of a spacer of a holder device according to the invention,
Fig. 4 shows a hanger according to the invention, and Fig. 5 shows part of a hanger according to the invention.
MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the invention with further developments described in the following are to be regarded only as examples and are in no way to limit the scope of the protection provided by the patent claims. References such as longitudinal, horizontal, vertical, right, left etc. refer to directions of a holder device and hanger in normal use.
Fig. 1 shows a holder device 1 according to the invention, Figs. 2 and 3 show a spacer for the holder device, and Figs. 4 and 5 show a hanger comprising a plurality of holder devices. The holder device is primarily intended to be used in surface treatment systems where several surface treatment steps are applied, but is equally well suited for an individual surface treatment in only one step.
The holder device 1 comprises a housing 2 having an open upper end 3 and an open lower end 4. The housing is preferably circular, but other shapes are also possible, such as e.g. a quadratic or triangular shape. However, since the holder device is adapted to hold and support a circular member, a circular shape is preferred. The housing is in the shown example made from a piece of metallic tube, in this case a stainless steel tube. The dimensions of the tube are adapted to the object that is to be held. The holder device is adapted to be mounted on a support structure 31 of a hanger 30, such that several objects can be held and surface treated at the same time.
The holder device comprises a spacer 6 adapted to provide a distance between the circular member of the held object and the inner surface wall 8 of the holder device. The spacer 6 comprises in the shown example a first spacer part 10, shown in Fig. 2, and a second spacer part 11 , shown in Fig. 3. Each spacer part comprises two spacer arms 7 extending from a lower region of each spacer part 10, 11. The lower region 14 of the first spacer part 10 comprises a first slit 12 and the lower region 15 of the second spacer part 11 comprises a second slit 13. A first spacer part 10 and a second spacer part 11 are adapted to be mounted to each other by inserting the first slit 12 into the second slit 13. This will create the spacer 6. The spacer parts are preferably stamped in a stainless steel material, but other metallic materials are also possible to use. The spacer may be provided with an entrance section 9, which will simplify the insertion of an object in the holder device. The entrance section comprises in the shown example angled parts of the upper ends of the spacer arms 7.
The spacer is inserted into the housing of the holder device. It is possible to use a press-fit, but it is preferred to attach the spacer to the housing in a fixed manner. In the shown example, the spacer is welded or soldered to the housing at the lower end of the holder device. With a proper design of the spacer parts, there is no need to fixate the spacer arms to the inner wall of the housing. The spacer is provided with a bearing surface 5 which is adapted to support the end surface of a circular member of an object that is to be held. Part of the bearing surface 5 is arranged at the upper end of the first lower region 14 of the first spacer part 10, and part of the bearing surface 5 is arranged at the upper end of the second lower region 15 of the second spacer part 11. In the shown example, the bearing surface is somewhat inclined downwards towards the centre of the spacer. It is also possible to incline the bearing surface upwards towards the centre, such that the centre of the circular member will be supported.
When an object is to be surface treated, it is inserted into a holder device. In the hanger shown in Fig. 4, each object is held and supported by two holder devices mounted adjacent each other. This will further stabilize the object, and allows for a denser packing of objects, since each object is held in a specific position. In this example, the shown object comprises two threaded circular members, e.g. two bolts that are fixedly attached to the body of the object by welding or by a splined press-fit. Each threaded circular member is provided with a thread. In one example of surface treatment, the object will first be treated with a protection treatment in form of an electroplating, and the object will then be treated with a powder coating. The thread, or part of the thread, of the threaded circular member must be protected from the power coating but must first be treated with the protection treatment, i.e. the electroplating.
Conventionally, the object is first electroplated in a first treatment step, using a first hanger with holder devices for the objects. After the electroplating, each object is removed from the hanger and a masking cap of some kind, e.g. made from silicone, is applied to the circular member. The masking cap covers the circular member completely or partially, depending on how much of the circular member that has to be covered. The object with the covered circular member is then placed in a second hanger with holder devices, and is powder coated. The holders of the first hanger and the second hanger may be the same or may differ.
There are several disadvantages with this method. One is the manual handling of each object, which is very time-consuming. Another is that two different hangers are required. One disadvantage is that there is a risk that each masking cap is not positioned properly or is not positioned at all, due to the manual work involved or to a broken masking cap. A further disadvantage is that the cured powder coating can peel off from the masking cap, such that small flakes of cured powder will come lose. These flakes can stick to an object such that a visual defect is created. This is especially a problem if the masking caps are used more than once. A further disadvantage may be that the masking cap will create a sharp edge at the powder coating when it is removed.
With the inventive holder device, all these disadvantages are alleviated. The same hanger can be used both for the electroplating and for the powder coating, the object must not be handled during the treatment process, all objects will be protected in the same way without variations, no cured powder flakes will peel off from the masking caps, such that no cured powder flakes may compromise the objects, and a soft powder border is created. The holder device will be able to ground the object during electroplating since it is completely made of metal. The holder device will further be able to mask the circular member during power coating. The holder device can be used for both surface treatments without having to move the object.
The distance from the bearing surface of the holder device to the upper end of the holder device is adapted to the length of the circular member that is to be held. This distance is preferably somewhat shorter than the length of the circular member, such that there is a gap 22 between the upper end of the holder device and the object. In this way, the object will rest on the bearing surface and not on the upper end of the holder device. This gap should not be too large, but also not too small. If the gap is too large, powder from the powder coating process will be able to enter into the holder, and powder will deposit on the circular member, e.g. the thread or the axle surface. If the gap is too small, the powder may fill the gap and the object will stick to the holder. The powder edge will also be sharp. The size of the gap depends partly on the dimensions of the object, but is preferably in the range between 1 -3 mm.
The width of the spacer arms, i.e. the distance between the inner wall of the housing and the inner surface of a spacer arm is also partly dependent on the size of the object and the diameter of the circular member. This width gives the distance between the inner wall of the housing and the outer surface of the circular member of the object. If the width is too large, more powder may enter the holder device and deposit on the surface of the circular member. If the width is too small, liquid may not be able to leave the holder device after e.g. an electroplating process. A width of a spacer arm between 2-3 mm is preferred.
The invention is not to be regarded as being limited to the embodiments described above, a number of additional variants and modifications being possible within the scope of the subsequent patent claims. The holder device may have any size and may be made from any suitable metallic material. REFERENCE SIGNS
1 : Holder
2: Housing
3: Upper end
4: Lower end
5: Bearing surface 6: Spacer
7: Spacer arm
8: Inner wall
9: Entrance section
10: First spacer part 1 1 : Second spacer part 12: First slit
13: Second slit
14: First lower region 15: Second lower region
20: Object
21 : Circular member
22: Gap
30: Hanger
31 : Support structure

Claims

1. Holder device (1) for a surface treatment system, where the holder device (1) is adapted to hold an object (20) comprising a circular member (21), where the holder device (1) comprises a housing (2) having an open upper end (3) and an open lower end (4), characterized in that the holder device (1) comprises a bearing surface (5) adapted to support an end surface of the circular member (21), where the bearing surface (5) is arranged on a spacer (6) inside the holder device (1), where the spacer (6) comprises a plurality of spacer arms (7) arranged at an inner wall (8) of the housing
(2), where the spacer (6) is adapted to provide a distance between the circular member (21 ) and the inner wall (8) of the housing (2).
2. Holder device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the spacer arms (7) are longitudinal and extend from the bearing surface (5) to the upper end (3).
3. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the housing (2) is tubular.
4. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the housing (2) and the spacer (6) are made from metall.
5. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the spacer (6) is made from stainless steel.
6. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the housing (2) is made from steel.
7. Holder device according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the spacer (6) comprises an entrance section (9) at the upper end (3).
8. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the distance between the upper end (3) and the bearing surface (5) is shorter than the length of the circular member (21 ) that is to be held by the holder device (1 ).
9. Holder device according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the width of the spacer arms (7) is 2-3 mm.
10. Hanger (30) for a surface treatment system adapted to hold a plurality of objects (20), characterized in that the hanger (30) comprises a support structure (31 ) and a plurality of holder devices (1 ) according to any of the preceding claims.
PCT/SE2019/050026 2018-01-17 2019-01-16 Holder device for a surface treatment system WO2019143281A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
SE1850050-4 2018-01-17
SE1850050A SE541789C2 (en) 2018-01-17 2018-01-17 Holder device for a surface treatment system

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2019143281A1 true WO2019143281A1 (en) 2019-07-25

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
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WO (1) WO2019143281A1 (en)

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2697690A (en) * 1948-12-22 1954-12-21 Federal Mogul Corp Electroplating rack
US4056644A (en) * 1975-10-09 1977-11-01 Howard Alfred S Method of coating annular surfaces
JP2006022371A (en) * 2004-07-07 2006-01-26 Kida Seiko Kk Plating method for bolt, and plating line
EP3000909A1 (en) * 2014-09-23 2016-03-30 General Electric Company Coating process
JP2018003085A (en) * 2016-06-30 2018-01-11 株式会社荏原製作所 Substrate holder, carrier system carrying substrate in electronic device manufacturing installation and electronic device manufacturing installation

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2697690A (en) * 1948-12-22 1954-12-21 Federal Mogul Corp Electroplating rack
US4056644A (en) * 1975-10-09 1977-11-01 Howard Alfred S Method of coating annular surfaces
JP2006022371A (en) * 2004-07-07 2006-01-26 Kida Seiko Kk Plating method for bolt, and plating line
EP3000909A1 (en) * 2014-09-23 2016-03-30 General Electric Company Coating process
JP2018003085A (en) * 2016-06-30 2018-01-11 株式会社荏原製作所 Substrate holder, carrier system carrying substrate in electronic device manufacturing installation and electronic device manufacturing installation

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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SE1850050A1 (en) 2019-07-18

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