Title of Invention

INTEGRATED POWDER CONDITIONING SYSTEM

Abstract

The Integrated Powder Conditioning System uses an inexpensive sieve screen and hopper under the cartridges in each segment of a Multi colour. carousel of the Nordson Quintet powder Booth. A common electric vibrator is shared by all five segments thus eliminating the multiple units of this expensive piece of hardware. The system uses the force of gravity to convey the recovered powder to the sieve screen.

Full Text

Prior Art In traditional powder spray booths, powder recovered in the primary separator is conveyed to a stand-alone Powder Conditioning System (PCS), using a venturi pump. The recycled powder thus pumped, is first separated from the conveying air in a mini-cyclone. The air is then vented to the low pressure side of the booth. The separated powder is sieved to remove any contaminants and then dropped into a feed hopper. Here, it is mixed with virgin powder in the required proportion and the mixture is pumped to the powder spray guns for being sprayed again. A Powder Conditioning System is therefore an expensive piece of equipment consisting of: 1. a mini-cyclone 2. a vibratory sieve, using an expensive electric vibrator 3. a hopper 4. level controls 5. a vent. A venturi pump uses air to transport the recovered powder. Not only does this add to operational costs (by way of the energy used to compress the air) there is also the need to separate the air from the powder in a min-cyclone and the need to effectively vent the air out of the PCS. This means several PCS parts need to be made air tight, further increasing their cost. In installations where multiple colours are sprayed, one PCS is required for each colour. This is an expensive solution from the point of view of both capital equipment and floor space. Thus the traditional solution involves the use of multiple, expensive hardware and the consumption of expensive compressed air. Statement of Invention a. Short statement of Solution/Improvement: The solution places an inexpensive sieve screen and hopper under the cartridges in each segment of a Nordson Quintet Powder Booth. A common electric vibrator, is shared by all five segments, thus eliminating the multiple units of this expensive piece of hardware. The solution uses the force of gravity to convey the recovered powder to the sieve screen. In this manner, the solution eliminates the following cost items: 1. the venturi pump 2. the transfer hose 3. the mini-cyclone 4. compressed air for conveying the powder using the venture pump. 5. the floor space for the PCS, including space Occupied by colour modules dedicated to each colour. Finally the solution results in improved colour changed time. The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the Fig.l shows Nordson Quintet Powder Booth Fig.2 shows close-up of Integrated Powder Conditioning System of Quintet Booth. Description of the Invention The concept is used in conjunction with the Nordson multiple colour cartridge carousel. It provides a dedicated sieve screen under the pair of cartridges in each segment of the carousel. It also provides a dedicated powder hopper under each sieve screen. A common vibratory motor is mounted on the frame of the booth adjacent to the segment exposed to the booth and is coupled to the sieve mount frame using two toggle clamps. This does away with the need for multiple units of the expensive vibratory motor. In use, the recovered powder is periodically pulsed off the cartridges and falls directly on the vibrating sieve screen directly beneath. The powder gets sieved and falls into the hopper. Here, virgin powder is topped up as required and the mixture is fed to the spray guns. For a -colour change, the vibratory motor is de-coupled from the sieve screen using two toggle clamps. The carousel is de-coupled from the booth using six clamps. The carousel is then withdrawn from its position alongside the booth and indexed to expose the segment containing the next colour. The carousel is pushed back in place and clamped. The common vibratory motor is clamped to the sieve screen of the new colour and the booth is ready for spraying the next powder. Because the recovered powder does not have to move a long distance to a PCS, and because gravity is used to convey it to the sieve, screen, several expensive pieces of equipment as mentioned above are eliminated, as is the need of compressed air for conveying the recovered powder. This results in a solution that is considerably less expensive. The advantages of this unit are as follows: 1. Low cost, by virtue of the elimination of multiple numbers of expensive hardware and the elimination of compressed air for conveying the recovered powder. 2. Lower cost due to the use of lesser floor space. 3. Reduction of colour change time. We claim 1. An integrated Powder Conditioning System (PCS) comprising of a sieve screen and a hopper placed directly under the cartridges, will serve the purpose of a Powder conditioning system. 2. An integrated powder conditioning system, where in the use of the force of gravity to convey the recovered powder form the cartridges to the sieve screen, eliminates the use of compressed air for conveying recovered powder. A quick coupling system to couple the vibratory motor to the sieve screen of the integral powder conditioning system, will permit the use of one vibratory motor for all the colours.

Documents:

1292-CHE-2006 CORRESPONDENCE OTHERS.pdf

1292-CHE-2006 CORRESPONDENCE PO.pdf

1292-che-2006 drawings granted.pdf

1292-che-2006 abstract granted.pdf

1292-che-2006 claims granted.pdf

1292-che-2006 description (complete) granted.pdf

1292-che-2006-abstract.pdf

1292-che-2006-correspondnece-others.pdf

1292-che-2006-correspondnece-po.pdf

1292-che-2006-description(complete).pdf

1292-che-2006-drawings.pdf

1292-che-2006-form 1.pdf

1292-che-2006-form 26.pdf

1292-che-2006-form 9.pdf