Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
131716~
Process and apparatus for spraying a product onto opposite
faces of a panel.
Description
The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus
making it possible to spray a produc-t, more particularly
paint, onto the opposite faces of a panel, which may be
curved.
In the aeronautical and space fields, it is necessary to
paint or protect with the aid of a protective product panels,
whose shape is generally curved, because they can e.g.
be fuselage elements. At present, use is made of conventional
industrial painting methods for painting such panels.
Generally, the panel is brought to a loading station, where
it is attached beneath a ~rder or beam travelling in an
overhead rail. A travelling crane manipulates the assembly
and positions the points in order that the panel can be
manually brought into a painting charnber. Within the latter
the paint is applied manually by an operator using a pneu-
matic gun. As the panels generally are of a considerablesize, which can e.g. represent a height and!or length of
several metres, certain difficulties are encountered when
painting the top and bottom parts. In order to paint the
top parts (which can be approximately 2.5 metres above
the ground), use is made of an appropriate auxilliary means,
whereas in the case of ~he bottom parts (positioned approx-
imately 0.5 metre above the ground), the operator has to
stoop. This succession of movements in such a difficult
environment makes this work unpleasant.
However, automated painting systems already exist.
In a ~irst system, an operator applies the paint or prot-
I ective product to the first part by manually moving a robot.
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The movements of the latter are recorded, together with
information on the products, i.e. the nature thereof as
a function of the location to be painted or protected and
this constitutes the painting or protection program for
such parts.
In a second system, the operator carries out the application
of the protective product or paint to the first part by
moving a means which is lighter than a robot, said means
being called a "syntaxer". It is the movments of said
syntaxer which are recorded, together with the information
concerning the products and constituting the program for
this type of part. It is this program which is carried
out by the robot during the subsequent treatment of a series
of parts of this type.
In a third system, the operator moves a syntaxer, which
represents the robot and the movements performed by the
syntaxer are reproduced by the robot, which consequently
carries out the first part. The movements of the robot
are recorded, together with the information on the products
and this represents the program for the particular part
type in question.
Finally, in other sys-tems, use is made of a computer which
determines the displacements of the robot as a Eunction
of the coordinates of certain points of the part. For
example, a programmer can give the computer the coordinates of
certain points linked by velocities and accelerations,
as well as the information on the products. The computer
carries out a calibration in order to calculate a mean
value and correct possible errors, said mean value constit-
uting the pro~ram for the considered type of part.
Although these systems are automated, they suffer from
a certain number of disadvantages when it is necessary
I
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to paint the two faces of a curved panel. Thus, all these
systems use robots only dealing with a single face of the
panel at once. In order to paint or protect the two faces,
it is necessary either to turn over the panel, or to pass
the robot on the other side thereof, or have two facing
robots. In all these cases, the program of the first face
differs from that of the second face. It is therefore
necessary to have a significant storage capacity and it
is necessary to check that the face of the panel facing
the robot does indeed correspond to the selected program.
Moreover, it is necessary to ensure the good positioning
of the part in space, which requires special attachment
tools.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate these
disadvantages by proposing a spraying process and apparatus
making it possible to simultaneously treat the two faces
of a panel, whilst having a minimum number of controlled
axis for controlling the product application means and
which do not make it necessary to have a separate program
for each type of part.
The presen-t invention therefore proposes a process for
the spraying of a product simultaneously onto two opposite
faces of a randomly shaped panel, characterized by posit-
ioning in facing manner at least one pair of spraying
apparatuses in an arrangement such that a fictitious impact
point common to each pair of apparatuses is located on
a median surface positioned equidistantly of the opposite
faces oE the panel, each apparatus having an orientation
determined with respect to a plane tangential to said median
surface and passing through said fictitious impact point
and being located at a given distance from said plane;
and producing a relative displacement between the panel
and the spraying apparatuses parallel to said plane, the
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spraying apparatuses being kept in said arrangement by
simultaneously moving them in a transverse direction with
respect to the panel in order to maintain the fictitious
impact point on said median surface and by simultaneously
orienting them about a common axis perpendicular to said
transverse direction and passing through the fictitious
impact point, in order to keep constant the orientation
of each apparatus with respect to the tangential plane.
Through using two facing sprayin~ apparatuses, it is possible
to simultaneously treat the two ~aces and reduce the time
and therefore cost of an operation. Moreover, through
permanently maintaining said apparatuses in a given orien-
tation with respect to the plane tangential to the median
surface of the panel and passing through the fictitious
impace point and at a given distance from said plane, it
is possible to simultaneously treat the two faces of a
curved panel with the aid of a single program, whilst only
having two movements to control for the spraying apparatuses,
e.g. and as will be shown hereinaft~r, a translation and
a rotation of the supports on which are mounted the spraying
apparatuses.
Within the context of the present description, the word
"jet~ is considered in its most general sense for desig-
nating a mist discharged by a sprayer, as well as a jet
of liquid ejected under pressure.
In view of the fact that use is made of two spraying appar-
atuses discharging jets of product onto each of the faces
of a panel, it is obvious that there are at least two
impact points, i.e. one on each face of the panel. Within
the present description, the expression "real impact point"
can designate both a small spot corresponding to the location
where the product is deposited on the panel at a given
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time and the centre of said spot when using apparatuses
making it possible to cover a relatively large area, e.g.
a sprayer. The expression "the fictitious impact point"
in all cases designates the centre of the segment joining
the real impact points of each face.
According to another aspect of the process according to
the invention, said relative displacement between the panel
and the spraying apparatuses is brought about by moving
the panel between the sprayer apparatuses in a first dir-
ection parallel to said common axis and by simultaneously
giving the spraying apparatuses a regular, reciprocating
movement in a second direction perpendicular to the first
direction and to the transverse direction.
According to another aspect of the process according to
the invention, the panel is firstly passed infront of a
learning system, which determines the shape and dimensions
of the panel and on the basis of said characteristics
~0 establishes a program then making it possible to produce
said relative displacement between the panel and the spraying
apparatuses.
Thus, an individual program is produced for each panel
to be treated, so that it is no longer necessary to have
a program for each type of part, as was necessary in the
prior art. This required a large storage capacity and
therefore a more complex and costly apparatus.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for performing
this process. According to the main feature of said
apparatus, it comprises:
- at least one pair of facing spraying apparatuses and
having a common fictitious impact point,5 - means for producing a relative displacement between
the panel and the spraying apparatuses and
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- means for maintaining the spraying apparatuses in
an arrangement such that their common fictitious impact
point is located on a median surface positioned equidis-
tantly of the opposite faces of the panel and that their
orientation with respect to a tangential plane to said
median surface and passing through said fictitious impact
point and their distance from said plane remain constant,
whereby said latter means comprise first means for simultan-
eously displacing the spraying apparatuses in a transvexse
direction ~ith respect to the panel making it po~ible to
keep constant the distance separating the apparatuses from
said plane, together with second means for simultaneously
pivoting the spraying apparatuses about a common axis per-
pendicular to said transverse direction and passing through
said fictitious impact point, so that the orientation of
said apparatuses with respect to said plane can be kept
constant.
Preferably, the means for producing a relative displacement
between the panel and the spraying apparatuses comprises
third means for passing the panel between the spraying
apparatuses in a first direction parallel to said common
axis and fourth means for simultaneously making the spraying
apparatuses carry out a regular, reciprocating movement
in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction
and to the transverse direction.
Preferably, the spraying apparatuses are mounted on carriages
able to move simultaneously on two parallel posts of a
support frame under the action of a fourth means, the
support frame itself being able to move in its plane in
accordance with said transverse direction under the action
of the first means, whi~st each spraying apparatus is mounted
on one of the carriages so as to be pivotable about said
common axis under the action of second means.
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In this case, the fourth means comprises a cable and pulley
return system controlled by drive means and arranged on
the frame in such a way that an actuation of the drive
means produces a simultaneous displacement of the carriages
in the same direction and by the same length.
Preferably, the third means successively pass the panel
infront of a learning system and then between the spraying
apparatuses, the learning system determining the shape
and dimensions of the panel and transmitting the charac-
teristics thereof to a computer, which draws up a control
program relative to the first, second and fourth means
when the panel passes between the spraying apparatuses.
The invention can be better gathered from studying the
following description given in a purely illustrative and
non-limitative manner with reference to the attached drawings,
wherein show:
0 Fig.l a diagrammatic plan view of a painting installation
incorporating an apparatus according to the invention.
Fig.2 is a diagrammatic view in eleYation of an apparatus
according to the invention in accordance with arrow
F in Fig.l.
On considering Fig.l, it can be seen that the painting
installation firstly comprises a loading station 10 by
which the panels to be painted arrive. The loading station
has one or more linear rails 12 making it possible to move
the panels or leave them in a waiting position. The panels
are attached by their upper part to rails 12.
A transfer beam 14 manipulated with the aid of a travelling
crane (not shown in Fig.l) is displaceable between a first
position 14a, shown in continuous line form, and a second
I
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position 14b diagrammatically shown in mi~ed line form.
In position 14a, beam 14 is located substan~ially in the
extension of rail 12, whilst in position 14b it is located
in the extension of a rail 16 similar to rail 12 and which
makes it possible to pass the panel firstly infront of
a learning system 18 and then infront of the painting
apparatus 26 according to the invention.
The learning system 18 is an identification and telemetry
apparatus, which can e.g. incorporate two detectors 19
be~ween which the panel passes. System 18 determines the
characteristics of the panel, such as its shape and size.
It is connected to a computer 20, which produces a painting
program as a function of said characteristics. In an ent-
irely automatic manner said program controls the paintingapparatus 26, which will be described in greater detail
hereinafter relative to Fig.2.
A partition 22 shown in mixed line form in Fig.l and having
an opening 24, in the painting installation shown therein
separates the area where the learning system 18 and computer
20 are located from the area where the painting apparatus
26 is located. Opening 24 is in the form of a thin vertical
slit (i.e. perpendicular to the plane of Fig.l), its width
being just sufficient to permit the passage of the panel.
Partition 22 makes it possible to protect the remainder
of the installation against sprayed paint.
Fig.l shows a second transfer beam 28, which moves between
a first position 28a, shown in continuous line form, and
one or more positions 28b, shown in mixed line form. In
position 28a beam 28 is located in the extension of rail
16, but on the side opposite to beam 14 with respect thereto.
Beam 28, which can be manipulated by a ~avelling crane,
makes it possible to transfer thepanels leaving the painting
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apparatus 26 and bring them into an oven 30 where they
are dried. A system of rails ~ located in the upper part
of the oven makes it possible to transfer said panels from
one end o~ the oven to the other. When the beam 28 occupies
one of the positions 28b, it is located in the extension
of a rail 32. Rails 3~ can be constructed in the same
way as rails 12 and 16.
Painting in the installation illustrated in Fig.1 takes
place in the following way. The panels to be painted are
attached by their upper part to rails 12, which makes it
possible to bring them to the right-hand end thereof on
considering the drawing, i.e. into the vicinity of the
circulation zone of beam 14. ~y means of the travelling
crane, the latter is brought facing the rail 12 where the
panel to be painted is located and said panel is trans-
ferred from rail 12 to beam 14. This transfer can take
place by using any known means in the handling field.
Beam 14 is at this instant in position 14a and then, when
the panel is attached thereto, it is moved to position
14b. By a manipulation which is the opposite to that des-
cribed hereinbefore, the panel is detached from beam 14
and attached to rail 16. It then moves along the latter,
from right to left considering Fig.l. It firstly passes
infront of the learning system 18 between the two detectors
19. As the panel moves batween the detectors 19, system
18 determines the shape and exact dimensions of the panel
and these characteristics are transmitted to the computer
20, which produces the painting program as a function of
the thus determined shape. The panel continues its path,
passes through the slit 24 of pa~tition 22 and arrives level
with apparatus 26.
In the preferred embodiment illustrated here and which
will be described in greater detail hereinafter relative
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to Fig.2, apparatus 26 essentially comprises a frame having
two vertical posts along ~hich travel the paint spraying
apparatuses or guns. The displacements of the frame, the
guns with respect to the frame and the supply of paint
to the panel are determined, as the latter moves, by the
program previously produced by computer 20.
Once the operation is completed, i.e. once the panel has
completely left the apparatus 26, it is positioned at the
left-hand end of rail 16 on considering Fig.l. Beam 28
is then brought into position 28a and the panel is trans-
ferred from rail 16 to said beam. This operation can be
carried out in the same way as hereinbefore. The travelling
crane carrying the beam 28 is then manipulated until the
beam reaches one of the positiones 28b. If necessary,
at said level the panel can undergo a desolvation operation.
The panel is then detached from the beam 28 and attached
to the corresponding rail 32. It can then pass through
the oven at an adequate speed to ensure that drying is
completed during said passage. ~hen the panel arrives
at the end of the rail 32 opposite to beam 28, i.e. its
right-hand end when considering the drawing, beam 14 is
brought into an intexmediate position between positions
14a and 14b and in which it is located in the extension
of rail 32. The panel is then detached from the latter
and attached to beam 14, then the travelling crane manip-
ulates the latter in order to bring the panel to the dis-
charge system.
A description will now be given of the paint sprayiny
apparatus 26 according to the invention with reference
to Fig.2.
In the preferred embodiment, apparatus 26 essentially
comprises a frame 34 having two parallel vertical posts
36 and 38 of substantially the same length and whose upper
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and lower ends are connected by two horizontal cross-beams
40,42 respectively. This frame is located in a plane per-
pendicular to the displacement direction of panel 88 and
is mounted on a fixed framework 43, so as to be movable
in its plane in accordance with a horizontal direction
contained therein, i.e. from right to left and vice versa
when considering Fig.2. To this end, a screw-nut sys~em
is mounted between the upper part of frame 34 and the fixed
framework. The nut is constituted by a connec-ting part
44 fixed the centre of the upper cross-beam 40. This nut
cooperates with a horizontal screw 46 supported by the
framework and manipulated by a motor 48. Rollers 50 fixed
to the lower cross-beam 42 of frame 34 enable the latter
to be guided by a rail 52 integral with the framework during
said movement.
The apparatus also has two paint spraying devices or guns,
which are positioned facing one another on frame 34.
The first of these guns 54 is mounted on the vertical post
36 of frame 34, whilst the second gun 56 is mounted on
vertical post 38. Guns 54 and 56 are identical. Each
of the guns 54,56 is mounted on a carriage 55,58 mobile
in translation along post 36,38, carriages 55 and 58 being
at the same height on frame 34, as is shown in Fig.2.
In its part turned towards the interior of frame 34, each
of the carriages 55,58 supports a toothed segment 60 mobile
in translation with respect to said carriage and on which
are mounted the nozzle 64 used for the discharge of the
paint or any other product which it is wished to deposit
on the panel. The two toothed segmen-ts 60 ha~e a common
rotation axis passing through a fictitious impact point,
common to the two guns 54,56 and perpendicular to the plane
of the frame 34. A tooth system 61 formed on each of the
toothed segments 60 meshes on a worm screw 62, whose axis
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is parallel to posts 36 and 38 and which is supported in
rotary manner by the corresponding carriage 55,58. Conseq-
uently, the rotation of each screw 62, controlled by a
motor 63, drives that of the toothed segment 60 about the
aforementioned common axis.
In the particular case described here, there is a nozzle
64 at each end of the toothed segments 60 and the incidence
of the jet projected by each of the nozzles onto the corr-
esponding surface of -the panel is approximately 45. However,
it would not pass outside the scope of the invention to
equip each gun 54,56 with a single nozzle e.g. placed in
the centre of the arc formed by the latter, or a number
of nozzles exceeding 2. It would also not pass beyond
the scope of the invention to use two guns equipped with
a different number of nozzles, or even the same number
of nozzles, but whose incidence with respect to the corr-
esponding surface of the panel is not the same. The number
and arrangement of the nozzles are a function of each part-
icular envisaged application.
Finally, a flexible tube 66 makes it possible to supplyto each gun 54,56 the paint, together with the electrical
energy necessary for controlling the motor 63. Tube 66
can be a large tube containing both smaller diameter tubes
for supplying each nozzle 64 individually, as well as the
electric wires supplying motor 63. However, it would not
extend beyond the scope of the invention to use a different
arrangement.
In the embodiment described here, tube 66 passes over a
pulley 68 carried by carriage 58, which makes it possible
to keep it in place without it having to undergo stresses,
which may lead to the deformation thereof during the move-
ment of the carriage 58 along post 38. However, the presence
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of pulley 68 is not obligatory, the essential point being
that the tube 66 has a length and a flexibility ~ch are
adequate to follow the movements of the carriage.
The apparatus shown in Fig.2 also comprises a return system
making it possible to simultaneously displace at the same
speed the two guns 54,56 along posts 36,38.
It can be seen that the return system essentially comprises
a first cable 70, whereof one end is fixed to the upper
part of carriage 55 of gun 54. As from this point, cable
70 has a first subs-tantially vertical part and passes
over a pulley 72 positioned level with the junction between
post 36 and the upper cross-beam 40 of frame 34. Cable
70 then has a substantially horizontal part and passes
over a pulley ?4, disposed in the same way as pulley 72,
but which is located level with the junction between cross-
beam 40 and post 38. Cable 70 then has a substantially
vertical part parallel to post 38 and passes under another
pulley 76, whose axis is fixed to the lower part of post
38. Finally, cable 70 has a last vertical part between
pulley 76 and the lower part of carriage 58 of gun 56
to which it is fixed.
The return system comprises a second cable 78, whereof
one end is fixed to the upper part of the carriage 58.
Cable 78 has a Eirst substantially vertical part and passes
over a pulley 80 located at a certain distance from pul y
74 level with the junction between posts 38 and the upper
cross-beam 40. Cable 80 then passes along the upper cross-
beam 40 of frame 38 upto a pulley 82 located in the vicin-
ity of pulley 72, in the same way as pulley 80 with xespect
to pulley 74. However, between pulleys 80 and 82, cab~e
78 performs a dead turn about a drum controlled by a motor
84 carried by the connecting part 44. Motor 84 rotates
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the drum about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the
plane of frame 3~. Af~er passing over pulley 82, cable
78 has a vertical part up ~o the lower part of post 36
along which it passes before passing below a pulley 86
positioned in the lower part of post 36, like pulley 76
with respect to the lower part of post 38. After passing
around pulley 86, cable 78 has a final vertical part bet-
ween the latter and the lower part of carriage 55 to which
it is fixed.
Thus, when motor 84 is put into operation to drive the
drum in the direction of arrow Fl, this has the effect
of moving cable 78 from pulley 82 to pulley 80. Conseq-
uently, the end of cable 78 fixed to the lower part of
carriage 55 pulls the latter downwards. A rotation of
a given angle of said drum consequently brings about a
displacement of given length x of carriage 54 in the down-
wards direction. This has the effect of driving downwards
by a length x, that part of cable 70 between pulley 72
and carriage 55. The other end of cable 70 consequently
moves downwards by a distance x. Thus, the two carriages
55,58 are moved downwards by the same distance. Therefore
motor 84 makes it possible to simultaneously move the
two carriages 55 and therefore the two guns 54,56. The
latter remain in facing manner during said displacement
if care has been taken to mount the carriages 55,58 at
the same height on posts 36 and 38 of frame 3~.
Fig.2 also shows the rail 16 to which is attached the
panel 88 via a connecting system 90 diagrammatically rep-
resented in mixed line form. The arrangement is such
that rails 16 is located in the vicinity of the upper
cross-beam 40, but slightly below the latter, in such
a way that the rail 16, panel 88 and attachment system
90 are located within the space defined by posts 36,38
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and cross-beams 40 and 42. Rail 16 is oriented perpendicular
to the plane of frame 30 and the attachment system 90
is such that the advance direction defined by the rail
is parallel to a tangent to the median surface oE the
panel.
In Fig.2, frame 34 occupies its mean position, i.e. rail
16 is located approximately in the centre of cross-beam
40, but said position can vary by means of the screw -
nut system 44,46 as a function of the curvature of thepanel and the location thereof which it is wished to paint.
This displacement is limited, because rail 16 must always
be located between posts 36 and 38.
The apparatus illustrated in Fig.2 functions as follows.
Initially, the guns 54,56 are located in the upper part
of frame 34 and occupy the positions 54a,56a shown in
continuous line form. The painting program is produced
by computer 20 as the panel passes in front of the learning
system 18. As a function of this program, frame 34 is
moved by the screw - nut system 44,46, so that the common
fictitious impact point of guns 54,56 is located on the
median surface equidistant of the opposite faces of the
panel. As a function of this program, the toothed segments
60 are simultaneously oriented by means of motors ~3 act-
uating screws 62, so that the guns 54,56 carrying the
nozzles 64 have the desired orientation or incidence with
respect to a plane tangential to the aforementioned median
surface and passing through the fictitious impact point
of the guns. Panel 88 then advances along rail 16 in
a direction perpendicular to the plane of frame 34 until
the front part thereof is positioned between the two guns
54,56.
The advance of panel 88 is stopped and motor 84 is started
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up, in such a way that the two guns 54 and 56 simultaneously
descend along posts 36,38. During this movement, frame
34 is if necessary displaced with the aid of the screw -
nut system to maintain the fictitious impact point on
the median surface at the fictitious impact point. By
construction, the distance separating each gun from the
plane tangential to said median surface from the fictitious
impact point remains constant during said movement. In
addition, there is a simultaneous and quasi-continuous
manipulation, as a function of the panel curvature, of
the screw 62 so as to constantly orient the toothed segment
60, in such a way that the orientation of the guns, i.e.
the incidence of the painting jets, with respect to the
plane tangential to the median surface of the panel at
the fictitious impact point. Thus, guns 54 and 56 arrive
at the bottom of their travel, in positions 54b and 56b
respectively (said positions being shown in mixed line
form in Fig.2).
Thus, a layer of paint has been deposited on each face
of the panel over a vertical strip thereof having a certain
width. The panel can be advanced (perpendicular to the
plane of the drawing) by a distance equal to the width
of said strip and paint is then applied to a second strip
during the raising movement of the guns, motor 84 being
actuated in the reverse direction. This is continued
until the entire panel 88 is painted.
It should be noted that for safety reasons, the part of
the guns 54,56 having the worm screws 62 and the toothed
sector 60 is protected by a skirt 92, which only reveals
the spraying nozzles.
Thus, the process and apparatus according to the invention
have particularly interesting advantages, the most important
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being that they make it possible to simultaneously treat
the two faces of the panel with a minimum number of controlled
axes. Thus, the translation of the guns is simultaneous
and the rotation of the toothed segments 60 can be contr-
olled with the same program. Thus, the only movementsare the displacement of panel 88, the simultaneous displ-
acement of the guns in translation along posts 36,38,
the simultaneous rotation of the toothed segments 60 and
the displacement of frame 34 with the aid of the screw -
nut system 4~,46.
Moreover, the use of the learning system 18 associatedwith computer 20 makes it possible to establish an indiv-
idual program for each panel immediately prior to the
actual painting operation. It is consequently no longer
necessary to carry out learning operations as in the prior
art, which takes time and makes the installation more
complex and therefore more costly through the need of
having large storage capacities. Obviously all the move-
ments described hereinbefore are synchronized and a functionof one another. They are all controlled by the program
produced by the computer.
Thus, it is possible to avoid all the prior operations
~5 necessary with the prior art apparatuses and in particular
the individual programming of parts by an operator, either
in situ, or in a simulator. There are no longer any storage,
management, program loading or communication operations,
program modifications in the case of modifying parts,
etc. Moreover, it is no longer necessary to carry out
an operation of recognition with respect to a part or
one face thereof and the two faces can be dealt with sim-
ultaneously without it being necessary to turn over the
part or use two guns with two different programs.
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Furthermore, the apparatus according to the invention has
a light weight and is simple to construct. Its movements
are simple, which leads to a simplified movement control.
It is ~ossible to deal both with large panels and a series
of smaller panels, whilst it is easy to orient the nozzles
to optimize the application of the product. This solution
is not very expensive from the mechanical standpoint (simple
construction) and its control is very simple.
Finally, the installation has a ~ood flexibility, because
the different movements make it possible to treat panels
having different shapes and sizes and even panels with
a considerable curvature. Such an apparatus makes it poss-
ible to treat planar or curved panels with a thickness
between 1 and 150 mm.
Although the above description has been given relative
to the particular case oE spraying paint, such an apparatus
can be used for depositing on the panels any random type
o~ product, i.e. not only paints, no matter whether it
is a primary coating or a finishing coating, as well as
sweating, chemical working, rinsing or similar products,
together with varnishes or wood treatment products, scratch-
preventing products for protecting surfaces or finishing
agents for composite materials, etc. The apparatus according
to the invention can be used for carrying out simultaneous
shot blasting of two faces of a thin panel, whilst avoiding
deformation of said panel in the impact zone. The apparatus
can be used for treating all materials which have to be
sprayed.
In the frequent case where the treated panel have a uniform
curvature, there are simple connection functions bet~een
the displacements of the carriages along posts and the
orientation angles of thP spraying apparatuses around their
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common axis and the lateral displacements of the frame.
It is then po~ ble to realize these connections mechanically
without using a computer-controlled electromechanical system.
Finally, it is obvious that the inYention is not limited
to the embodiments described hereinbefore and numerous
variants can be made thereto ~ithout passing beyond the
scope of the invention, particularly with regards to the
movements of the different parts and the control of said
movements, toge'her with the supply of paint to the guns
and/or the electric power supply for the same. Optionally,
without passing beyond the scope of the invention, the
guns could be kept fixed and the panel could be moved with
respect thereto, whilst it would be possible to simultan-
eously use several pairs of identical or different spraying
apparatuses or guns.
SP 4666.69 GP
