Patents by Inventor Kenneth Kreeger

Kenneth Kreeger has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9221069
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffrey E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 9067223
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20140174346
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffery E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 8714101
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffrey E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 8312835
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffery E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Publication number: 20120114864
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: NORDSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 8132743
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20100176215
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: NORDSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20100175616
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: NORDSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffery E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 7712681
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Terrence M. Fulkerson, Terry John Thompson, Jeffery Edward Dailidas, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7665414
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Joseph G. Schroeder, Jeffrey E. Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Publication number: 20070079755
    Abstract: Material application system provided with a wireless identification technology for parts being processed and for components of the material application system. An exemplary technology is RFID. The RFID device can be used for many different functions including part identification, repair and maintenance programs, and inventory control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: NORDSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Gregory Strack, Jeffrey Perkins, Cynthia Skelton-Becker, Stephen Nemethy, Herman Turner, Kenneth Kreeger, Joseph Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20070062444
    Abstract: A powder spray for lengthy parts includes a booth wall structure comprised primarily of doors. A moveable roof may be raised and lowered to clean powder overspray from the interior surfaces of the booth. A cleaning process may be performed with a sideways extraction mode and a downward extraction mode. The mode change occurs when a bulkhead that travels with the moveable roof blocks the inlet duct to the recovery system. The recovery system may be a cyclone system for example. The doors of the booth are hinged so that they can be positioned for spraying operations and cleaning operations. Live hinge designs are provided and hose stress relief designs are also provided. The roof may carry accumulators for pressurized air that feed cleaning nozzles as the roof descends. In addition, exhaust air may be used to assist cleaning the interior surfaces as the roof descends. All of the energy provided for cleaning and color change may be provided by accumulators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Jeffrey Shutic, Joseph Schroeder, Jeffrey Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Publication number: 20060219807
    Abstract: A material or color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element. A remote activation function may be provided to facilitate initiating a color change procedure. In one embodiment, the remote activation function may be a pneumatic foot switch, while in another embodiment it may be an electrical switch, such as a membrane switch for example, mounted on a spray gun.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Terrence Fulkerson, Terry Thompson, Jeffery Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger, Joseph Schroeder
  • Patent number: 7074274
    Abstract: Systems and methods for applying powder coating materials in electrostatic spray systems are provided. For example, a gravity feed of recovered powder coating from the recovery system to the feed system is disclosed. In addition, a powder feed system is disclosed wherein a powder suction lance assembly has only two operable positions, a first for feeding powder from a fluidized hopper and also corresponding to a purge position for a novel purge manifold, and a second retracted position for powder color changes and servicing. Also, a pump assembly block in physical communication with an air line attachment plate, a suction tube plate, and a hose manifold is disclosed. A plurality of attachment members removably attach the air attachment plate, a suction tube plate, and the hose manifold plate to the pump assembly block. Method for applying a first powder color and a second powder color in a powder feed center are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Edward L. Jones, Michael S. Thomas, Andrew M. Peddie, Kenneth A. Kreeger, Joseph G. Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20060137315
    Abstract: Powder overspray that is extracted from a spray booth is recovered back to a powder supply that is used to supply powder to the spray guns inside the spray booth. The powder overspray extracted from the booth is separated from the high flow air stream by a separator such as a cyclone separator. The powder falls into a transfer pan and a vacuum is used to convey the powder from the transfer pan to a vacuum receiver. The powder is then discharged to the feed hopper in the feed center. The use of a vacuum to convey powder from the cyclone to the feed center in effect permits substantially all of the powder overspray to be recovered from the spray booth directly to the feed hopper with minimal dwell or residence time within the cyclone or vacuum receiver subsystems during a spraying operation. The receiver can be rotated for easy cleaning, and the vacuum line cleaned by one or more cleaning elements drawn through the vacuum line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2006
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Jeffrey Shutic, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 7014670
    Abstract: Powder overspray that is extracted from a spray booth is recovered back to a powder supply that is used to supply powder to the spray guns inside the spray booth. The powder overspray extracted from the booth is separated from the high flow air stream by a separator such as a cyclone separator. The powder falls into a transfer pan and a vacuum is used to convey the powder from the transfer pan to a vacuum receiver. The powder is then discharged to the feed hopper in the feed center. The use of a vacuum to convey powder from the cyclone to the feed center in effect permits substantially all of the powder overspray to be recovered from the spray booth directly to the feed hopper with minimal dwell or residence time within the cyclone or vacuum receiver subsystems during a spraying operation. The receiver can be rotated for easy cleaning, and the vacuum line cleaned by one or more cleaning elements drawn through the vacuum line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Shutic, Kenneth A. Kreeger
  • Publication number: 20050279860
    Abstract: A color changer has a common feed passage that is connected to two or more inlet passages. The common feed passage can be reverse purged in a direction that is opposite a direction of powder flow through the common feed passage. A valve element seals a supply port that connects the inlet passage to the common feed passage to eliminate dead space and form a near bore line seal. The valve element is an elastic material that expands in response to applied compressed air inside the valve element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Terrence Fulkerson, Terry Thompson, Jeffery Dailidas, Kenneth Kreeger, Joseph Schroeder
  • Publication number: 20050022483
    Abstract: Powder overspray that is extracted from a spray booth is recovered back to a powder supply that is used to supply powder to the spray guns inside the spray booth. The powder overspray extracted from the booth is separated from the high flow air stream by a separator such as a cyclone separator. The powder falls into a transfer pan and a vacuum is used to convey the powder from the transfer pan to a vacuum receiver. The powder is then discharged to the feed hopper in the feed center. The use of a vacuum to convey powder from the cyclone to the feed center in effect permits substantially all of the powder overspray to be recovered from the spray booth directly to the feed hopper with minimal dwell or residence time within the cyclone or vacuum receiver subsystems during a spraying operation. The receiver can be rotated for easy cleaning, and the vacuum line cleaned by one or more cleaning elements drawn through the vacuum line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2002
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Jeffrey Shutic, Kenneth Kreeger
  • Patent number: 4723505
    Abstract: A powder spray booth including a tunnel through which product is conveyed to spray guns mounted adjacent the tunnel to spray charged particles into the tunnel and a fan and final filters located below the tunnel. A powder collector consisting of cartridges and a hopper below the cartridges is removably positionable at the downstream end of the tunnel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1988
    Assignee: Nordson Corporation
    Inventors: Scott T. Wilson, Richard D. Burke, Kenneth A. Kreeger