Abstract: An electrostatic spray coating apparatus having a spray nozzle which has a spray orifice for atomizing coating material. The nozzle orifice may be round or, preferably, is in the form of a slot to impart a flat shape to the atomized material. The spray nozzle is mounted to be rotated on a body of the spray gun so that the atomized material particles are driven radially outwards in addition to the forward direction and are thereby distributed uniformly in the cloud of sprayed material. A brake may be provided to slow down the rotation when greater penetration into cavities in the article being painted is desired. In invention may be used in either power spray coating apparatus or liquid spray coating apparatus.

Abstract: A tribocharge applicator device for application of a powdered material to a substrate is disclosed. The device includes an inlet for pressurized conveying gas, an inlet for powdered polymeric material having a first dielectric constant, a mixing chamber, a discharge barrel and a charge module. The charge module includes: at least two spiral charging elements disposed inside and coaxially aligned with respect to the barrel, each spiral charging element comprising an elongated sheet of a different material having a second dielectric constant. The proximal end of the elongated sheet is twisted about its longitudinal axis with respect to the distal end such that each longitudinal edge of the sheet forms a spiral.

Abstract: For the application of a coating material to an object, the coating material is conveyed along a conduit by means of an entraining gas. For good conveying conditions, the entraining gas is made to travel at high velocity. In order that the velocity of the coating material discharged at the coating zone is not excessive, a partial vacuum source extracts part of the entraining gas from a point upstream of the outlet, via a separate conduit. This results both in an improved rate of deposition of the coating material on the object to be coated and in a particularly uniform coating.

Abstract: A grounded insulated electrostatic supply tank comprised of a conductive tank that has several liners to fully insulate a waterborn fluid in the tank from ground. The interior of the tank and a sealed lid are coated with an insulating liner. An intermediate lining is placed in the tank and third interior insulating inner liner is inserted in the tank and has a lip that wraps around the upper rim of the tank and is sealed between the lid and the tank. Electrostatic spray equipment is connected to the tank by a coaxial hose having an inner non-conductive hose and preferably, an outer hose that is conductive. Inner non-conductive hose extends through the lid into an insulating teflon pick-up tube that extends to near the bottom of the tank. Depleted waterborn fluid in the tank is grounded after use by a manual probe or by a piston operated automatic grounding system.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to electrostatic chucks, methods for their use, the electrostatic deposition of objects, such as particles in a dry powder, onto recipient substrates, and the recipient substrates themselves that have been subjected to electrostatic deposition. In one aspect, the present invention provides an electrostatic chuck for electrostatically attracting an object or objects wherein the object is used in chemical or pharmaceutical assaying or manufacturing. The objects can be pharmaceutical substrates, for example, such as a pharmaceutical tablet. Additional embodiments of the invention provide chucks and their use to electrostatically attract particles, such as a pharmaceutically active ingredient, to a substrate, such as a tablet. In one aspect, the electrostatic chuck comprises a floating electrode, and is used to selectively attract particles to a substrate above the floating electrode, thereby providing for charge imaging for the deposition of particles in a selected image.

Abstract: A robotic arm assembly in a transport module is expansible to have an effector at its end receive a substrate in a cassette module and is then contracted and rotated with the effector to have the effector face a process module. Planets on a turntable in the process module are rotatable on first parallel axes. The turntable is rotatable on a second axis parallel to the first axes to move successive planets to a position facing the effector. At this position, an alignment assembly is aligned with, but axially displaced from, one of the planets. This assembly is moved axially into coupled relationship with such planet and then rotated to a position aligning the substrate on the effector axially with such planet when the arm assembly is expanded. A lifter assembly aligned with, and initially displaced from, such planet is moved axially to lift the substrate from the effector. The arm assembly is then contracted, rotated with the effector and expanded to receive the next cassette module substrate.

Abstract: Apparatus for powder spray coating comprises means (4) for electrostatically-charging powder entrained in air, a conduit (6) for transporting the electrostatically charged powder from the charging means (4) to an internal chamber (12) in a spray head (8), the spray head (8) having at least one passage (16) from the internal chamber (12) to at least one nozzle (17) from which the powder is discharged, and a deflector (18) mounted externally of the spray head (8) and adjacent to the or each nozzle (17) to deflect the discharged powder into a flat spray pattern, the spray head (8) and the flat spray pattern being substantially symmetrical about a common longitudinal axis. The apparatus is particularly suitable for coating a large surface area, or a plurality of small objects hung in a planar array. Preferably multiple triboelectric type charging means (4) are used and a single pump is used to supply powder to the multiple charging means through a common distributor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating the surface of a substrate suspends a coating material above the surface of the substrate and irradiates both the coating material and the underlying surface of the substrate. By irradiating both the coating material and the underlying surface of the substrate, a first portion of the coating material is melted to form an at least partially molten droplet of coating material. In addition, at least a second portion of the coating material is ablated to thereby create an ablation plume which propels the at least partially molten droplet of coating material toward the substrate. Thus, a metallic powder can be suspended within a carrier and can be directed along the substrate so as to be irradiated by a pulse of laser energy.

Abstract: An environmentally compliant triboelectric applicator and process for coating or ablating a substrate and for retrieving excess or ejected material from the substrate. The applicator comprises an inner supersonic nozzle for accelerating triboelectrically charged projectile particles entrained in a supersonic gas to speeds sufficiently high to coat or ablate a substrate and an outer evacuator nozzle coaxially surrounding the inner supersonic nozzle for retrieving excess projectile particles, ablated substrate powders, or other environmentally hazardous materials. A fluid dynamic coupling uses the efficacy of the Mach turning angle associated with a supersonic boundary layer of carrier gas to aspirate the central core of the supersonic two-phase jet.

Abstract: A powder spray coating device which includes an injector air flow controller having two alternate air flow paths for delivering feed air to an injector which delivers powder to a spray device. Optionally, the air flow controller also may have two alternate air flow paths for delivering supplemental air to the injector or downstream from the injector. In a first setting of a mode selector, feed air is delivered through a manually adjusted air valve and in a second setting of the mode selector the feed air is delivered through an automatically adjusted air valve. When supplemental air is provided, the supplemental air passes through a manually adjusted air valve in the first mode selector setting and through an automatically adjusted air valve in the second mode selector setting. A controller may detect articles to be coated and set the automatically adjusted feed air and supplemental air valves.

Abstract: A system for applying a coating to an article of manufacture comprises a first conveyor assembly which conveys articles through a coating booth for application of a coating. The first conveyor assembly has a section aligned with and in close proximity to a section of a second conveyor assembly at which the articles are transferred to the second conveyor assembly. The second conveyor assembly transports the articles to a bake oven wherein the coating is baked on the articles. By this arrangement, residual coating material is not baked on the carriers of the first conveyor assembly and hence coating removal processes to clean the carriers are avoided.

Abstract: A support for parts being electrostatically coated or painted as mounted upon an electrically charged rack wherein the support is formed of a flexible material and includes a flexible electrical conductive portion engaging the rack and part permitting the part to be charged, and a flexible non-conductive portion frictionally engaging the part. The support may include a masking cover defined on either of the portions engaging and protecting the part from painting. The support may be formed of thermoset rubber material, thermoplastics, polyvinylchloride material, or the like.

Abstract: A coating system comprises a source of electrically non-insulative coating material, a dispenser for dispensing the coating material toward an article to be coated thereby, an electrostatic high potential supply for supplying charge to the coating material, means for coupling the high potential supply across the dispenser and the article, a first reservoir, and a first valve. The first valve has a first housing providing first, second, third, fourth and fifth ports, and a first component movable within the first housing and having a first passageway selectively to connect the first port to the second port to permit the flow of coating material from the first port to the second port. The first port is coupled to the coating material source, the second port to the first reservoir, and the third port to the dispenser. The second port is coupled to the third port to permit the flow of coating material from the first reservoir to the dispenser. A source is provided for an electrically non-conductive fluid.

Abstract: A method and apparatus (10) for powder coating three dimensional articles (12) carried on a conveyor (14) includes a controller (36) for controlling the rate at which coating material is discharged from a gun (16), so that the rate is proportional to the surface area of the surface portions of the article (12) as they pass the gun (16). Some surface portions topographically have a greater surface area which must be covered, while others are flat or have cut-out regions, requiring less coverage or no coverage at all. In powder coating operations, the discharge rate is controlled via automatic or programmed control of an electro-pneumatic air regulator (42) which regulates the supply of pressurized air to a powder pump (24) connected to the spray gun (16). The apparatus (10) assures uniformity in coating for a three dimensional article (12) with multiple surface portions of varying topography such as curves, angles, cut outs, etc., while minimizing the amount of wasted coating material.

Abstract: Electrostatic spray coating system which accurately determines the actual value of a high voltage present on at least one high voltage electrode as coating material is electrostatically charge. A control or input voltage is measured on the input of a voltage transformer and multiplier circuit and is multiplied by the voltage multiplication factor of the voltage transformer and multiplier circuit, thereby calculating the theoretical or no load value of the voltage on the high voltage electrode. This theoretical value deviates from the actual value of the electrode voltage by the amount of the internal voltage drop across the voltage transformer and multiplier circuit when a current flows in it. The internal voltage drop is determined as a function of the electrode current and is subtracted from the theoretical value in order to generate a signal voltage corresponding to the actual value of the electrode high voltage.

Abstract: An electrostatic liquid applicator; such as an oscillating disk paint gun, for spraying a liquid coating material such as paint or the like onto the surfaces of a wide variety of types of articles. The electrostatic liquid applicator includes a stationary bell, an oscillating drive shaft extending through the stationary bell and which is rotatably driven by an air-controlled drive system. An oscillating disk is fixedly mounted on the drive shaft towards the front side of the stationary bell so as to form a spray slot in a liquid plenum in cooperation with the front side of the stationary bell. The drive system includes a body portion which is located at the rear side of the stationary bell, and includes air supply ports and air exhaust ports and forms a sealed space with the rear side of the stationary bell. A drive member projects radially into this space and is anchored to the drive shaft for pivoting the latter between two end positions which are defined within a predetermined angle.

Abstract: A method of coating substrates of medicinal products with a dry powder includes the following steps: feeding the medicinal substrates onto a conveying belt (1); supplying the dry powder to a region (5) through which the substrates are to be conveyed; conveying the medicinal substrates on the conveying belt (1) through the region (5) with the conveying belt and/or the substrates maintained at a different electric potential from the dry powder, whereby the dry powder is attracted to the exposed surfaces of the substrates but is unable to reach the coated surfaces of the substrates in contact with the conveying belt, and treating the dry powder coatings to convert the powder into a fused film secured to the substrates.

Abstract: A fiber bundle workpiece is coated with a particulate material during passage about a plurality of pulleys arranged to establish a serpentine travel path portion through a coating zone. The pulleys have arcuate grooves extending thereabout, which cause the fiber bundle to twist axially, and the fibers of the bundle move with respect to one another as the fiber bundle moves along the serpentine path. These two actions increase coating efficiency and the penetration of particulate material into the fiber bundle. The travel path portion will preferably lie in a horizontal plane, and the coating unit will normally constitute an electrostatic fluidized bed of particulate material. After exiting the coating zone, the fiber bundle may pass through an oven to partially melt the particulate material, and thereby cause the particles to adhesively attach to the fiber bundle.

Abstract: A coating system comprises a source of electrically non-insulative coating material, a dispenser for dispensing the coating material toward an article to be coated thereby, an electrostatic high potential for supplying charge to the coating material, means for coupling the high potential supply across the dispenser and the article, a first reservoir, and a first valve. The first valve has a first housing providing first, second, third, fourth and fifth ports, and a first component movable within the first housing and having a first passageway selectively to connect the first port to second port to permit the flow of coating material from the first port to the second port. The first port is coupled to the coating material source, the second port to the first reservoir, and the third port to the dispenser. The second port is coupled to the third port to permit the flow of coating material from the first reservoir to the dispenser. A source is provided for an electrically non-conductive fluid.

Abstract: A resistor housing includes passageways to accommodate high potential electrical connectors. Connection is made from one of the connectors through a high voltage cable assembly to one output of a power supply. The cable assembly includes a length of high voltage, high-flex, shielded coaxial high voltage cable. The center conductor of the cable is finished at both ends with a banana plug. The shield of the cable is terminated. A sleeve of, for example, heat-shrinkable semi-rigid, multiple wall polyolefin, is slipped onto the stripped end of the cable over the exposed shield and the end of the cable jacket. A length of heat-shrinkable tetrafluroethylene (TFE) is slipped over the sleeve and the adjacent region of cable jacket, shrunk, and trimmed flush with the end of the polyolefin sleeve. Paint or solvent from a trigger/dump/solvent manifold is supplied through a feed tube. The feed tube is constructed from an electrically non-conductive material.

Abstract: A conveyor device for applying a high voltage to a work transported in a coating booth includes a conveyor device main body having a running base running in the coating booth and an electrode attachment attached to the running base being insulated therefrom for carrying the work and applying a high voltage to the work, an electromagnetic wave transmitter disposed in the coating booth for transmitting electromagnetic waves to the running base during running in a high voltage application zone and a low voltage generator means for receiving electromagnetic waves from the electromagnetic transmitter means and a high voltage generator for stepping-up a low voltage outputted from the low voltage generator and supplying a high voltage to the electrode attachment, mounted on the running base.

Abstract: An extrusion coating device has a die fitted with a paint sink fed with a paint, a slit extending from the paint sink to the distal end of the die, and a smoothing plate provided in the vicinity of the distal end of the die. The paint is extruded onto a continuously travelling support so as to be coated on the support. The smoothing plate is formed of a magnetic material and is magnetized to an opposite polarity to that of a magnet disposed via a gap of a pre-set length from the smoothing plate. The support is caused to travel along the end face of the smoothing plate so that the paint is coated on the support. The coating device enables a good coating film of a reduced film thickness to be produced while enabling high speed coating.

Abstract: A release agent management system including a metering roll supported for contact with release agent material contained in a sump. The metering roll also contacts a donor brush structure which, in turn, contacts a heated fuser roll member.The ends of the brush structure are provided with a pair of friction devices which contact the surface of the heated fuser roll member and do not contact the metering roll. Thus, the donor brush structure and the heated fuser roll member are frictionally coupled so that positive rotation of the heated fuser roll member imparts rotation to the donor brush structure.

Abstract: A device electrically insulates the supply of paint for an electrostatic paint sprayer from the charged paint near the sprayer. In the electrostatic paint sprayer, the paint that is sprayed from a nozzle is charged to a high potential. Because the paint is electrically conductive, the charged paint will conduct charge toward the supply. The present invention runs the paint supply through a vessel of insulating material. The vessel has baffles with openings that divide the flow into droplets, thus creating a discontinuity in the supply stream. Charge accumulated on the interior wall of the vessel attracts oppositely charged droplets, causing them to accelerate and splatter against the interior wall. The resulting coating of electrically conductive paint on the interior wall can create an electrically conductive bridge that destroys the insulating effect of the device.

Abstract: A ferrous strip is galvanized by establishing an electrostatic potential on the strip which is then submerged on a fluidized bed of powdered galvanizing material and then allowing the adhered galvanized powder to be carried by the strip to a reflow station. The reflow station heats the strip and galvanizing material to liquidity the galvanizing material and establish the necessary alloy interface on the ferrous strip. Thereafter, the strip passes to a cooling zone wherein the reflowed galvanizing material is solidified before contacting a roller to use to direct the strip to the exit of the galvanizing apparatus. The atmosphere within the galvanizing apparatus is remained inert through the use of nitrogen which is also used as the fluid medium for the suspension of the galvanizing powder in the fluidized bed.

Abstract: Apparatus for applying powdered coating to a workpiece--particularly to electric motor armatures and stators--including features relating to handling and masking of workpieces before, during and after coating, is provided. A first feature of the invention is the inclusion of all coating steps--e.g., coating, cleaning and precuring--as modules in a single treatment station on the production line. The treatment station can also be enclosed in a single housing to contain excess powder from both the coating and cleaning processes, so that a single powder recovery system can be used to recover the excess powder from both processes. The invention also includes a handling system for removing the workpiece from the production line, inserting it into the treatment station and moving it past the various modules in the treatment station, withdrawing it from the treatment station, and returning it to the armature production line.

Abstract: Non-magnetic and non-conductive powdered toner is applied to a rotating image cylinder having an electrostatic pattern. A container having a closed bottom and sides and open top contains the powdered toner. The powder is fluidized by introducing air through a pervious closed bottom of the container, and by vibrating the container. The toner is simultaneously stirred and electrically charged to a potential of greater than about 7 kv (plus or minus polarity) by rotating elements with radial pointed appendages in the container. Toner is transferred from the container to an image cylinder at an exposed nine o'clock position of the image cylinder by a plurality of transfer cylinders. A first transfer cylinder is mounted so that its periphery is just above the open top of the container and an applicator cylinder has its axis below the axis of the first cylinder, and its periphery adjacent both the first cylinder and the image cylinder.

Abstract: A device for applying bronze or similar powder, particularly in a cigarette making machine, uses a corona discharge wire (36) or similar conductor maintained at high voltage to establish an electrostatic field which causes powder to be attracted to prepared adhesive patches on a paper web (14). Excess powder carried by the web is removed with the assistance of vibration, which may be produced by passing the web over an ultrasound device (44) or a pulsed air mover (102). Excess powder may also be removed by an air mover (152) directing a stream of air at the surface of the web carrying the powder.

Abstract: An apparatus for improving the electrostatic charge developed on a resin powder composition for electrostatic coating of solid objects and the method of application thereof. The apparatus comprises a device for charging the powder by electrical induction/conduction such that the powder particles have a resistivity of from about 10.sup.9 to about 10.sup.13 ohm.meters at 20 percent relative humidity and spraying the charged powder onto an grounded solid object to which it adheres prior to the thermal fusing to produce a permanent finish.

Abstract: An electrostatic spraying machine for coating product comprises a hollow insulative material beam disposed horizontally over objects to be coated and carrying at least one coating product sprayer. The beam encloses a plurality of coating product supply hoses for the sprayer(s). The interior of the hollow beam is divided longitudinally into at least two conduits separated by a common wall.

Abstract: An electrostatic spray coating device for electrically conductive, non-combustible coating fluid. The coating fluid is accommodated in a pressure container (2) of electrically insulating plastic and connected over a tube (10) of electrically insulating material with a spraying device (8). An electric conduction path (53) heads off high voltage from the coating fluid (6) which is present in the pressure container (2) when the high voltage is switched off. Thereby the electrical capacitance of the device is reduced and simultaneously it is ensured that after the switching-off of the high voltage the coating fluid present in the pressure container (2) in a few seconds is no longer electrically charged. Thereby, immediately after the switching-off of the high voltage, the pressure container (2) can be opened, for example for the replenishing of coating fluid.

Abstract: Apparatus for mounting and moving coating dispensers within the interior of a spray booth, and particularly the coating dispensers located above an object moving through the booth. A first embodiment comprises a dispenser housing having an aerodynamically shaped outer surface formed with a leading edge, a trailing edge and opposed generally curved sides. A second embodiment includes a dispenser housing an outer surface with a convexly curved leading edge, flat side walls and a flat bottom wall. A pair of support assemblies isolated from the booth interior mount the dispenser housings within the booth interior such that the leading edge of each dispenser housing faces the top of the spray booth and the trailing edge faces the objects moving through the booth. One or more coating dispensers are mounted at the trailing edge of the dispenser housings in a position to discharge coating material downwardly onto the object.

Abstract: The present invention provides hardenable fluoridated copolymers that are prepared by (a) copolymerizing tetrafluoroethylene, vinylidene fluoride, and an allylic monomer of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is an unsaturated linear, branched, or cyclic alkyl chain having 2 to 12 carbon atoms, each of R1, R2, R3, and R4 is independently selected from the group consisting of H, CH.sub.3, CH.sub.2 CH.sub.3, OH, and CH.sub.2 OH, n is 0 or 1, and p is a value from 0 to 3, in the presence of a copolymerization initiator and in a solvent medium, and subsequently (b) extracting the copolymer from the reaction medium by precipitation in a liquid that is not a solvent of the copolymer but is miscible with the solvent of the reaction medium. The fluoridated copolymers so prepared are useful in powder form for electrostatic spray coating applications.

Abstract: A foodstuff flavoring apparatus includes a screw conveyor for transporting flavoring axially thereof. A downwardly directed outlet is located in the region of the outlet end of the screw conveyor. An independently driven rotor unit is located below the outlet of the conveyor and is supported from the housing of the screw conveyor unit by a rotatable transfer conduit through which flavouring, which is discharged from the outlet end of the screw conveyor, is delivered to the interior of the rotor housing and which is dispensed by the rotor toward a foodstuff. The rotor is driven by an independent variable-speed drive motor. An electrostatic charging head is located near the rotor housing in the path of the flavouring being dispensed therefrom for facilitating adhesion of the flavouring to the foodstuff. The orientation of the rotor relative to the screw conveyor is adjustable in a range of 360 degrees by rotation of the transfer conduit and is further rotatably adjustable about the axis of the screw conveyor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing nanodrops which are liquid drops with diameters less than one micron and producing therefrom solid nanoparticles and uniform and patterned film deposits. A liquid precursor is placed in an open ended tube within which is a solid electrically conductive needle which protrudes beyond the open end of the tube. Surface tension of the liquid at the tube end prevents the liquid from flowing from the tube. Mutually repulsive electric charges are injected into the liquid through the needle, causing the surface tension to be overcome to produce a plurality of liquid jets which break up into nanodrops.

Abstract: An electrically isolating pressure feed paint reservoir suitable for holding electrically conductive paint applied with an electrostatic spray gun. A paint container is located in an electrically insulated housing which is mounted on a dolly for portability. The housing also mounts a pneumatically operated paint pump for delivering pressurized paint to the spray gun. When a lid to the housing is removed the high voltage power source is turned off and any high voltage present in the housing is discharged through a resistor.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for powder spraying a automotive or other vehicle body in a powder spray booth includes a cabin purge zone in which a pair of inlet hood assemblies are positioned to the side window openings on each side of the body and the cavity is purged of excess powder by extracting the powder from the cavity through the inlet hood assemblies. The effective and efficient removal of suspended oversprayed powder from the interior of the vehicle cabin is accomplished through the production of a symmetrical air flow through the vehicle cabin in which air is exhausted through the two side window openings while the interior of the vehicle cabin is replenished with air through the front windshield opening and the rear window opening.

Abstract: A method and system for significantly increasing the density of particulates on a substrate includes disposing a particulate material, such as fibers or abrasive material, onto a surface of the substrate, whereby the particles adhere to the substrate. The substrate is then exposed to conditions sufficient to cause the surface area, on which the particulate material is disposed, to diminish, thereby significantly increasing the density of the particulate material. The system includes a support on which the substrate is disposed, apparatus for disposing the particulate material in the substrate and apparatus for causing the surface on which the particulate material is disposed to significantly diminish.

Abstract: Foodstuffs flavoring apparatus comprises an inlet, a screw conveyor arranged to convey flavoring from the inlet to a rotor disposed in a cylindrical chamber parallel to the axis of the screw conveyor, the rotor including one or more blades extending towards the wall of the chamber. The chamber also includes one or more apertures through which powdered flavoring carried to the chamber from the inlet by rotation of the screw conveyor is ejected in use of the apparatus. An electrostatic charging head located adjacent the outlet ensures adhesion of the flavoring to the foodstuff.

Abstract: A multi-color powder coat paint recovery apparatus that permits rapid color changes in a powder coat operation comprises a rotatable paint booth positioned adjacent to a painting station, with the booth having a plurality of individual paint color chambers angularly spaced around the periphery of the booth. Each chamber has an open outer side and a filter mechanism at an inner side, with the inner side being in communication with an exhaust outlet from the interior of the housing. The chamber further has primary and secondary paint hoppers positioned below each filter mechanism. An air circulating mechanism draws air inwardly from the painting station through the open outer side of the chamber, through the filter mechanism, out of the housing through the air outlet, and then returns the air through a filtered outlet in a plenum chamber behind the paint applicator. Each color chamber corresponds to a separate paint color.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a line jointing structure suitable for use in an electrostatic spray painting apparatus. The line jointing structure is used to connect to a device, an insulating line serving as a path for transportation of electrically conductive paint to which a high voltage is applied. The line jointing structure basically comprises a jointing member having a connecting portion capable of being inserted into an end of the insulating line, a sleeve disposed to cover an outer peripheral surface of the line, a nut for pressing the sleeve toward the connecting portion so as to connect the line to the connecting portion, the nut being fixedly mounted on the jointing member, and insulating seals disposed at both ends of the nut.

Abstract: A filter unit (12) or a cyclone unit (22) can alternately be attached to a cabin (2) to draw powder out of the cabin. The units move on wheels. In an operating position adjacent to the cabin (2), they are automatically aligned with flow connections and can be connected. A common fan (52) for both units is connected with the filter unit (12) via a compressed air cleaning device (42) in terms of flow, if the former is in the operating position, and at the same time it closes off the inlet to a post-filter unit (32), while when the filter unit (12) is removed and the cyclone unit (22) is in the operating position, this cyclone unit (22) is connected with the fan (52) via the post-filter (32), and the cyclone unit (22) closes off a flow inlet of the compressed air cleaning unit (42). In this way, color changes can be carried out in a short period of time, and good exhaust cleaning is achieved by the filter unit (12) during extended operation with the same color, without a color change.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a painting line for metal objects, such as coating screws and nails, comprising a base for affixing said objects (2) at a space from one another on said base, members (5) for spreading paint on the objects (2) affixed to the base and, if needed, heating elements (6) for fixing the paint on the objects prior to freeing of the base. The base is a magnetic conveyor (1), provided thereunder a feeder (7) known in itself in the art for arranging objects to form at least one individual row to be in contact with the undersurface of the magnetic conveyor (1) so that said conveyor picks one object (2) at a time from each row. The paint spreading members 5 are likewise positioned under the magnetic conveyor (1) after the feeder (7) and separated from the magnetic conveyor by means of a thin sheet (8) disposed thereagainst, against the undersurface of which the objects (2) glide due to the action of the magnet conveyor (1) gliding against the opposite side of said sheet.

Abstract: A dielectric roller for a corona treatment system consists of a self-supporting tubular body of a dielectric material having a conductive layer bonded on its inner wall and a pair of end plugs with hubs closing the ends of the body. At least one of the end plugs is of conductive material and makes electrical contact with the conductive layer so that the roller can be grounded.

Abstract: A fluidization and conveyor arrangement for electrostatic powder coating devices. The arrangement includes a container pivotable by 180.degree. on a carrying frame, and a cover, having a fluidization plate. A powder discharge tube and a compressed air tube pass through the cover and into the container. A transport package, for example a sack filled with powder, is introduced into the container. The container is then closed with the cover, and is pivoted by 180.degree. to an operating position, in which fluidization and discharge of the powder may be affected.

Abstract: A developer material coating apparatus for electrostatically coating developer material on each of various kinds of support members having different thicknesses and surface conditions under various environmental conditions such as temperature and humidity in a developer material coating region to form a developer sheet, comprising a support member feeding unit for feeding each of the support members to the developer material coating region at a feeding speed while carrying the support member thereon, a developer material coating unit for triboelectrically charging the developer material while carrying the charged developer material thereon, and electrostatically supplying the charged developer material therefrom to the support member through a gap between the feeding unit and the coating unit to thereby form a developer sheet, and a control unit for controlling an amount of the developer material to be coated on the support member so that the developer material coated on the support member has a predetermined

Abstract: A baking oven is divided into a first baking oven and a second baking oven. A conveyor line is also divided into two sections, a first conveyor line section being so disposed as to pass through the first baking oven only, and a second conveyor line section being so disposed as to pass through the second baking oven only. A substrate is coated with a paint and then conveyed through the first baking oven while being so supported by a carrier with a rotating device and being rotated about its approximately horizontal axis extending in a longitudinal direction thereof with the rotating device. The rotation of the substrate is carried out at a speed which is high enough to prevent the paint coated from sagging due to gravity yet which is low enough so as to cause no sagging as a result of centrifugal force.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for coating a developer on the surface of a substrate of an image printing medium, the apparatus including a developer carrier holding thereon a layer of the developer in a charged state generated by frictional contact therewith, an electrode roller adapted to transport the substrate to and from a transfer region, and an alternating electric field produced between the developer carrier and the electrode roller, urging the developer on the carrier to take flight toward the substrate to form a coated layer of the developer on the surface thereof. With this developer coating apparatus, the developer which is imparted with vibration in the alternating electric field is efficiently coated on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A developer material coating apparatus includes a support member feeding unit for feeding the support member to a developer material coating region while carrying the support member thereon, a developer material coating unit for triboelectrically charging the developer material and electrostatically supplying the charged developer material toward the support member feeding unit to coat the developer material on the surface of the support member in the developer material coating region, and a developer material removing unit for sucking and removing the developer material attached to said support member feeding means, except for the developer material attached to the surface of the support member.

Abstract: Apparatus for collecting and drying powder used for electrostatic coating of a workpiece has air injection means incorporated into the collection bin both to dry and also to homogenize powder recovered, just prior to withdrawal from the bin.