Powder coating system and method for quick color change

Abstract

A powder coating system includes a booth and one or more powder-recovery modules that are insertable into an equipment-receiving space of the booth. A color change method includes removing a first powder-recovery module from the equipment-receiving space and positioning a second powder-recovery module in the equipment-receiving space.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A powder coating system that operates to dispense powder onto objects to be coated by the powder, the powder coating system including a separator assembly for removing powder from an air-powder mixture, a booth in which objects are to be coated with powder, the booth having a bottom wall that overlies the separator assembly, the bottom wall being formed to include an opening through which the air-powder mixture moves into the separator assembly, and a hopper assembly underlying the separator assembly, the powder removed from the air-powder mixture in the separator assembly migrating downwardly to the hopper assembly.  
     
     
         2 . The powder coating system of  claim 1  wherein the hopper assembly includes wheels for facilitating movement of the hopper assembly from under the bottom wall.  
     
     
         3 . The powder coating system of  claim 2  wherein the separator assembly is carried by the hopper assembly.  
     
     
         4 . The powder coating system of  claim 1  further including powder-delivery equipment for supplying powder for coating objects, the hopper assembly including powder-transfer equipment for transferring recovered powder from the hopper assembly to the powder-delivery equipment.  
     
     
         5 . The powder coating system of  claim 4  wherein the powder-transfer equipment includes at least one venturi pump.  
     
     
         6 . The powder coating system of  claim 4  wherein the powder-delivery equipment includes a powder dispenser configured to dispense powder toward objects in the booth and a powder station that receives powder recovered from the hopper assembly and that supplies the recovered powder to the powder dispenser.  
     
     
         7 . The powder coating system of  claim 6  wherein the powder-delivery equipment includes a reciprocator, the powder dispenser coupled to the reciprocator to change the position of the powder dispenser relative to the booth.  
     
     
         8 . The powder coating system of  claim 1  further including air circulation equipment for drawing the air-powder mixture from the booth, through the opening, and into the separator assembly.  
     
     
         9 . The powder coating system of  claim 8  wherein the air circulation equipment includes a filter, the air drawn away from the separator assembly passing through the filter and discharging to atmosphere.  
     
     
         10 . The powder coating system of  claim 8  including an air duct for providing a passage between the booth and the separator assembly and between the separator assembly and the air circulation equipment, the air duct coupled to the bottom wall.  
     
     
         11 . A powder coating system permitting for quick color changes, the powder coating system operating to dispense powder onto objects to be coated by the powder and including a booth in which objects are oriented for powder coating, the booth including a bottom wall beneath which is defined an equipment-receiving space, the bottom wall including an opening through which an air-powder mixture moves from the booth, and a plurality of powder-recovery modules, the powder-recovery modules being selectively and interchangeably insertable into the equipment-receiving space to receive the air-powder mixture through the opening.  
     
     
         12 . The powder coating system of  claim 11  wherein each of the powder-recovery modules includes a hopper assembly and a separator assembly coupled to the hopper assembly.  
     
     
         13 . The powder coating system of  claim 12  wherein each of the powder-recovery modules includes wheels to facilitate selective and interchangeable insertion of the powder-recovery modules into the equipment-receiving space.  
     
     
         14 . The powder coating system of  claim 12  wherein the separator assembly of each powder-recovery equipment module is above a respective hopper assembly.  
     
     
         15 . The powder coating system of  claim 11  further including powder-delivery equipment for supplying powder for coating objects, each of the powder-recovery modules including powder-transfer equipment for transferring recovered powder from the respective powder-recovery module to the powder-delivery equipment.  
     
     
         16 . The powder coating system of  claim 15  wherein the powder-transfer equipment includes a venturi pump.  
     
     
         17 . The powder coating system of  claim 15  wherein the powder-delivery equipment includes a powder dispenser for dispensing powder into the booth and a powder station for receives powder from the powder-recovery module received in the equipment-receiving space and supplying the recovered powder to the powder dispenser.  
     
     
         18 . The powder coating system of  claim 17  further including a reciprocator, the powder dispenser coupled to the reciprocator to be reciprocated thereby.  
     
     
         19 . The powder coating system of  claim 11  further including air circulation equipment for drawing the air-powder mixture from the booth, through the opening, and into the powder-recovery module received in the equipment-receiving space.  
     
     
         20 . The powder coating system of  claim 19  wherein the air circulation equipment includes a filter, the air circulation equipment drawing the air-powder mixture from the booth, through the opening, and into the powder-recovery module received in the equipment-receiving space, air containing unrecovered powder passing through the filter and filtered air then being discharged to atmosphere.  
     
     
         21 . The powder coating system of  claim 19  wherein the booth includes an air duct coupled to the bottom wall and the air duct provides a passage between the powder-recovery module received in the equipment-receiving space and the air circulation equipment.  
     
     
         22 . The powder coating system of  claim 21 , wherein at least a portion of the air duct is between the bottom wall and the powder-recovery module received in the equipment-receiving space.  
     
     
         23 . A method of changing a powder coating system that operates to dispense powder onto objects to be coated by the powder from coating objects with powder of a first color to coating objects with powder of a second color, the method including removing from an equipment-receiving space defined beneath a bottom wall of a booth a first powder-recovery module associated with coating objects with powder of the first color, and positioning in the equipment-receiving space a second powder-recovery module associated with coating objects with powder of the second color.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23  wherein removing the first powder-recovery module includes removing from the equipment-receiving space a separator assembly of the first powder-recovery module.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein removing the first powder-recovery module includes removing from the equipment-receiving space a hopper assembly of the first powder-recovery module that is coupled to the separator assembly.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23  further including decoupling the first powder-recovery module from a powder station that is to receive recovered powder from the first powder-recovery module when objects are being coated with powder of the first color.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23  further including turning off a vibrator of the first powder-recovery module.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23  wherein removing the first powder-recovery module includes lowering the first powder-recovery module away from the bottom wall.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein lowering the first powder-recovery module away from the bottom wall includes operating an actuator to lower the first powder-recovery module away from the bottom wall.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23  wherein removing the first powder-recovery module includes lowering the first powder-recovery module away from the bottom wall and then withdrawing the first powder-recovery module from the equipment-receiving space along a substantially horizontal path.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 23  wherein positioning the second powder-recovery module includes positioning in the equipment-receiving space a separator assembly of the second powder-recovery module.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein positioning the second powder-recovery module includes positioning in the equipment-receiving space a hopper assembly of the second powder-recovery module that is coupled to the separator assembly.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23  further including coupling the second powder-recovery module to a powder station that is to receive recovered powder from the second powder-recovery module when objects are being coated with powder of the second color.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 23  further including turning on a vibrator of the second powder-recovery module.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 23  wherein positioning a second powder-recovery module includes raising the second powder-recovery module toward the bottom wall.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein raising the second powder-recovery module includes operating an actuator to move the second powder-recovery module into a raised position.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 23  wherein positioning a second powder-recovery module includes moving the second powder-recovery module into the equipment-receiving space along a substantially horizontal path and then raising the second powder-recovery module toward the bottom wall.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 23  further including closing an opening formed in the bottom wall after removing the first powder-recovery module.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  further including cleaning walls of the booth after closing the opening formed in the bottom wall.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39  further including opening the opening after cleaning walls of the booth and before positioning the second powder-recovery module.