Powder coating booth containment structure

Abstract

A powder coating booth containment structure including first and second canopy halves, each of which is a substantially nonconductive, seamless, structural composite to substantially reduce oversprayed powder particle adhesion to the booth inner surfaces. The composite canopy halves, when assembled into a spray booth additionally including either a floor or a utility base and one or a pair of end units in the form of aperture bulkheads, vestibules, or a combination of both, are structurally sufficiently strong that no external support frame is required. The composite canopy halves can each include sidewall and ceiling portions, in an embodiment, that can be connected to a floor. In another embodiment, the canopy halves each additionally include a floor portion such that they may be connected together at a floor edge and placed atop a utility base. They may be connected to the utility base. In another embodiment, the canopy halves may each further include an integral end or ends, comprising aperture bulkhead or vestibule-type end portions. Methods of assembling these embodiments are also provided that require less time than for known powder coating spray booth assembly.

1 - 27 . (Canceled)  
   
   
       28 . A method of assembling a powder coating spray booth defining a chamber for powder spray coating articles therein, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a floor and a pair of nonconductive, self-supporting, composite canopy halves each having a ceiling portion and an integral sidewall; and    b) connecting the floor with a lower perimeter sidewall edge of each of the respective canopy halves.    
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein the composite canopy halves each comprise the following nonconductive, non-metallic layers bound together with a non-conductive, non-metallic resin: 
 a layer of unreinforced resin, which forms a surface exposed to the inside of the chamber;    a layer of closed cell polyvinyl chloride foam core material;    a first and second layer of bi-directional glass fabric, the first layer between the unreinforced resin layer and the foam core layer and the second layer on the opposite side of the foam core layer from the first layer.    
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 28  further comprising the steps of providing a vestibule end and connecting the vestibule end to a respective perimeter edge of each of the canopy halves.  
   
   
       31 . A method of assembling a powder coating spray booth, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a utility base, and a pair of nonconductive, self-supporting, composite canopy halves, each canopy half comprising integral ceiling, sidewall and floor portions;    b) placing the utility base in desired location; and    c) connecting the canopy halves together at the respective edges of the floor portions; and    d) placing the connected canopy halves atop the utility base.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising the step of connecting the utility base with each of the canopy halves.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  further comprising the steps of providing a vestibule end and connecting the vestibule end to a respective perimeter edge of the ceiling, the sidewall and the floor portions of each of the canopy halves.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the composite canopy halves each comprise a layer of non-conductive, unreinforced resin that serves as the interior surface of the canopy halves, a layer of core material, a first and second layer of bi-directional glass fabric, one layer on each side of the core material layer, and resin for binding all the layers together.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34  wherein the canopy halves each further comprise a layer of chopped strand mat interposed between the unreinforced resin layer and the first layer of bi-directional glass fabric and bonded thereto with the resin.  
   
   
       36 . A powder coating spray booth for spraying powder coatings on an article inside the booth and for containing oversprayed powder coating particles therein, comprising a pair of non-metallic, self-supporting, composite, seamless canopy halves for enclosing a powder coating booth chamber, each canopy half having an integral ceiling portion, wall portion, floor portion and an end unit portion, the canopy halves being connected at respective floor portion edges and connected to a utility base, wherein at least one of the canopy halves has at least one opening in the wall of at least one of the canopy halves.  
   
   
       37 . The powder coating spray booth of  claim 36  wherein the canopy further comprises an overhead conveyor slot opening for conveying parts through the booth to be powder spray coated therein.  
   
   
       38 . The powder coating spray booth of  claim 36  wherein the booth is used for electrostatic powder spray coating and wherein the canopy halves are non-conductive for minimizing the likelihood of adherence of the oversprayed powder particles to any interior surfaces of the canopy halves.  
   
   
       39 . The powder coating booth of  claim 36  further comprising a vestibule end, wherein the vestibule end is connected to a respective perimeter edge each of the canopy halves.