CPC B05B 13/0447 (2013.01) [B05B 1/26 (2013.01); B05B 15/55 (2018.02); B05D 1/02 (2013.01); B05D 1/40 (2013.01)] | 43 Claims |
1. A spray system for enabling selective application of fluids onto workpieces traveling on a conveyor, the system comprising:
a support frame disposed proximate the conveyor;
plural platforms supported by the support frame above and across a width of the conveyor;
plural carriers sequentially disposed on each of the plural platforms across the width of the conveyor;
a lateral drive, which is in communication with each carrier, the lateral drive enabling the selective bi-directional movement of the respective carrier along a lateral axis within the respective platform that is parallel to and above the conveyor and orthogonal to a direction of workpiece travel on the conveyor;
a nozzle module disposed within each of the plural carriers, each nozzle module comprising a fluid manifold in fluid communication with a nozzle body and associated nozzle jet;
a swing drive in communication with each nozzle module, the swing drive enabling the selective orientation of the respective nozzle module about a swing axis that is parallel to the lateral axis;
one or more laser or camera optical sensors disposed on the support frame enabling detection of a workpiece on the conveyor at a known position upstream of each carrier, enabling detection of conveyor speed and/or acceleration or deceleration, enabling detection of the workpiece arrival time at each carrier, and enabling detection of certain characteristic patterns of a workpiece; and
a controller in communication with the lateral drive, the nozzle body, and the swing drive in response to inputs from one or more laser or camera optical sensors;
wherein the operational characteristics of the spray system and/or spray pattern can be selectively adjusted or controlled.
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