	US 12,233,430 B2
	Mounting of external charging probe on electrostatic spray gun
Amelia J. Stech, St. Paul, MN (US); and Elisa J. McCline, Elk River, MN (US)
Assigned to Graco Minnesota Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/593,941
Filed by Graco Minnesota Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
PCT Filed Apr. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/026556 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 28, 2021, PCT Pub. No. WO2020/206236, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 8, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/829,996, filed on Apr. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0193703 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. B05B 5/03 (2006.01); B05B 5/053 (2006.01)

CPC B05B 5/032 (2013.01) [B05B 5/0535 (2013.01)]

6 Claims

1. A mounting configuration for an electrostatic spray gun, the mounting configuration comprising:

a probe having a first non-conductive body encasing a first conductive element;

a probe mount extending from the electrostatic spray gun along a mount axis, the probe mount including a second non-conductive body encasing a second conductive element;

a first elastomeric ring disposed about an exterior of the second non-conductive body and configured to interface with the first non-conductive body;

wherein the probe is movable relative to the probe mount between a starting position and a home position, wherein a pin extending from one of the first non-conductive body and the second non-conductive body is seated in a notch formed in the other one of the first non-conductive body and the second non-conductive body, the pin being disposed in the notch preventing rotation of the probe on the mount axis and relative to the probe mount;

wherein the pin is disposed in the notch with the probe in the home position and the pin is disposed outside of the notch such that the probe is rotatable on the mount axis relative to the probe mount with the probe in the starting position;

wherein the first conductive element is electrically connected to the second conductive element with the probe in the home position; and

wherein the first elastomeric ring has a first diameter with the probe in the starting position and has a second diameter with the probe in the home position, the second diameter smaller than the first diameter, the first elastomeric ring configured to exert a force on the first non-conductive body to bias the first non-conductive body along the mount axis and away from the electrostatic spray gun such that the probe is secured in the home position.