US 12,343,751 B2
Function control for an electrohydrodynamic atomizer
Sebastian Mangold, Salem (DE); Manuel Fiesel, Überlingen (DE); Jens Ulbrich, Friedrichshafen (DE); Thomas Jeltsch, Friedrichshafen (DE); Alfred Göhring, Salem (DE); and Jan Barthelmes, Heilgenberg (DE)
Assigned to J. WAGNER GmbH, Markdorf (DE)
Appl. No. 17/309,725
Filed by J. WAGNER GmbH, Markdorf (DE)
PCT Filed Dec. 19, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/086281
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/127712, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 25, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2018 133 439.7 (DE), filed on Dec. 21, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2022/0016649 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. B05B 5/053 (2006.01); A45D 34/04 (2006.01); B05B 5/043 (2006.01); B05B 5/16 (2006.01)
CPC B05B 5/053 (2013.01) [A45D 34/04 (2013.01); B05B 5/043 (2013.01); B05B 5/1691 (2013.01); A45D 2200/057 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for function control of an electrohydrodynamic atomizer that applies a fluid to a body, in order to coat one or more areas of the body at least in certain areas, wherein the electrohydrodynamic atomizer comprises a fluid tank for storing the fluid and at least one voltage source configured to provide a voltage and at least one pump unit for transporting the fluid, wherein the fluid is delivered to a nozzle arrangement of the electrohydrodynamic atomizer by the pump unit, and wherein the fluid is atomized electrohydrodynamically at the nozzle arrangement at least in part by an effect of the voltage from the voltage source, the method comprising:
evaluating a voltage and/or a current at the voltage source to acquire a working point of the voltage source via a current/voltage characteristic curve,
identifying a setpoint working range defined on the current/voltage characteristic curve,
detecting occurrence of a fault based on determining a change from at least one previously acquired working point lying inside the setpoint working range to the acquired working point lying outside the setpoint working range, and
controlling the electrohydrodynamic atomizer to render, to a user, a defined user information item that indicates the occurrence of the fault.