Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B13/00—Machines or plants for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces of objects or other work by spraying, not covered by groups B05B1/00 - B05B11/00
  • B05B13/02—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work
  • B05B13/04—Means for supporting work; Arrangement or mounting of spray heads; Adaptation or arrangement of means for feeding work the spray heads being moved during spraying operation
  • B05B13/0463—Installation or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to moving work of indefinite length
  • B05B13/0468—Installation or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to moving work of indefinite length with reciprocating or oscillating spray heads
  • B05B13/0473—Installation or apparatus for applying liquid or other fluent material to moving work of indefinite length with reciprocating or oscillating spray heads with spray heads reciprocating along a straight line
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B14/00—Arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material
  • B05B14/40—Arrangements for collecting, re-using or eliminating excess spraying material for use in spray booths
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
  • B05B16/00—Spray booths
  • B05B16/90—Spray booths comprising conveying means for moving objects or other work to be sprayed in and out of the booth, e.g. through the booth
  • B05B16/95—Spray booths comprising conveying means for moving objects or other work to be sprayed in and out of the booth, e.g. through the booth the objects or other work to be sprayed lying on, or being held above the conveying means, i.e. not hanging from the conveying means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B28—WORKING CEMENT, CLAY, OR STONE
  • B28B—SHAPING CLAY OR OTHER CERAMIC COMPOSITIONS; SHAPING SLAG; SHAPING MIXTURES CONTAINING CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL, e.g. PLASTER
  • B28B11/00—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles
  • B28B11/04—Apparatus or processes for treating or working the shaped or preshaped articles for coating or applying engobing layers
  • B28B11/049—Recycling of the coating material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C11/00—Component parts, details or accessories not specifically provided for in groups B05C1/00 - B05C9/00
  • B05C11/10—Storage, supply or control of liquid or other fluent material; Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material
  • B05C11/1039—Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material; Controlling means therefor

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles, preferably manufactured ceramic articles.
• decorative product means, e.g., glazes, engobes, paints or other products, generally in liquid, semi-liquid, or powder form.
• This treatment involves the application of at least one layer of decorative product onto the visible surface of the manufactured article to be decorated.
• the operation must necessarily be carried out in such a way that the decorative product is evenly distributed over the entire surface of the manufactured article.
• the known machines are provided with a supporting surface on which the ceramic manufactured articles are transported and with a plurality of sliding carriages, arranged transversely to the direction of forward movement of the ceramic manufactured article and parallel to each other, where each carriage is provided with at least one nozzle for dispensing the decorative product.
• the sliding carriages are mounted on top of the supporting surface and move alternately between two end-of-stroke positions.
• the decorative product is dispensed several times on each manufactured article, thus achieving an even distribution of the same.
• the decorative product is dispensed and applied inside a booth that extends between an inlet opening, through which the ceramic manufactured articles are received, and an outlet opening, through which the decorated manufactured articles leave the booth to be sent to downstream machines intended for subsequent stages of the decoration process.
• the openings are sized depending on the manufactured process to allow sufficient ventilation of the booth and reduce condensation of the decorative product on the walls of the booth itself.
• the decorative product condensing on the walls of the booth and falling onto the surface of the manufactured articles causes imperfections and unevenness in the finished products.
• the dimensions of the inlet and outlet openings of the manufactured articles are therefore sized in such a way as to reduce as much as possible the phenomenon of condensation of the decorative product which is sprayed inside the booth, i.e., in such a way as to allow at least some of the product particles not falling on the manufactured article to escape.
• overspray phenomenon is further highlighted by the high speeds at which the manufactured articles are generally moved forward through the decoration booth, causing a sort of "trailing effect", i.e., the dragging of product particles remaining in suspension and, therefore, an increase in the amount of product escaping through the inlet and outlet openings.
• the main aim of the present invention is to devise a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles that allows for even distribution of the decorative product on ceramic manufactured articles while reducing the amount of product escaping to the outside.
• one object of the present invention is to limit the overspray effect and the trailing effect described above.
• a further object of the present invention is to devise a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles that allows for a reduction, compared to known types of machines, in the waste of decorative product dispensed, thus increasing the percentage of product that is recovered.
• a further object of the present invention is to devise a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles that allows for a reduction in the emissions of decorative product into the environment surrounding the machine during the production process.
• Yet another object of the present invention is to devise a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles that allows increasing the quality of the decorated ceramic manufactured articles.
• Another object of the present invention is to devise a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles that allows the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art to be overcome within the scope of a simple, rational, easy and effective to use as well as inexpensive solution.
• reference numeral 1 globally denotes a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles M, preferably ceramic manufactured articles.
• the machine 1 for the decoration of manufactured articles M comprises a frame 2 at least partly defining a decoration booth 3 of at least one manufactured article M.
• the frame 2 is provided with at least one pair of enclosing walls 4, 5 bounding an inlet opening 4a and an outlet opening 5a.
• the frame 2 has a first enclosing wall 4 bounding the inlet opening 4a and a second enclosing wall 5 bounding the outlet opening 5a.
• the booth 3 is open at the inlet opening 4a to receive at least one manufactured article M inside it.
• the decoration booth 3 is also open at the outlet opening 5a to allow the manufactured article M to exit the decoration booth 3.
• the machine 1 comprises movement means 6 associated with the frame 2 and configured to move the manufactured article M along the direction of movement A from the inlet opening 4a towards the outlet opening 5a.
• the movement means 6 are configured to move the manufactured article M inside the decoration booth 3 from the inlet opening 4a towards the outlet opening 5a.
• the inlet opening 4a and the outlet opening 5a are arranged transversely with respect to the direction of movement A.
• the movement means 6 define a supporting surface 6a adapted to receive and support one or more manufactured articles M.
• This supporting surface 6a is movable along the direction of movement A to transport the manufactured articles M along this direction of movement A.
• the movement means 6 may comprise one or more conveyor belts that define at least part of this supporting surface 6a.
• the machine comprises at least one application assembly 7 associated with the frame 2.
• the application assembly 7 is at least partly arranged inside the decoration booth 3, in particular between the inlet opening 4a and the outlet opening 5a along the direction of movement A.
• the application assembly 7 is configured to apply at least one decorative product to the manufactured article M.
• the application assembly 7 may be of the type known to those skilled in the art and/or in accordance with what is described, e.g., in the Italian patent document 102021000015323 .
• the application assembly 7 comprises at least one decorative product dispenser arranged above the supporting surface 6a and movement means for moving the dispenser with respect to said supporting surface 6a along a direction of decoration transverse to the direction of movement A.
• the machine 1 also comprises at least one collection channel 8 associated with at least one of the enclosing walls 4, 5.
• the collection channel 8 may be located at only one enclosing wall 4, 5 or at both enclosing walls 4 and 5.
• the collection channel 8 is configured to collect at least one part of the decorative product deposited on the relevant enclosing wall 4, 5.
• the collection channel 8 is arranged where one edge 18 of the enclosing wall 4, 5 is located bounding the inlet opening 4a and/or the outlet opening 5a.
• the collection channel 8 is arranged below the edge 18 that bounds the upper part of the outlet opening 5a and/or the inlet opening 4a and which is defined by the respective enclosing wall 4, 5.
• the collection channel 8 is adapted to receive and collect the condensed decorative product, preferably inside the decoration booth 3.
• the collection channel 8 is positioned at least at the outlet opening 5a and is adapted to collect inside the decorative product deposited on the relevant enclosing wall 4, 5.
• the collection channel 8 is arranged where at least an inner face of the enclosing wall 4, 5 is located facing the decoration booth 3.
• the collection channel 8 may be arranged where both the inner face and the outer face, opposite the inner face, of the enclosing wall 4, 5 is located.
• the collection channel 8 has a linear development and extends between two opposite ends 8a, 8b seamlessly.
• the collection channel 8 extends transversely to the direction of movement A.
• the collection channel 8 extends along an axis of extension B.
• This axis of extension is transverse to the direction of movement A, preferably perpendicular to this direction of movement A.
• the collection channel 8 extends between the two opposite ends 8a, 8b substantially parallel to the enclosing wall 4, 5 with which it is associated.
• the collection channel 8 may be horizontal or inclined with respect to a horizontal direction.
• the collection channel 8 has a width along the direction of movement A and a length along the axis of extension B transverse to the direction of movement A.
• the collection channel 8 has an upward-facing V-shaped or U-shaped cross-section.
• the machine 1 comprises a recovery system 9 associated with the collection channel 8.
• the recovery system 9 is configured to automatically collect and recover the decorative product contained within the collection channel 8.
• the machine 1 may have more than one recovery system 9 associated with a single collection channel or with multiple collection channels.
• the machine 1 comprises at least one recovery system 9 associated with each collection channel 8 and configured to recover the condensed decorative product present inside the respective collection channel.
• the recovery system 9 comprises a movable element 10 coupled to the collection channel 8 in a sliding manner.
• the movable element 10 is adapted to recover the decorative product contained in the collection channel 8 during the movement thereof along the collection channel 8 itself.
• the movable element 10 is configured to move along the collection channel 8. During use, the movable element 10 is therefore configured to move along the axis of extension B, or parallel thereto, and thus transversely to the direction of movement A.
• each end-of-stroke position is located at a respective one of the opposite ends 8a, 8b of the collection channel 8.
• the recovery system 9 comprises a movement assembly 15 operationally connected to the movable element 10 and adapted to move the latter along the collection channel 8 and/or between the two end-of-stroke positions.
• the movement assembly 15 comprises a supporting element 20 extending parallel to the axis of extension B of the collection channel 8, and guiding means 21 coupled to the supporting element 20 in a sliding manner and constrained to the movable element 10.
• the guiding means 21 are configured to move along the supporting element 20 and cause the movable element 10 to move along the collection channel 8.
• the movable element 10 comprises at least one fluid containment chamber 9a adapted to receive and contain the decorative product recovered from the collection channel 8.
• the containment chamber 9a is moved along the collection channel 8 and receives the decorative product during such movement.
• the movable element 10 may comprise at least one cleaning medium 11 associated with and placed inside the collection channel 8 itself.
• the cleaning medium 11 is sliding with respect to the collection channel 8 in order to move the decorative product contained inside the collection channel 8 towards the containment chamber 9a.
• the cleaning medium 11 comprises at least one blade 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d arranged inside and/or outside the collection channel 8.
• the blade 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d is configured to move inside and/or outside the collection channel 8 during the movement of the movable element 10 along the axis of extension B.
• the cleaning media 11 comprise a pair of blades 11a, 11b facing each other and arranged inside the collection channel 8.
• the blades 11a and 11b are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the median axis of the collection channel 8.
• the cleaning media 11 comprise a pair of blades 11c, 11d adapted to interact with the walls that externally bound the collection channel 8.
• the blades 11c and 11d are arranged on opposite sides with respect to the median axis of the collection channel 8.
• the blades 11c and 11d may be made in a single body piece or may be separate and distinct from each other.
• the cleaning means 11 comprise both the pair of inner blades 11a, 11b and the pair of outer blades 11c, 11d. It cannot, however, be ruled out that the cleaning media 11 may comprise only one of the pairs of blades 11a, 11b and 11c, 11d.
• Each blade 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d is configured to push the decorative product that accumulates inside and/or outside the collection channel 8 towards the inside of the containment chamber 9a during the movement thereof along the collection channel 8.
• the movable element 10 of the recovery system 9 is connected to both opposite sides of the collection channel 8.
• the blades 11a, 11b are arranged on opposite sides of the relevant enclosing wall 4, 5 and project towards the inside of the collection channel 8 itself.
• the blades 11c, 11d are arranged, in turn, on opposite sides of the relevant enclosing wall 4, 5, and each of them interacts with the wall that externally bounds the collection channel 8.
• the movable element 10 comprises a movable portion 12 and a fixed portion 14 associated with each other.
• the fixed portion 14 is connected to the collection channel 8 in a sliding manner.
• the fixed portion 14 is connected to the cleaning medium 11 and defines at least part of said containment chamber 9a.
• the movable portion 12 is movable with respect to the fixed portion 14.
• the movable portion 12 is, particularly, connected to the fixed portion 14 in a rotatable manner.
• the movable portion 12 is connected to the fixed portion 14 by means of a mechanical and/or magnetic joint.
• the movable portion 12 is movable between a closed configuration, wherein the movable portion 12 is moved close to the fixed portion 14 so as to define the containment chamber 9a, and an open configuration, wherein the movable portion 12 is moved away from the fixed portion 14 so as to define an outlet of the decorative product from the containment chamber 9a.
• the movable portion 12 closes and opens the outlet of the containment chamber 9a by moving between the closed configuration and the open configuration.
• the movable portion 12 allows the ejection of the recovered decorative product when it is in the open configuration and, conversely, prevents the recovered decorative product from ejecting when it is in the closed configuration.
• the movable element 10 comprises counteracting means 13, e.g. of the elastic or magnetic type, coupled to the movable portion 12 and configured to counteract the displacement of the movable portion 12 from the closed configuration to the open configuration.
• the counteracting means 13 are connected to the fixed portion 14 of the movable element 10 and maintain the movable portion 12 normally adhered to the fixed portion 14.
• the movable portion 12 has a top 12a constrained to the fixed portion 14 and a base 12b that can be moved closer to or further away from the fixed portion 14 and on which the elastic means 13 operate.
• the movable portion 12 is shown in the closed configuration with the base 12b adhered to the fixed portion 14.
• the machine 1 comprises at least one actuator associated with the enclosing wall 4, 5 and configured to control the displacement of the movable portion 12 towards the open position.
• the actuator may comprise a fixed insert constrained to the enclosing wall 4, 5 and/or to the collection channel 8.
• the actuator is located at one of the opposite ends 8a, 8b.
• the actuator is configured to interact with the movable element 10 during its displacement along the collection channel 8 and cause it to move in the open configuration. More specifically, the actuator is adapted to interact with the movable portion 12 to displace it towards the open configuration, overcoming the force exerted by the counteracting means 13.
• the actuator may be of a different type, e.g. electromechanical or hydraulic, and configured to move the movable portion 12 to the remote opening configuration, particularly contactless.
• the machine 1 comprises at least one tank arranged below the collection channel 8.
• the tank is adapted to receive the decorative product after it has come out of the containment chamber 9a.
• the tank is adapted to receive the decorative product ejected from the containment chamber 9a when the movable element 10 is at one of the end-of-stroke positions and the movable portion 12 is in the open configuration.
• the tank of the machine 1 can be placed in fluidic communication with the application assembly 7 to feed the recovered decorative product to such application assembly 7. Feeding the recovered decorative product to the application assembly 7 allows the decorative product to be reused in the production process of the manufactured products and thus reduces overall consumption.
• the recovery system 9 comprises cleaning means 16 of the movable element 10 and adapted to remove residues of decorative product.
• the cleaning means 16 may be adapted to contact an outer surface of the movable element 10 to remove residues of the decorative product from that surface.
• these cleaning means may be arranged at least at one of the opposite ends 8a, 8b of the collection channel 8 and/or at least at one of the end-of-stroke positions.
• the cleaning means 16 comprise at least one of either a brush element 16a, 16b adapted to contact the outer surface of the movable element 10 or washing means 17 adapted to dispense a washing fluid on said movable element 10.
• the cleaning means 16 may comprise a pair of brush elements 16a, 16b, wherein each brush element is in proximity of a respective one of the opposite ends 8a, 8b and/or at a respective end-of-stroke position of the movable element 10.
• the brush element 16a, 16b allows reducing the possibility that residues of decorative product deposited on the movable element 10 may be transferred onto the manufactured article M, affecting the appearance thereof.
• the washing means 17 may be in fluidic communication with the containment chamber 9a to send a washing fluid into the latter at least when the movable portion 12 is in the open configuration.
• the washing fluid is water.
• the washing means 17 may comprise a washing fluid source and a nozzle in fluidic communication therewith, wherein the nozzle is adapted to send the washing fluid onto the movable element 10 and/or onto the walls of the containment chamber 9a.
• the washing means 17 are configured to activate and, therefore, to dispense the washing fluid, when the movable portion 12 is in the open configuration. More specifically, the washing means 17 are configured to activate when the movable element 10 is at an end-of-stroke position and/or in the proximity of the tank.
• the washing means 17 are configured to activate during the sliding of the movable element 10 along the collection channel 8.
• the machine 1 comprises a control unit 19 in signal communication with the recovery system 9 and configured to move at least partly said recovery system 9 along the collection channel 8 to recover the decorative product deposited where the enclosing wall 4, 5 is located.
• control unit 19 is in signal communication with the movement means 6 and configured to move one or more manufactured articles M along the direction of movement A from the inlet opening 4a to the outlet opening 5a.
• the control unit may be placed in signal communication with the application assembly 7 and configured to operate such application assembly to dispense the decorative product onto the one or more manufactured articles M moved along the direction of movement A.
• control unit 19 may be placed in communication with the actuator and configured to control the activation of such actuator to cause the movement of the movable portion 12 in the open configuration.
• control unit 19 is configured to activate the actuator when the movable element 10 is located at the tank and/or where an end-of-stroke position is located.
• control unit 19 is in signal communication with the movement assembly 15, particularly with the guiding means 21.
• the control unit 19 is configured to move the movable element 10 along the collection channel 8.
• control unit 19 is configured to operate the guiding means 21 along the supporting element 20 and cause the movable element 10 to move between the end-of-stroke positions.
• control unit 19 can be placed in signal communication with the cleaning means 16, therefore with the brush element and/or with the washing means 17, to control the activation thereof and to remove the decorative product residues from the movable element 10.
• control unit 19 is configured to operate the cleaning means 16 when the movable element 10 is at one of the end-of-stroke positions and/or when the movable portion 12 is in the open configuration.
• control unit 19 is in signal communication with the washing means 17 and configured to activate such washing means 17 to dispense the washing fluid onto the movable element 10 and/or inside the containment chamber 9a.
• the present invention relates to a process of using the machine for the decoration of manufactured articles, preferably ceramic manufactured articles.
• the process of using a machine for the decoration of manufactured articles, preferably ceramic manufactured articles comprises the phases of:
• steps or phases are meant to be comprised in the process of using the decoration machine, one or more of the operations performed by one or more of the components of the machine 1, and which are generally anticipated in this disclosure by the term “configured to” or equivalent terms.
• These phases or steps are preferably, but not necessarily, carried out by the same components in question and/or by the decoration machine for the execution of the process itself.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Sustainable Development (AREA)
• Structural Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (3)

• 2025
  • 2025-10-28 EP EP25211745.2A patent/EP4737013A1/de active Pending

Patent Citations (3)

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