EP2018229B1 - Coating device and associated operating method - Google Patents

Abstract

A coating device, e.g., for painting motor vehicle bodies, comprises a sprayer for applying a coating material by means of an application element and an internal color-changer valve assembly, said assembly having several color inlets for selecting coating materials of different colors. The internal color-changer valve assembly is integrated into the sprayer and is connected by its outlet to the application element, in order to feed the selected coating material to the application element. Further, an external color-changer valve assembly has several color inlets for selecting coating materials of different colors, said external color-changer assembly having a separate structure from the sprayer and being connected by its outlet to the application element, in order to feed the selected coating material to the application element. An operating method corresponds to the device.

Description

The invention relates to a coating device, in particular for the painting of motor vehicle bodies according to the preamble of claim 1.

In modern paint shops for the mass production of motor vehicle bodies, the painting is usually carried out by atomizers (for example high-rotation atomizers), which have only a single color input and are therefore connected on the input side with a separate color changer, so that a particular atomizer can apply varnishes of different colors. During a color change, the entire wiring harness between the color changer and the atomizer must be rinsed to clean the wiring harness of remaining paint residues. On the one hand, this causes color change losses in the range of 25-70 ml (depending on the embodiment), which in exceptional cases can amount to more than 100 ml. On the other hand disturbs the color change time required for a color change, which is in the range of 8-20 seconds, usually color change times of 13-15 seconds are achieved. The required color change time depends on the rinsability of the colors used, the detergent used, the pressures of the media and the structure of the ink-carrying components and the position of the components on the application device.

In addition, for example, out EP 1 502 658 A1 Atomiser with an integrated color changer known, also called ICC atomizer (ICC: I ntegrated C olour hanger C) denotes become. An advantage of these known atomizers with an integrated color changer is the small volume of the wiring harness between the integrated color changer and the application element (eg a bell cup), which advantageously leads to significantly lower color change losses and a short color change time. A disadvantage of the known atomizers with an integrated color changer, however, is the fact that the possible number of colors is limited, since the available space is limited in the atomizer.

Out DE 697 22 155 T2 . DE 696 22 407 T2 . DE 103 42 643 A1 . EP 1 502 658 A1 . DE 101 57 966 A1 . WO 2006/004601 A1 . DE 103 35 358 A1 . Dr. Richard Laible: "Environmentally friendly coating systems for industrial coating", 1989, expert Verlag, Ehningen, page 55 ; Joachim Domnick: "Oversprayarme Spritzlackiertechnik", metal surface 1/1997, page 43-45 . DE 10 2004 038 017 A1 . DE 10 2004 033 619 A1 . DE 36 41 416 A1 various painting devices are known, some of which have an internal color changer and an external color changer. However, the external color changer has only a single color output and is not designed as an A / B color changer. With a supply of so-called low-runners on the external color changer, therefore, there is the problem that when changing from a low-runner to another low-runner a relatively large color change time is required.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a correspondingly improved coating device, which is particularly suitable for painting motor vehicle bodies and attachments.

This object is achieved by a coating device according to claim 1.

A coating device according to the preamble of claim 1 is in DE 69722155 T2 disclosed.

The invention includes the general technical teaching to provide both in a coating device with a nebulizer both an internal, integrated in the nebulizer color change valve assembly and an external color change valve assembly, which is structurally separated from the nebulizer and preferably designed as A / B color changer.

The color change valve arrangement integrated into the atomizer is preferably used here for frequently used colors ("high runner"), since the color change time and the color change losses are extremely small with a color change of the integrated color change valve arrangement.

By contrast, the separate external color change valve arrangement is preferably used for less frequently used colors ("low runner") since a color change at the external color change valve arrangement is associated with greater color change losses due to the longer wiring harness between the external color change valve arrangement and the application element and a longer color change time takes. The combination of high-runner and low-runner colors significantly reduces the system's average ink consumption / loss.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, in addition to the color inputs of the internal color change valve arrangement, the atomizer has at least one further color input to which the external color change valve arrangement is connected.

However, it is alternatively also possible that the external color change valve arrangement feeds a paint input of the internal color change valve arrangement, so that the external color change valve arrangement and the inner color change valve arrangement are connected in series.

In a preferred embodiment, the external color change valve arrangement is designed as a so-called A / B color changer having two separately flushable color outputs. Accordingly, in addition to the color inputs of the internal color change valve arrangement, the atomizer has at least two corresponding further color inputs to which the two color outputs of the external color change valve arrangement are connected. Due to the two separate flushable color outputs of the external color change valve arrangement, the color change losses and the color change time are minimized even in the external color change valve arrangement and brought to the state of the aforementioned ICC.

In this case, preferably at least one recirculation valve is provided, which permits a rinsing cycle (eg consisting of blanking, rinsing, filling or pressing with the next color material into the return line, ie dirt thinner recirculation) during the painting process of the other channel. In one embodiment of the external color change valve arrangement as A / B color changer preferably two return valves are provided, which allow for each color output of the external color change valve assembly a return and thus a rinse cycle. The return valves may be arranged either in the atomizer or outside of the atomizer. An arrangement of the return valves in the atomizer in this case allows flushing into the atomizer, while the flushing in an arrangement the return valves outside the atomizer only up to the arranged there recirculation valve.

However, there is also the alternative possibility that the external color change valve arrangement has only a single color output, which is associated with lower investment costs, a smaller space and a lower mass. In this variant, alternately high-runner and low-runner are preferably applied, so that during the application of a high-runner on the internal color change valve assembly enough time remains to flush the external color change valve assembly and press with the next low-runner.

The color change valve arrangement integrated in the atomizer is preferably fed by a first metering device with the differently colored coating compositions, wherein the first metering device is preferably structurally separated from the atomizer.

In a painting robot, the first metering device for the integrated color change valve arrangement is preferably attached to the so-called "arm 1" of the painting robot, which is the proximal arm of the painting robot. However, it is alternatively also possible for the first metering device for the color change valve arrangement integrated in the atomizer to be attached to the so-called "arm 2" of the painting robot, which is the distal robot arm of the painting robot. Furthermore, there is the possibility that the first metering device for the color change valve arrangement integrated in the atomizer is attached to a base body of the painting robot, wherein the base body can be moved along a rail (axis 7) and contains a rotation axis (axis 1) which rotates about the Z coordinate allows. In addition, there is the possibility that the first metering device for the integrated color change valve arrangement is arranged fixed inside or outside a paint booth, which is more difficult in most cases.

In addition, the external color change valve arrangement is usually fed by a second metering device, which may be of conventional design and therefore need not be described in detail.

In this case, there is the possibility that the external color change valve arrangement and / or the second metering device associated therewith is attached to the so-called "arm 1" or to the so-called "arm 2" of the painting robot. Preferably, the aforementioned components are mounted in the immediate vicinity of the atomizer and therefore preferably mounted on the "arm 2".

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first metering device and / or the second metering device is designed as a gear pump, which is known per se from the prior art, such as from DE 600 09 577 T2 ,

The gear pump in this case preferably has a plurality of pump chambers, each with a rotatably arranged therein gear pair, wherein the individual pump chambers each supplies a paint input of the atomizer with the respective coating agent. In addition, the gear pump in this case preferably has a common drive shaft for driving the individual gear pumps, which is not the case with the known gear pump mentioned above. This inventive construction of the gear pump with several pump chambers is of its own worthy of protection, so that the present application seeks protection for this construction of a gear pump without the above-described features of the coating device according to the invention.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the gear pump according to the invention for driving the individual gear pairs in the individual pump chambers of the gear pump has a common drive shaft, which allows a drive by a single motor.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the gear pump has a plurality of couplings, which allows a selective coupling of the drive shaft with the individual gear pairs. The individual clutches can thus selectively connect or disconnect the respective gear pair with the drive shaft.

In the gear pump according to the invention, the individual pump chambers are preferably arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft, which allows a compact design of the gear pump. The immediately adjacent pump chambers can in this case have a common chamber wall, whereby the required size of the gear pump can be further reduced.

Furthermore, it is within the scope of the invention, the possibility that the atomizer according to the invention comprises two modules which are separably connected to each other. The first assembly of the atomizer preferably contains the internal color change valve arrangement, while the second assembly of the atomizer preferably contains the application element (eg a bell cup) and / or a main needle valve. This offers the advantage that the two modules of the atomizer are connected to each other by only a few lines, so that only slight contamination occur when a separation of the two modules. On the other hand, if the dividing line between the two assemblies of the atomizer were upstream of the internal color-change valve assembly, many color lines would run across the dividing line, which would result in significant contamination if the two assemblies of the atomizer were separated.

Incidentally, it can also be seen from this description that the internal color-change valve arrangement does not necessarily have to be arranged in that assembly of the atomizer which has the bell cup and the main needle valve. Rather, the internal color change valve arrangement can be arranged within the scope of the invention in another assembly of the atomizer, such as in a flange, a terminal block or an elbow.

It should also be mentioned that the term atomizer used in the context of the invention is to be understood generally and includes, for example, rotary atomizers in the form of bell-type atomizers or disk atomizers and also ultrasonic atomizers, air atomizers, airless devices or airmix devices. Accordingly, the application element in the context of the invention may be, for example, a bell cup, a rotation disk or simply a nozzle.

Furthermore, it should be mentioned that the coating device according to the invention can apply water-based paint, solvent-based lacquer, seam-sealing materials, such as, for example, PVC, or else powder coating, so that the invention is not restricted with regard to the type of coating agent to be applied. For example, the coating agent may be filler, basecoat or clearcoat.

Figur 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemä- ßen Beschichtungseinrichtung mit einem Zerstäuber mit einem integrierten Farbwechsler und einem zu- sätzlichen separaten Farbwechsler,

Figur 2

eine Abwandlung der Beschichtungseinrichtung gemäß Figur 1,

Figur 3

eine Perspektivansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen La- ckierroboters mit der in Figur 1 dargestellten Be- schichtungseinrichtung,

Figur 4

eine Abwandlung des Ausführungsbeispiels gemäß Fi- gur 2 mit einem externen Farbwechsler, der nur einen einzigen Farbausgang aufweist,

Figur 5

ein Zeitdiagramm, das den Betrieb des Ausführungs- beispiels gemäß Figur 4 verdeutlicht,

Figur

6A eine herkömmliche Konstruktion einer Zahnradpumpe, die zur Zuführung der High-Runner oder der Low- Runner eingesetzt werden kann,

Figur

6B eine neuartige Konstruktion einer Zahnradpumpe mit mehreren Pumpenkammern und darin befindlichen Zahn- radpaaren sowie einer gemeinsamen Antriebswelle zum Antrieb der Zahnradpaare,

Figur 7

eine aufgerissene Perspektivansicht der Zahnradpumpe gemäß Figur 6B,

Figur 8

eine Perspektivansicht der Zahnradpumpe aus Figur 7,

Figur 9

einen Längsschnitt durch die Zahnradpumpe gemäß den Figuren 7 und 8,

Figur 10

eine Querschnittsansicht der Zahnradpumpe gemäß den Figuren 7 bis 9 sowie

Figur 11

eine Querschnittsansicht eines erfindungsgemäßen Zerstäubers mit einer internen Farbwechselventilan- ordnung.

Other advantageous developments of the invention are characterized in the dependent claims or will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to FIGS. Show it:

FIG. 1

1 a schematic representation of a coating device according to the invention with an atomizer with an integrated color changer and an additional separate color changer,

FIG. 2

a modification of the coating device according to FIG. 1 .

FIG. 3

a perspective view of a coating robot according to the invention with the in FIG. 1 shown coating device,

FIG. 4

a modification of the embodiment according to Figure 2 with an external color changer having only a single color output,

FIG. 5

a timing diagram illustrating the operation of the embodiment according to FIG. 4 shows

figure

6A shows a conventional construction of a gear pump which can be used to supply the high-runners or the low-runners,

figure

6B shows a novel construction of a gear pump with a plurality of pump chambers and teeth located therein. wheel pairs and a common drive shaft for driving the gear pairs,

FIG. 7

an opened perspective view of the gear pump according to FIG. 6B .

FIG. 8

a perspective view of the gear pump FIG. 7 .

FIG. 9

a longitudinal section through the gear pump according to the FIGS. 7 and 8th .

FIG. 10

a cross-sectional view of the gear pump according to the FIGS. 7 to 9 such as

FIG. 11

a cross-sectional view of an atomizer according to the invention with an internal Farbwechselventilan- order.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a coating device according to the invention, which can be used for the serial painting of motor vehicle bodies and their attachments.

For this purpose, the coating device according to the invention has an atomizer 1, which is designed in this embodiment as a high-rotation atomizer and has a bell cup 2 as an application element.

For ink supply with frequently used colors (English "High Runner"), the atomizer 1 has an integrated color change valve arrangement 3 with four color valves F1, F2, F3, F4. The color valves F1-F4 of the integrated color change valve arrangement 3 are each connected to a color input 4-7, wherein the color inputs 4-7 are available at the connection flange of the atomizer 1.

To the color inputs 4-7 of the integrated color change valve assembly 3, a metering device 8 is connected, which is structurally separated from the atomizer 1 and for each of the color inputs 4-7 each have a volumetrically operating metering pump 9-12 and a common drive motor 13.

The metering device 8, the frequently used colors ("High Runner") supplied, since the integrated color change valve assembly 3 due to the short wiring harness between the integrated color changing assembly 3 and the bell cup 2 has little color change losses and requires a short color change time.

The integrated color change valve assembly 3 is therefore the output side connected via a common main needle valve HN with the bell cup 2, which is shown only schematically in the drawing.

Between the main needle valve HN and the bell cup 2, a short flushing valve KS branches off, which opens into a flushing connection V at the connection flange of the atomizer 1. About the flushing port V and the short flush valve KS, the bell cup 2 can be rinsed with a detergent, which is known per se.

In addition, the common node at the output of the integrated color change valve assembly 3 and at the input of the main needle valve HN via a pulse air valve PL is connected to a pulse air connection, which is available at the connection flange of the atomizer 1. About the pulse air valve PL can the wiring harness of the atomizer 1 are cleaned with pulse air, which is also known per se.

In addition, branches from the common node of the color change valve assembly 3 and the main needle valve HN from a flushing valve VV, which opens into the flushing port V at the connection flange of the atomizer 1, so that via the flushing valve VV a conventional solvent flushing is possible.

In addition to the color change valve arrangement 3 integrated in the atomizer 1, the coating installation according to the invention has a separate color change valve arrangement 14, which is structurally separated from the atomizer and can be constructed in a conventional manner, such as, for example EP 1 502 657 A2 is described. At this point, it should merely be mentioned that the external color change valve arrangement 14 is designed as a so-called A / B color changer and has two color outputs which can be rinsed separately from one another, whereby the color change time and the color change losses are reduced.

On the output side, the external color change valve assembly 14 is connected to a metering device 15, each having a volumetrically operating metering pump 16, 17 for each of the two color outputs of the external color change valve assembly 14, wherein the two metering pumps 16, 17 are driven by a respective drive motor 18, 19 independently ,

For connection to the metering device 15, the atomizer 1, in addition to the color inputs 4-7 for the integrated color change valve arrangement 3, two separate color inputs 20, 21, which are connected via separately controllable paint valves FA, FB with the main needle valve HN.

The external color change valve assembly 14 is in this case supplied with rarely needed colors (English "low runner"), in which the higher color change time and the greater color change losses play a minor role.

In addition, branches from the additional color inputs 20, 21 for the external color change valve assembly 14 from a respective return valve RA, RB, the two return valves RA, RB are structurally integrated into the atomizer 1 in this embodiment. In this way, the color inputs 20, 21 can be flushed into the atomizer 1 into.

If the high-runners now account for 65% of the total capacity and the color change losses in the external color change valve assembly 14 49 ml and in the internal color change valve assembly 3 5 ml, so the inventive coating device described above allows a reduction of the average color change losses from 49 ml to 20.4 ml, which corresponds to a saving of 28.6 ml.

FIG. 2 shows a minor modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 1 , so that reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the two return valves RA, RB are arranged outside of the atomizer 1.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of two painting robots 22, 23 which are linearly displaceable along a rail 24, which is known per se. The two painting robots 22, 23 each have a displaceable main body 25 and two robot arms 26, 27, wherein the robot arm 26 is referred to as "arm 1", while the robot arm 27 is referred to as "arm 2".

At the distal end of the robot arm 27, a conventional robot hand shaft 28 is attached, which guides the atomizer 1.

The metering device 8 (see. Fig. 1 ) for the color change valve arrangement 3 integrated in the atomizer 1 is arranged here in the robot arm 26 ("arm 1"), while the external color change valve arrangement 14 is arranged in the robot arm 27 ("arm 2").

It should also be mentioned that the pulse air valve PL and the flushing valve VV can also be arranged outside of the atomizer 1, for example on the robot arm 27 ("arm 2"). The switchover then takes place outside of the atomizer 1.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 , so that reference is made to avoid repetition of the above description, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the external color change valve assembly 14 is not designed as A / B color changer, but has only a single color output, which is associated with lower investment costs, a smaller space and a lower mass.

In this variant, alternately high-runner and low-runner are applied, as in the timing diagram in FIG. 5 is shown, so that during the application of a high-runner on the internal color change valve assembly 3 enough time remains to flush the external color change valve assembly 14 and press with the next low runner. The larger color change time of the external color change valve assembly 14 then does not interfere, but the production planning is more complex to ensure that the atomizer 1 can alternately apply high-runner and low-runner.

FIG. 6A shows an embodiment of a gear pump 29, for example, instead of the metering device 8 in FIG. 1 can be used to supply the different color inputs 4-7 of the nebulizer 1 with the various high-runners.

The gear pump 29 has a plurality of pump chambers 30-33, which are shown here only schematically and each containing a pair of gears, as it for example DE 600 09 577 T2 is known.

The individual gear pairs in the pump chambers 30-33 are driven by a drive shaft 34 by a motor 35. Between the individual pump chambers 30-33 and between the pump chamber 30 and the motor 35 couplings 36-39 are arranged, which allow a mechanical separation.

FIG. 6B shows a further, novel embodiment of a gear pump 29, this embodiment partially with the above described and in FIG. 6A illustrated embodiment, so that to avoid from repetitions to the above description FIG. 6A is referenced, wherein the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components.

A special feature of this embodiment is that the common drive shaft 34 for the arranged in the individual pump chambers 30-33 gear pairs over the entire length of the gear pump 29 goes through.

The individual clutches 36-39 do not allow mechanical separation of the drive shaft 34 in the longitudinal direction. Instead, the individual clutches 36-39 allow the gear pairs in the pump chambers 30-33 to be selectively connected to or disconnected from the drive shaft 34.

The structural design and operation of the gear pump 29 will be described below with reference to the FIGS. 7 to 10 described in more detail.

Thus, it can be seen from these drawings that the individual pump chambers 30-33 are each formed by a middle plate 40-43 and adjacent end plates 44-51, so that the individual pump chambers 30-33 lie in the longitudinal direction of the drive shaft 34 one behind the other.

For simplicity, in the open perspective view in FIG FIG. 7 only five gears 52-56 are fully shown, however, in each of the pump chambers 30-33 there are two gears meshing with each other.

In addition, the gear pump 29 for selectively coupling the located in the pump chambers 30-33 pairs of gears with the drive shaft 34 to a puller wedge 57 which via locking balls 58-60 allows a coupling of the drive shaft 34 with the individual gear pairs.

Furthermore, the gear pump 29 in this embodiment, a shaft seal 61 and a bearing 62.

An advantage of this construction of the gear pump 29 is the small size, which is particularly important in an arrangement of the gear pump 29 in a robot arm.

Finally shows FIG. 11 a schematic representation of an atomizer 63 according to the invention with a bell cup 64 and a plurality of outer electrodes 65 for an electrostatic charging of the applied coating agent.

The atomizer 63 in this case has a flange 66, a connection block 67, an elbow 68 and a front part 69.

An internal color change valve arrangement 70 is arranged in the connection block 67, while a main needle valve 71 is located in the front part 69. This offers the advantage that, when the connection block 67 is separated from the angle piece 68 with the front part 69, only a few lines run through the dividing line, so that only a slight contamination occurs during the separation.

The invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described above. Rather, a variety of variants and modifications is possible, which also make use of the inventive idea and therefore fall within the scope.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

atomizer

2

A bell plate

3

Integrated color change valve arrangement

4-7

color inputs

8th

metering

9-12

metering

13

drive motor

14

Color change valve arrangement

15

metering

16, 17

metering

18, 19

drive motor

20, 21

color inputs

22, 23

Painting robots

24

rail

25

body

26, 27

robot arms

28

A robot wrist

29

gear pump

30-33

pump chambers

34

drive shaft

35

engine

36-39

clutches

40-43

center plates

44-51

end plates

52-56

gears

57

draw key

58-60

detent balls

61

shaft seal

62

storage

63

atomizer

64

A bell plate

65

external electrodes

66

flange assembly

67

terminal block

68

elbow

69

front

70

Internal color change valve arrangement

71

Main needle valve

F1-F4

paint valves

FA, FB

paint valves

HN

Main needle valve

KS

Kurzspülventil

PL

Pulse air valve

RA, RB

Recirculation valves

V

Flushing connection

VV

detergent valve

Claims (13)

1. A coating device, particularly for painting motor vehicle bodies, with

   a) an atomiser (1) for applying a coating agent by means of an application element (2), and

   b) an internal colour-changer valve assembly (3) with several paint inlets (4-7) for selecting coating agents of different colours, where the internal colour-changer valve assembly (3) is structurally integrated into the atomiser (1) and connected to the application element (2) at the outlet end, to supply the application element (2) with the selected coating agent,

   c) an external colour-changer valve assembly (14) with several paint inlets (4-7) for selecting coating agents of different colours, where the external colour-changer valve assembly (14) is structurally separate from the atomiser (1) and connected to the application element (2) at the outlet end, to supply the application element (2) with the selected coating agent,
   characterized in that

   d) the external colour-changer valve assembly (14) comprises at least two separate paint outlets,

   e) the atomiser (1) comprises at least two further paint inlets (20, 21) in addition to the paint inlets of the internal colour-changer valve assembly (3), to which the paint outlets of the external colour-changer valve assembly (14) are connected,

   f) two recirculation valves (RA, RB) are provided allowing a recirculation for each paint outlet of the external colour-changer valve assembly (14).
2. The coating device in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the recirculation valves (RA, RB)

   a) are structurally integrated into the atomiser (1), or

   b) are structurally separate from the atomiser (1).
3. The coating device in accordance with one of the above claims, characterised in that

   a) the internal colour-changer valve assembly (3) is fed with coating agents of different colours by a first metering device (8) and/or

   b) the external colour-changer valve assembly (14) is fed with coating agents of different colours by a second metering device (15).
4. The coating device in accordance with claim 3, characterised in that the first metering device (8) is structurally separate from the atomiser (1), and is located

   a) on a proximal robot arm (26) of a painting robot (23),

   b) on a distal robot arm (27) of a painting robot (23),

   c) on a frame (25) of a painting robot (23),

   d) stationary, in a painting cabin, or

   e) stationary, outside a painting cabin.
5. The coating device in accordance with one of the aforegoing claims, characterised in that the external colour-changer valve assembly (14) and/or the second metering device (15) allocated thereto are mounted

   a) on a proximal robot arm (26) of a painting robot (23), or

   b) on a distal robot arm (27) of a painting robot (23),
6. The coating device in accordance with one of claims 3 to 5, characterised in that the first metering device (8) and/or the second metering device (15) is in the form of a geared pump (29).
7. The coating device in accordance with claim 6,
   characterised in that

   a) the geared pump (29) has a plurality of pumping chambers (30-33), each containing a pair of gearwheels (52-56) arranged so that they will rotate,

   b) the individual pumping chambers (30-33) each supply a paint inlet (4-7, 20, 21) of the atomiser (1),

   c) the geared pump (29) has a common drive shaft (34) to drive the individual pairs of gearwheels.
8. The coating device in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the geared pump (29) for selective engagement of the drive shaft (34) within the individual pairs of gearwheels (52-56) has a plurality of clutches (36-39).
9. The coating device in accordance with claim 7 or 8,
   characterised in that

   a) the pumping chambers (30-33) are behind each other in the axial direction of the drive shaft (34), and

   b) the immediately adjacent pumping chambers (30-33) have a common chamber wall.
10. The coating device in accordance with one of the above claims, characterised in that

    a) the atomiser (63) has a first sub-assembly (67) in which the internal colour-changer valve assembly (70) is located;

    b) the atomiser (63) has a second sub-assembly (68, 69) with an application element (64), particularly a bell plate, and

    c) the first sub-assembly (67) is separably connected to the second sub-assembly (68, 69).
11. The coating device in accordance with one of the above claims, characterised in that the atomiser (1, 63) is

    a) a rotary atomiser;

    b) an ultrasonic atomiser;

    c) an air atomiser;

    d) an airless device or

    e) an airmix device.
12. The coating device in accordance with one of the above claims, characterised in that the coating agent is a

    a) water-based paint;

    b) solvent-based paint;

    c) powder lacquer or a

    d) joint sealant.
13. The coating device in accordance with one of the above claims, characterised in that the coating agent is a

    a) filler;

    b) base coat, or:

    c) clear varnish.

Images