Graco Minnesota Inc.

Graco Inc.

Vu K Nguyen

Christopher M Lange

David M Behrens

Mark T Weinberger

Wade Daniel Palashewski

Mark L Bauck

Dennis J Van Keulen

Paul F Boschert

David M Pittman

Todd A Anderson

Lawrence P Jeutter

Tom Herbert

Apparatus and associated methods related to providing safe electrical control and/or communication between a remote controller located in a safe location and interface system for a machine located in a hazardous location. The control and/or communication is provided via industrial-voltage power lines that traverse a barrier separating the safe location from the hazardous location. Control and/or communication is provided by reactively coupling to industrial power lines, which traverse the barrier, so as to superimpose a control and/or communication signal upon AC operating power provided to the machine. Each of the interface system located at the hazardous location and the remote control module located at a safe location provides such reactive coupling to the industrial-voltage power lines so as to communicate therebetween.

Power-line control of a hazardous-environment-located machine from a safe environment

An air operated pumpuses a magnetmounted in the valve cupof the air motorand two reed sensorsmounted in the valve coverto monitor the speed and position of the valve. A solenoidis mounted on the valve coverand can be commanded to extend a plungerinto the valve cupto stop valve movement and therefore the pump from running away A magnetoresistive sensoris located in the center of the air motorto precisely monitor the pistonposition and with air valve sensorsprovides the input necessary for precise control and diagnostics of the pumpand makes it suitable for metering and plural component application.

Reciprocating pump with electronically monitored air valve and piston

The controller of the plural component proportioner () dispenses both components (or all three if a three component material) simultaneously (at least initially) and maintains ratio at the end of each predetermined volume of material by determining which component pump () has reached the desired amount of travel (given the resolution available) and using a valve () to shut off output of that pump until the other side has caught up. At pump changeover, the output valve for that pump () is shut off and the air motor () allowed to run until travel stops to account for cavitation, air entrainment, compressibility, or poor inlet check performance.

Electronic proportioner using continuous metering and correction

An air operated pump () uses a magnet () mounted in the valve cup () of the air motor () and two reed sensors () mounted in the valve cover () to monitor the speed and position of the valve (). A solenoid () is mounted on the valve cover () and can be commanded to extend a plunger () into the valve cup () to stop valve movement and therefore the pump from running away. Three methods may be used to increase battery life and monitor the solenoid plunger position, two of which use the changing inductance of the solenoid () to monitor the solenoid movement.

Reciprocating pump with electronically monitored air valve having battery and solenoid electronic monitoring

A gun flush box is controlled by a plural component proportioning unit. When a color change is desired, the operator places the spray gun in the flush box. When a new color is selected, the control system automatically triggers the gun and flushes the gun with solvent with the flush material safely routed to a waste container. The control system automatically triggers the gun to refill the lines with new color paint without using excess paint as it displaces the flush solvent. This system is also capable of working with two guns in operation.

Growing community of inventors

Brooklyn Park, MN, United States of America

Vu K Nguyen