IP Library Granted Patent US 9,071,192
Granted Patent B2
US 9,071,192 · App. 13/985,349 · Granted Jun 30, 2015

Oscillator for a powder spray coating device

Inventors: Felix Mauchle (Abtwil, CH); Mario Vasella (Trubbach, CH)
Assignee: GEMA SWITZERLAND GMBH
H03B7/00B05B5/006B05B5/032B05B5/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,071,192
App. No.
13/985,349
Granted
Jun 30, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

An oscillator ( 100 ) for providing an oscillating voltage for a powder spray coating device ( 200 ) is specified. With the aim of improving operational safety, the oscillator ( 100 ) as claimed in the invention has a first signal generator ( 10 ) for generating an intermediate circuit voltage ( 11 ), a second signal generator ( 20 ) for generating a modulation signal ( 21 ) and a modulation signal isolating element ( 61 ), connected to the second signal generator ( 20 ), while a first voltage monitoring device ( 60 ) is also provided, designed for continuously measuring the oscillator voltage ( 34 ), comparing it with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value and, if a first comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting a modulation isolating signal ( 80 ) to the modulation signal isolating element ( 61 ).

Claims (71)

1. An oscillator for providing an oscillating voltage for a powder spray coating device, the oscillator comprising:

a first signal generator for generating an intermediate circuit voltage;

a second signal generator for generating a modulation signal;

a modulation unit for generating an oscillator voltage;

a modulation signal isolating element connected to the second signal generator, the modulation signal isolating element being configured to interrupt an electrical connection between the second signal generator and the modulation unit in the presence of a modulation isolating signal;

a first terminal for outputting the oscillator voltage to a powder spray coating device; and

a second terminal for returning the used oscillator voltage to a reference potential, in particular earth potential,

wherein the modulation unit being is configured for generating the oscillator voltage by modulation of the intermediate circuit voltage with the modulation signal, and wherein the oscillator further comprises a first voltage monitoring device configured for continuously measuring the oscillator voltage, comparing the oscillator voltage with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value and, if a first comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting a modulation isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element.

2. An oscillator for providing an oscillating voltage for a powder spray coating device, the oscillator comprising:

a first signal generator for generating an intermediate circuit voltage;

a second signal generator for generating a modulation signal;

a modulation signal isolating element, connected to the second signal generator;

a modulation unit for generating an oscillator voltage;

a first terminal for outputting the oscillator voltage to a powder spray coating device;

a second terminal for returning the used oscillator voltage to a reference potential, in particular earth potential,

wherein the modulation unit being configured for generating the oscillator voltage by modulation of the intermediate circuit voltage with the modulation signal; and

a first voltage monitoring device configured for continuously measuring the oscillator voltage, comparing the oscillator voltage with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value and, if a first comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting a modulation isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element,

the oscillator also having an intermediate circuit voltage isolating element, connected to the first signal generator, and a second voltage monitoring device being provided, designed for continuously measuring the intermediate circuit voltage, comparing the intermediate circuit voltage with at least one specified or specifiable intermediate circuit voltage reference value and, if a second comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting an intermediate circuit voltage isolating signal to the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element.

3. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value being a maximum oscillator voltage value and the first comparison criterion being satisfied if the maximum oscillator voltage value is exceeded.

4. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value being a minimum oscillator voltage value and the first comparison criterion being satisfied if the minimum oscillator voltage value is not reached.

5. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the at least one specified or specifiable intermediate circuit voltage reference value being a maximum intermediate circuit voltage value and the second comparison criterion being satisfied if the maximum intermediate circuit voltage value is exceeded.

6. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the at least one specified or specifiable intermediate circuit voltage reference value being a minimum intermediate circuit voltage value and the second comparison criterion being satisfied if the minimum intermediate circuit voltage value is not reached.

7. An oscillator for providing an oscillating voltage for a powder spray coating device, the oscillator having:

a first signal generator for generating an intermediate circuit voltage;

a second signal generator for generating a modulation signal;

a modulation signal isolating element, connected to the second signal generator;

a modulation unit for generating an oscillator voltage;

a first terminal for outputting the oscillator voltage to a powder spray coating device;

a second terminal for returning the used oscillator voltage to a reference potential, in particular earth potential,

the modulation unit being designed for generating the oscillator voltage by modulation of the intermediate circuit voltage with the modulation signal; and

a first voltage monitoring device being provided, designed for continuously measuring the oscillator voltage, comparing it with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value and, if a first comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting a modulation isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element,

the modulation signal isolating element and/or the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element each being formed as a transistor isolating element, in particular as a fast-switching field-effect transistor isolating element.

8. The oscillator as claimed in claim 7 ,

the transistor isolating element comprising a transistor driver and at least one transistor, in particular at least one field-effect transistor, and the transistor driver being configured for isolating the conduction of the transistor when an isolating signal is received.

9. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the first signal generator and the first voltage monitoring device being integrated in a first processor unit.

10. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 ,

the second signal generator and the second voltage monitoring device being integrated in a second processor unit.

11. An oscillator for providing an oscillating voltage for a powder spray coating device, the oscillator comprising:

a first signal generator for generating an intermediate circuit voltage;

a second signal generator for generating a modulation signal;

a modulation signal isolating element, connected to the second signal generator;

a modulation unit for generating an oscillator voltage;

a first terminal for outputting the oscillator voltage to a powder spray coating device;

a second terminal for returning the used oscillator voltage to a reference potential, in particular earth potential,

wherein the modulation unit is configured for generating the oscillator voltage by modulation of the intermediate circuit voltage with the modulation signal;

a first voltage monitoring device configured for continuously measuring the oscillator voltage, comparing the oscillator voltage with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value and, if a first comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting a modulation isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element; and

an earth current monitoring device, designed for continuously measuring an earth current, in particular an earth current between the reference potential and a protective conductor potential, and outputting an earth current monitoring isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element and/or an earth current monitoring isolating signal to the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element if a previously specified or specifiable maximum earth current is exceeded.

12. A method for providing an oscillating voltage provided at an oscillator for a powder spray coating device, the method comprising:

generating an intermediate circuit voltage by a first signal generator;

generating a modulation signal by a second signal generator;

generating an oscillator voltage by a modulation unit;

interrupting an electrical connection between the second signal generator and the modulation unit in the presence of a modulation isolating signal by a modulation signal isolating element connected to the second signal generator;

outputting the oscillator voltage to a powder spray coating device by a first terminal; and

returning the used oscillator voltage to a reference potential, in particular earth potential, by a second terminal,

wherein the modulation unit generates the oscillator voltage by modulation of the intermediate circuit voltage with the modulation signal, and

a first voltage monitoring device performs the steps of:

continuously measuring the oscillator voltage;

comparing the measured oscillator voltage with at least one specified or specifiable oscillator voltage reference value;

establishing whether or not a first comparison criterion is satisfied;

if the first comparison criterion is satisfied: outputting a modulation isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element.

13. The oscillator as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the transistor driver is a transistor driver with a logical isolating signal terminal.

14. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 , the oscillator also having an intermediate circuit voltage isolating element, connected to the first signal generator, and a second voltage monitoring device being provided, designed for continuously measuring the intermediate circuit voltage, comparing the intermediate circuit voltage with at least one specified or specifiable intermediate circuit voltage reference value and, if a second comparison criterion is satisfied, outputting an intermediate circuit voltage isolating signal to the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element.

15. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 , the modulation signal isolating element and/or the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element each being formed as a transistor isolating element, in particular as a fast-switching field-effect transistor isolating element.

16. The oscillator as claimed in claim 15 , the transistor isolating element comprising a transistor driver and at least one transistor, and the transistor driver being configured for isolating the conduction of the transistor when an isolating signal is received.

17. The oscillator as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the transistor driver is a transistor driver with a logical isolating signal terminal.

18. The oscillator as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an earth current monitoring device, configured for continuously measuring an earth current, in particular an earth current between the reference potential and a protective conductor potential, and outputting an earth current monitoring isolating signal to the modulation signal isolating element and/or an earth current monitoring isolating signal to the intermediate circuit voltage isolating element if a previously specified or specifiable maximum earth current is exceeded.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 15, 2014
From: ITW GEMA GMBH
To: GEMA SWITZERLAND GMBH
Reel/Frame 032687/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2014
From: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
To: ITW GEMA GMBH
Reel/Frame 032205/0232 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 10, 2014
From: MAUCHLE, FELIX; VASELLA, MARIO; ITW GEMA GMBH
To: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
Reel/Frame 032185/0241 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 10 2011 004 026 · Feb 14, 2011 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20140055205A1 · Feb 27, 2014