Valve unit for a coating installation
A valve unit for a coating system, for example an integrated color changer or two-component mixer in a rotary sprayer, is disclosed. An exemplary valve unit includes a housing and at least one valve receptacle arranged in the housing, and serves to receive a valve. The housing includes at least one first housing part and one second housing part, wherein the first housing part is formed of a different material than the second housing part.
1. A valve unit comprising:
a first housing part of a first material, the first housing part defining therewithin a central coating agent channel that extends to a first end face of the first housing part, the first housing part defining therewithin at least one coating supply line that extends to a second end face of the first housing part;
a second housing part of a second material, the first and second materials being different from each other, the second housing part defining therewithin at least one control line;
at least one valve receptacle extending through the second housing part and into the first housing part, the at least one valve receptacle having interfaces with the at least one control line, the at least one coating supply line, and the central coating agent channel, the at least one valve receptacle having a valve seat at the interface with the central coating agent channel; and at least one valve disposed within the at least one valve receptacle and having a needle, the needle being selectively operable to engage the valve seat and thereby inhibit fluid communication through the at least one valve receptacle between the at least one coating supply line and the central coating agent channel,
wherein the first housing part is a housing core, the second housing part is a housing jacket, and the housing jacket surrounds the housing core, and
wherein the first and second housing parts are coupled in a generally cylindrical shape, and the at least one valve receptacle is oriented radially with respect to the generally cylindrical shape.
2. The valve unit according to claim 1 wherein
the first housing part is formed of a metallic material, and the second housing part is formed of a plastic.
3. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part is formed of a harder material than the second housing part.
4. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part is formed of a more abrasion resistant material than the second housing part.
5. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part is formed of a material that is more resistant to a rinsing agent than the second housing part.
6. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part is formed of a material that is more resistant to a paint than the second housing part.
7. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second housing part is formed of an electrically insulating material, and the first housing part is formed of an electrically conductive material.
8. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second housing part is formed of a lighter material than the first housing part.
9. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the second housing part is formed of a transparent material.
10. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein the first housing part includes:
at least one leakage line in communication with the at least one valve receptacle, the at least one leakage line leading away from the at least one valve receptacle.
11. The valve unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of valve receptacles, each of the valve receptacles configured to receive a single valve, each of the valve receptacles extending through the second housing part and into the first housing part, each of the valve receptacles oriented radially with respect to the generally cylindrical shape,
wherein the first housing part defines a wall thickness between at least one pair of adjacent valve receptacles, the wall thickness being smaller than two millimeters.
12. The valve unit of claim 11 , wherein the first housing part defines the wall thickness between each adjacent pair of valve receptacle to be smaller than two millimeters.
13. The valve unit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of valve receptacles, each valve receptacle being configured to receive a single valve, each of the valve receptacles oriented radially with respect to the generally cylindrical shape,
the individual valve receptacles each having a single leakage line,
the leakage lines of the individual valve receptacles extending within the first housing part.
14. The valve unit according to claim 13 , wherein the leakage lines run at acute angles to a central axis of the valve unit,
wherein the leakage lines extend away the individual valve receptacles and open in the first end face of the valve unit, and
wherein an annular collection channel is arranged in the first end face of the valve unit, into which channel the leakage lines open.
15. The valve unit according to claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one valve is fixed to the at least one valve receptacle, the at least one valve is pneumatically actuated,
the at least one valve directly contacts the first and second materials of the first and second housing parts,
the at least one coating material supply line, the central coating agent channel, and a leakage line are each defined by the first housing part, such that fluid passed therethrough directly contacts the first material,
the valve unit has more than 4 valve receptacles, the valve receptacles each oriented radially with respect to the generally cylindrical shape, and
the valve unit has a packing density of the valve receptacles, the packing density representing a ratio of the number of valve receptacles to the construction volume of the valve unit, wherein the packing density is greater than 0.01 cubic centimeters.
16. The valve unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of valve receptacles and valves, and wherein:
the valve receptacles are each oriented radially with respect to the generally cylindrical shape, such that the valves are respectively oriented radially to the generally cylindrical shape in one of the valve receptacles,
the valve receptacles are angularly spaced about a circumference of the generally cylindrical shape,
the valve receptacles are arranged in a plurality of radially extending planes along a central axis of the generally cylindrical shape, the valve receptacles are arranged in adjacent planes in an angularly offset manner,
a plurality of coating agent supply lines extend within the first housing part, wherein the valves each respectively control the feed from at least one of the coating agent supply lines into the central coating agent channel,
the coating agent supply lines open out in the second end face of the first housing part, the second end face being opposite the first end face, and the central coating agent channel and the coating agent supply lines run axially within the generally cylindrical shape.
17. An atomizer with a structurally integrated valve unit according to claim 1 .
18. The atomizer according to claim 17 , wherein the valve unit forms an integrated colour changer including a plurality of colour inlets and one colour outlet.
19. The atomizer according to claim 17 , wherein the valve unit forms a two-component mixer configured to supply a base paint and a hardener, the mixer configured to mix the base paint and the hardener in the atomizer.