Method and apparatus for detecting a liquid spray pattern

• Main Authors: REIGHARD MICHAEL A, MYCKE JACQUES, DONGES WILLIAM E, ESPENSCHIED KENNETH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.05.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; ATOMISING APPARATUS; BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISEPROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; LIQUID HANDLING; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS; MEASURING; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS; MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEARDIMENSIONS; NOZZLES; OPENING, CLOSING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; PRINTED CIRCUITS; SPRAYING APPARATUS; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TESTING; TRANSPORTING

During a liquid spray pattern detection procedure, the sensor ( 50, 52 ) is operable to detect the presence or absence of an edge of the dispensed liquid spray pattern. The nozzle ( 18 ) of the liquid dispensing system is moved to a predetermined position (A) relative to the sensor ( 50, 52 ) to determine the presence or absence of the spray pattern and is then moved to a second predetermined position (B) relative to the sensor ( 50, 52 ) to again determine the presence or absence of the spray pattern. Based on these determinations, the width of the spray pattern can be verified. This provides a quick means to verify that the width of the dispensed pattern is within certain tolerances.