Paint mask apparatus

Details Paint mask apparatus Paint mask apparatus

2000-08-03

2001-10-09

Thomas, Alexander S. (Department: 1772)

Coating apparatus

Projection or spray type

With mask or stencil

C428S099000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06299687

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paint mask apparatus used to apply a paint treatment to only a required area of a molded component, such as a lens or a lamp body, which forms a component part of a vehicular lamp, for example.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A conventional paint mask apparatus of the same general type as that to which the invention relates, as shown in
FIG. 15
, is constructed with a receiving jig
3
for mounting a part to be painted supported by a jig base
2
provided in a base
1
, while a mask supporting frame
5
with an integrated mask main body
6
shaped so that it corresponds to the part
7
is attached to the base
1
so as to be able to swing up and down, such that the mask main body
6
can both cover (as indicated by broken lines in
FIG. 15
) and uncover (as indicated by solid lines in
FIG. 15
) the receiving jig
3
(the part
7
) from above.
Reference numeral
4
denotes a link mechanism that raises and lowers the jig base
2
, and reference numeral
4
a
denotes a lever for raising and lowering the link mechanism
4
such that, by raising the receiving jig
3
with respect to the mask main body
6
, the part
7
becomes covered in the correct position with respect to the mask main body
6
.
An opening
6
a
corresponding to the area to be painted of the
7
is formed in the mask main body
6
. Spray paint is applied from above the mask main body
6
with a spray gun
8
when the part
7
is covered by the mask main body
6
so as to paint only the desired area to be painted thereof.
However, with the aforementioned conventional paint mask apparatus, a different paint mask apparatus must be provided for each different type of part to be painted. That is, if the parts
7
differ, an entire paint mask apparatus including not only the mask main body
6
and the receiving jig
3
which are directly related to the shape of the part
7
, but also the base
1
and the jig base
2
must be made to match the part
7
, which is extremely costly.
Also, when this type of paint mask apparatus is incorporated into a general production line and the type of parts to be painted is to be changed, the entire paint mask apparatus must be replaced, which involves removing the apparatus from the line and installing another in its place, which is an extremely bothersome operation.
Additionally a large space is required for storing the paint mask apparatus that was removed from the line.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a paint mask apparatus which is easily able to accommodate different types of parts to be painted by constructing both the mask body and the receiving jig so as to be detachable.
In order to achieve the foregoing and other objects of the invention, in a paint mask apparatus in which a receiving jig for mounting a part to be painted is supported by a jig base provided in an outer base and a mask supporting frame with an integrated mask main body of a shape which corresponds to the part to be painted is attached to the outer base so as to be able to swing up and down such that the maskmain body can cover and uncover the receiving jig from above, the mask supporting frame is constructed so as to be detachable from the outer base and the receiving jig is constructed so as to be detachable from the jig base.
When it is desired that paint be applied to different types of parts to be painted, a mask supporting frame with an integrated mask main body corresponding to the new part to be painted and a receiving jig also corresponding to the new part to be painted are made. The mask supporting frame and the receiving jig integrated with the paint mask apparatus are both removed and a mask supporting frame with an integrated mask main body and a receiving jig both corresponding to the new part to be painted are attached, thereby enabling the paint mask apparatus to be used for painting different types of parts to be painted.
Even if the paint mask apparatus is incorporated into a production line, only the mask supporting frame and receiving jig need to be replaced, which is a simple operation that can be done in a short period of time.
Further, the removed mask supporting frame and receiving jig are not as bulky compared to the overall paint mask apparatus. Therefore, only a small amount of storage space is needed compared to when storing a complete paint mask apparatus.
A detachable portion between the mask body and the mask supporting frame may be formed with a dovetail groove slide-engaging portion extending along the extended side of the mask supporting frame, and a detachable portion between the receiving jig and the jig base is formed by a slide-engaging portion extending along the top surface of the jig base. With this arrangement, the mask body can be detached from the mask supporting frame by sliding it along the dovetail groove slide-engaging portion. The receiving jig can be detached from the jig base by sliding it along the slide-engaging portion.
The mask supporting frame may be formed so as to swing around a horizontal axis by operating a fluid cylinder mechanism for opening and closing the mask supporting frame and which is disposed between the mask supporting frame and the outer base. The jig base is formed so as to be vertically raised and lowered by operating a fluid cylinder mechanism for raising and lowering the jig base, which mechanism is disposed between the jig base and the base. The mask supporting frame is swung (open and closed) by operating the fluid cylinder mechanism for opening and closing the mask supporting frame, and the jig base is raised and lowered by operating the fluid cylinder mechanism for raising and lowering the jig base.
The dovetail groove slide-engaging portion between the mask body and the mask supporting frame may be formed so as to extend from the swinging tip portion side of the mask supporting frame to the base end portion side. The slide-engaging portion between the receiving jig and the jig base is formed so as to extend in the front/rear direction of the jig base and the mask supporting frame is formed so as to swing according to the pair of fluid cylinder mechanisms for opening and closing the mask supporting frame provided opposite the left and right side edge portions of the mask supporting frame. In this case, the mask body can be attached to the mask supporting frame by sliding it to the rear along the dovetail groove slide-engaging portion from the front side (the opening and closing side of the mask supporting frame) of the apparatus main body. The mask body can be separated from the mask supporting frame by sliding it to the front along the dovetail groove slide-engaging portion. Also, when the mask supporting frame is in a sprung-up state, the receiving jig can be attached to or detached from the jig base of the receiving jig by sliding it vertically and forward/backward on the slide-engaging portion of the jig base.
The cylinder mechanisms for opening and closing the mask supporting frame that swings the mask supporting frame is provided on the left and right side portions of the mask supporting frame so as not to hinder attaching and detaching operations of the receiving jig.
A mask main body of a predetermined shape covering the peripheral edge portion of the area to be painted of the part to be painted may be integrally attached with the mask body so as to be detachable. In such a case, when it is desired that paint be applied to different types of parts to be painted, if only the mask body and the receiving jig need to be replaced, a mask main body corresponding to the new part to be painted and a receiving jig also corresponding to the new part to be painted are made. The mask main body is removed from the mask body and the receiving jig is removed from the jig base, and a mask main body corresponding to the new part to be painted is attached to the mask body and a receiving jig corresponding to the new part to be painted is attached to the jig base, thereby enabling the paint mask apparatus to

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