Cleaning and liquid contact with solids – Apparatus – Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2001-02-20
Stinson, Frankie L. (Department: 1746)
Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
Apparatus
Sequential work treating receptacles or stations with means...
C134S068000, C134S072000, C134S148000, C134S157000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189548
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a cleaning and coating method and apparatus and more particularly to a method and apparatus for cleaning and coating pistons.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
In an internal combustion engine, a piston reciprocates inside a cylinder. In order to reduce friction, it is known to coat that part of the piston which contacts the cylinder (the piston sidewall or piston skirt) with a dry film lubricant such as graphite with resin. There are several known methods for applying the dry film lubricant coating onto the piston skirt, including the electrostatic coating method, the dipping method, the spray coating method (air spray or airless spray), the transfer pad printing method, and the screen printing method (silk screen printing method); see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,435,872; 5,266,142; and 5,257,603, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
As is known, the piston must be washed and dried in preparation for receiving the dry film lubricant coating. In a prior art process, the pistons to be coated are mounted on a track, or are placed into a basket, which travels through a long tunnel. Each piston is mounted on the track such that it may not rotate or spin on its axis but is merely carried along by the track. In the first part of the tunnel, the piston is sprayed with wash water. In the next stage of the tunnel, the piston is sprayed with rinse water. In the prior art process the piston was then dried by baking the wet piston for an effective period of time at a temperature such as 250° F. to drive off the water, or by blowing heated (heated by gas heating, steam heating, or electric resistance heating) air against the piston. The piston was then refrigerated or air conditioned (or left to stand) to cool it down to approximately 90° F. so that the piston could be at the proper temperature for receiving the dry film lubricant coating. The piston was then coated with the dry film lubricant coating and was cured at a single preselected cure temperature for a preselected period of time, such as, for Molykote D-10, 302° F. for 60-120 minutes or 356° F.-375° F. for 30 minutes.
There is a need for a piston cleaning and coating method and apparatus which has a piston washing and drying unit which takes up less valuable floor space in the plant and which utilizes less energy and more efficiently and effectively produces coated pistons.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention includes a method for washing and drying a piston. The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a piston on a conveyor, (b) carrying the piston on the conveyor to a washing area, and (c) at the washing area spraying wash solution on the piston while simultaneously rotating the piston. The method also includes a step of rotating the piston about its longitudinal axis at an effective rotational speed to throw off rinse water. An apparatus to perform the method is also provided. A method of curing a dry film lubricant coating is also provided.
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Langmack Clark B.
Witt Matthew J. C.
Pearne & Gordon LLP
Stinson Frankie L.
Witt Matthew J. C.
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