Abstract:
A method for painting with a plurality of colors at least an article of manufacture, preferably a thermoplastic article of manufacture for the perfumery and cosmetic field, each color of said plurality of colors being that of a respective paint of a corresponding plurality of paints, said method comprising at least the operating steps of: a) providing said at least an article of manufacture in a condition suitable for painting; b) providing a plurality of painting guns arranged in a succession in a painting tunnel and each being adapted to apply a paint of a said respective color of said plurality of colors; c) orienting said at least an article of manufacture with respect to said plurality of painting guns.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates, according to a first aspect thereof, to a method for multi-color painting thermoplastic articles of manufacture, in particular in the perfumery and cosmetic field. 
         [0002]    According to a second a second aspect thereof, the invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the inventive painting method. 
         [0003]    As is known, a problem yet to be solved in the perfumery and cosmetic field is to make thermoplastic articles of manufacture which, besides having target constructional and functional properties, also have good aesthetic qualities, such as original and pleasing colors and hue arrangements, which frequently constitute a strong incentive for a consumer to buy a perfumery article. 
         [0004]    Among the above mentioned colors and hue arrangements, the most preferred ones by clients are not only the so-called “continuous” hues, that is of a single color type, but also the so-called “shaded” colors, which are obtained, for example, by combining in an overlapping manner and “shading” more colors, that is by suitably emphasizing or enfeebling each color of the color pattern or combination. 
         [0005]    Up to now, in order to paint in multiple colors an article of manufacture of the above indicated type, it has been necessary to perform a plurality of painting operations or steps, the number of which corresponding to the number of the colors of the paints to be applied, and accordingly to the number of the painting system settings. 
         [0006]    Moreover, to paint as desired an article of manufacture, the latter was rotated in a continuous manner through 360°, while driving it according to a horizontal line through the overall painting system or apparatus, the painting guns being held at respective fixed positions to deliver a single paint at a time. 
         [0007]    Thus, the prior painting process required a very long operating time, with a consequent low yield in finished painted articles of manufacture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The aim of the present invention is to provide a novel painting method, in particular for painting the above mentioned articles of manufacture in the perfumery and cosmetic field, specifically designed for overcoming the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior painting method, that is the requirement of providing a plurality of different settings of the painting apparatus, equal to the number of the paints to be applied, thereby greatly reducing the multi-color painting time for each article of manufacture. 
         [0009]    Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the invention is to provide a painting method of the above indicated type, which allows to simultaneously paint, in a single operating step, a plurality of said articles of manufacture by applying substantially simultaneously to said articles a plurality of different color paints, within a broad range of target continuous or discrete colorings, that is on discrete regions of the article of manufacture, or shaded colors, that is according to any desired color overlapping pattern. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a painting method of the above mentioned type, whose operating steps may be easily controlled and adjusted in real time, in a very precise manner, while being controlled in real time by a programming logic unit of any commercially available type. 
         [0011]    A further object of the present invention is to provide such a painting method of the above indicated type, which may be carried out without a need of performing substantial modifications of existing painting systems and apparatus. 
         [0012]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a painting apparatus for carrying out the inventive painting method, which apparatus is structurally very simple and operatively reliable, comprising a minimum number of operating components of an easily commercially available type, which moreover has a very small cost and furthermore does not require continuous adjusting and/or maintenance operations. 
         [0013]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide such a painting apparatus having a capability of painting said articles of manufacture which may be easily expanded to fit any industrial requirements related to painted articles of manufacture. 
         [0014]    According to the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a painting method for painting, with a plurality of colors, at least an article of manufacture, preferably a thermoplastic article of manufacture for the perfumery and cosmetic field, according to the enclosed method claims. 
         [0015]    According to a further aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects are further achieved by a painting apparatus according to the apparatus claims, and specifically designed for carrying out the inventive painting method. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Further characteristics and advantages of the painting method and apparatus according to the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure of a preferred embodiment thereof being shown, by way of an illustrative and not limitative example, in the accompanying schematic drawings, where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram showing the main operating step of a preferred embodiment of the painting method according to the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a schematic front view of a portion of a possible preferred embodiment of the painting apparatus according to the present invention; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a schematic side view of the apparatus portion shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    With reference to the above mentioned drawings, and more specifically to  FIG. 1 , a block diagram is shown of a preferred embodiment of the painting method according to the present invention. 
         [0021]    As stated, up to now, in order to paint with a plurality of colors, for example five colors, an article of manufacture for the perfumery and cosmetic field, it has been necessary to perform, in the case of the mentioned five colors, five subsequent operating steps, that is one for each paint color, and accordingly with five corresponding settings and adjustments of the painting system. 
         [0022]    In the above prior painting method, the article of manufacture to be painted was caused to turn on itself, in a continuous manner through 360°, and was simultaneously driven or displaced in a horizontal line through the painting system, while the paint delivery guns (shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ) were held in a respective fixed position to deliver a single paint color at a time. 
         [0023]    Thus, the above mentioned prior painting system was affected by the above disclosed serious drawbacks. 
         [0024]    In the method according to the present invention, on the contrary, the articles of manufacture to be painted are rotatably driven by so-called brushless driving motors, of any known type, which, according to a further main feature of the present invention, are mechanically driven or oriented under control of a camera, while the several painting guns (in the embodiment being illustrated in a number of five), arranged in a suitable painting tunnel (not shown), are held at respective fixed positions to simultaneously deliver the five different color paints, either to a single article of manufacture or a plurality of articles, each supported by a dedicated brushless motor, all being driven in succession in front of the painting guns to be painted thereby as desired. 
         [0025]    In this connection, it should be pointed out that the article of manufacture is advantageously oriented or adjusted only in a single adjustment step at the inlet of the painting gun tunnel, and then the adjustment of the rotary movement of the brushless motor (or of a plurality of brushless motors in the case of a plurality of articles of manufacture) will provide a desired orientation in front of each painting gun. 
         [0026]    Again with reference to the flow chart of  FIG. 1 , in a method step S 1 , the article of manufacture to be painted is supplied or fed. 
         [0027]    In a following operating step S 2 , a corresponding dedicated brushless motor is provided. 
         [0028]    In a following operating step S 3 , the article of manufacture is removably mounted on the brushless motor, by any prior mounting or assembling means. 
         [0029]    In a following operating step S 4 , a camera is provided for detecting the starting position of the brushless motor, with the article of manufacture mounted thereon (that is at the start portion of the mentioned painting gun tunnel), which camera is a further main feature of the inventive painting method. 
         [0030]    In a following operating step S 5 , the article of manufacture is mechanically oriented by the brushless motor on which it has been removably mounted, under the control of the camera supplied in the operating step S 4 . 
         [0031]    Then, in a following operating step S 6 , a plurality of painting guns are supplied (in this case five painting guns), at respective fixed operating positions, and advantageously each having the possibility of being adjusted according to three adjusting axes, to simultaneously deliver, according to the present invention, a corresponding plurality of different color paints (in this embodiment five color paints), each painting gun having a respective paint delivery control needle (not shown). 
         [0032]    All the painting guns are advantageously completely independent of one another with respect to the opening and closing of the paint delivery needles thereof, as well as with respect to the adjustment of each paint delivery time and duration. 
         [0033]    Finally, in a last operating step S 7 , the painting guns are simultaneously driven, by opening the respective needles, preferably under control of a programmable logic control unit (not shown) included in the painting apparatus. 
         [0034]    The above mentioned method steps are carried out, with respect to a single article of manufacture MY to be painted, as schematically shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0035]    In this connection, it should be pointed out that, even though in  FIG. 2  has been shown a single article of manufacture to be painted, removably mounted on a dedicated brushless motor BM, in actual practice, in a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present invention, a plurality of articles of manufacture to be painted will be provided, each being removably mounted on a respective dedicated brushless motor BM. 
         [0036]    As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the brushless motor BM is supported by a supporting assembly S fixed, for example in an adjustable manner, to the fixed framework of the painting apparatus (not shown). 
         [0037]    The painting apparatus of  FIGS. 2 and 3  comprises, moreover, a plurality of paint delivery guns, arranged at respective fixed positions and indicated, for example, for the five color embodiment herein discussed, by the reference signs P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , P 5  and shown in a mutually aligned condition properly arranged through the above mentioned painting tunnel (not shown). 
         [0038]    Advantageously, each said painting gun may be spatially adjusted according to the three spatial axes x, y and z (not shown). 
         [0039]    Said painting guns P 1 , P 2 , P 3 , P 4 , P 5  include, as stated, respective paint control needles (not shown), said painting guns being advantageously completely independent of one another with respect to the opening and closing of their paint delivery needles, as well as with respect to the delivery time and duration. 
         [0040]    This feature also represents a main aspect of the present invention. 
         [0041]    Finally, and according to a further main inventive characteristic, the apparatus further comprises a camera T allowing the article of manufacture MY, or preferably a plurality of articles of manufacture, each driven or rotated on a respective brushless motor, to be mechanically oriented only for a single time, since said camera T will detect in real time the positions or arrangements of said articles of manufacture at the inlet of the painting gun tunnel, as said above. 
         [0042]    Advantageously, said camera T is adapted to drive in an oriented manner each said article of manufacture MY at the inlet of the painting apparatus, for example by a background plane divided into millimeters (not shown) adapted to allow said camera to detect in real time the starting position of each said article of manufacture, to process, in cooperation with a programmable logic control unit (not shown), the rotary movement of the motor BM necessary to bring the article of manufacture MY to the desired position in front of the painting guns, the opening and closing movements of the respective gun needles (not shown) being advantageously controlled by that same programmable logic control unit (PLC) as the latter is enabled by the motor BM having performed the desired rotary movement. 
         [0043]    Thus, according to the present invention, said articles of manufacture MY are rotatably driven by said brushless motors BM which are mechanically oriented under the control of the mentioned camera, while the painting guns are held at fixed positions to simultaneously deliver their different color paints. 
         [0044]    Accordingly, the painting operation, which may be either discrete or shaded (that it with partially overlapping colors), may be performed in a very short time, and the articles of manufacture to be painted may be precisely controlled in a single adjusting operation. 
         [0045]    Although the inventive method and apparatus have been disclosed with reference to a currently preferred embodiment thereof, it should be apparent that the disclosed embodiment is susceptible to several modifications and variations, all of which will come within the scope of the invention. 
         [0046]    For example, although the painting method and apparatus have been disclosed with reference to a painting in five colors of an article of manufacture, it should be apparent that the number of colors may be easily changed in a very broad color range, depending on the contingent requirements.