Abstract:
A container for sandblasting. The container includes a housing and a removable cap. The housing receives one or more parts to be sandblasted and the cap is secured to the housing to seal the parts in the housing. An inlet is provided to receive a nozzle and at least one outlet is provided to retain the parts and allow an abrasive material to exit the housing.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/779,604, filed on Mar. 6, 2006, entitled Apparatus and Method of Removing a Substance from a Surface of a Part, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Sandblasting is a technique commonly used to remove old paint, rust, dirt, and grease from metal and other surfaces. A sandblaster utilizes compressed air at high pressure to blow fine sand or other abrasive material through a nozzle. The abrasive particles eat away at the substance on the part, leaving a clean surface.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]     Typically, small parts are placed inside of a sandblasting cabinet to remove a substance from the surface of the part. The small part(s) being in such a large area tend to fly around the inside of the cabinet, thus potentially causing damage to the part and/or cabinet. Alternatively, the parts can be handheld and individually sprayed with the abrasive material, but this method is time consuming.  
         [0004]     One embodiment of the invention defines an apparatus comprising a housing having a first end, a second end, and an interior cavity. The apparatus also includes a first cap adapted to be received by the first end of the housing and a second cap adapted to be received by the second end of the housing. One of the first cap and the second cap can include an aperture and one of the first cap and the second cap can be removable. The apparatus also includes an aperture in the housing. The aperture is adapted to receive a nozzle, which is operable to spray media into the interior cavity and generate a vortex in the interior cavity.  
         [0005]     Another embodiment of the invention defines a method of removing a substance from a surface of a part. The method includes the acts of positioning a part in an interior cavity of a housing and positioning a nozzle in an aperture of the housing. The method also includes the acts of dispersing media from the nozzle to the interior of the housing and generating a vortex with the media in the interior cavity. The method further includes the act of removing a substance on the surface of the part with the media.  
         [0006]     In another embodiment the invention provides a container for sandblasting. The container includes a housing, a removable cap, an inlet, and at least one outlet. The housing is configured to receive one or more parts to be sandblasted. The cap is secured to the housing to substantially seal the housing. The at least one outlet is sized to retain the parts and to allow an abrasive material to exit the housing.  
         [0007]     In another embodiment the invention provides an apparatus for removing a substance from a surface of a part. The apparatus includes a cylindrical housing, a cap, a nozzle, an inlet, a plurality of outlets, and a handle connected to the housing. The housing has a closed end and an open end. The open end has external screw threads. The cap has internal screw threads and is configured to screw onto the housing. The nozzle provides a flow of a mixture of air and media which creates a vortex within the housing. The inlet is positioned on the housing substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing and is configured to receive the nozzle. The plurality of outlets are positioned on the cap and configured to restrain the part and to allow the mixture of air and media to exit the housing.  
         [0008]     In another embodiment the invention provides a method of removing a substance from a surface of one or more parts. The method includes the acts of placing the part(s) in a container having an inlet and at least one outlet, inserting a nozzle substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the container into the inlet, directing a flow of air and media, from the nozzle, into the inlet, generating, by the flow of air and media, a vortex within the container, striking the part(s) with the air and media, ejecting the air and media from the container through the at least one outlet, and removing the part(s) from the container.  
         [0009]     Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a blasting cabinet.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a blasting device according to one embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an interior cavity of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2  utilized with the blasting cabinet of  FIG. 1  according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart of a method of use of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart of a method of use of the blasting device illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]     Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Unless specified or limited otherwise, the terms “mounted,” “connected,” “supported,” and “coupled” and variations thereof are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mountings, connections, supports, and couplings. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings.  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates a blasting cabinet  10  used for removing a substance from a part. The blasting cabinet  10  includes a housing  18  and an interior cavity  22  formed therein. The housing  18  includes a door  26  to close off the interior cavity  22 . The housing  18  also includes a window  30  adapted for viewing of the interior cavity  22 . The housing  18  further includes a plurality of openings  34  for accessing the interior cavity  22  from the exterior of the blasting cabinet  10 . The openings  34  include gloves  38 , such that a user can insert his arms and hands into the gloves  38  to hold the part in the interior cavity  22  while the part is being blasted.  
         [0020]     The blasting cabinet  10  also includes a nozzle  42  adapted to receive compressed air from an air compressor  46  and media  50  from a media hopper  54 . The media can include many different types of materials including, without limitation, aluminum oxide, white aluminum oxide, Blasto mix, corn cob, glass beads, plastic abrasives, pumice, silicon carbide, grit, walnut shells, and a combination thereof. Still other types of material may be used for the media  50 .  
         [0021]     The blasting cabinet  10  can also include a dust collector  58  operable to collect the substances removed from the part. The blasting cabinet  10  further includes a foot pedal  62 , which controls the operation of the blasting process.  
         [0022]     In operation, large parts are positioned and supported in the interior cavity  22  of the blasting cabinet  10 . The user closes the door  26  and activates the dust collector  58 . The user positions his hands and arms inside the gloves  38  to access and maneuver the nozzle  42 . When ready, the user depresses the foot pedal  62  to begin the blasting process. A mixture of air and blasting media exits the nozzle  42  and makes contact with the part to remove the substances on the part.  
         [0023]     When relatively small parts are placed in the interior cavity  22  of the blasting cabinet  10  for substance removal, the small parts tend to fly around the inside of the blasting cabinet  10  due to the force of the compressed air and media making contact with the parts. The parts and/or cabinet  10  can potentially be damaged due to the parts flying around the interior cavity  22 .  
         [0024]      FIGS. 2 and 3  illustrate a device  70  for removing a substance, such as rust and/or paint, from relatively small parts. The device  70  includes a housing  74 , such as a tubular structure as illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 ; however, the housing  74  can have other suitable configurations. The housing  74  includes a first end  78  and a second end  82 . The housing  74  also includes an inlet  86  adapted to receive the nozzle  42  at an angle substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing  74 . After insertion of the nozzle  42  into the inlet  86 , the nozzle  42  can be moved around such that it is no longer substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing  74 .  
         [0025]     The inlet  86  can include an opening of other suitable shapes and/or size. The size of the opening can be selected to accommodate the size of the nozzle  42 . For example, the size and shape of the opening for the inlet  86  can be marked or identified on the housing  74  and then cut out at the end user site to accommodate the size of the nozzle  42  to be used. In one embodiment, the inlet  86  is positioned near the first end  78  or the second end  82  of the housing  74 . In other embodiments, the inlet  86  can be positioned at other suitable locations on the housing  74 . In still other embodiments, the housing  74  can include a plurality of inlets  86 .  
         [0026]     The housing  74  includes at least one outlet  94 . In one embodiment, the at least one outlet  94  can be positioned in the first end  78  or the second end  82  of the housing  74  opposite the inlet  86  for the nozzle  42 . For example, if the inlet  86  for the nozzle  42  is positioned near the first end  78  of the housing  74 , then the outlet  94  is positioned near the second end  82  of the housing  74 . The openings for the outlet  94  can vary in size and shape and are not limited to the number and shape illustrated in the figures. The openings for the outlet  94  can be randomly distributed throughout the housing  74  or can be concentrated in a particular area of the housing  74 . In one embodiment, the openings of the outlet  94  are positioned near one end  78  or  82  of the housing  74  and are arranged at least partially around the circumference of the housing  74 .  
         [0027]     The device  70  also includes a handle  98  connected to the housing  74  that can be used to hold, transport, and lift the device  70 . The device  70  can be constructed of PVC plastic but other suitable materials and combinations of materials may also be used. For example, metal, wood, and composite materials can be used in the construction of the device  70 .  
         [0028]     The device  70  also includes a first cap  102  adapted to be received by the first end  78 . It is noted that the device  70  can also include a second cap adapted to be received by the second end  82  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , however, the construction of the device  70  illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5  does not include a separate second cap. The device illustrated in  FIGS. 2-5  is close-ended at the second end  82 . The first cap  102  and the second cap can be connected, at least partially, to an interior surface of the housing  74 , an exterior surface of the housing  74 , and/or both. The first cap  102  and/or the second cap can be removably connected to the housing  74 . In one embodiment, the first cap  102  and/or the second cap can include threads to be threadingly received in or on the first end  78  and/or the second end  82  of the housing  74 . The first cap  102  and/or the second cap can be connected to the housing  74  in other ways as well. For example, the first cap  102  and/or the second cap can be connected to the housing  74  with glue, fasteners, tape, hinges, clasps, and the like. The first cap  102  can be connected to the housing  74  differently than the manner in which the second cap is connected to the housing  74 . The first cap  102  and/or the second cap can be configured to include the opening  86  for the nozzle  42  and/or the at least one opening  94 .  
         [0029]     The housing  74  and the first cap  102  define an interior cavity  110  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . The interior cavity  110  supports one or more part(s)  14  to be cleaned.  
         [0030]     In one embodiment, the device  70  can be used in conjunction with the blasting cabinet  10 . In another embodiment, the device  70  can be used outside of a blasting cabinet  10 . In embodiments using the blasting cabinet, the user positions the parts  14  to be cleaned inside the device  70 , applies the first cap  102  (and the second cap, if used) to the housing  74 , and positions the device  70  in the blasting cabinet  10 . The user&#39;s hands and arms are placed inside the gloves  38  to hold or support the device  70 . The user then positions the nozzle  42  of the blasting cabinet  10  into the inlet  86  of the device  70  and actuates the foot pedal  62  to begin the blasting process. As the air and media exit the nozzle  42 , a vortex  114  is generated in the interior cavity  110  of the housing  74 .  FIG. 5  illustrates a vortex  114  that is generated with the mixture of air and media  50  in the interior cavity  110  of the housing  74 . The vortex  114  generates a swirling motion of the air and media  50  around the interior cavity  114  whereby the parts  14  are bombarded with the media to remove one or more substances (e.g., paint) from the parts  14 .  
         [0031]     The angle of the nozzle  42  in the inlet  86  of the housing  74  can be varied to assist in the generation of the vortex  114 . The air pressure delivered by the nozzle  42  causes the air and media to be released through the at least one outlet  94  at the opposite end of the inlet  86 . The amount of air pressure needed to generate the vortex  114  and remove the substance(s) from the parts  14  can depend on the size of the nozzle  42 , the size of the housing  74  and interior cavity  110 , and the size of the parts  14 . A larger nozzle  42  is generally capable of delivering the air pressure at a higher level than a smaller nozzle  42 . Similarly, a larger housing  74  and interior cavity  110  generally require a higher level of air pressure than a smaller housing  74  and interior cavity  110 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  illustrates a flow chart of an embodiment of a method of removing a substance from a part  14 . The user positions (at  200 ) the part(s)  14  in the interior cavity  110  of the device  70  and secures (at  204 ) the first cap  102  (and second cap, if necessary) to the housing  74 . The user then positions (at  208 ) the device  70  in the interior cavity  22  of the blasting cabinet  10  and closes the cabinet door  26 . The user places (at  212 ) his hands and arms in the gloves  38  to hold or support the device  70 . The user inserts (at  216 ) the nozzle  42  into the inlet  86  of the housing  74 . The user then activates (at  220 ) the air pressure source  46  and media source  54  by depressing the foot pedal  62 . The nozzle  42  provides (at  224 ) a mixture of air and media to the interior cavity  110  of the housing  74 . The air flow generates (at  228 ) a vortex  114  in the interior cavity  110  whereby the swirling effect of the media  50  removes (at  232 ) the substance(s) from the part(s)  14 .  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  illustrates a flow chart of another embodiment of a method of removing a substance from a part  14 . The user positions (at  236 ) the part(s)  14  in the interior cavity  110  of the device  70  and secures (at  240 ) the first cap  102  (and second cap, if necessary) to the housing  74 . The user inserts (at  244 ) a nozzle from an air pressure source into the inlet  86  of the housing  74 . The user then activates (at  248 ) the air pressure source and a media source. The nozzle provides (at  252 ) a mixture of air and media to the interior cavity  110  of the housing  74 . The air flow generates (at  256 ) a vortex  114  in the interior cavity  110  whereby the swirling effect of the media removes (at  260 ) the substance(s) from the part(s)  14 .  
         [0034]     Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.