Patent ID: 7770826

Claim:
A rotary sprayer for spraying coating material, the sprayer comprising an atomizer bowl and a member suitable for driving said bowl in rotation about an axis, said member being held at a distance from a non-rotary portion of the sprayer by means of at least one air thrust bearing, the sprayer being characterized in that it includes means for monitoring the presence and/or proper mounting of said bowl on said drive member, said means comprising magnetic coupling means mounted on a non-rotary portion of said sprayer and in magnetic contact with the surface of said bowl enabling a magnetic force, acting at least partially in parallel with said axis to be exerted on said bowl tending to oppose and vary the thickness of the air film of said air thrust bearing; and second means for determining the air pressure in said thrust bearing, said second means being connected to means for comparing the determined value of the air pressure with at least one reference value.