Patent ID: 7056387

Claim:
Apparatus for isolating an electrostatic sprayer from an electrically grounded coating product distribution circuit connected thereto, the apparatus comprising: an electrostatic sprayer carried by a maneuverable robot arm, the sprayer capable of spraying an electrically conductive coating product onto a workpiece passing in adjacent proximity thereby on command, said coating product being supplied from a source of supply through at least one distribution circuit connected to said sprayer, said distribution circuit including therein, and carried by said robot arm, an electrically insulative storage tank for said coating product in valved fluid communication with said sprayer and connected to and positioned downstream from a length of electrically insulative supply conduit, said length of supply conduit also carried by said robot arm and including means for cleaning a portion, including all, of said length of supply conduit, in situ, after filling of said storage tank with coating product and before spraying, such that substantially all of said conductive coating product is removed from said portion of supply conduit, thereby isolating said sprayer electrically from said distribution circuit, wherein containment and storage of said coating product prior to spraying are effected within a deformable membrane housed within said storage tank.