Patent ID: 7051670

Claim:
Equipment for preparing for electrostatic painting three-dimensional articles with a predominantly flat extension, made from dielectric or low-conductivity material, said equipment comprising: a horizontal conveyor made from an electrically insulating material, having a resistivity greater than that of the articles to be painted; and one or more electrodes placed in isolated positions, at suitable distances from each other and from the edges of the articles, under the articles, at least while powdered paints electrostatically charged to an electrical potential are being fed on to them, said one or more electrodes emitting an electrical field with characteristics such that the electric field charges the whole visible surface of the articles, as far as their area of contact with the horizontal conveyor, to an electrical potential of opposite sign to that of the powdered paints, in such a way that the powdered paints completely and uniformly cover the visible surface of the articles, said one or more electrodes being of any suitable shape for their intended purpose and positioned under an upper run of the horizontal conveyor, the thickness of the horizontal conveyor being reduced in order to cause the least possible attenuation of the electrical field generated by said one or more electrodes which are located at least near one or more painting units and can be connected selectively to an electrical generator through at least one switching unit, in such a way that the one or more painting units can be activated selectively, at least in accordance with the dimensions in plan view of the articles to be painted.