EP2090373A2 - Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith - Google Patents
Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP2090373A2 EP2090373A2 EP09006817A EP09006817A EP2090373A2 EP 2090373 A2 EP2090373 A2 EP 2090373A2 EP 09006817 A EP09006817 A EP 09006817A EP 09006817 A EP09006817 A EP 09006817A EP 2090373 A2 EP2090373 A2 EP 2090373A2
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- liner
- paint
- lid
- spray gun
- container
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Granted
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B7/00—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
- B05B7/24—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas with means, e.g. a container, for supplying liquid or other fluent material to a discharge device
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B7/00—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
- B05B7/24—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas with means, e.g. a container, for supplying liquid or other fluent material to a discharge device
- B05B7/2402—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device
- B05B7/2405—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device using an atomising fluid as carrying fluid for feeding, e.g. by suction or pressure, a carried liquid from the container to the nozzle
- B05B7/2408—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device using an atomising fluid as carrying fluid for feeding, e.g. by suction or pressure, a carried liquid from the container to the nozzle characterised by the container or its attachment means to the spray apparatus
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B7/00—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
- B05B7/24—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas with means, e.g. a container, for supplying liquid or other fluent material to a discharge device
- B05B7/2402—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device
- B05B7/2478—Gun with a container which, in normal use, is located above the gun
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B7/00—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas
- B05B7/24—Spraying apparatus for discharge of liquids or other fluent materials from two or more sources, e.g. of liquid and air, of powder and gas with means, e.g. a container, for supplying liquid or other fluent material to a discharge device
- B05B7/2402—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device
- B05B7/2481—Apparatus to be carried on or by a person, e.g. by hand; Apparatus comprising containers fixed to the discharge device with a flexible container for liquid or other fluent material
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
- B05B—SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES
- B05B15/00—Details of spraying plant or spraying apparatus not otherwise provided for; Accessories
- B05B15/60—Arrangements for mounting, supporting or holding spraying apparatus
- B05B15/62—Arrangements for supporting spraying apparatus, e.g. suction cups
Abstract
Description
- The present invention relates to containers, more especially, disposable containers and to containers which can function as liners. The invention also relates to apparatus for spraying liquids (for example, spray guns) and, more especially, to the liquid containers or reservoirs of such apparatus.
- There are many uses, in many different fields, for disposable containers. For example, many goods are packaged in disposable containers (e.g. bags) either before or after purchase. When the disposable container is a plastic bag, it will often be re-used by the purchaser as a disposable liner for another receptacle, for example a refuse bin. In same cases, disposable liners are produced specifically for use in other, re-usable, receptacles: in those cases, the liner may be intended to aid disposal of the contents of the receptacle (as in the case of a liner in a refuse bin); to protect the receptacle or its contents; or to facilitate, or even eliminate, the cleaning of tho receptacle.
- The use of a liner in a receptacle in which a substance like glue, paint or plaster is mixed or contained for use can be particularly advantageous, in terms of facilitating the cleaning of the receptacle after use and of preventing substances in the receptacle from being contaminated by the remains of other substances. Receptacles in which paints are mixed or contained for use, for example, must be clean to ensure that the colour or quality of the paint is not altered by traces of other substances: that is particularly important, as explained above, when a vehicle is being re-painted and the paint is required to match an existing one. To avoid contamination problems when mixing paints, it is often the practice in vehicle body shops to use disposable waxed paper cups as mixing containers, particularly when only a small amount of paint is required. An alternative approach, proposed in
US-A-4 393 635 , involves the provision of a disposable container which, for use, is located in a re-usable frame-like receptacle. - In the field of spray guns, it has been proposed for various reasons that a disposable liner should be used in the reservoir of the gun (see
US-A-3 211 324 ,3 255 972 ,4 151 929 ,4 951 875 and5 143 294 , andEP-A-0 678 334 ). Guns for spraying liquids (e.g. paints, garden chemicals etc.) are generally well known and typically comprise a reservoir in which a liquid to be dispensed is contained, and a spray nozzle through which the liquid is dispensed, under pressure, under the control of a trigger mechanism. The liquid may be fed from the reservoir under gravity and/or it may be entrained in a stream of pressurized fluid, for example air or water, which is supplied to the gun from an external source. - When a user wishes to change the liquid in the reservoir of a spray gun, it is usually necessary to clean the gun very thoroughly to ensure that no traces of the old liquid remain in the gun to contaminate the new liquid. That applies particularly to paint spray guns because any traces of an old batch of paint remaining in a gun may affect the colour of a new batch of paint to the extent that the new batch of paint becomes useless. This can cause problems especially in vehicle body shops where the paint applied to a vehicle is often required to match existing paint work exactly. Alternatively, if paint residues have been allowed to dry within the gun, they may flake and contaminate the new batch of paint. The cleaning of spray guns is, however, a comparatively complex and time consuming operation. Moreover, in the case of paint spray guns, the cleaning operation involves the use of comparatively large amounts of solvents which, for environmental reasons, should be handled and disposed of with care. That, in turn, can add substantially to the cost of a painting operation. It has already been suggested (see, for example,
EP-A-0 678 334 mentioned above) that the use of a disposable liner in the paint reservoir (i.e. the paint pot) of a spray gun can simplify the cleaning of the gun and reduce the amount or solvent required. - The present invention is concerned with the provision of a container which is sufficiently inexpensive to be disposable and which can preferably be collapsed when it is to be disposed of but which, nevertheless, is comparatively easy to handle and to fill when in use. The invention is concerned, more especially, with the provision of such a container which is suitable for use as a liner in another receptacle. The present invention is also concerned with enabling the cleaning of spray guns and like apparatus to be simplified, and with thereby enabling the time and expense associated with that operation to be reduced.
- The present invention provides a container comprising side walls and a comparatively-rigid base thermo/vacuum-formed from a plastics material; wherein the side walls are thin in comparison to the base and are collapsible, but the container is capable of standing, unsupported, on the base with the side walls extended and upright.
- More especially, the present invention provides a container comprising a base, and side walls extending from the base; wherein the base and side walls are thermo/vacuum formed together from a plastics material in such a manner that the base is comparatively rigid and the side walls are thin in comparison to the base and are collapsible but the container is capable of standing unsupported, on the base with the side walls extended and upright.
- A container in accordance with the invention may be used as a liner for a receptacle, the liner having a shape which corresponds to the interior of the receptacle. As a modification, the invention also provides, in combination with a receptacle, a disposable liner which fits within and has a shape corresponding to the interior of the receptacle wherein the liner is thermo/vacuum formed from a plastics material. The liner is preferably, but not necessarily, collapsible.
- The present invention also provides a spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir; a removable, collaapsible, liner which has a shape corresponding to, and is a close fit within, the interior of the reservoir; and a spray nozzle for dispersing fluid from within the liner; wherein the liner collapses when fluid is withdrawn from within the liner during operation of the gun.
- Also in accordance with the invention, there is provided a spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir having a removable lid located in an opening in the reservoir; a removable liner located within the reservoir and secured to the reservoir, by the lid, at the periphery of the opening; and a spray nozzle for dispensing fluid from within the liner; wherein the liner is removable from the reservoir together with the lid.
- The present invention also provides a gravity-fed spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir having a removable lid located in an opening in the reservoir; and a spray nozzle for dispensing fluid drawn from within the reservoir through an outlet in the wherein the reservoir is removable from the gun and is capable of standing on its own to enable fluid to be loaded into the reservoir through the opening.
- The invention further provides a spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir; and a spray nozzle for dispensing fluid from within the reservoir; the reservoir comprising a self-supporting container which is removable from the gun and is collapsible for disposal.
- In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a fluid reservoir for attachment to a spray gun, the reservoir having a removable lid which is located in an opening in the reservoir and in which is formed a fluid outlet for the reservoir; the reservoir including a removable, collapsible, liner which has a shape corresponding to, and is a close fit within, the reservoir; wherein the liner is secured to the reservoir by the lid at the periphery of the opening and is removable from the reservoir together with the lid. The invention also provides a fluid reservoir for attachment to a spray gun, the reservoir having a removable lid which is located in an opening in the reservoir and in which is formed a fluid outlet for the reservoir, the fluid outlet being shaped for attachment to the spray gun; and a closable air vent in the end of the reservoir remote from the lid.
- In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there is provided a liner for use in the reservoir of a spray gun, the liner being formed from a plastic material and being a close fit within the reservoir; the liner having a comparatively rigid base, and side walls which are thin in comparison to the base and are collapsible.
- The present invention also provides a spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir, and a spray nozzle for dispensing fluid from within the reservoir, the reservoir having a removable lid and including a removable, generally conical, mesh filter secured in the reservoir by the lid.
- The present invention also provides a gravity-feed spray gun comprising a fluid reservoir, and a spray nozzle for dispersing fluid from within the reservoir, the reservoir having a removable lid and a removable liner secured in the reservoir by the lid.
- The term "thermo/vacum-forming" as used herein means a process by which a sheet of material is heated to a softened condition and formed into a required shape, defined by a mould, while in that softened condition. It includes the case in which the application of a differential air pressure is used to assist in forming the material into the required shape and, in particular, includes the case in which a vacuum is produced on one side of the material to assist in forming it into the required shape (also known simply as "vacuum-forming").
- The term "collapsible" as used herein with reference to the side walls of a container/liner in accordance with the invention indicates that the side walls can be distorted so that, by the application of moderate pressure (e.g. hand pressure), the rim of the container can be pushed towards the base of the container, without the side walls being ruptured.
- The term "paint" is used herein to include all forms of paint-like coating materials that can be applied to a surface using a spray gun, whether or not they are intended to colour the surface. The term includes, for example, primers, base coats, lacquers and similar materials.
- By way of example only, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a prior art spray gun, shown partly-disassembled so that it can be filled with paint; -
Fig. 2 shows the components of an alternative form of paint reservoir for the gun of Fg. 1, in an exploded condition; -
Fig. 3 shows the paint reservoir ofFig. 2 in an assembled condition, with an adapter for connecting the reservoir to a spray gun; -
Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal cross-section through the paint reservoir and the adapter ofFig. 3 ; -
Fig. 5 shows the paint reservoir ofFig. 4 being attached to a spray gun; -
Fig. 6 shows the paint reservoir ofFig. 4 in use on a spray gun; -
Fig. 7 shows components of the paint reservoir ofFig. 4 being removed after use; -
Fig. 8 is similar toFig. 2 but shows a modified form of paint reservoir; -
Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal cross-section through an alternative form of lid for the paint reservoirs ofFigs. 2 to 4 and8 ; -
Fig. 10 is similar toFig. 2 but shown another modified form of paint reservoir; -
Fig. 11 shows part of a longitudinal cross-section through the paint reservoir ofFig. 10 ; -
Fig. 12 shows a spray gun similar to that ofFig. 1 but with an alternative form of paint reservoir; -
Fig. 13 shows the gun ofFig. 12 with a modified form of paint reservoir; -
Fig. 14 illustrates a modification to the reservoir of the gun ofFig. 13 . -
Fig. 15 is a view, similar toFig. 3 , of an alternative form of paint reservoir; -
Figs. 16 and 17 show modified forms of a component ofFig. 15 ; -
Fig. 18 illustrates the use of a holder for the paint reservoir ofFig. 15 ; -
Fig. 19 is a perspective view of a liner/container in accordance with the invention; -
Fig. 20 is a similar view but showing the liner/container in the process of being collapsed for disposal; -
Fig. 21 (a) to (c) is a diagrammatic illustration of a method for producing a liner for the paint reservoirs ofFigs. 2 to 4 , and10 ; -
Fig. 22 illustrates a modification of the method ofFig. 21 ; -
Fig. 23 shows a paint-mixing pitcher; and -
Fig. 24 shows a liner in accordance with the invention, for use with the pitcher ofFig. 23 . -
Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates a typical prior art paint spray gun 1 of the gravity-feed type. The gun 1 comprises abody 2, ahandle 3 which extends downwards from the rear end of the body, and aspray nozzle 4 at the front end of the body.
The gun is manually-operated by atrigger 5 which is pivotally-mounted on the sides of the gun. The paint reservoir, or paint pot, 6 which contains paint (or similar material) to be discharged by the gun, is located on the top of thebody 2 and communicates with an internal passageway (not visible) for compressed air, which extends through the gun from a connector 7 at the lower end of thehandle 3 to thenozzle 4. In use, the connector 7 is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) so that, when the user pulls on thetrigger 5, compressed air is delivered through the gun to thenozzle 4 and entrains and atomizes paint which is being delivered under gravity from thepot 6. The paint is then discharged through thenozzle 4 with the compressed air, as a spray. - The paint which is contained in the
pot 6 is often mixed by hand (for which a separate receptacle, for example a jug, is required), and poured into the pot. To ensure that there are no unwanted particles in the paint, which would spoil the finish of the painted surface, the paint is usually poured into thepot 6 through a filter.Fig. 1 shows thecap 8 of thepot 6 removed for this purpose, and a conical filter 9 about to be positioned on the open end of the pot. The filter 9 is shown as being a known type of disposable conical filter, having solid sides and afilter mesh portion 10 at the pointed end of the cone. When thepot 6 has been filled with paint, the filter 9 is removed and discarded, and thecap 8 of the pot is replaced. If the filter 9 is a reusable filter then, like the gun, it should be cleaned thoroughly before it is used with a different liquid (e.g. a paint of a different colour or a liquid having a different chemical composition). -
Fig. 2 illustrates the components of an alternative form ofpaint pot 11 which can be used on the gun 1 ofFig. 1 (or any similar gun) instead of the pot6. The alternative form ofpaint pot 11 is shown assembled inFig. 3 and (in cross-section) inFig. 4 . - The
paint pot 11 comprises anopen container 12, comparable in size to a conventional paint pot of a hand-held spray gun, having anair hole 12A in its base and provided with adisposable liner 13. Theliner 13 corresponds in shape to (and is a close fit in) the interior of thecontainer 12 and has anarrow rim 14 at the open end which sits on the top edge of the container. Thecontainer 12 also has adisposable lid 15 which is a push-fit in the open end of theliner 13. Thelid 15 has a central aperture 16 (Fig. 4 ) from which extends aconnector tube 17 provided, at its end, withoutward extensions 18 forming one part of a bayonet connection. Theaperture 16 is covered by afilter mesh 19 which may be a push fit into the aperture or may be an integral part of thelid 15. thelid 15 is held firmly in place on thecontainer 12 by anannular collar 20 which screws onto the container, on top of the lid. - The
paint pot 11 is attached to the spray gun 1 through the use of anadapter 21 shown, separated from the paint pot, inFig. 3 and (in cross-section) inFig. 4 . Theadapter 21 is tubular component which, at oneend 22, is formed internally with the other put of the bayonet connection for attachment to theconnector tube 17 of thepaint pot 11. At theother end 23, the adapter is shaped to match the standard attachment of the spray gun paint pot (typically a screw thread). - The
liner 13 of thepaint pot 11, as already mentioned, corresponds in shape to the interior of thecontainer 12 and has anarrow rim 14 at the open end which sits on the top edge of the container. As described below, the liner is self-supporting but is also collapsible and, preferably, has a comparativelyrigid base 13A and comparativelythin side walls 13B so that, when it collapses, it is in the longitudinal direction by virtue of the side walls collapsing rather than the base. In addition, theliner 13 has no pleats, corrugations, seams, joints or gussets, and also no groove at the internal junction of theside walls 13B with thebase 13A. A liner of that type will be described in greater detail later with reference toFigs. 19 and 20 . Also described below is a thermo-forming process by which such a liner can be produced. - The
container 12 of thepaint pot 11 is formed from a plastic material, for example polyethylene or polypropylene, and may be translucent (as shown inFig. 2 ) or opaque, and of any suitable size. For use with a paint spray gun, containers having a capacity of 250, 500 or 800 ml could typically be used, although other sizes could be used if required. Thelid 15 is also formed from a plastic material, for example, polyethylene or polypropylene, and may be formed by an injection moulding process. The lid may be translucent or opaque and may be coloured. Thecollar 20 may be a moulded plastic component, or it may be a machined metal (for example, aluminium) component. Theadapter 21 may be a machined metal component and may, for example, be formed from aluminium and anodised. - To use the
paint pot 11, theadapter 21 is attached (at the end 23) to the spray gun and is left in position. Then, with thepaint pot 11 disassembled as shown inFig. 2 , theliner 13 is pushed inside thecontainer 12. Paint is then put into the container, thelid 15 is pushed into place and thecollar 20 is screwed down tightly to hold the lid in position. The top portion of theliner 13 is then trapped between thelid 15 and thecontainer 12, and theliner rim 14 is trapped between the top edge of the container and thecollar 20, as shown inFig. 4 . Advantageously, thelid 15 is formed with barbs (not visible) on its surface to engage and hold the top of the liner. The spray gun 1 is then inverted from its normal operating position so that the end of theconnector tube 17 can be attached to theadapter 21 as illustrated inFig. 5 , after which the gun can be returned to its normal position (illustrated inFig. 6 ) and is ready for use in the usual way: As paint is removed from within theliner 13, the sides of the liner collapse as a result of the decreased pressure within the liner. The base of the liner, being more rigid, retains its shape so that the liner tends to collapse in the longitudinal rather than the transverse direction thereby reducing the possibility of pockets of paint being trapped in the liner. - The user can choose to evacuate the air from within the
liner 13 before operating the spray gun 1 although that is not essential. It does, however, increase the range of angles at which the gun will function satisfactorily since there is no risk of air entering the gun from thepaint pot 11. To evacuate the air from within theliner 13, thetrigger 5 of the gun should be actuated while the gun is still in the position shown inFig. 5 . - After use, when the gun is to be cleaned, the gun can be re-inverted and the
trigger 5 can be actuated briefly to allow paint within the gun to drain back into the liner in thepot 11. Thepot 11 is then removed from the gun by detaching theconnector tube 17 from the adapter 21 (which remains on the gun). Thecollar 20 is removed from thecontainer 12, and thelid 15 is then pulled out, bringing with it thecollapsed liner 13, as shown inFig. 7 . The lid (including the filter 19) and liner are discarded, leaving thecontainer 12 andcollar 20 clean and ready for re-use with a fresh liner and lid. Only the gun itself needs to be cleaned, resulting in a substantial reduction in the amount of solvent used. The risk of unused paint spilling from thepot 11 is also substantially reduced because theliner 13 is removed and discarded with thelid 15 in place. Moreover, because the liner is discarded in a collapsed condition, the amount of space required for collection of used liners is minimized. - Because the
liner 13, as described above, is an accurate fit inside thecontainer 12 and has a smooth internal surface, it is possible to mix paint in thecontainer 12 itself rather than in a separate receptacle. In that way, cleaning of a separate mixing receptacle can be eliminated to achieve a further reduction in the amount of solvent used. That possibility does not exist when using a gravity-feed gun with a conventional paint pot, as shown at 6Fig. 1 , because the latter is open at both ends. The possibility of theliner 13 being punctured or damaged by the mixing implement is minimized, first because the liner fits inside thecontainer 12 exactly and, second, because the self-supporting nature of the liner (described below) means that it is less likely to be dragged around inside the container during the mixing process. To facilitate the use of thecontainer 12 as a mixing receptacle, the side walls of the container may be provided with markings 25 (Figs. 2 and3 ) enabling the volume of the contents of the container to be determined. The general shape of thecontainer 12 and, in particular, the fact that it is flat-bottomed and stable when in the orientation shown inFig. 2 makes it particularly suitable for use as a mixing receptacle, as does the fact that it is translucent as already described. If, however, thecontainer 12 is opaque, it could be formed with slots in the side walls, through which theliner 13 could be viewed to enable the user of the spray gun to assess the amount of paint in thepot 11 at any time. - When paint is mixed in the
container 12, the inclusion of thefilter mesh 19 in thecontainer lid 15 prevents unwanted particles in the paint from entering the spray gun. Themesh 19 can be omitted, however, if the paint is textured, or if it is mixed in a separate receptacle and strained when it is transferred to the linedcontainer 12 or if the presence of contaminants in the paint is unimportant. - Although the
collar 20 of thepaint pot 11 is decribed above as being a separate item, it could be combined with thelid 15, in which case it would also be disposable. As a further alternative, the lid 15 (with theconnector tube 17 and the mesh 19) could be formed as an integral part of theliner 13, to which it could be connected by a hinge joint 26 as illustrated inFig. 8 . In that case, there is not need for the lid to fit inside the mouth of the liner to ensure that the lid and liner will be removed together from the container after use: however, that would still be necessary if the lid were required to remain in place in the liner after use. As yet another alternative, thecollar 20 could be replaced by a band secured around the top of thepot 11 to hold thelid 15 andliner 13 in place. The band could be secured to thepot 11 and could, for example, be formed from rubber or be part of a metal clip arrangement of the type used to secure the tops of jars and bottles. - If a more positive engagement is required between the
lid 15 ofFigs. 2 to 4 and theliner 13, the lid could be a snap fit with the liner instead of a push-fit as shown. The liner could, for example, be formed with an internal circumferential rib positioned to engage in a corresponding groove on the adjacent surface of the lid. - As yet a further alternative, the push-in
lid 15 could be replaced by alid 27 having the form shown inFig. 9 . Thelid 27 is also a push-fit inside the liner but is generally conical in shape and at itsupper end 28, corresponds in shape to the end of theconnector tube 17 ofFigs. 2 to 4 so that it will engage in thesame adapter 21. Thelid 27 has an outwardly-extendingrim 29 which will sit on top of theliner rim 14, and a shapedportion 29A which will engage the internal surface of the liner. The form of the shapedportion 29A allows thelid 27 to be pushed into the mouth of the liner and also provides arecess 29B into which the edge of the liner can the contract so that the lid is securely located. The form of the shaped portion illustrated inFig. 9 is not essential, however, and alternatives could be used including, for example, barbs as described above with reference to thelid 15 ofFig. 4 . Thelid 27 is held in place on the container by a screw-on collar, similar to thecollar 20, which will sit on top of therim 29 of the lid. Thelid 27 may incorporate a filter similar to thefiber 19 ofFigs. 2 to 5 . Alternatively, in each case, the filter may be generally cylindrical in shape so that it can be inserted into the tubular part of the lid from the end adjacent the bayonet connection. In that case, the internal shaping of the tubular part of the lid should ensure that the filter remains in position when the spray gun is in use. - The components of an alternative form of
paint pot 30 are illustrated inFig. 10 . Thepot 30, like thepot 11 ofFig. 2 , comprises acontainer 12 and aliner 13. In this case, however, thefilter 19 of thepot 11 is formed as aseparate item 31 having a diameter corresponding to that of thecontainer 12 and including acircumferential sealing gasket 32. In addition, thelid 15 andcollar 20 of the pot ofFig. 2 are replaced by a generally-conical lid 33 which is a screw fit onto the container and which, at its upper end has atubular extension 34 of similar shape to theconnector tube 17 ofFig. 3 so that is will engage in thesame adapter 21. Thepot 30 is assembled by pushing theliner 13 inside thecontainer 12 and then, after paint has been put into the container, placing thefilter 31 on top of the container and securing it in position by screwing down thelid 33. Therim 14 of theliner 13 and the sealinggasket 32 of thefilter 31 are then both trapped between thelid 33 and thecontainer 12, as illustrated inFig. 11 , thereby preventing the leakage of paint from thepot 30 at this location when the pot has been secured to a spray gun and is invented for use. - The
adapter 21 could be dispensed with by forming the ends of thetubular parts containers -
Fig. 12 illustrates an alternative spray gun in which thestandard paint pot 6 of the spray gun 1 (seeFig. 1 ) is retained and is provided with aliner 35 which fits inside the pot and, preferably, extends into the connection with thebody 2 of the gun to form a liquid-tight seal with the latter, for example through the use of a flexible O-ring (not visible) between the gun and the liner. In this case, theliner 35 does not collapse when paint is removed from within the pot and may be formed from a more rigid material to assist in positioning it within thepot 6. Once in, position, theliner 35 is held in place by thecap 8 which is screwed down onto an outwardly-extendingrim 36 at the open end of the liner. Thepot 6 ofFig. 12 is additionally provided with afilter 37 which is of generally conical shape and formed entirely of mesh material and which, in use, is positioned inside theliner 35. Thefilter 37, like theliner 35, has an outwardly-extendingrim 38 which lies on top of theliner rim 36 and is likewise held in place by thecap 8 of thepot 6. - The
pot 6 ofFig. 12 , unlike thepot 11 ofFig 3 is intended to be filled with paint while attached to the spray gun 1. The finer 35 andfilter 37 are placed in position, paint is poured into the pot, and the cap is fitted. During this operation, there is no risk of the filter being dislodged and, because the filter is formed entirely of mesh material, the user is always able to see the paint level while the paint is being poured into the pot. The gun 1 is then ready for use. All of the paint dispensed by the gun passes through thefilter 37 and there is, accordingly, no need for the paint to be filtered when it is being poured into thepot 6. After use, thecap 8 unscrewed is to allow thefilter 37 andline 35 to be removed. Theliner 35 is discarded and thefilter 37 is either also discarded or is cleaned, depending on whether or not it is disposable. The use of theliner 35 again reduces the amount of solvent required to clean the gun 1, with a further reduction being possible through the use of adisposable filter 37. - The
filter 37 can have any suitable shape and may, for example, have fluted sides to increase the effective surface area of the filter. - In a modified arrangement, illustrated in
Fig. 13 , theliner 35 and thefilter 37 are combined to form asingle unit 39. In this case, the filter is is discarded with the liner. - In each of the arrangements shown in
Fig. 12 and13 , theliner 35 andfilter 37 can be removed from thepot 6 with thelid 8. In that case, it is possible replace theconventional lid 8 of thepot 6 by a disposable lid so that thelid 8,liner 35 andfilter 37 can be discarded together. - The
disposable unit 39 ofFig. 13 could be modified so that it would replace thepaint pot 6 of the spray gun 1 instead of being fitted inside the paint pot. In that case, theunit 39 could be supplied as a sealedcartridge 50 already filled with paint as illustrated inFig. 14 . Externally, thecartridge 50 is similar to thepaint pot 6 and can be connected to the gun 1 in the same way. Because it is sealed, however, the outlet end 51 of the cartridge must be pierced and an air vent provided, for example at theother end 52 of the cartridge, to allow paint to flow into the gun. Theoutlet end 51 of thecartridge 50 could, for example, be pierced by the user before the cartridge (with the outlet end uppermost) is attached to the (inverted) gun. Alternatively, the gun 1 could be modified so that theoutlet end 51 is pierced automatically when thecartridge 50 is attached to the gun. An air vent at theother end 52 of thecartridge 50 could then be formed after the cartridge has been attached to the gun by piercing that end of the cartridge either manually or, for example, by attaching aseparate cap 53 which is designed to pierce the cartridge when it is placed in position. Alternatively, an air vent, which simply needs to be opened when the gun is ready for use, could be pre-formed in the cartridge. - After use, the
cartridge 50 is removed from the gun and discarded. Because thecartridge 50 contains a filter, there is no need for the supplier to filter the paint before it is loaded into the cartridge. If, however, the paint is pre-filtered, then the filter in thecartridge 50 can be omitted. -
Fig. 15 illustrates an alternative form ofpaint pot 40 for a spray gun 1, which is entirely disposable. Thepaint pot 40 is generally similar to thepot 30 shown inFig. 10 except that thecontainer 12 is replaced by adisposable container 41, described below, and theliner 13 is omitted. - The
container 41 ofFig. 15 can be any conventional disposable container suitable for containing paint and for attachment to thepaint pot lid 42. Thecontainer 41 may, for example, be formed from a thin plastic material, preferably translucent (as shown) so that the contents of the container are visible and preferably havingmarkings 43 on the side walls to enable the volume of the contents of the container to be determined. Anair hole 44 is formed in the base of the container, together with some means for closing the air hole when desired. That means may take the form of a strip of adhesive tape (not shown) which is peeled back to open thehole 44 and can be re-adhered to close the hole when required. Alternatively, a flip-top closure or some simple hand-operated valve mechanism may be provided. Thecontainer 41 has an external screw-thread at its open end, for attachment of thelid 42 which is generally similar to thelid 33 ofFig. 10 and is likewise shaped, at itsupper end 42A, for attachment to a spray gun (if necessary by means of a suitable adapter). Thelid 42 may be form the same material as thecontainer 41 and, as shown, may also be translucent. Aflat filter mesh 45, which is also disposable, extends across the mouth of thecontainer 41. Themesh 45 may be a separate item, held at its periphery between thelid 42 and thecontainer 41, or it may be formed integrally with the lid. - To use the
pot 40, thelid 42 andfilter mesh 45 are removed from thecontainer 41 which is then filled with paint (care being taken that theair hole 44 in the base of the container is closed). It is unnecessary to strain the paint when it is put into thecontainer 41 and, as described above, it is possible to mix the paint in the container thereby avoiding the need for a separate receptacle for that purpose. Thelid 42 andmesh 45 are then put back in position on thecontainer 41, thelid 42 is attached to the (inverted) spray gun 1 which is then returned to its normal position, and theair hole 44 in the base of the container is opened. The spray gun 1 can now be used in the usual way. On completion of the spraying operation, theair hole 44 is closed-off again, thepot 40 is detached from the gun 1 and may then be discarded leaving only the gun to be cleaned. Before thepot 40 is detached, the spray gun 1 can be re-inverted and thetrigger 5 of the gun operated to allow excess paint remaining in the gun to drain back into the pot. In either case, if sufficient paint remains in thepot 40, the pot could be re-sealed (instead of being discarded) and used again. - Advantageously, the
container 41 of the pot is formed so that it can be collapsed after use. In some cases, it may be possible for thelid 42 also to be collapsible. - As an alternative, the
lid 42 could be a reusable component and would be cleaned with the gun. With an arrangement of that type, it is possible for thedisposable container 41 to be supplied as a cartridge already filled with paint and sealed by a cover which would simply be removed before the container is attached to thelid 42. Thefilter mesh 45 could be either a disposable or a reusable component. As a further alternative, thecontainer 41 andlid 42 together could be supplied as a cartridge sealed by a removable cover, at theupper end 42A of the lid, which would be removed before the cartridge is attached to the gun. In that form, the cartridge is similar to thecartridge 50 ofFig.14 . - Through an appropriate selection of the dimensions of the
lid 42 of thepaint pot 40, it is possible for the onelid 42 to be used withcontainers 41 of different sizes. The user would then select, in each case, thecontainer 41 that contains the most suitable amount of paint. It may also be desirable for a range offilters 45 having different mesh sizes to be provided so that the user can select the mesh size that is best suited to the type of paint that is being used. It is not essential for thefilter mesh 45 to have the form and/or location shown inFig. 15 ; it could, for example, have a conical form as shown inFig. 16 and/or it could be located in the outlet of thelid 42, as shown inFig. 17 . Alternatively, thefilter 45 can be omitted if the paint is filtered before it is put into thecontainer 41, or if the presence of contaminants in the paint is unimportant. - The
lid 42 need not have the exact shape shawn inFig. 15 and could, for example, be replaced by a push-in lid in combination with a screw-on collar as shown inFig. 2 . - When the container 41 (with or without the lid 42) is supplied as a cartridge containing paint (or other coating material) it may be desirable in some cases for the paint/coating material to be contained within a sealed collapsible liner within the cartridge. That may, for example, be desirable if it necessary for the paint/coating material to be kept isolated, for example from the air or from light, until it has been sprayed onto the surface to be coated. The
air hole 44 in thecontainer 41 can then remain open all the time, or may be omitted if thecontainer 41 itself is not airtight. - Depending on the shape of the
container 41, it may be desirable to provide a holder in which the container can be located to ensure that is will not be knocked over. Onesuitable holder 50, shown inFig. 18 , comprisescontainer portion 51 which is of similar shape to, but slightly larger than, thecontainer 41 and is provided with anenlarged base 52. Thecontainer 41 is placed in thecontainer portion 51 to ensure that it remains upright while it is being filled and/or attached to the spray gun 1. - Although the above description refers to a paint spray gun, it should be understood that it applies also to the other types of spray gun includings, for example, guns of the type which are attached to water hoses (rather than air supply lines) for spraying substances such as garden chemicals. The description also applies to suction-feed guns, i.e. guns in which the liquid outlet from the reservoir is located at the top of the reservoir when the gun is in use and liquid is drawn from the reservoir through a supply tube by the action of the compressed air or other pressurized fluid flowing through the gun. In that case, when a liner is provided for the reservoir, the construction of the liner and/or the supply tube should be such that the liner can collapse without blocking the supply tube. For example, a short supply tube can be used provided all air is exhausted from the liner before the gun is used. Alternatively, a flexible supply tube could be used, which will collapse with the liner. As a further alternative, a modified liner which does not have a rigid base could be used, so that the liner collapses in a different manner from the
liner 13 ofFig. 2 . Since the reservoir of a suction-feed gun is not inverted during use, as In a gravity-feed gun, it is possible to omit the air hole in the reservoir, provided the connection between the reservoir and the gun permits air to enter the space between the reservoir and the liner. - Returning now to the
paint pot 11 ofFig. 2 , theliner 13 will now be described in greater detail, together with a method by which it can be produced. The liner, shown in isolation inFigs. 19 and 20 , is preferably transparent and is thermo-formed from a single piece of plastics material, preferably polyethylene or polypropylene. The shape of the liner is dictated by the internal shape of thecontainer 12. The comparativelyrigid base 13A is circular and thelimer 13, like the inside of thecontainer 12, is generally cylindrical but tapers inwards slightly from the mouth towards thebase 13A. Therim portion 14, like the base, is also comparatively rigid but theside walls 13B are flexible and, as already described can be made to collapse, Nevertheless, theliner 13 is capable of standing unsupported, on thebase 13A with theside walls 13B extended and upright as shown inFig. 19 When theliner 13 collapses, the comparativelyrigid base 13A retains its from but moves towards therim portion 14 of the liner as a consequence of the collapse of theside walls 13B, as illustrated inFig. 20 . Theside walls 13B collapse in a similar fashion to a plastic bag without being ruptured (e.g., by splitting, tearing of cracking). - In one form, the liner has a height of about 110 mm, a diameter at its
base 13A of about 78 mm and a diameter at its mouth (excluding the rim portion 14) or about 86 mm. The base has a thickness of about 400 µm, therim portion 14 has a thickness of about 900 µm, and theside walls 13B have a thickness of about 150 µm. In another form, the liner has the same height and the same diameters at its base and mouth but the base has a thickness of about 300 µm, the rim portion has a thickness of about 200 µm, and theside walls 13B have a thickness in the range of from 50 to 250 µm. - A method of producing a line as shown in
Fig 19 will now be described with reference toFig. 21 (a)-(c) . - A
sheet 60 of low density polyethylene (LDPE), approximately 250 x 225 mm and 0.5 mm thick, was clamped at its periphery in themoulding frame 61 of a vacuum-forming machine. The LDPE material is commercially available from, for example, Plastech Extrusions Ltd. of Widnes, Cheshire, England and the vacuum-forming machine used was the model "FLB 725" from C.R. Clarke and Company Limited of Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, Wales. It will be appreciated, however, that any suitable plastics material could be used and that the method could be carried out using any suitable thermo/vacuum-forming machine. - After the
sheet 60 had been placed in position, the bank ofheaters 62 of the vacuum-forming machine was moved into position above the sheet (as shown inFig.21(a) ), and the sheet was heated to a soft, pliable, state suitable for vacuum-forming. The fact that the sheet had reached the appropriate temperature could be seen by the change in its appearance from milky to transparent. - The bank of
heaters 62 was then removed and themould platen 63 was moved upwards from below thesheet 60, bringing themould 64 into contact with the sheet to deform the latter in an upwards direction. At this time, the vacuum pump of the machine was switched on to remove air from beneath thesheet 60. The upward movement of themould platen 63 was continued until the platen reached the top of its stroke, where it seals against theframe 61 holding the sheet 60 (Fig 21(b) ). Themould 64 had a shape corresponding to the internal shape of thecontainer 12 of the spraygun paint pot 11. - Operation of the vacuum pump was continued with the mould platen sealed against the
frame 61 and the pressure difference created between the upper and lower sides of thesheet 60 caused the latter (which was already in contact with the top of the mould 64) to move down into contact with the sides of the mould (Fig. 21(c) ). Themould platen 63 was then moved away from the cooledsheet 60 leaving a mouldedportion 65 having the desired shape of theliner 13 and without any pleats, corrugations, seams, joints or gussets, or any groove at the internal junction of theside walls 13B with thebase 13A. Following removal from theframe 61, thesheet 60 was trimmed around the mouth of the mouldedportion 65 to form therim 14 of theliner 13. The width of therim 14 is determined by the location at which thesheet 60 is trimmed at this stage, and can be adjusted as required. - The above-described process was found to yield a moulded portion 65 (and hence a liner 13) in which that part of the
plastics sheet 60 that had been in contact with the sides of themould 64 during the forming process was substantially thinner than the part that had been in contact with the top of the mould. The process differs from a conventional vacuum-forming process which would aim to eliminate, as far as possible, any differences in thickness in the mouldedportion 65 and, to that end, would include the additional step of applying air pressure to the underneath of theheated sheet 60, after step (a) ofFig. 21 , to cause the sheet to adopt a dome shape before themould platen 63 seals against the frame 61: the thickness of the sheet would then be comparatively even when it moves into contact with themould 64 in step (c) ofFig 21 . Generally in the process illustrated inFig. 21 , for a given size ofsheet 60, the size of themould 64 has been found to affect the thickness of the sides of the resultingliner 13 more than the base. In other words, if the size of themould 64 is increased, the thickness of the base of the resultingliner 13 will be about the same but the sides of the liner will be much thinner. On the other hand, if the size of the mould is decreased, it may be found that a point is reached at which longitudinal creases appear in the sides of theliner 13. - If a further reduction is required in the thickness of the
sheet 60 where it contacts the sides of themould 64 in step (c) ofFig. 21 , thesheet 60 can be located between two thin metal plates 66 (Fig. 22 ) when it is clamped in theframe 61 of the forming machine, eachmetal plate 66 having ahole 67 in the location of themould 64 and larger in size than the largest cross-section of the mould. Theplates 66 are also clamped in theframe 61 and the process ofFig. 21 is then repeated. The effect of theplates 66 is that only the central portion of thesheet 60 is exposed directly to theheaters 62 and is drawn over themould 64 when the latter has been moved upwards (in this case, through theholes 67 in the plates 66). In that way, less of thesheet 60 is used in the formation of the mouldedportion 65 and the resultingliner 13 will have a slightlythinner base 13A and rim 14 and substantiallythinner side walls 13B. It is also possible to obtain a comparable result by using only theupper plate 66 shown inFig. 22 . - As a modification of the process illustrated in
Fig. 22 , theplastics sheet 60 can be in the form of a circular disc of material which is clamped at its periphery between the twoplates 66. Depending on the size of the disc, the clamped periphery may then form therim 14 of theliner 13 and there may be no excess material to be trimmed away. - It has been found that a
liner 13 produced by a process as described with reference toFigs. 21 and 22 will collapse as described with reference toFig. 20 when used in thespray gun reservoir 11 ofFig. 2 . Theliner 13 can also be collapsed by hand by pushing thebase 13A of the liner towardsrim 14. It has been found that the liner is typically capable of standing unsupported on itsbase 13A and this feature, although not essential to the use of the liner in thespray gun reservoir 11, may be of use for storage purposes. The liner has no pleats, corrugations, joints or gussets, and no groove at the internal junction of theside walls 13B with thebase 13A: consequently, there are no internal locations in which material within the liner can become trapped. Thebase 13A of the liner will, of course, occupy some space at the base of thecontainer 12 of thespray gun reservoir 11 and the markings on the wall of thecontainer 12 need to be positioned to take account of that fact. - Although the
liner 13 ofFig. 19 has been described for use specifically in thepaint pot 11 ofFig. 2 , the same or a similar article can be used in other ways (subject, if necessary to appropriate dimensional changes). For example, an article of the type illustrated inFig. 19 can also be used as a liner in many forms of receptacle other than a spray gun reservoir. It is often desirable to provide a receptacle with a disposable liner, for example to keep the receptacle clean, to facilitate cleaning, or to protect the receptacle or its contents. A liner of the type illustrated inFig. 19 can be used for any of those purposes and is especially useful in receptacles in which substances are mixed together because there are no locations on the inside of the liner in which material can become trapped and remain unmixed. - An article of the type illustrated in
Fig. 19 can, for example, be used as a liner in a receptacle intended for paint mixing in a vehicle body shop, in which case it will provide an attractive alternative to the disposable drinking cups which are often employed for that purpose. Prior to painting the repaired portion of a vehicle in a body shop, the repairer must mix-up a batch of paint of the required colour, matching the colour of the surrounding portion of the vehicle. The various components for a batch of paint should be measured accurately, either by volume or by weight, into a suitable receptacle in which they are mixed together thoroughly before being used. If the mixing is less than thorough, or if the receptacle is not absolutely clean, the colour/quality of the batch of paint (and, consequently, the quality of the repair) may be affected. - To enable paint mixing to be carried out conveniently, but effectively, a liner of the type illustrated in
Fig. 19 can be used with a measuringvessel 70 as shown inFig. 23 . The measuringvessel 70 is in the form of a pitcher having aspout 71 in a shapedrim 72 and ahandle 73. The pitcher is provided withmarkings 74 on the side walls, enabling the volume of the contents of the pitcher to be determined. Using the method already described with reference toFig. 21 , liners of the type shown inFig. 19 can be produced to fit accurately inside thepitcher 70 and, by utilizing such a liner, the various components for a batch of paint can be assembled and mixed together in thepitcher 70 without actually coming into contact with the latter. - A
liner 75 suitable for use in thepitcher 70 is illustrated inFig 24 . Theliner 75 has a shape corresponding to the interior of thepitcher 70 and is generally similar to theliner 13 illustrated inFig. 19 except that the thicker, outwardly-extending,rim portion 14 of the latter is omitted and theside walls 76 of theliner 75 include ashaped rim 77 corresponding to therim 72 and spout 71 of the pitcher. Because theliner 75 fits the inside of thepitcher 70 exactly, the possibility that it will be punctured by the mixing implement when paint is being mixed in the pitcher is minimized. In addition, because there are no locations in the interior of the liner in which material can become trapped, there is no barrier to the effective mixing of all the material that is measured into the pitcher. When the paint has been mixed and transferred from the pitcher 70 (for example, to the paint pot of a spray gun), theliner 75 is removed, preferably collapsed as shown inFig. 20 , and thrown away, leaving thepitcher 70 clean and ready for further use. - Because the
base 78 of theliner 75 will occupy some space at the bottom of thepitcher 70, themarkings 74 on the side walls of the pitcher may need to be positioned to take account of that fact. It may also be desirable, depending on the shape of thepitcher 70, to provide an extension at the top of theliner 75 which can be folded back over therim 72 of the pitcher. Alternatively, or in addition, it may be desirable to seal theliner 75 to thepitcher 70 during use, for example by providing some form of shaping on the liner and the pitcher so that they can be snap-fitted together at therims - Although it is desirable that the
liner 75 of thepitcher 70 should be collapsible so that it occupies less space after use, that is not absolutely essential. Moreover, since the shape of theliner 75 is determined by the shape of the interior of thereceptacle 70 in which it is to be used, there may be cases in which the liner is not capable of standing, unsupported, outside the receptacle. - As a further alternative, an article of the type shown in
Fig. 19 can be used simply as a container in which case it has the advantage that, although thewalls 13B are comparable in flexibility to a plastic bag, the container will stand upright, without support, while it is being filled and also afterwards. The container can be of any appropriate size and can be used to contain many different types of items, including for example powders and liquids, or simply as an alternative to the plastic/paper bags provided to customers by retailers. In each case, the container has the advantage that there are no internal locations in which material within the container can become trapped. Depending on the contents of the container, it may be desirable to be able to close the container mouth, in which case some appropriate form of closure can be provided. The closure may, for example take the from of an internal rib on the inside of the container around one half of the mouth, and a mating groove also on the inside of the container around the other half of the mouth into which the rib can be pressed to close the container. The flexibility of thecontainer walls 13B additionally allows the walls to be pressed down around the contents, thereby reducing the air space within the container if required. - After use, when it is required to dispose of the container, the
side walls 13B can be collapsed by hand by pushing therim 14 towards the base so that the container (now in the form illustrated inFig. 20 ) requires less space for disposal. As already mentioned, theside walls 13B collapse in a similar fashion to a plastic bag without being ruptured (e.g. by splitting, tearing or cracking). It will be appreciated that there are many other possible uses for articles of the type shown inFig. 19 . A liner of that type could, for example, be used simply as a liner for a refuse bin where it would offer the advantage of being a better fit inside the bin than a conventional bag-shaped liner, and of being easier to handle when removed from the bin because it will stand upright on thebase 13A. Similar liners could also be used in buckets or other containers for materials that harden comparatively quickly (for example glue, wax or plaster): in some cases, material such as plaster is actually sold together with a mixing bucket, in which case a supply of liners could be included in the package. In some circumstances, it might be appropriate to have a plurality of liners, stacked one inside another, in position inside a receptacle so that when one liner is removed th next is already in position. Moreover, since the receptacle is intended to contain a liner, it is not essential for the walls of the receptacle to be solid; the receptacle could, for example, have the form of a framework for containing the liner. - Generally, in an article of the type shown in
Fig. 19 , thebase 13A is typically at least 25 µm thick, more typically at least 100 µm thick. Theside walls 13B are thin in comparison to thebase 13A, to the extent that they can be collapsed as described to facilitate disposal of the liner/container: typically, the thickness of theside walls 13B is less than half the thickness of thebase 13A and may be less than one fifth the thickness of the base. Depending on the materials used, and the intended use of the liner/container, theside walls 13A will usually be less than 250 µm thick. - For certain uses of an article of the type shown in
Fig. 19 , therim portion 14 may not be essential and can be omitted (as in the liner ofFig. 24 ). If norim 14 is required thesheet 60 ofFig. 21(c) would, of course, be trimmed immediately adjacent the mouth of the mouldedportion 65. It has been found that the self-supporting nature of the liner/container can be retained even if therim portion 14 is omitted. - It should also be noted that the
base 13A of a container/liner of the type shown inFig. 19 need not be circular but could have another shape, for example rectangular or triangular. In the case of a liner for a receptacle, that shape may be dictated by the shape of the receptacle particularly if the liner is required to fit the interior of the latter. In some cases, the base need not be rigid. - It will further be appreciated that the process illustrated in
Figs. 21 and 22 is not restricted to the production of liners for use in the paint pots of spray guns and can be adapted to produce liners/containers for other purposes. It will be appreciated that the process requires themould 64 to have a slightly tapered shape with the largest cross-section being at the lower end (as seen inFigs. 21 and 22 ) to allow thesheet 60 to be removed when the forming operation is complete. When the process is used to produce of a liner which is required to fit inside a container, that, in turn, requires that the container should be similarly tapered internally. The liner/container may be formed from any suitable thermoplastic material capable of forming a thin film which is impervious to the materials it is intended to contain. In some cases, it may be desirable to use a material which is in the form of a laminate. For certain applications, such as food packaging, plastics with a low gas-permeability may be preferred. For most applications, however, polyolefins such as polyethylene or polypropylene are preferred since these a relatively cheap, are readily termo-formable, and are inert to most aqueous and organic fluids.
Claims (9)
- A method of providing a paint spraying system, the method comprising:(a) providing an outer container (12) having volumetric measurement indicia (25) visible to a user;(b) providing a collapsible liner (13);(c) providing a lid (15) for cooperative engagement with the liner (13), the lid (15) comprising an outlet (17) and a filter (19) over the outlet to filter paint before it passes through the outlet (17);(d) placing the liner (13) in the outer container (12), whereby the volumetric measurement indicia (25) take account of the liner being in the outer container;(e) adding a volume of paint to the liner (13); and(f) securing the lid (15) and the liner (13) to a paint spray gun to enable paint to flow through the filter (19) and the outlet (17) and be dispensed by the spray gun.
- A method according to claim 1 further comprising inverting the paint spray gun so as to secure the lid (15) and the liner (13) to the spray gun while it is inverted.
- A method according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the lid (15) and the liner (13) are secured to the paint spray gun by attaching the outlet (17) of the lid (15) to the spray gun.
- A method according to any preceding claim further comprising purging air from the liner (13) after securing the lid (15) and the liner (13) to the paint spray gun.
- A method according to any preceding claim further comprising placing the paint spray gun in a position where the liner (13) and the lid (15) are above the spray gun and then activating the spray gun to withdraw paint from the liner (13) and through the filter (19) and the outlet (17) so as to spray the paint from the spray gun.
- A method according to any preceding claim further comprising inverting the paint spray gun after spraying the paint so as to position the liner (13) and the lid (15) below the spray gun, and then removing the spray gun.
- A method according to claim 6 further comprising activating the paint spray gun to allow paint to drain back into the liner (13) before removing the spray gun.
- A method according to claim 7 further comprising discarding the liner (13) and the lid (15).
- A reservoir for a spray gun, the reservoir comprising:(a) an outer container (12) having volumetric measurement indicia (25) visible to a user;(b) a collapsible liner (13) for the outer container (12);(c) a lid (15) for cooperative engagement with the liner (13), the lid (15) comprising an outlet (17) through which paint can be withdrawn for delivery to a spray gun, and a filter (19) over the outlet to filter paint before it passes through the outlet (17);wherein the volumetric measurement indicia (25) are positioned to take account of the liner (13) being in the outer container (12).
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
GBGB9701447.6A GB9701447D0 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1997-01-24 | Container |
GBGB9712784.9A GB9712784D0 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1997-06-18 | Apparatus for spraying liquids |
PCT/US1998/000796 WO1998032539A1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP04002190A EP1435265B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP98901823A EP0954381B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
Related Parent Applications (4)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP98901823A Division EP0954381B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP04002190A Division EP1435265B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP98901823.9 Division | 1998-07-30 | ||
EP04002190.9 Division | 2004-02-02 |
Publications (4)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2090373A2 true EP2090373A2 (en) | 2009-08-19 |
EP2090373A3 EP2090373A3 (en) | 2011-11-02 |
EP2090373B1 EP2090373B1 (en) | 2014-06-18 |
EP2090373B2 EP2090373B2 (en) | 2020-03-18 |
Family
ID=10806519
Family Applications (6)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP04002190A Expired - Lifetime EP1435265B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP03020831A Expired - Lifetime EP1415719B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP05020408.0A Expired - Lifetime EP1611960B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP05010707A Expired - Lifetime EP1579922B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP09006815A Expired - Lifetime EP2105208B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP09006817.2A Expired - Lifetime EP2090373B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
Family Applications Before (5)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP04002190A Expired - Lifetime EP1435265B2 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP03020831A Expired - Lifetime EP1415719B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP05020408.0A Expired - Lifetime EP1611960B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP05010707A Expired - Lifetime EP1579922B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
EP09006815A Expired - Lifetime EP2105208B1 (en) | 1997-01-24 | 1998-01-14 | Apparatus for spraying liquids, and disposable containers and liners suitable for use therewith |
Country Status (7)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (6) | EP1435265B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR100497450B1 (en) |
CA (1) | CA2660187C (en) |
DE (1) | DE69841278D1 (en) |
ES (5) | ES2406109T3 (en) |
GB (2) | GB9701447D0 (en) |
HK (1) | HK1085688A1 (en) |
Cited By (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US8944351B2 (en) | 2011-05-06 | 2015-02-03 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Paint cup assembly with an outlet valve |
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US10035156B2 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2018-07-31 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
US10882064B2 (en) | 2011-12-30 | 2021-01-05 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc./Saint-Gobain Abrasifs | Convertible paint cup assembly with air inlet valve |
US11040360B2 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2021-06-22 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
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US20050258271A1 (en) * | 2004-05-18 | 2005-11-24 | Kosmyna Michael J | Disposable paint cup |
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CN108745690A (en) * | 2018-08-25 | 2018-11-06 | 昆山左右顺塑料制品有限公司 | A kind of Multi-functional paint spraying pot structure |
CN109764768B (en) * | 2019-03-22 | 2024-01-23 | 中国工程物理研究院化工材料研究所 | Explosive bomb with bomb lining structure |
DE102021120306A1 (en) * | 2021-08-04 | 2023-02-09 | Sata Gmbh & Co. Kg | Gun body of a paint spray gun and paint spray gun |
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- 1998-01-14 DE DE69841278T patent/DE69841278D1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1998-01-14 EP EP09006815A patent/EP2105208B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
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Cited By (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US9162240B2 (en) | 2004-12-16 | 2015-10-20 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc./Saint-Gobain Abrasie | Liquid container system for a spray gun |
US10035156B2 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2018-07-31 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
US11040360B2 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2021-06-22 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
US11548018B1 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2023-01-10 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
US11679399B2 (en) | 2006-06-20 | 2023-06-20 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Liquid supply assembly |
US8944351B2 (en) | 2011-05-06 | 2015-02-03 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Paint cup assembly with an outlet valve |
US8998018B2 (en) | 2011-05-06 | 2015-04-07 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Paint cup assembly with an extended ring |
US9335198B2 (en) | 2011-05-06 | 2016-05-10 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Method of using a paint cup assembly |
US9586220B2 (en) | 2011-06-30 | 2017-03-07 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc. | Paint cup assembly |
US10882064B2 (en) | 2011-12-30 | 2021-01-05 | Saint-Gobain Abrasives, Inc./Saint-Gobain Abrasifs | Convertible paint cup assembly with air inlet valve |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
ES2504218T3 (en) | 2014-10-08 |
GB9712784D0 (en) | 1997-08-20 |
ES2497497T3 (en) | 2014-09-23 |
EP1435265A2 (en) | 2004-07-07 |
EP1611960B1 (en) | 2017-08-30 |
DE69841278D1 (en) | 2009-12-17 |
EP2090373B2 (en) | 2020-03-18 |
EP2090373A3 (en) | 2011-11-02 |
ES2491518T3 (en) | 2014-09-08 |
KR100497450B1 (en) | 2005-07-01 |
EP1435265A3 (en) | 2004-11-03 |
HK1085688A1 (en) | 2006-09-01 |
EP1579922B1 (en) | 2012-04-18 |
GB9701447D0 (en) | 1997-03-12 |
EP2105208B1 (en) | 2013-02-27 |
EP1435265B1 (en) | 2009-11-04 |
KR20000070405A (en) | 2000-11-25 |
ES2386145T3 (en) | 2012-08-10 |
EP1579922A1 (en) | 2005-09-28 |
EP2090373B1 (en) | 2014-06-18 |
EP2105208A3 (en) | 2011-11-02 |
EP1415719A1 (en) | 2004-05-06 |
EP1435265B2 (en) | 2013-03-06 |
EP2105208A2 (en) | 2009-09-30 |
EP1611960A1 (en) | 2006-01-04 |
CA2660187A1 (en) | 1998-07-30 |
CA2660187C (en) | 2013-07-09 |
EP1415719B1 (en) | 2006-11-29 |
ES2406109T3 (en) | 2013-06-05 |
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