SEMI-AUTOMATED SYSTEM FOR DISPENSING AUTOMOTIVE PAINT

摘要

A system (10) for dispensing liquid paint components (14) from their original containers (16A and 16B) into a paint receptacle (152) according to a paint formula to form a liquid paint mixture. The dispensing system (10) comprises a dispensing apparatus (12) for dispensing the liquid paint component (14) from its original container (16A and 16B), and an apparatus (18) for controlling the dispensing apparatus (12). The dispensing apparatus (12) includes a mechanism (28A) for releasably receiving the original container (16A and 16) of the liquid paint component (14), and a mechanism (140) for dispensing the liquid paint component (14) from its original container (16A and 16B) into the paint receptacle (152). The control apparatus (18) includes a weigh cell (190) and a control module (192) coupled to the weigh cell (190) and the dispensing mechanism (140). The weigh cell (190) supports the paint receptable (152) to determine the weight of the liquid paint component (14) dispensed into the paint receptacle (152). The control module (192) controls the amount of the liquid paint component (14) dispensed from its original container (16A and 16B) into the receptacle (152) based upon information obtained from the weigh cell (190). The dispensing system (10) virtually eliminates liquid paint component dispensing errors, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the dispensing system operator.