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(11) | EP 1 700 817 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | System for raising-lowering a platform inside a painting booth |
| (57) System for positioning and raising-lowering an automobile (5) and operator on a platform
(7,8) located inside a painting booth (1) and/or similar installation; composed of
a metal floor with two platforms (7,8) which are complementary to one another forming
a single plane, an exterior working platform (7) and an interior loading platform
(8), both installed inside the booth (1), which loading platform (8) supports the
automobile (5). Both platforms (7,8) can be positioned at different heights and are
clamped to the perimeter of the booth or to each other by means of locks (10). A laminar
element (9a) is used to close off the space between the loading platform (8) and the
working platform (7), the said laminar elements leading the air that enters the booth
(1) to ducts installed underneath the platforms (7,8). |
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention refers to a system for positioning and raising-lowering an automobile and operator on a platform located inside a paint booth and/or similar installation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] In conventional booths, it is often necessary to make an opening in the floor measuring approximately 30 cm deep and of a size similar to that of perimeter of the booth.
[0003] In some cases, the opening is made underneath the vehicle, in which case the section of the opening is much smaller but considerably deeper, sometimes as deep as 1 metre.
[0004] The object of making the opening is to allow the air insufflated into the booth to pass through the grated metal floor and be channelled to the ducts which lead to the outside through what is known as the "lower aspiration plenum".
[0005] In some cases, the civil work is omitted and instead the floor of the booth is raised some 30 cm in relation to the plane of the shop floor.
[0006] In order for the vehicle to access the inside of the booth, the booth is equipped with ramps which may be positioned either inside or outside of the booth.
[0007] Once the vehicle is inside the booth and ready to be painted, the operator may observe that the roof of the vehicle is too high, making it necessary to use step stools, pedestals, etc. Likewise, in order to paint the lower part of the body of the vehicle, the operator must either crouch down in a very uncomfortable position or use conventional elevators to raise the vehicle to a more suitable working position.
[0008] To overcome these inconveniences, the system of the invention has been created which consists of installing a metal floor inside the paint booth with one or more zones or the entire floor made of grates in relation to another platform that supports different loads, thus making it possible to change the position of the operator in relation to the vehicle or vice versa, depending on the job requirements.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] The system of the invention therefore consists of installing a central platform, known as the loading platform where the vehicle is positioned, and an additional concentric platform surrounding the central platform known as the working platform where the operator or operators are positioned.
[0010] The working platform may be a one-piece unit or may be divided into different zones, in which case the different zones of the platform may be connected to one another by means of interlocking devices with the working platform moving up and down vertically.
[0011] The loading platform is equipped with hydraulic or pneumatic elevating devices which move the platform vertically and move the working platform once it is interlocked with the loading platform.
[0012] The working platform moves along vertical rails located near the perimeter of the booth forming a kind of post that emerges from the floor of the booth.
[0013] The clamping devices installed on sections located near these guides are used to fix the position of the working platform at two levels, high and low.
[0014] The outer perimeter of the loading platform is related to the inner perimeter of the working platform by means of a canvas that makes it possible to insufflate air into the booth, which is then driven to the outlet ducts, preventing it from exiting through the free space between the platforms when they are positioned at different heights.
[0015] In order for the vehicle to access the working platform inside the booth, both platforms must be in the low position, for example, approximately 10 cm from the floor, at which point the vehicle enters the booth using a wedge or ramp.
[0016] Once the vehicle is positioned on the loading platform, both platforms are raised and clamped together using bolts, pins, etc. They are raised to a height of approximately 30 cm, which is considered the "lower plenum".
[0018] When the operator wants to paint the roof of the vehicle, he raises both platforms at once to a height of approximately one metre, using mechanical or hydraulic devices to clamp the working platform to the sides of the booth in the vertical rails along which the platform moves and releasing the loading platform so that it is lowered to a height of 30 cm, a suitable height for painting the roof of the vehicle.
[0019] Once the roof is painted, the operator raises the loading platform again to the point where it is even with the working platform, which is then released from the clamps fastening it to the sides of the booth and both platforms are lowered to the lower working level.
[0020] If it is necessary to paint the lower part of the vehicle, the loading platform is moved to the upper position, while the working platform remains at the lower level, fastened to the sides of the booth.
[0021] Once the lower part of the vehicle has been painted, the loading platform is lowered to the low position for touch-ups, paper removal, drying, etc.
[0022] Once the painting process is complete, the two platforms are lowered together using the elevation equipment that may be hydraulic, pneumatic or based on pulleys and cables or, depending on manufacturing costs, could be made of independent elevation devices, one for the loading platform and another for the working platform. In this position, the working platform is a single element but may be composed of separate zones or portions connected to one another by interlocking elements such as the ones mentioned above in order to form independent working zones.
[0023] Between the two platforms and between the working platform and the inside surface of the booth, around the perimeter, the booth is equipped with flexible laminar surfaces such as canvas, which can be closed in an airtight fashion to ensure not only that the air is forced out of the spaces mentioned but also forced to exit through the bottom of the platforms to the outside.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024]
Figure 1 shows an elevation and side view of one of the sequences of the working platform and the loading platform for the paint booth according to the system of the invention.
Figure 2 shows an elevation and side view of a second working sequence for both platforms.
Figure 3 shows an elevation view of the platform assembly in the low working position.
Figure 4 shows a ground view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows an elevation view similar to that in Figure 3 in which the working platform is interlocked above the plane on which the loading platform appears.
Figure 6 shows a view similar to that shown in Figure 5, with the working platform in a lower position than the loading platform.
Figure 7 shows the clamping of the two platforms as detail A on a larger scale.
Figure 8 shows the release of the loading platform as detail A on a larger scale.
Figure 9 shows the clamping and release of the working platform in detail B on a larger scale.
Figure 10 shows the clamping and release of the working platform in details G and C.
Figure 11 shows the clamping and release of the working platforms and the loading platform in detail D.
Figure 12 shows the clamping y release of the working platform in detail E.
Figure 13 shows the details of the position of the platforms in detail F of Figure 5.
DESCRIPTION OF A PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0025] The system of the invention is applicable, for example, to a painting booth 1 equipped with a generator and air inlet 2 on the top of the booth and lighting around the inside perimeter 3.
[0026] The booth is equipped at the entrance with a small ramp 4 to facilitate the vehicle entering the booth 5 when the floor of the system of the invention is at its lowest level.
[0027] Along the inside perimeter of the booth, and preferably on the largest sides, vertical rails are positioned 6 parallel to and facing one another two by two.
[0028] The working platform 7 of the system slides along these rails once it is clamped to the central loading platform 8.
[0029] The vehicle 5 is positioned on the loading platform 8 and said platform is raised and lowered by means of hydraulic cylinders 9, preferably in a scissor arrangement.
[0031] Figure 1 shows the system at its lowest level, where the vehicle 5 is introduced and positioned on the loading platform 8 using the ramp 4.
[0032] The working platform 7 has two operating positions, a lower position which is represented in figures 1, 2, 3 and 6 and an upper position represented in figures 1, 2 and 4. In these two end positions, the working platform 7 is clamped and the loading platform 8 released from the working platform, and the loading platform is moved up or down to a higher position, figure 1, or lower position, figure 2 in respect of the working platform.
[0033] The lower working position is reached when both platforms, clamped together, are raised together from the lower level to a height of approximately 30 cm. At this point, the working platform is clamped and when the loading platform is released, it is raised to the higher level.
[0034] With the loading platform at a higher level the free space between the two platforms is covered with a flexible, elastic or similar type of canvas 9a, which leads the air to ducts, either through the centre of the loading platform or through the working platform, whichever is most convenient.
[0035] The loading platform 8, when it is lowered and clamped once again to the working platform, can be raised to the highest point and from there, once the loading platform is relapsed from the working platform and the working platform is clamped to the sides, the loading platform is lowered to facilitate the painting of the roof.
[0036] The clamping consists of equipping the working platform with a series of 10 locks that are activated and moved by means of their respective hydraulic cylinders 11 so that they are locked or unlocked at points 12 of the loading platform or in conformations 13 pertaining to vertical section 14 that emerge in this direction from the floor of the booth.
1. System for positioning and raising-lowering an automobile and operator on a platform
located inside a painting booth and/or similar installation; of the type where the
booth has an intake at the top for insufflating air into the booth which then passes
through the grated metal floor, leading the air through ducts to the outside by aspiration;
characterised in that it is composed of a metal floor made of two platforms that are complementary to one
another forming a single plane: an outer working platform and an inner loading platform,
both installed inside the cabin. The loading platform supports the automobile which
accesses the vehicle by means of a small ramp. When the floor is positioned at the
lowest point, the loading platform has several raising elements conveniently arranged
by means of which not only can the platform be moved vertically, but also the working
platform, when both platforms are interlocked using bolts or pins, the platforms can
be positioned at two different levels: a lower level and upper level at which the
body of the vehicle is painted by the operator or operators and at which levels the
working platform has been moved evenly in a vertical direction on the vertical rails
arranged inside the booth. Furthermore, at the upper and lower levels, the working
platform is fastened using bolts or pins to sections near the vertical rails mentioned
above.
2. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the upper level of the loading platform, once released from the working platform,
is lowered to a position below the working platform to facilitate painting the roof
of the vehicle.
3. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the lower level of the loading platform, once released from the working platform,
is raised to a position above the working platform to facilitate painting the lower
part of the vehicle body.
4. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the working platform is not a one-piece unit and is therefore composed of different
zones with independent functions.
5. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the elevation elements of the loading platform are hydraulic cylinders.
6. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the clamping process is carried out by moving the bolts by hydraulic cylinders.
7. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that when the loading platform is located on a higher plane in respect of the working
platform, the space between them is closed off by means of a canvas which forces the
air to exit through the corresponding ducts.
8. A system according to claim 1 characterised in that the space between the working platform and the inside surface of the booth is closed
off by means of a canvas, forcing the air to circulate underneath the platforms and
to exit to the outside through the corresponding ducts.