Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
214 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent in a direction of flow through said supply line from said supply source to said coating robot, said supply line including a supply pipe; a coating agent supply pump on said supply line; first and second pressure sensors disposed downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to said direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting pressures in said supply pipe; branch lines extending from said supply line downstream of said first pressure sensor and upstream of said second pressure sensor, respectively; relief valves on said branch lines for opening and closing said branch lines, respectively, said relief valves having respective actuators; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; and control means operatively connected between said first and second pressure sensors, and said actuators and said pump driving device for controlling said pump driving device and said actuators to stop operation of said coating agent supply pump and to open said relief valves when the pressure detected by either one of said first and second pressure sensors falls outside of a prescribed pressure range.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
214 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent in a direction of flow through said supply line from said supply source to said coating robot, said supply line including a supply pipe; a coating agent supply pump on said supply line; first and second pressure sensors disposed downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to said direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting pressures in said supply pipe; branch lines extending from said supply line downstream of said first pressure sensor and upstream of said second pressure sensor, respectively; relief valves on said branch lines for opening and closing said branch lines, respectively, said relief valves having respective actuators; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; and control means operatively connected between said first and second pressure sensors, and said actuators and said pump driving device for controlling said pump driving device and said actuators to stop operation of said coating agent supply pump and to open said relief valves when the pressure detected by either one of said first and second pressure sensors falls outside of a prescribed pressure range.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first pressure sensor detects pressures higher than a prescribed pressure level.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second pressure sensor detects pressures higher and lower than said prescribed pressure range.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said actuators are arranged to normally keep the respective relief valves closed and to open the respective relief valves when a power supply switch of said supply source is turned off.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said coating robot has a coating applicator movable with respect to an article to which the coating agent is to be applied by the coating robot, said control means being arranged to control said pump driving device for varying a rate at which the coating agent is discharged from said pump as a function of a speed of relative movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, further including robot controller means for controlling movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article, said robot controller means being arranged to apply a signal indicative of said speed to said control means, said control means being arranged to control said pump driving device for controlling said rate according to said signal.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot, said coating robot having a coating applicator movable with respect to an article to which a coating agent is to be applied by the coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent from said supply source to said coating robot; a coating agent supply pump on an intermediate portion of said supply line; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; a pressure sensor disposed in one of first and second positions which are located downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to a direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting a pressure in said supply line; and control means for controlling said pump driving device to vary a rate at which the coating agent is discharged from said pump as a function of a speed of relative movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article and for stopping operation of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in said supply line detected by said pressure sensor falls outside of a prescribed pressure range.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
201 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot, said coating robot having a coating applicator movable with respect to an article to which a coating agent is to be applied by the coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent from said supply source to said coating robot; a coating agent supply pump on an intermediate portion of said supply line; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; a pressure sensor disposed in one of first and second positions which are located downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to a direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting a pressure in said supply line; and control means for controlling said pump driving device to vary a rate at which the coating agent is discharged from said pump as a function of a speed of relative movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article and for stopping operation of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in said supply line detected by said pressure sensor falls outside of a prescribed pressure range.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further including robot controller means for controlling movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article, said robot controller means being arranged to apply a signal indicative of said speed to said control means, said control means being arranged to control said pump driving device for controlling said rate according to said signal.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent in a direction of flow through said supply line from said supply source to said coating robot, said supply line including a supply pipe; a coating agent supply pump on said supply line; a pressure sensor disposed in one of first and second positions which are located downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to said direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting a pressure in said supply pipe; branch lines extending from said supply line downstream of said first position and upstream of said second position, respectively; relief valves on said branch lines for opening and closing the branch lines, respectively, said relief valves being operable when the pressure in said supply pipe falls outside of a predetermined pressure range; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; and control means operatively connected between said pressure sensor and said pump driving device for controlling said pump driving device to stop operation of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in said supply pipe detected by said pressure sensor falls outside of said prescribed pressure range.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
217 words
An apparatus for supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising: a coating robot; a supply source of a coating agent; a supply line for supplying the coating agent in a direction of flow through said supply line from said supply source to said coating robot, said supply line including a supply pipe; a coating agent supply pump on said supply line; a pressure sensor disposed in one of first and second positions which are located downstream and upstream, respectively, of said coating agent supply pump with respect to said direction of flow through said supply line, for detecting a pressure in said supply pipe; branch lines extending from said supply line downstream of said first position and upstream of said second position, respectively; relief valves on said branch lines for opening and closing the branch lines, respectively, said relief valves being operable when the pressure in said supply pipe falls outside of a predetermined pressure range; a pump driving device for driving said coating agent supply pump; and control means operatively connected between said pressure sensor and said pump driving device for controlling said pump driving device to stop operation of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in said supply pipe detected by said pressure sensor falls outside of said prescribed pressure range.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising the steps of: detecting pressures in a supply pipe downstream and upstream of a coating agent supply pump on a coating agent supply line extending from a supply source of a coating agent to a coating robot; releasing the pressure from said supply pipe through branch lines extending from the supply line downstream and upstream of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in the supply pipe downstream or upstream of said coating agent supply pump falls outside of a prescribed pressure range; and stopping operating of said coating agent supply pump.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
105 words
A method of supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising the steps of: detecting pressures in a supply pipe downstream and upstream of a coating agent supply pump on a coating agent supply line extending from a supply source of a coating agent to a coating robot; releasing the pressure from said supply pipe through branch lines extending from the supply line downstream and upstream of said coating agent supply pump when the pressure in the supply pipe downstream or upstream of said coating agent supply pump falls outside of a prescribed pressure range; and stopping operating of said coating agent supply pump.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein pressures in said supply pipe higher than a prescribed pressure level are detected downstream of said coating agent supply pump.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein pressures in said supply pipe higher and lower than the prescribed pressure range are detected upstream of said coating agent supply pump.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein the pressure in said supply pipe is released when said coating agent supply line is shut off.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method according to claim 10, wherein said coating robot has a coating applicator movable with respect to an article to which the coating agent is to be applied, a rate at which the coating agent is discharged by said coating agent supply pump being variable as a function of a speed of relative movement of said coating applicator with respect to said article when said coating agent supply pump is in operation.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising the steps of: detecting a pressure in a supply pipe downstream or upstream of a coating agent supply pump on a coating agent supply line extending from a supply source of a coating agent to a coating robot; releasing the pressure from said supply pipe through branch lines extending from the supply line downstream and upstream of said coating agent supply pump when the detected pressure falls outside of a prescribed pressure range; and stopping operation of said coating agent supply pump.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
94 words
A method of supplying a coating agent to a coating robot, comprising the steps of: detecting a pressure in a supply pipe downstream or upstream of a coating agent supply pump on a coating agent supply line extending from a supply source of a coating agent to a coating robot; releasing the pressure from said supply pipe through branch lines extending from the supply line downstream and upstream of said coating agent supply pump when the detected pressure falls outside of a prescribed pressure range; and stopping operation of said coating agent supply pump.