EP2842637A1 - Coating machine and method with fluid barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

- Machine and method of fluidic barrier coating. - The invention relates to a coating machine (1) for coating an article (2) with a coating, the machine (1) comprising: - a coating chamber (3) formed by an outer casing (11) through which is provided at least one access opening (4), projection means (5) designed to project the coating onto said article (2) inside said coating chamber (3), characterized in that it comprises: - Emission means (6) of an air flow (F f) arranged to form a fluid barrier (7) covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening (4), - an air supply circuit (15) of the emission means (6), the outer casing (11) comprising hollow portions (15) contributing to form said supply circuit (15), so that the air for forming the air flow (F f) flows within said hollow portions (15). - Industrial coating for tanning articles.

Description

The present invention relates to the general technical field of machines and processes for coating tannery articles and textile articles, in particular by spraying a liquid substance intended to form a coating that makes it possible, for example, to protect and / or color said articles.

• une chambre d'enduction formée par une enveloppe extérieure au travers de laquelle est ménagée au moins une ouverture d'accès mettant en communication l'extérieur de la chambre d'enduction avec l'intérieur de ladite chambre d'enduction de façon à permettre à l'article de pouvoir être introduit dans, et / ou retiré de, ladite chambre d'enduction à travers ladite au moins une ouverture d'accès,
• des moyens de projection conçus pour projeter le revêtement sur ledit article afin d'enduire celui-ci à l'intérieur de ladite chambre d'enduction.

The present invention more particularly relates to a coating machine designed to coat with a coating an article formed mainly by a tannery element or a textile element, the machine comprising:

• a coating chamber formed by an outer casing through which is provided at least one access opening communicating the outside of the coating chamber with the interior of said coating chamber so as to allow the article can be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber through said at least one access opening,
• projection means adapted to project the coating onto said article to coat it within said coating chamber.

The invention also relates to a coating method for coating an article formed mainly by a tannery element or a textile element with a coating, said article being coated inside a coating chamber formed by an outer envelope through which is provided at least one access opening communicating the outside of the coating chamber with the interior of said coating chamber, so as to allow the article to be introduced into, and / or removed from said coating chamber through said at least one access opening.

An industrial coating machine is known for coating tannery articles by spraying a color coating thereon with a mobile sprayer, and having a coating chamber provided with a front wall in which is provided an inlet opening, and an opposite wall substantially parallel to the front wall, in which is provided an outlet opening. Through the inlet and outlet openings circulates a rectilinear conveying surface, for example in the form of a treadmill, and on which tannery articles are arranged. The conveying surface is designed to drive the articles to be coated inside the coating chamber through the inlet opening so that they are coated in said coating chamber, and is designed to drive the coated articles outside said coating chamber through the exit aperture.

Continuous spraying of the coating on the tanning articles causes pollution of the air inside the coating chamber, in particular by suspended coating particles or volatile solvents initially contained in the coating, so that that the indoor air is harmful and polluting and that it is desirable that it is not in contact with the external environment of the machine. However, the inlet and outlet openings of the coating chamber must be sufficiently wide to allow the entry and exit of the conveying surface and the tanning articles in and out of the chamber. coating, which inadvertently allows the polluted air to escape from the coating chamber to the outside, so for example to affect the quality of the air of the workshop in which the machine is installed.

In order to limit the passage of polluted air through the inlet and outlet openings, it could be envisaged to occlude said openings by means of removable flaps when an article is being coated at the same time. inside the room. Such a solution, however, has the major disadvantage of limiting the rate of coating of the machine, the need for closing and opening flaps being likely to affect the speed of movement of the articles and the conveyor. This solution also proves inefficient due to the simple need to open the shutters, which lets out polluted air.

The known coating machine is therefore provided with openings of rectangular shapes both wide enough to allow the passage of the conveying surface and articles to be coated (the latter being generally flat), and nevertheless narrow to limit the passage of polluted air outside. This machine coating is also provided with a polluted air extraction device disposed on a side wall of the coating chamber, and designed to suck the polluted air through the side wall to reject it by a chimney located for example in height, or leading to the outside of the workshop. The suction of the polluted air induces a non-polluted outside air intake into the coating chamber through the inlet and outlet openings, this intake creating a current substantially opposing any reflux of polluted air. outwards.

Such an operation, while it generally makes it possible to minimize the pollution of the immediate periphery of the machine, has the disadvantage of depriving the interior space of the workshop of a large quantity of air, the quality of which is generally adapted to the environment. personnel, for the users of the machine, and even for the operation of tools and machines. This air with particular qualities is wasted, the coating machine absorbing it through its inlet and outlet openings to mix it with polluted air from inside the coating chamber, then finally reject it to outside the building. In addition, the operation of such a machine may have the adverse effect, for example, to cool the workshop in winter evacuating to the outside of the air that has been heated for the convenience of users. Similarly, in summer, air conditioning around the machine is wasted as it passes through the machine and spreads outward. This may lead to more extensive use of heating or cooling equipment in the workshop and, of course, lead to adverse environmental and economic consequences.

In addition, according to this operating diagram, the polluted air of the machine is released into the atmosphere directly outside the workshop, particularly harmful to the environment and to the health of people in the vicinity. .

It is also necessary that the flow of air admitted through the inlet and outlet openings is large enough to prevent any leakage of polluted air into the workshop, which on the one hand considerably limits the size of the inlet and outlet openings and secondly requires relatively large air extraction means, mainly increasing the energy consumption of the machine, the noise emitted by said air extraction means, and the general maintenance cost of the installation.

The objects assigned to the invention are therefore intended to remedy the various disadvantages mentioned above and to propose a new machine and a new coating process to significantly limit polluting leakage outside the machine while not consuming the air located in the immediate environment of said machine.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new coating process to limit polluting leakage outside the machine with high efficiency.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new coating process for coating articles to be coated at a high rate and / or during continuous production.

Another object of the invention is to propose respectively a new coating machine and a new coating process whose design is simple and whose implementation is easy.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new coating process, the placement of which occupies a small space.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new low cost coating process.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new coating process requiring little maintenance and whose energy consumption is low.

Another object of the invention is to propose a new coating machine and a new coating process to reduce the impact of the coating on the environment.

• une chambre d'enduction formée par une enveloppe extérieure au travers de laquelle est ménagée au moins une ouverture d'accès mettant en communication l'extérieur de la chambre d'enduction avec l'intérieur de ladite chambre d'enduction de façon à permettre à l'article de pouvoir être introduit dans, et / ou retiré de, ladite chambre d'enduction à travers ladite au moins une ouverture d'accès,
• des moyens de projection conçus pour projeter le revêtement sur ledit article afin d'enduire celui-ci à l'intérieur de ladite chambre d'enduction,

caractérisée en ce qu'elle comprend :

• des moyens d'émission d'un flux d'air disposés de manière à former une barrière fluidique couvrant au moins la majorité de ladite au moins une ouverture d'accès pour séparer l'intérieur et l'extérieur de ladite chambre d'enduction au niveau de ladite au moins une ouverture d'accès,
• un circuit d'alimentation en air des moyens d'émission, l'enveloppe extérieure comprenant des portions creuses contribuant à former ledit circuit d'alimentation, de sorte que l'air destiné à former le flux d'air circule au sein desdites portions creuses.

The objects assigned to the invention are achieved by means of a coating machine designed to coat with a coating an article formed mainly by a tannery element or a textile element, the machine comprising:

• a coating chamber formed by an outer casing through which is provided at least one access opening communicating the outside of the coating chamber with the interior of said coating chamber so as to allow the article can be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber through said at least one access opening,
• projection means adapted to project the coating onto said article in order to coat it inside said coating chamber;

characterized in that it comprises:

• means for emitting an air flow arranged so as to form a fluid barrier covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening to separate the inside and the outside of said coating chamber; level of said at least one access opening,
• an air supply circuit of the emission means, the outer envelope comprising hollow portions contributing to form said supply circuit, so that the air intended to form the flow of air circulates within said hollow portions .

• La figure 1 représente, selon une vue schématique de face, une machine d'enduction conforme à l'invention.
• La figure 2 représente une vue schématique en coupe de la figure 1 selon un plan A-A'.
• La figure 3 illustre selon une vue schématique en coupe de la figure 1 selon le plan A-A' un détail de réalisation de la figure 2.

The objects assigned to the invention are also achieved by means of a coating process for coating an article formed mainly by a tannery element or by a textile element with a coating, said article being coated inside a coating chamber formed by an outer casing through which is provided at least one access opening communicating the outside of the coating chamber with the interior of said coating chamber, so as to allowing the article to be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber through said at least one access opening, characterized by separating the interior from the outside of the chamber coating at said at least one access opening by the emission of an air flow forming a fluid barrier covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening, the air flow being powered by the inte a feed circuit, the outer casing comprising hollow portions contributing to form said feed circuit, so that the air for supplying the air flow circulates within said hollow portions. Other features and advantages of the invention will appear and will appear in more detail on reading the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings, given solely by way of illustrative and non-limiting example, in which:

• The figure 1 represents, in a schematic front view, a coating machine according to the invention.
• The figure 2 represents a schematic sectional view of the figure 1 according to a plan A-A '.
• The figure 3 illustrates in a schematic sectional view of the figure 1 according to plan AA 'a detail of realization of the figure 2 .

The coating machine 1 according to the invention and illustrated in the figures is designed to partially or completely cover an article 2 to be coated with a coating, and is designed to be integrated preferably in an industrial production line. , or at least a mechanized process of transformation of Article 2.

The machine 1 according to the invention is specifically designed to cover an article 2 to be coated which is predominantly, and preferably integrally, formed by a tannery element, such as a leather or a skin, or alternatively by a textile element, such as that a fabric, or a fabric, produces an assembly of fibers or threads, woven or not. As non-limiting examples, article 2 can be in the form of a garment, an article of leather goods, booty, furnishing, an object constituted at least on the surface of an element tannery or a textile element such as an automobile seat. Article 2 may also be in the form of a simple skin, a simple leather, or a simple raw fabric, not integrated in a manufactured product, as illustrated in figure 3 .

Thus article 2 to be coated is preferably flat in the image of a skin, comparable to a two-dimensional article 2, or on the contrary volumic in the image of an article of leather goods or furniture, comparable to a three-dimensional article. Preferably, the machine 1 is specifically designed to coat substantially flat tannery articles.

The machine 1 according to the invention shown in the figures comprises a coating chamber 3, and can thus be presented as a coating booth, inside which the article 2 is intended to be coated. Preferably, the coating chamber 3 comprises at least one ceiling 22 and vertical walls 23 forming an outer envelope 11 of the coating chamber 3 of parallelepipedal general shape, optionally provided with observation windows 24 formed in said vertical walls 23, through which a user can control the smooth running of the coating of said article 2.

The coating chamber 3 of the invention is formed by the outer casing 11 through which is provided at least one access opening 4 placing the outside of the coating chamber 3 in communication with the inside of the casing. said coating chamber 3 so as to allow the article 2 to be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber 3 through said at least one access opening 4.

Thus, the outer envelope 11 forms, or contributes predominantly to form, the outline of the interior of the coating chamber 3.

According to the invention, the machine 1 comprises projection means 5 designed to project the coating onto the article 2 in order to coat it inside the coating chamber 3. The coating coating is thus designed and formulated to be projected on the article 2 by projection means 5 of the machine 1, for example in the form of a mobile sprayer.

The coating is therefore designed to be sprayed or sprayed, in this case in liquid, pasty or powder form, in the direction of said and on said article 2, in order to coat the latter, that is to say to coat last of a thin layer, such as a film, which is preferably substantially uniform, continuous and homogeneous. The coating is deposited and fixed on the article 2 to its impact against it, its final fixing may require such a drying or polymerization, for example in a drying tunnel. Article 2 can also be coated temporarily without departing from the scope of the invention.

The coating may be adapted to color the article 2 at the surface or depth, and may be for example in the form of a paint or varnish liquid or powder, or a dye. The coating may also, cumulatively or not with its coloring properties, be adapted to protect the article 2 from external aggression by covering it, and may be for example in the form of a varnish, a waterproofing paint or a protective surface treatment of article 2, and be visible or not when deposited on said article 2. Of course, the invention is not limited to only these types of coatings given as examples illustrative and not exhaustive.

The outer casing 11 substantially prevents any deposit of coating on the outside of the machine 1, so as not to soil or soil the direct environment of the machine 1 with accidental projections of coating, or coating particles in suspension. Since the coating of the coating is also capable of generating fumes (for example of solvent, or fine particles in suspension) which may be harmful, harmful and / or polluting, the outer casing 11 makes it possible to isolate the interior of the chamber 3 to limit and confine the coating projection. For the purposes of the invention, " polluted air" 21 designates the air located inside the coating chamber 3 is therefore "stale" or "polluted" in particular by these emanations, as opposed to air surrounding 19, whose composition is totally or partially free of said fumes, and is thus cleaner, less polluted or unpolluted. Within the meaning of the invention, the " surrounding air" 19 designates an air zone located outside the machine 1, in the immediate periphery thereof. By " outside air" 18 is meant an air zone situated further away from the machine 1 than the surrounding air 19, for example in another room of the building, outside the building, or sufficiently outside the building. distance not to be in direct contact with the machine 1.

The coating chamber 3 furthermore makes it possible to protect the coating of the article 2 from the external environment of the machine 1, and makes it possible, for example, to prevent the deposition and fixation of foreign bodies (such as dust). on article 2 before, during or after coating, especially when the coating is not dry.

According to the invention, the coating chamber 3 is provided with at least one access opening 4 through which the article 2 can be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber 3. Preferably said at least one access opening 4 is sufficiently wide to allow the passage of the article 2 from the outside to the inside and / or vice versa. Nevertheless, said at least one access opening 4 is preferably as narrow as possible so that the coating remains isolated inside the coating chamber 3. As shown in FIG. figure 1 said at least one access opening 4 preferably forms a rectangle whose height is less than the width, to allow the passage of a flat article 2 such as a skin, a leather or a fabric. The machine 1 may comprise a single access opening 4 allowing the introduction or extraction (or both) of the article 2 of the coating chamber 3. The machine 1 shown in FIGS. Figures 2 and 3 comprises, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, two access openings 4, one said inlet opening 4A through which the article 2 can be introduced into the coating chamber 3, the other said exit opening 4B through which the article 2 can be removed from the coating chamber 3.

The inlet opening 4A and the outlet opening 4B are preferably formed in the vertical walls 23 of the coating chamber 3, preferably respectively in a vertical and opposite inlet wall 20A and outlet wall 20B. the outer casing 11, and are of generally rectangular shape. Such an arrangement advantageously makes it possible to integrate the machine 1 with a production line, in association for example with a cutting machine located upstream near the inlet opening 4A and with a drying tunnel disposed downstream of the machine 1 near the exit opening 4B.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the machine 1 comprises means 6 for transmitting a fluid flow F _f , and in particular for an air flow F _f , said emission means 6 being disposed of so as to form a fluidic barrier 7 covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening 4 to separate the inside and the outside of said coating chamber 3 at said at least one access opening 4 .

The air flow F _f is in the form of a stream of air, or a continuous air movement, the movement of the air particles to divert or entrain the polluted air 21 and the surrounding air 19, for example away from said at least one access opening 4, so that said air flow F _f blocks the passage of the polluted air 21 and the surrounding air 19 The fluidic barrier 7 thus formed by the air flow F _f makes it possible to move the polluted air 21 away from the surrounding air 19 so that the latter do not come into contact with each other or with little contact with each other. , so that they do not mix substantially. The air flow F _f can be laminar or turbulent, pulsed or constant emitted, rectilinearly or multidirectionally, but is preferably formed by a monodirectional flow with abundant and regular flow, forming an effective physical barrier to isolate inside the coating chamber 3 from outside said coating chamber 3.

Preferably, the air flow F _f is emitted so as to form an air curtain, the air being an inexpensive fluid, non-flammable, and easy to implement.

The fluidic barrier 7 is advantageously an uncompressed or slightly compressed air flow F _f being set in motion at a speed sufficient to form said fluidic barrier 7, that is to say the air curtain.

The air used to form the air flow F _f is advantageously air coming from the outside of the machine 1, the machine preferably not implementing any treatment on the latter, except that it is set in motion by suction and / or blowing. The air used to form the air flow F _f is thus preferably initially relatively clean, and in any case non-polluted in the sense of the invention, when it supplies the air curtain.

The air flow F _f is preferably all air, such as outside air, or ambient air. The flow of air F _f may optionally not be pure, and instead be charged for example with a substance allowing, for example, to promote the capture by said air flow F _f of coating particles originating from the polluted air. 21, the essential is that the air flow F _f preferably remains predominantly formed by air, especially to form a gaseous flow.

According to another aspect of the invention which may possibly be the subject of a separate protection, it is possible to envisage a flux F _f formed by a fluid of a different nature, especially for particular uses, such as for example a neutral gas (for example example where the air would be adversely affected by the coating or article 2) or a liquid such as water or oil (which may have absorbent properties to to obtain an increased fluidic barrier effect).

Thus, all or part of the open surfaces formed by the at least one access opening 4 (preferably the inlet opening 4A and the outlet opening 4B) are occluded by an air curtain forming the fluidic barrier. 7, which, while being advantageously penetrable by article 2, makes it possible to retain, on the one hand, the majority or all of the polluted air 21 inside the coating chamber 3, and on the other hand part of the majority, if not all, of the foreign bodies outside said coating chamber 3. The coating chamber 3 is thus made substantially impervious to any entry and exit of particles, fluids or gases through its main openings formed by said at least one access opening 4, while allowing entry and exit of the article 2 through them.

Preferably, said at least one access opening 4 is delimited by an edge 25, the air flow F _f being emitted from a first portion of the edge 25, said transmission portion 12, in the direction of a second portion of the edge 25 said receiving portion 13, the transmission portion 12 being located opposite the receiving portion 13, so that said air flow F _f adopts a one-way trajectory and covers substantially the whole of the access opening 4. In the preferred case where said at least one access opening 4 is rectangular as illustrated in the figures, the transmission portion 12 is one of the long sides of the rectangle ( preferably the upper part of the edge 25), the receiving portion 13 being the second long side (preferably the lower part of the edge 25), the air flow F _f covering all of said at least one access opening 4 to to form a circulating air space (preferably from ut below), connecting the first to the second long side, in the open surface of said at least one access opening 4. The emission portion 12 thus advantageously forms the transmission means (6).

The emitting means 6 may be formed for example by a series of nozzles supplied with air, optionally under pressure, and arranged along the edge 25 of the at least one access opening 4.

According to the invention, the coating machine 1 comprises an air supply circuit 15, 18, 22, 27 of the emission means 6, the outer envelope 11 comprising hollow portions 15, 22, 27 helping to form said supply circuit, so that the air intended to form the flow of air F _f flows within said hollow portions 15, 22, 27.

The air supply circuit 15 is thus preferably predominantly formed by the outer casing 11, preferably completely formed by the latter, so that the air intended to feed the emission means 6 circulates in the thickness of the outer casing 11, and in particular in the thickness of the walls of the latter.

As illustrated in the figures, the coating chamber 3 of the machine 1 of the invention comprises an outer casing 11 in the thickness of which is provided said at least one access opening 4, and preferably the opening 4A input and 4B output aperture.

Preferably, the emission portion 12 forms a surface S corresponding to the thickness (that is to say, the wafer) of the outer casing 11, the emission means 6 of the air flow F _f being disposed along the surface S and being in the form of a groove, a plurality of orifices, or a grid, through which the air is emitted. As illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 , the surface S is preferably elusive and perpendicular to the outer wall of the outer casing 11 and extends over the entire perimeter of the access opening 4. The groove is placed in the direction of the length of said at least an access opening 4, that is to say perpendicular to the passage of the article 2, and halfway between the outside and the inside of the coating chamber 3, so that the flow of F _f air is emitted parallel to the outer casing 11 (preferably parallel to the vertical wall 23), and strikes the receiving portion 13 so as to separate into two veins, one internal, the other external . Thus, a first part of the air of said air flow F _f is directed towards the interior of said coating chamber 3 and forms the inner vein, and a second part on the outside and forms the outer vein. Alternatively, the receiving portion 13 may be provided with a throat-shaped manifold of similar shape to the emission groove, or one or more receivers for receiving all or part of the air flow F _f emitted, and evacuate, for example, polluted air 21 carried by the latter.

According to the invention, the outer casing 11 comprises a framework 14 comprising hollow structural elements 15 designed to ensure the transport of air and the supply of the emission means 6 of the air flow F _f , particularly in the case where these means are directly formed in the surface S, and is in the form of a groove, a plurality of orifices, or a gate, through which the air is emitted. The hollow structural members 15 are thus preferably in the form of hollow tubes, or hollow beams making it possible both to contribute to forming the framework and / or the walls of the coating chamber 3, and to provide the transporting the air by forming a network of channels for example tubular for conveying said air from the air source to the transmission means 6. As shown in the figures, a portion of the hollow frame members 15 can thus form the frame of the observation window 24, located above said at least one access opening 4 whose surface S forms the bottom of the frame. In the case where the receiving portion 13 is provided with a collector, it can be connected to hollow frame members 15 so that the air recovered, optionally polluted in contact with the polluted air 21 inside the coating chamber 3, is conveyed to a place of evacuation. The outer casing 11 is advantageously formed at least by a ceiling 22 and a first hollow pillar 15 connecting said ceiling 22 to the emission means 6 so as to support said ceiling 22, the first hollow pillar forming all or part of said hollow portions . Such a first hollow pillar thus preferably forms a hollow structural element 15 as defined above.

• le premier pilier creux,
• un deuxième pilier creux formant l'une des portions creuses, et
• la portion d'émission 12, cette dernière reliant le premier pilier creux au deuxième pilier creux de manière à être alimentée en air par ces derniers.

Preferably, the coating chamber 3 comprises a vertical input wall 20A contributing to form the outer casing 11, the access opening 4 being formed in said vertical inlet wall 20A, the latter forming:

• the first hollow pillar,
• a second hollow pillar forming one of the hollow portions, and
• the emission portion 12, the latter connecting the first hollow pillar to the second hollow pillar so as to be supplied with air by the latter.

• fournir une première partie de l'air extérieur 18 aux moyens d'émission 6 pour former le flux d'air F_f formant le rideau d'air, de préférence par l'intermédiaire des éléments d'ossature creux 15,
• introduire une deuxième partie de l'air extérieur 18 dans la chambre d'enduction 3.

Preferably, the coating machine 1 comprises an external air intake device 18 designed jointly, preferably via the supply circuit:

• supplying a first portion of the outside air 18 to the emission means 6 to form the air flow F _f forming the air curtain, preferably via the hollow frame members 15,
• introducing a second part of the outside air 18 into the coating chamber 3.

The intake device 16 may comprise an inlet chimney 26, shown in the figures on the roof 27 of the machine 1, and comprise a device for setting into motion, constituted by a pump, a compressor or a fan allowing to suck the outside air 18 located at the inlet of the inlet chimney 26, in order to supply outside air 18 (possibly pressurized and / or heated) to both the emission means 6 described herein. before, and the coating chamber 3. Preferably, the coating chamber 3 is fed via grids formed in the ceiling 22 of said coating chamber 3, and connected to the inlet duct 26 by ducts forming the roof 27 of the machine 1, whose interior is hollow and sloping (as illustrated in FIG. figure 1 ) so that the entire surface of the grids is fed with substantially equivalent flux and constant. Preferably, the coating chamber 3 comprises at least one roof 27 and a ceiling 22 contributing to form the outer casing 11 and being spaced apart from one another so as to form all or part of the hollow portions of the outer casing 11.

The outside air 18 can thus be advantageously taken away from the machine 1, for example outside the workshop in which said machine 1 is placed (the inlet chimney 26 can be connected to the roof of the workshop). It is therefore important to differentiate the outside air 18 from the surrounding air 19, the latter being located in the immediate environment of said machine 1, and in particular at the height of said at least one access opening 4. In fact, the machine 1 is preferably designed not to use said surrounding air 19 during its operation. However, without departing from the scope of the invention, the machine 1 may, on the contrary, be designed to use the surrounding air 19 as outside air 18.

Preferably, the coating machine 1 also comprises an extraction device 17A and filter 17B designed to filter and evacuate the indoor air, that is to say the polluted air 21, the chamber of coating 3 outwardly of said machine 1, and adapted to operate in conjunction with the external air intake device 18 to create a flow of air within said coating chamber 3.

In such a configuration, the outside air 18 is introduced inside the coating chamber 3 so as to push and / or mix with the polluted air 21, to drive the latter towards the filtration device 17B (placed for example behind a grid of one of the vertical walls 23, as shown in the figures), through which the polluted air 21 is cleaned of a substantial part of its polluting or harmful particles. Any known and adapted filter can be used, such as a paper filter, water curtain, etc. or a combination of filters.

The filtered air 28 is then discharged from the machine 1 at the extraction device 17A, for example in the form of a chimney located on the roof 27 of the machine 1, possibly connected for example to the roof of the machine. the workshop in which the machine 1 is located, to evacuate the filtered air 28 to the outside and to prevent the filtered air 28 from directly invading the surrounding air 19.

Preferably, the coating machine 1 comprises a conveying means 8 designed to transport the article 2 between the outside and the inside of said coating chamber 3 through said at least one access opening 4. The conveying means 8 thus allows automated coating of the article 2, which is preferably transported automatically inside the coating chamber 3 to be coated, then outside thereof once the coating done.

The conveying means 8 can be for example in the form of a movable hook or a movable hanger to which the article 2 is suspended, and designed to convey it inside and outside the coating chamber 3. Preferably, the conveying means 8 is in the form of a movable conveying surface 9 moving through said at least one access opening 4, and designed to drive the article 2 when it is deposited on said conveying surface 9, as shown in the figures. The conveying surface 9, or at least the functional part of said conveying surface 9 thus passes through said at least one access opening 4, at the same time as the article 2 resting on said conveying surface 9, and passes through of the fluidic barrier 7.

Preferably, the air flow F _f is emitted so as to pass through said conveying surface 9, which is porous. Therefore, the separation between the inside of the coating chamber 3 and the outside of the machine 1 can suffer from any clearance or space necessary for the circulation of the conveying surface 9, so and can be optimal, the air flow F _f being sufficiently undisturbed by the obstacle formed by the conveying surface 9 to pass therethrough. As illustrated in accordance with the preferential embodiment of Figures 2 and 3 the air flow F _f may, for example, be continuously emitted from the transmission portion 12 to the reception portion 13, while the conveying surface 9 passes between said transmission 12 and reception 13, the space between said conveying surface 9 and the receiving portion 13 being then covered by the fluidic barrier 7 despite the intermediate presence of said conveying surface 9.

Preferably, and as shown in the figures, the air flow F _f is emitted from top to bottom and substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface 9. In this way, the airflow F _f does not apply. tangential force or levitation able to move or lift the article 2 relative to the conveying surface 9, especially when the article 2 is light and flat, such as a leather or skin.

Preferably, the conveying surface 9 is in the form of a conveyor belt formed of a plurality of conveying threads substantially parallel to one another, said conveying threads being belted between at least two drive rollers. 10 so as to be stretched to form the conveying surface 9. The conveying son thus move in their longitudinal direction (defining a direction of movement D) synchronously with respect to each other, and cross said at least one access opening 4 secant manner, preferably substantially perpendicular. The conveying son, made for example of plastic material, are spaced apart so as to form a virtual surface of which they occupy physically only a sufficiently small proportion to freely pass substantially all of the air flow F _f . However, the conveying son are sufficiently close to each other to support and ensure the transport of the article 2, and are spaced apart from each other for example by a distance of between 2 centimeters (cm) and 40 cm, preferably 15 cm.

In the preferred case where the machine 1 is provided with an inlet opening 4A and an outlet opening 4B, each of them is preferably provided with emission means 6 designed to generate a fluid barrier 7 for each of her. In this preferred case, each of them is crossed by the conveying surface 9, which can thus flow rectilinearly without interruption in the direction of travel D, which goes from the inlet opening 4A to the opening of output 4B, said conveying surface 9 connecting said inlet opening 4A to said outlet opening 4B.

The invention also relates to a coating process for coating an article 2 formed mainly by a tannery element or a textile element with a coating, said article 2 being coated inside a coating chamber 3 provided with at least one access opening 4. The coating chamber 3 is formed by an outer casing 11 through which is provided said at least one access opening 4, the latter placing in communication the outside of the chamber coating 3 with the interior of said coating chamber 3, so as to allow the article (2) to be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber 3. In the course of this process, the interior of the outside of the coating chamber 3 is separated at the level of said at least one access opening 4 by the emission of an air flow F _f forming a fluidic barrier 7 covering at minus the majority of said at least one access opening 4 .

The coating process of the invention is preferably carried out using the coating machine 1 described above.

Advantageously, the method allows the article 2 to ensure that it does not slow down or slow down article 2 before, during or after it passes through said at least one access opening 4, which notably allows production to take place. continuous, with for example a continuous and uninterrupted displacement of the conveying means 8. Indeed, said at least one access opening 4 remains open to the passage of the article 2 at any time of production, while remaining closed by the fluidic barrier 7 ensuring the physical separation of the inside and the outside of the coating chamber 3. This ensures that the inside of the coating chamber 3 remains separated from the outside permanently, even in the case where the rate of production is high.

Preferably, the article 2 is passed through the at least one access opening 4 without interrupting the emission of the air flow F _f , in order to guarantee a permanent seal of the coating chamber 3, particularly in the case of a serial production, where several articles 2 must be coated by the machine 1 in the coating chamber 3, and are brought into and out of said coating chamber 3 at high frequency. The fluidic nature of the fluidic barrier 7 thus permanently allows the passage of the article 2 (and preferably conveying means 8) through itself, while permanently blocking the exchanges between the surrounding air 19 and polluted air 21.

Preferably, when the machine 1 is running, the conveying surface 9 circulates continuously and the fluidic barrier 7 is permanently active jointly with the displacement of said conveying surface 9, and / or the coating of the projection 5.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the air flow Ff is supplied via a supply circuit 15, 18, 22, 27 (for example that of the machine 1 described above), outer casing 11 comprising hollow portions 15, 22, 27 contributing to form said supply circuit 15, 18, 22, 27, so that the air intended to supply the flow of air F _f circulates within said hollow portions 15, 22, 27.

The outer casing 11 comprises a frame 14 comprises hollow frame elements 15. Therefore, in the method of the invention, the air is transported and the emission of the air flow Ff is supplied by the intermediate of said hollow frame members 14, the air flow F _f being a flow of air that is emitted so as to form an air curtain. Such an operation can advantageously be obtained using the coating machine 1 described above.

• on dépose l'article 2 sur la surface de convoyage 9,
• ladite surface de convoyage 9 conduit l'article 2 à l'intérieur de la chambre d'enduction 3 en passant au travers de l'ouverture d'entrée 4A,
• l'article 2 est enduit, de préférence sans interruption de son déplacement, à l'intérieur de la chambre d'enduction 3,
• la surface de convoyage 9 conduit l'article 2 à l'extérieur de la chambre d'enduction 3 en passant au travers de l'ouverture de sortie 4B.

The coating of an article 2 can thus take place as follows:

• the article 2 is deposited on the conveying surface 9,
• said conveying surface 9 conveys the article 2 inside the coating chamber 3 by passing through the inlet opening 4A,
• the article 2 is coated, preferably without interruption of its movement, inside the coating chamber 3,
• the conveying surface 9 conveys the article 2 outside the coating chamber 3 by passing through the outlet opening 4B.

Claims (15)

Coating machine (1) designed to coat with a coating an article (2) formed mainly by a tannery element or a textile element, the machine (1) comprising: - a coating chamber (3) formed by an outer casing (11) through which is provided at least one access opening (4) communicating the outside of the coating chamber (3) with the interior of said coating chamber (3) so as to allow the article (2) to be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber (3) through said at least one opening access (4), projection means (5) designed to project the coating onto said article (2) in order to coat the article (2) inside said coating chamber (3), characterized in that it comprises: - Emission means (6) for an air flow (F _f ) arranged so as to form a fluid barrier (7) covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening (4) for separating the inside and the outside of said coating chamber (3) at said at least one access opening (4), - an air supply circuit (15, 18, 22, 27) of the emission means (6), the outer casing (11) comprising hollow portions (15, 22, 27) contributing to form said circuit supply (15, 18, 22, 27), so that the air for forming the air flow (F _f ) flows within said hollow portions (15, 22, 27). Coating machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the coating chamber (3) comprises at least one roof (27) and a ceiling (22) contributing to form the outer casing (11) and being spaced from each other so as to form all or part of the hollow portions. Coating machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer casing (11) is formed by at least one ceiling (22) and a first hollow pillar connecting said ceiling (22) to the transmission means (6) so as to support said ceiling (22), the first hollow pillar forming all or part of said hollow portions of the outer envelope (11). Coating machine (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one access opening (4) is delimited by an edge (25), the air flow (F _f ) being issued from a first portion of the edge (25) said transmission portion (12), in the direction of a second portion of the edge (25) said receiving portion (13), the transmitting portion (12) being located opposite the receiving portion (13) and forming the transmission means (6). Coating machine (1) according to claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the coating chamber (3) has a vertical inlet wall (20A) contributing to form the outer casing (11), the opening access member (4) being formed in said vertical entrance wall (20A), the latter forming: - the first hollow pillar, a second hollow pillar forming one of the hollow portions, and - The emission portion (12), the latter connecting the first hollow pillar to the second hollow pillar so as to be supplied with air by them. Coating machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the emission portion (12) forms a surface (S) corresponding to the thickness of the outer casing (11), the transmission means ( 6) of the air flow (F _f ) being arranged along the surface (S) and being in the form of a groove, a plurality of orifices, or a grid, through which the air is emitted. Coating machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the outer casing (11) comprises a framework (14) comprising hollow structural elements (15) designed to transport the air and the supply of the emission means (6) of the air flow (F _f ). Coating machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said coating machine (1) comprises a device external air intake (16) (18) adapted to jointly, via the supply circuit: supplying a first part of the outside air (18) to the emission means (6) to form the air flow (F _f ), - introduce a second part of the outside air (18) in the coating chamber (3). Coating machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it also comprises an extraction device (17A) and filtration device (17B) designed to filter and evacuate the inside air of the coating chamber ( 3) outwardly of said machine (1), and adapted to operate in conjunction with the external air intake (16) (18) to create airflow within said coating chamber (3). Coating machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises conveying means (8) designed to convey said article (2) between the outside and the inside of said chamber (2). coating (3) through said at least one access opening (4), the conveying means (8) being in the form of a movable conveying surface (9) moving through said at least one opening of access (4), and adapted to drive the article (2) when deposited on said conveying surface (9), the air flow (F _f ) being emitted so as to pass through said conveying surface ( 9), which is porous. Coating machine (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the conveying surface (9) is in the form of a conveyor belt formed of a plurality of conveying threads substantially parallel to one another said conveyor wires being encircled between at least two drive rollers (10) so as to be stretched to form the conveying surface (9). Coating machine (1) according to one of Claims 10 or 11, characterized in that the air flow (F _f ) is emitted from top to bottom and substantially perpendicular to the conveying surface (9) . Coating machine (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two access openings (4), one said inlet opening (4A) through which the article (4A) 2) can be introduced into the coating chamber (3), the other said outlet opening (4B) through which the article (2) can be removed from the coating chamber (3). A coating method for coating an article (2) formed predominantly of a tannery element or a textile element with a coating, said article (2) being coated inside a coating chamber (3) formed by an outer casing (11) through which is provided at least one access opening (4) communicating the outside of the coating chamber (3) with the interior of said coating chamber (3) , so as to allow the article (2) to be introduced into, and / or removed from, said coating chamber (3) through said at least one access opening (4), characterized in that one separates the interior from outside the coating chamber (3) at said at least one access opening (4) by emitting an air stream (F _f) forming a fluidic barrier (7) covering at least the majority of said at least one access opening (4), the air flow (F _f ) being supplied by the intermediate diary of a supply circuit (15, 18, 22, 27), the outer casing (11) comprising hollow portions (15, 22, 27) contributing to forming said supply circuit (15, 18, 22). , 27), so that the air for supplying the air flow (F _f ) flows within said hollow portions (15, 22, 27). Coating process according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the article (2) is passed through the at least one access opening (4) without interrupting the emission of the air flow (F _f ).

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