초록 ▼

The provision of premixed aqueous compositions are used to provide a paint composition of varying finish characteristics at the point of sale. Paint components are combined in differing amounts to produce paint compositions being suitable for either interior or exterior use and having differing shee

The provision of premixed aqueous compositions are used to provide a paint composition of varying finish characteristics at the point of sale. Paint components are combined in differing amounts to produce paint compositions being suitable for either interior or exterior use and having differing sheens, quality levels, and color bases. A user interface to input a desired amount of paint composition and controller is provided. The controller tracks the available amount of the components by subtracting the amounts in the supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir. The controller determines whether availability components in the supply reservoirs is sufficient for the amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount components for the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the plurality of supply reservoirs. If the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the plurality of supply reservoirs not to supply the plurality of paint components.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a first paint component supply reservoir; a second paint component supply reservoir; a measuring system which determines a first amount of a first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the fir

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a first paint component supply reservoir; a second paint component supply reservoir; a measuring system which determines a first amount of a first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the first paint component supply reservoir, and a second amount of a second premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the second paint component supply reservoir; a receiving reservoir, wherein the aqueous paint composition is formed in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the first and second premixed aqueous paint components; a user interface for a user to input a desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition; and a controller which tracks available amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components by subtracting the amounts of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir and wherein the controller determines whether availability of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs is sufficient for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the first and second supply reservoirs and if the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the first and second supply reservoirs not to supply the first and second premixed aqueous paint components. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring system and first and second paint component supply reservoirs are located at a point of sale. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second premixed aqueous paint components are selected from a group consisting of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first premixed aqueous paint component consists of one of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second premixed aqueous paint component consists of another of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring system determines the first and second amounts of premixed aqueous paint components in response to an indication of a desired type of paint. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the controller which determines the first and second amounts. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further including a scale which carries the receiving reservoir. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the scale provides a first signal to the controller in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the first amount. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the scale provides a second signal to the controller in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the first amount. 11. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a plurality of paint component supply reservoirs; a measuring system which determines an amount of premixed aqueous paint component supplied from each paint component supply reservoir; a receiving reservoir, wherein the aqueous paint composition is formed in response to the receiving reservoir receiving at least two different paint components from the plurality of paint component supply reservoirs; a user interface for a user to input a desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition; and a controller which tracks available amount of the plurality of paint components by subtracting the amounts of the plurality of paint components in the plurality of supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir and wherein the controller determines whether availability of the plurality of paint components in the plurality of supply reservoirs is sufficient for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount of the plurality of paint components for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the plurality of supply reservoirs and if the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the plurality of supply reservoirs not to supply the plurality of paint components. 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the premixed aqueous paint components are selected from a group consisting of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the measuring system determines the amount of premixed aqueous paint component supplied from each paint component supply reservoir in response to an indication of a desired type of paint. 14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the measuring system determines a weight of the first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the first paint component supply reservoir. 15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the controller determines the amounts of premixed aqueous paint components supplied from each paint component supply reservoir, and a scale which carries the receiving reservoir, wherein the scale provides a signal to the controller in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the amounts of premixed aqueous paint components. 16. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a first paint component supply reservoir; a second paint component supply reservoir; a measuring system which determines a first amount of a first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the first paint component supply reservoir, and a second amount of a second premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the second paint component supply reservoir; a receiving reservoir, wherein the first and second premixed aqueous paint components are selected from a group consisting of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder; and a user interface for a user to input a desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition; and a controller which tracks available amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components by subtracting the amounts of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir and wherein the controller determines whether availability of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs is sufficient for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the first and second supply reservoirs and if the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the first and second supply reservoirs not to supply the first and second premixed aqueous paint components. 17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first premixed aqueous paint component consists of one of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the second premixed aqueous paint component consists of another of a pigment composition, dispersant thickening agent, high resin content binder, and low resin content binder. 19. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the paint composition is formed in response to adding the second premixed aqueous paint component to the first premixed aqueous paint component. 20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the controller determines the first and second amounts, and a scale which carries the receiving reservoir, wherein the scale provides a first signal to the controller in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the first amount, and a second signal to the controller in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the second amount. 21. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a first aqueous paint component supply reservoir; a second aqueous paint component supply reservoir; a portable, point of sale, paint bucket associated with the first and second aqueous paint component supply reservoirs; a measuring system which determines a first amount of a first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the first aqueous paint component supply reservoir to the bucket, and a second amount of a second premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the second aqueous paint component supply reservoir to the paint bucket, wherein the measuring system includes a first measuring device which measures the first amount, and a second measuring device which measures the second amount; a user interface for a user to input a desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition; and a controller coupled to the first and second supply reservoirs which tracks available amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components by subtracting the amounts of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir and wherein the controller determines whether availability of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs is sufficient for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the first and second supply reservoirs and if the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the first and second supply reservoirs not to supply the first and second premixed aqueous paint components. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the measuring system recalibrates the first measuring device before the first premixed aqueous paint component is supplied. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the measuring system recalibrates the second measuring device before the second premixed aqueous paint component is supplied. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first aqueous paint component supply reservoir is capable of holding 50 gallons or more of the first premixed aqueous paint component. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second aqueous paint component supply reservoir is capable of holding 50 gallons or more of the second premixed aqueous paint component. 26. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first aqueous paint component supply reservoir is capable of holding 275 gallons or more of the first premixed aqueous paint component, and the second aqueous paint component supply reservoir is capable of holding 275 gallons or more of the second premixed aqueous paint component. 27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first supply reservoir has a volume greater than the volume of the paint bucket. 28. The apparatus of claim 21, further including a scale which carries the paint bucket, wherein the scale is operatively coupled to the controller. 29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the scale provides first and second signals to the controller in response to the paint bucket receiving the first and second amounts, respectively. 30. An apparatus for producing an aqueous paint composition, comprising: a first paint component supply reservoir; a second paint component supply reservoir; a measuring system which determines a first amount of a first premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the first paint component supply reservoir, and a second amount of a second premixed aqueous paint component supplied from the second paint component supply reservoir; a scale; a receiving reservoir carried by the scale, wherein the aqueous paint composition is formed in response to the receiving reservoir receiving the first and second premixed aqueous paint components; a user interface for a user to input a desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition; and a controller which tracks available amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components by subtracting the amounts of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs as they are supplied to the receiving reservoir and wherein the controller determines whether availability of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components in the first and second supply reservoirs is sufficient for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition by subtracting the amount of the first and second premixed aqueous paint components for the desired amount of the desired aqueous paint composition to be produced from the amount in the first and second supply reservoirs and if the amount is less than zero after the subtraction, then the availability is insufficient and the controller provides a signal to the first and second supply reservoirs not to supply the first and second premixed aqueous paint components. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the controller determines the first and second amounts. 32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the scale provides a signal to the controller, and the signal corresponds to a weight of the first and second amounts.