FIELD OF INVENTION:-
The present invention relates to a device for a CED (Cathodic Electro deposition process) coating. More particularly the present invention relates to snorkel for a CED coating during the painting operation of vehicle body shell and its effective maintenance.
Background of the invention
In today's auto industry quality plays the critical role in defining life and performance of a product. Paint quality is very important to achieve good aesthetics for the finished vehicle. Further, it provides protection for a body shell from rust issues. The most common process followed for protection of the body shell of the vehicle is a cathodic electro deposition process (herein after 'CED'). To achieve thorough cleaning of the body shell, the body shell is passed through a tank consisting of a CED liquid, where the CED liquid is charged with a negative energy and body shell is charged with a positive energy. As the body shell is passed through the tank, uniform CED coating is observed on all the body components which are subjected to physical contact with the CED liquid.
One of the prime requirements for the CED coating process is to avoid air pockets (herein after 'pockets') inside the body shell when the body shell is passed through the CED liquid tank. Various openings are provided on the body shell for removal of the air pockets to facilitate a uniform coating, which are further utilized for various part fitment. The air inside the body shell of the vehicle is blown out by the CED liquid as the body shell enters inside the CED liquid tank. The body shells of some vehicles are designed with a closed and heighted dome shape roof from which it is difficult to blow out the air. The air trapped inside the body shell forms a pocket below the roof top resulting in the following problems -

- The air pockets prevent physical contact between an inner surface of the rooftop and the GED liquid.
- The inner surface of the roof top is left with either a poor or no CED coating.
- The pocket generates a bouncy effect which tends to push the body shell upwards when submerged inside the CED liquid tank that results in dislocation of body shell and major breakdown for the CED system.
- Heavy loss of time, production resources and physical loss of body shell dislocated are major pitfall encountered in the prior art.
Accordingly, there is need to provide a means that will facilitate effective removal of air from the dome shaped roof top / profile when the body shell / article is dipped in/subjected to the CED or any other chemical coating process.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:-
Main object of the present invention is to provide a modular snorkel during the CED coating of the vehicle body shell.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a modular snorkel thateffectively removes air from a dome shaped roof top/profile when the body shell/ article is dipped in /subjected to a CED or any other chemical coating process.
Yet another object of the present invention is to eliminate air pocket trapped below the roof and ensure a complete CED coating on inner surface of the dome shaped roof top.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a modular snorkel that eliminate the bouncy effect by a complete removal of an air pocket on the inner surface of the roof.
Further object of the invention is to provide a modular snorkel that eliminatestoppages / Breakdown of the line due to Bouncy effect.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a modular snorkel that eliminate rework of Painted Body shells due to snorkel choke up, eliminate Re priming of half dip body shell and also enhance DFT (dry film thickness) level of inner roof top portion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES:
The present invention and its advantages will be well understood through the following specification when read in conjunction with following figures, wherein,
Figure 1 discloses the perspective view of the modular snorkel in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 2 shows the chocked are of the snorkel at its bend which demands for the modularity of the snorkel.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:-
Referring to Fjg. 1, the present invention illustrates a modular snorkel (10) for an effective CED coating of a vehicle body shell (herein after referred as 'body') in accordance with the present invention. The snorkel (10) comprises of a tube (11) with a flange (12) at its bend end, another pipe (13) with a flange (14) at its bend end; these two pipes connected at the flange area by nut & bolts and communicates with each other forming a hollow passage; a connection member

(15) and a claw (20). The connection member (15) is of a predefined length in accordance with width of a roof top of the vehicle body shell. It is however understood that the tubes (11 and 13) can be of the different shapes such as triangular, rectangular and the like. The tubes (11 & 13) of the preferred embodiment are bent at its flange end. Thus the tube assembly of two tubes (11 and 13) has a proximal end and a distal end. The proximal end (16) of the tube assembly extends out of the CED tank allowing the air trapped on the inner surface of the roof top of the vehicle body shell to escape. The distal end (17) of the tube assembly is fixedly attached with the connection member (15).
The connection member (15) in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a flat plate attached/aligned perpendicularly with the tube (13). However, it can be cylindrical/tubular or of any cross section like triangular, square, pentagonal, hexagonal etc. The perpendicular alignment ensures optimum air escape during body dipping in the CED tank. It also ensures complete removal of CED liquid from snorkel (10) when body moves out of the CED tank. It is however understood that the connection member (15) can be of the different shapes such as triangular, rectangular and the like.
The connection member (15) has a wing nut (21) and a threaded groove (22). The whole assembly is put on the edges of the vehicle body from the rear side of the dome shaped. The connection member houses the edges of the vehicle body and its connectivity is made rigid with the body shell by tightening the wing nut through thethreaded groove. Thus, the complete snorkel assembly gets tightened with the vehicle body shell.
It is however understood that the preferred shape of the tubes (11 & 13) and the connection member (15) can vary as per the variation in the shape/type of the roof of the body to be treated. The tubes (11 and 13) and the connection member (15) are mounted on the roof of the body using the claw (20).

The claw (20) has at least one mounting tooth designed to detachably mount and lock the tube firmly on an opening area of the vehicle body shell. The claw (20) is designed to preferably mount and lock against a piercing pocket edge on the body of the vehicle.The claw (20) provides a self-locking mechanism. It is however understood that mounting mechanism like snap fitting, clamp fitting, screw fitting and the like can be used to mount the snorkel (10) on the vehicle body shell.
In the preferred embodiment, the claw (20) is a flat plate structure with at least two connecting member (15) that mount detachably with the piercing pocket edge present on the vehicle body shell, providing the self-locking mechanism. The snorkel (10) avoids use of any locking hardware / location for full proof mounting. It is locked through an angle in the range of 85 to 90 degrees positioned between the body component and at least one connection member. The snorkel (10) is additionally locked by a pressure generated by inflow of the CED liquid in the vehicle body (hereinafter 'CED liquid pressure'). The locking effect is further enhanced by the CED liquid pressure observed against the snorkel (10) as it passes through the CED tank.
The present invention provides a snorkel for a CED coating of a body shell comprising:
- A modular tubular pipe having bending arc (min- 85 degree to max- 90
. degree) is joined through nut bolt assembly.
- Partial bending from flanged part in both the sides then it projected straight towards end which confirms smooth flow of liquid while passing through CED.
- One end having extended c clamp required to hold the body shell & to maintain its perpendicularity.
- Common intersection of bending tubes is joined through flanged parts, which ensures the CG of the complete structure, which is effective while regular maintenance for easy accessibility.

- MS (mild steel C class) material used for developing modular snorkel.
Uniqueness of the present invention
Present invention is modular in design rather than one piece.Modular piping with flanged nut & bolt assembly concept with specifically bending angle provision of 85 degree which facilitate effective removal of air from the dome shaped roof when the body shell dipped in to the CED. The joinery of the two pipes (11 and 13) at the flange area is optimized in such way that the center of gravity of the snorkel unit lies at the flange are. This optimization helps to bring any mass at the flange area if it is passed through the snorkel unit. Thus, the deposition of the paint particles during the escape of the air happens at the flange area. When the flange area gets chocked due the paint particles leading to reduction in the cross section of the pipe at the flange area, the joinery of the flange makes it easy for the operator to dismantle it easily and clear the air passage.
Also the present invention support the major flaw of maintenance disadvantages, due to its modular concept it now can easily dismantled & complete cross section area can be cleaned very easily.
Also the present invention designed in such a way that the CG (Centre of gravity) is align with cut section of snorkel, which eliminates the excess accumulation of CED liquid in a concentrated area, resulting in to enhancement of life of snorkel.The most difficult phase of finalizing snorkel was to bending angle & CG (Centre of gravity) point.

The technical advantages achieved due to this modular structure of the snorkel are as under
i) Eliminate air pocket trapped below Dome
ii) Complete CED coating on the inner surface of Roof Top ensured.
iii) Eliminate Bouncy effect by removal of complete air resulting into
Breakdown & minor stoppages. iv) Elimination of Body Rework activity. v) Elimination of scrap of snorkels (as chocking concern
eliminated). vi) Snorkel Maintenance activity improved, as easy accessibility. vii) Cleaning time of one snorkel reduced from 14 min to 8 min i.e. 42%
improved. viii) Simple in design & effective in cleaning for reuse .

WE CLAIM:
1. Modular snorkel for effective CED coating of body shell comprising of a
tube (11) with a flange (12) at its bend end, another pipe (13) with a flange
(14) at its bend end; these two pipes connected at the flange area by nut & bolts and communicates with each other forming a hollow passage; a connection member (15) and a claw (20); the said connection member
(15) is of a predefined length in accordance with width of a roof top of the vehicle body shell.

2. Modular snorkel for effective CED coating of body shell as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection member (15) has a wing nut (21) and a threaded groove (22); the said connection member houses the edges of the vehicle body and its connectivity is made rigid with the body shell by tightening the wing nut through the threaded groove; thus, the complete snorkel assembly gets tightened with the vehicle body shell.
3. Modular snorkel for effective CED coating of body shell as claimed in claim 2, wherein the connection member (15) in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is a flat plate attached/aligned perpendicularly with the tube (13) ensuring the optimum air escape during body dipping in the CED tank and also the complete removal of CED liquid from snorkel (10) when body moves out of the CED tank.
4. Modular snorkel for effective CED coating of body shell as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tubes (11 and 13) can be of the different shapes such as triangular, rectangular, squate, pentagonal, hexagoanal and the like and the said (11 & 13) are bent at its flange end.
5. Modular snorkel for effective CED coating of body shell as claimed in claim 3 and 4 wherein the claw (20) has at least one mounting tooth

designed to detachably mount and lock the tube firmly on an opening area of the vehicle body shell.