High-viscosity sealing material application system

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for applying high-viscosity sealing material using an automated system. [Solution] In a method and apparatus for applying a sealing material (102), a nozzle system (120) is positioned relative to a structure (104) using a robotic device (128). The sealing material is applied to the structure in a predetermined number of flows (131) using the nozzle system and the robotic device to form a sealing material deposit (138) having a desired shape (140), and the sealing material has a viscosity (112) greater than a predetermined threshold (114).

Claims

1. A robot mounting element configured for attachment to robotic equipment, A supply source that holds a sealing material having a viscosity greater than a predetermined threshold of 100,000 centipoise and is attached to the robot equipment via the robot mounting element, A supply source mounting element configured for attachment to the aforementioned supply source, An apparatus comprising a nozzle system configured to apply the sealing material to a structure in a predetermined number of flows to form a deposit of sealing material having a desired shape, and configured separately from the supply source via a supply source mounting element, The nozzle system includes a temperature control element positioned within the nozzle system, which is capable of both heating and cooling the sealing material to change its viscosity as the sealing material passes through or is discharged from the nozzle system. The temperature control element changes the viscosity of the sealing material, thereby increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the sealing material being discharged. The desired shape is determined based on characteristics related to the target portion, including at least one of the following exposed on a predetermined number of surfaces of the structure: joints, fastening elements, ends of fastening elements, interfaces between one or more parts, grooves, seams, and ends or corners. The nozzle system uses a predetermined coating pattern to perform single-flow mode and multiple-flow mode On the other hand, the sealing material is configured to be applied to the structure, The sealing material can be applied as one or more thin filaments using an airflow induction coating method. The apparatus wherein the predetermined coating pattern is a spiral pattern.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle system is configured to be held at least 0.5 inches away from the structure while applying the sealing material to the structure.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the nozzle system is configured to be held at least 1.0 inch away from the structure while applying the sealing material to the structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the robotic device is configured to move the nozzle system relative to the structure, so that the sealing material is applied with a desired level of uniformity and precision.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the nozzle system is configured to apply the sealing material to a predetermined number of target portions of the structure in a predetermined number of flows, and when the deposit of the sealing material hardens, it forms a sealing portion having a desired shape on the predetermined number of target portions.

6. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the robot mounting element, the supply source mounting element, and the nozzle system constitute a sealing material application system, and the sealing material application system is an end effector for the robot equipment.

7. Using robotic equipment to position the nozzle system relative to the structure, A method for applying a sealing material, comprising using the nozzle system and the robotic equipment to apply the sealing material to the structure in a predetermined number of flows to form a deposit of sealing material having a desired shape, In this case, the sealing material has a viscosity greater than a predetermined threshold of 100,000 centipoise. When applying the sealing material onto the structure, the sealing material in a supply source attached to the nozzle system is introduced into the nozzle system, and the sealing material in the nozzle system is heated and / or cooled in order to change the viscosity of the sealing material. The nozzle system is configured separately from the supply source via a supply source mounting element positioned between the nozzle system and the supply source. The heating and / or cooling of the sealing material is performed using a temperature control element positioned in the nozzle system, which is capable of both heating and cooling the sealing material as it passes through or is discharged from the nozzle system. The temperature control element changes the viscosity of the sealing material, thereby increasing or decreasing the flow rate of the sealing material being discharged. The desired shape is determined based on characteristics related to the target portion, including at least one of the following exposed on a predetermined number of surfaces of the structure: joints, fastening elements, ends of fastening elements, interfaces between one or more parts, grooves, seams, and ends or corners. Applying the sealing material to the structure includes applying the sealing material to the structure using the nozzle system in a predetermined application pattern, either in a single flow mode or a multi-flow mode. The sealing material can be applied as one or more thin filaments using an airflow induction coating method. A method wherein the predetermined coating pattern is a spiral pattern.

8. Using the nozzle system and the robotic equipment, the sealing material is applied to the structure. The method according to claim 7, comprising moving the nozzle system along the structure and simultaneously using the robotic equipment to discharge the sealing material from the nozzle system so that the sealing material is applied with a desired level of uniformity and precision.

9. Using the aforementioned robotic device, the nozzle system is positioned relative to the structure. Using the robotic device, position the nozzle system relative to the structure so that the nozzle system is held at least 0.5 inches away from the structure. The nozzle system is moved along the structure, and at the same time, the sealing material is discharged from the nozzle system using the robotic equipment. The method according to claim 7 or 8, comprising maintaining a predetermined distance of at least 0.5 inches between the structure and the end of the nozzle system, and simultaneously moving the nozzle system along the structure using the robotic equipment.

10. Applying the sealing material to the aforementioned structure is The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising controlling a plurality of parameters for the nozzle system during the application of the sealing material onto the structure.

11. During the application of the sealing material onto the structure, the plurality of parameters for the nozzle system are controlled. The method according to claim 10, comprising controlling at least one of the translational speed of the nozzle system or the rotational speed of the nozzle system.

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