Auxiliary Local Fluid Deposition Element for Aircraft Paint

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for applying protective substances like paint to aircraft parts, such as using brushes or atomizers, face challenges in efficiency and safety, particularly for local deposition on small areas, as they require excessive time, lead to material dispersion beyond the target area, and pose health risks due to inhalation of toxic particles.

Innovation Solution

An auxiliary element that adapts to atomizers, featuring a hollow main body with a conduit and cavity system to contain and direct pulverized material for precise local deposition, eliminating atmospheric dispersion and the need for ventilated areas or masks, by routing excess material to a volatiles sink.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If atomizers are used for applying protective substances, then speed and surface quality are improved, but health risks increase due to inhalation of toxic pulverized material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of applicationVSAvoidinhalation of toxic particles

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary device (the auxiliary element with cavity and conduit) between the atomizer and the environment. This intermediary captures the harmful pulverized material through the cavity and routes it through the conduit to a volatiles sink, preventing direct inhalation while maintaining the atomizer's high-speed application capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful dispersal of pulverized material into a beneficial controlled process. The cavity captures what would otherwise be harmful airborne particles and redirects them through the conduit to a volatiles sink, transforming the harmful dispersion into a controlled extraction process that protects the operator

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Manufacturing precision

If atomizers are used for local deposition on small areas, then material dispersion beyond target area increases, but application speed decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal deposition accuracyVSAvoidapplication speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a localized deposition zone through the auxiliary element's geometry. The hollow main body with its specific opening configuration confines the pulverized material to the exact area needed (such as rivet or bolt heads), preventing dispersion to unnecessary zones while maintaining efficient application speed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Manufacturing precision

If brushes are used for local deposition, then material coverage precision is improved, but application time increases excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocal deposition precisionVSAvoidapplication time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs pneumatic principles by using the atomizer's pneumatic pulverization mechanism combined with the auxiliary element's cavity and conduit system. This pneumatic approach delivers material rapidly and precisely to the target area, overcoming the slowness of manual brush application while maintaining the precision needed for local deposition on small areas

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient, cost-effective, and safe local deposition of paint on aircraft parts, ensuring quality coverage without material wastage or health hazards, as it confines the paint application to the exact area needed and captures excess particles for safe disposal.

Implementation Method 1

a hollow conduit fitted inside the hollow main body, configured such that the fluid flows through its interior

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFluid flow:

Implementation Method 2

a cavity located between the wall of the main body and the internal hollow conduit, configured so that residual particles of the fluid can flow through its interior

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectParticle separation:

Implementation Method 3

The auxiliary element combines the advantages of conventional fluid products, such as paints: such as low cost and ease of application, with the advantages of pulverizers: speed and surface quality obtained

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLocal deposition:

Data Source

PatentUS10525496B2Auxiliary local fluid deposition element

Publication Date: 2020.01.07 AIRBUS OPERATIONS SL

AI summary

An auxiliary element (1) for the local deposition of fluid for a fluid dispenser header (10), includes a hollow main body (2), including a hollow conduit (3) inside the main body (2), configured such that the fluid flows through its interior, comprising an opening for the inlet of fluid (5) coming from the fluid dispenser header at one end, and a fluid outlet opening (6) at the opposite end, a cavity (4) located between the wall of the main body (2) and the hollow conduit (3), configured such that residual particles of the fluid flow through its interior, at least one connecting mean (8) to the interior of the hollow conduit (3) to the residual particles cavity (4) and an opening (7) located on the main body (2), configured for the outlet of residual particles from the cavity (4).