Method and automated rover device for surface treatment

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10150196-B2
Application number	US-201615233263-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2016
Priority date	Aug 10, 2016
Publication date	Dec 11, 2018
Grant date	Dec 11, 2018

Abstract

An automated rover device removes material from opposite surfaces of an elongate part, such as a composite stiffener. The device includes a pair of material removal tools along with a vacuum assembly for vacuuming away material removed by the tools.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for treating surfaces of an elongate part, comprising:
a frame;
a drive carried on the frame for driving the device along a length of the elongate part;
a pair of surface treatment tools carried on the frame for respectively treating the surfaces of the elongate part;
a vacuum assembly supported on the frame for carrying away material generated by the pair of surface treatment tools; and,
a controller for controlling operation of the drive, the pair of surface treatment tools and the vacuum assembly.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a sensor coupled with the controller and carried on the frame for sensing an end of the elongate part and producing an end-of-part signal when the end of the elongate part has been sensed, and
wherein the controller is responsive to the end-of-part signal for disengaging the drive.

3. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of handgrips on the frame configured to be gripped by an operator; and,
a pair of switches respectively on the pair of handgrips for sending start signals to the controller.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
each of the pair of surface treatment tools includes sanders, and
the sanders are arranged in opposing relationship and are configured to engage and remove material from opposite sides of the elongate part.

5. The device of claim 4 , wherein each of the sanders includes:
a sander head engageable with one of opposite sides of the elongate part, and
a sander shroud substantially surrounding the sander head.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein:
each of the sanders includes a set of flexible elements surrounding a first portion of a corresponding one of sander heads, the set of flexible elements configured to engage the elongate part and operative to prevent escape of the material removed by a sander, and
the vacuum assembly includes a vacuum shroud adapted to be coupled with a vacuum source and surrounding a second portion of each of the sander heads.

7. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one idler assembly mounted on frame for clamping and centering the device on the elongate part.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the idler assembly includes:
a pair of pivotally mounted pincher members,
a pair of idler rollers respectively mounted on the pair of pivotally mounted pincher members and configured to clamp the elongate part therebetween, and
a linear actuator coupled with the pair of pivotally mounted pincher members for pivoting the pair of pivotally mounted pincher members and forcing the pair of idler rollers into clamping engagement with the elongate part.

9. The device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pair of power operated slides each movable toward and away from the surfaces of the elongate part, and
wherein the pair of surface treatment tools are respectively mounted on the pair of power operated slides in opposing relationship to each other.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the pair of power operated slides are pivotally mounted on the frame and are configured to allow the pair of surface treatment tools to be swung between an operative position engaging the part, and a service position allowing servicing of the pair of surface treatment tools.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the drive includes:
a pair of pivotally mounted pincher members,
a pair of drive rollers respectively mounted on the pair of pivotally mounted pincher members and configured to clamp the elongate part therebetween, and
a pair of linear actuators for respectively pivoting the pair of pivotally mounted pincher members to force the pair of drive rollers into driving engagement with the elongate part.

12. An automated rover device for sanding opposite sides of an elongate composite stiffener, comprising:
a frame assembly, including a frame;
a drive assembly mounted on the frame assembly for driving the automated rover device along a length of the elongate composite stiffener;
a pair of sanders mounted on the frame assembly for respectively sanding opposite sides of the elongate composite stiffener; and
a vacuum assembly carried on the frame assembly and configured to be coupled with a vacuum source for drawing away sanding material from the elongate composite stiffener, including a shroud at least partially surrounding the pair of sanders.

13. The automated rover device of claim 12 , wherein:
the frame assembly includes a plurality of rollers engaging the stiffener for supporting the automated rover device on the elongate composite stiffener.

14. The automated rover device of claim 13 , wherein the rollers are adjustably mounted on the frame to allow adjustment of a pitch of the automated rover device relative to the elongate composite stiffener.

15. The automated rover device of claim 12 , wherein the drive assembly includes:
a pair of drive rollers engageable with the opposite sides of the elongate composite stiffener, and
a pair of motors powering the pair of drive rollers to clamp the elongate composite stiffener therebetween and drive the automated rover device along the length of the elongate composite stiffener.

16. A method of sanding opposite sides of a composite stiffener, comprising:
placing a rover device on the composite stiffener;
driving the rover device for movement along a length of the composite stiffener using a drive assembly on-board the rover device;
sanding the opposite sides of the composite stiffener using a pair of sanders on-board the rover device, wherein sanding produces material dust;
removing the material dust using a vacuum assembly on-board the rover device;
sensing an end of the composite stiffener using a sensor on-board the rover device; and
disengaging the drive assembly when the sensor has sensed the end of the composite stiffener.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
clamping the rover device on the composite stiffener using the drive assembly.

18. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
clamping and centering the rover device on the composite stiffener using two pairs of rollers on-board the rover device.

19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
sending a start signal to a controller by actuating at least one switch on-board the rover device; and
energizing the drive assembly using the controller.

20. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:
wherein the vacuum assembly is carried on a frame assembly and configured to be coupled with a vacuum source for drawing away sanding material from the composite stiffener, including a shroud at least partially surrounding the pair of sanders.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Miller Ii Richard Allen
• Mcallister Steven Jay

Classifications

• B24B7/12 Primary

  for grinding travelling elongated stock, e.g. strip-shaped work · CPC title

• B24B55/102

  with rotating tools · CPC title

• B24B27/0007

  Movable machines · CPC title

• B24B55/06

  Dust extraction equipment on grinding or polishing machines (B24B31/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24B23/08 Primary

  Portable grinding machines designed for fastening on workpieces or other parts of particular section, e.g. for grinding commutators · CPC title