Methods for dispensing a substance on a surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10201832-B2
Application number	US-201414291216-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 30, 2014
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

A method of dispensing a substance along a path is provided. The method includes supplying the substance to a dispenser. The method also includes moving the dispenser along a virtual travel plane parallel to the path and passing through two contact points of the dispenser, while maintaining a contact portion of the dispenser in communication with a surface. The method also includes monitoring a leading portion of the bead and generating a signal responsive to at least one characteristic of the leading portion. The method further includes controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser to provide a substantially uniform cross-sectional shape of the bead along the path.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of dispensing a substance in a form of a bead on a surface in a progression direction along a path, the method comprising:
supplying the substance to a dispenser, wherein, while the substance is being dispensed, the dispenser comprises:
a contact portion including two contact points with the surface,
a leading edge, and
a trailing edge extending between the two contact points and terminating therein;

moving the dispenser along a virtual travel plane which is parallel to the path and passes through the two contact points, while maintaining the contact portion of the dispenser in communication with the surface as the substance is being dispensed;
monitoring a leading portion of the bead and generating a signal responsive to at least one characteristic of the leading portion, wherein the leading portion is located ahead of a portion of the leading edge in the progression direction along the path; and
controlling, responsive to the signal generated responsive to the at least one characteristic of the leading portion, at least one of a speed of the dispenser along the path or a flow rate of the substance to the dispenser to provide a substantially uniform cross-sectional shape of the bead along the path.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the leading portion of the bead comprises a leading surface that includes a forward-most point in the progression direction along the path.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the leading surface further comprises a first lateral-most point in a first virtual plane along the virtual travel plane and a second lateral-most point in a second virtual plane along the virtual travel plane.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first virtual plane and the second virtual plane coincide.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein the first virtual plane and the second virtual plane do not coincide.

6. The method of claim 3 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the leading portion includes a shortest lateral distance between a location on the dispenser and a third virtual plane parallel to the path, perpendicular to the virtual travel plane, and containing one of the first lateral-most point and the second lateral-most point.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of decreasing the speed of the dispenser along the path or increasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the shortest lateral distance is below a predefined extent.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path and the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of increasing the speed of the dispenser along the path and decreasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the shortest lateral distance is above a predefined extent.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the shortest lateral distance between the location on the dispenser and the third virtual plane is a first shortest lateral distance, and wherein the at least one characteristic of the leading portion further includes a second shortest lateral distance between the location on the dispenser and a fourth virtual plane parallel to the path, perpendicular to the virtual travel plane, and containing the other one of the first lateral-most point and the second lateral-most point.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path and the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of decreasing the speed of the dispenser along the path and increasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if at least one of the first shortest lateral distance and the second shortest lateral distance is below a predefined extent and none of the first shortest lateral distance and the second shortest lateral distance is above the predefined extent.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path and the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of increasing the speed of the dispenser along the path and decreasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if at least one of the first shortest lateral distance and the second shortest lateral distance is above a predefined extent.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

16. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the leading portion is a shortest lengthwise distance between a location on the dispenser and a virtual cross-plane perpendicular to the path and containing the forward-most point of the leading surface.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of decreasing the speed of the dispenser along the path or increasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the shortest lengthwise distance is below a predefined extent.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of increasing the speed of the dispenser along the path or decreasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the shortest lengthwise distance is above a predefined extent.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the leading portion is a maximum height of the leading portion relative to a point on the surface.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of decreasing the speed of the dispenser along the path or increasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the maximum height of the leading portion is below a predefined extent.

23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

24. The method of claim 21 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of increasing the speed of the dispenser along the path or decreasing the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser if the maximum height of the leading portion is above a predefined extent.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the predefined extent is a range of predetermined values.

26. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one characteristic of the leading portion is a volume of the leading portion.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein controlling at least one of the speed of the dispenser along the path or the flow rate of the substance to the dispenser comprises at least one of decreas

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Davancens Angelica
• Sarh Branko
• Trend Don D

Classifications

• B05C1/02

  for applying liquid or other fluent material to separate articles {(B05C1/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B05C11/1005 Primary

  responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material already applied to the surface, e.g. coating thickness, weight or pattern · CPC title

• B05C11/1007

  responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/1005 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C5/0216 Primary

  by relative movement of article and outlet according to a predetermined path · CPC title

• B05D1/26 Primary

  performed by applying the liquid or other fluent material from an outlet device in contact with, or almost in contact with, the surface · CPC title