Applicators and systems for delivering a glutinous substance to a workpiece from an end-effector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10363569-B2
Application number	US-201615253162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2016
Priority date	Oct 15, 2015
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

An applicator ( 102 ) for delivering a glutinous substance ( 168 ) to a workpiece ( 170 ) from an end-effector ( 101 ) is disclosed. The applicator ( 102 ) comprises a body ( 110 ) and a plunger ( 186 ). The plunger ( 186 ) comprises a gate ( 118 ), movable within an outlet portion ( 182 ) of a first channel ( 115 ) of the body ( 110 ) between, inclusively, an open position, allowing the glutinous substance ( 168 ) to flow from an inlet ( 116 ) of the first channel ( 115 ) to an outlet ( 117 ) of the first channel ( 115 ) and a closed position, preventing the glutinous substance ( 168 ) from flowing from the inlet ( 116 ) of the first channel ( 115 ) to the outlet ( 117 ) of the first channel ( 115 ). The applicator ( 102 ) further comprises an actuator ( 131 ), selectively operable to move the plunger ( 186 ) such that the gate ( 118 ) moves between, inclusively, the open position and the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An applicator for delivering a glutinous substance to a workpiece from an end-effector, the applicator comprising:
a body, comprising:
a first channel that comprises an inlet portion, comprising an inlet through which the glutinous substance enters the applicator, and an outlet portion, comprising an outlet, through which the glutinous substance exits the outlet portion, wherein the inlet portion is communicatively coupled with the outlet portion and at least a part of the inlet portion is oriented at an angle to the outlet portion, wherein the angle is other than 180 degrees;
a second channel, having an interior surface and communicatively coupled with the first channel and coaxial with the outlet portion of the first channel; and
a sensor port, communicatively coupled with the first channel; a plunger, comprising:
a gate, wherein the gate is movable within the outlet portion of the first channel between, inclusively, an open position, allowing the glutinous substance to flow from the inlet of the first channel to the outlet of the first channel and a closed position, preventing the glutinous substance from flowing from the inlet of the first channel to the outlet of the first channel; and
a plug, movable within the second channel, so that the plug is slidable against the interior surface of the second channel, and configured to prevent the glutinous substance from flowing from the first channel into the second channel when the plug is in a first position, corresponding with the open position of the gate, and to allow the glutinous substance to flow into the second channel from the first channel when the plug is in a second position, corresponding with the closed position of the gate;

an actuator, selectively operable to move the plunger such that the gate moves between, inclusively, the open position and the closed position and the plug moves between, inclusively, the first position and the second position; and
a sensor, communicatively coupled with the first channel via the sensor port and configured to detect at least one characteristic of the glutinous substance in the first channel.

2. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is communicatively coupled with the inlet portion of the first channel.

3. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor port is configured to releasably retain the sensor.

4. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein: the applicator further comprises a second sensor, communicatively coupled with the first channel;
the sensor is configured to detect a first characteristic of the glutinous substance;
the second sensor is configured to detect a second characteristic of the glutinous substance; and
the first characteristic of the glutinous substance is different than the second characteristic of the glutinous substance.

5. The applicator according to claim 4 , wherein:
the first characteristic of the glutinous substance is temperature; and
the second characteristic of the glutinous substance is pressure.

6. The applicator according to claim 4 , wherein:
the body further comprises a second sensor port, communicatively coupled with the first channel;
the second sensor is communicatively coupled with the first channel via the second sensor port;
the sensor is releasably retained by the sensor port; and
the second sensor is releasably retained by the second sensor port.

7. The applicator according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor port is configured differently than the second sensor port.

8. The applicator according to claim 6 , wherein the sensor port and the second sensor port are angularly offset from each other.

9. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the angle, at which at least the part of the inlet portion of the first channel is oriented relative to the outlet portion of the first channel, is greater than 90 degrees.

10. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the angle, at which at least the part of the inlet portion of the first channel is oriented relative to the outlet portion of the first channel, is less than 90 degrees.

11. The applicator according to claim 1 wherein the angle, at which at least the part of the inlet portion of the first channel is oriented relative to the outlet portion of the first channel, is 90 degrees.

12. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein:
a first part of the inlet portion of the first channel is oblique to the outlet portion of the first channel;
a second part of the inlet portion of the first channel is parallel to the outlet portion of the first channel; and
the first part of the inlet portion of the first channel is between the second part of the inlet portion of the first channel and the outlet portion of the first channel.

13. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the body further comprises an actuator interface; and
the actuator is coupled to the actuator interface of the body.

14. The applicator according to claim 13 , wherein:
the actuator interface comprises slots; and
the actuator comprises pins, configured to be simultaneously laterally insertable into the slots.

15. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion of the first channel has a cross-sectional area that is constant along a length of the first channel that is between the inlet portion of the first channel and the outlet portion of the first channel.

16. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the outlet portion of the first channel converges toward the outlet of the first channel.

17. The applicator according to claim 1 , wherein:
the outlet portion of the first channel comprises a constriction; and
the gate of the plunger is sealingly engaged with the constriction when the gate is in the closed position, preventing the glutinous substance from flowing from the inlet of the first channel to the outlet of the first channel.

18. A system for delivering a glutinous substance to a workpiece from an end-effector, the system comprising:
an applicator, coupled to the end-effector, comprising:
a body, comprising:
a first channel that comprises an inlet portion, comprising an inlet through which the glutinous substance enters the applicator and an outlet portion, comprising an outlet, through which the glutinous substance exits the outlet portion, wherein the inlet portion is communicatively coupled with the outlet portion and at least a part of the inlet portion is oriented at an angle to the outlet portion, wherein the angle is other than 180 degrees;
a second channel, having an interior surface and communicatively coupled with the first channel and coaxial with the outlet portion of the first channel; and
a sensor port communicatively coupled with the first channel;

a plunger, comprising:
a gate wherein the gate is movable within the outlet portion of the first channel between, inclusively, an open position, allowing the glutinous substance to flow from the inlet of the first channel to the outlet of the first channel and a closed position, preventing the glutinous substance from flowing from the inlet of the first channel to the outlet of the first channel; and
a plug, movable within the second channel, so that the plug is slidable against the interior surface of the second channel, and configured to prevent the glutinous substance from flowing from the first channel into the second channel when the plug is in a first position, corresponding with the open position of the gate , and to allow the glutinous substance to flow into the second channel from the f

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle Iv John W
• Tomuta Raul
• Weinmann Jake B
• Brown John J
• Erickson Chris
• Guirguis Martin
• Trend Don D
• Topf Richard P

Classifications

• B05C11/1031

  Gate valves; Sliding valves · CPC title

• B05C5/02

  {the liquid or other fluent material being discharged through an outlet orifice by pressure, e.g.} from an outlet device in contact or almost in contact, with the work · CPC title

• B05D7/24

  for applying particular liquids or other fluent materials · CPC title

• B05C11/1013

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00) · CPC title

• B05C5/0229

  the valve being a gate valve or a sliding valve · CPC title