Apparatuses for applying glutinous substances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518289-B2
Application number	US-201615009765-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 15, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus for delivering a glutinous substance from a cartridge to an applicator comprises a sleeve and a pressure-cap assembly. The pressure-cap assembly comprises a pressure cap, proximate an inlet of the sleeve. The pressure-cap assembly also comprises an actuator, coupled to the pressure cap and to the sleeve. The apparatus further comprises an automated coupler, configured to automatically reversibly sealingly couple the applicator with the leading end of the cartridge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for delivering a glutinous substance from a cartridge to an applicator, the apparatus comprising:
a sleeve, comprising a central axis, an inlet, and an outlet opposite the inlet, wherein the sleeve is configured to receive the cartridge through the inlet;
a pressure-cap assembly, coupled to the sleeve and comprising:
a pressure cap, proximate the inlet of the sleeve, wherein:
with the cartridge received within the sleeve, the pressure cap is movable between, inclusively, a closed position, in which the pressure cap is in sealed engagement with a trailing end of the cartridge, and an open position, in which the pressure cap provides clearance sufficient for insertion of the cartridge inside the sleeve through the inlet of the sleeve, and
the pressure cap comprises a first pressure input, through which pneumatic pressure is selectively applied to the glutinous substance in the cartridge when the cartridge is received within the sleeve, the pressure cap is in the closed position, and a leading end of the cartridge is in sealed engagement with the applicator; and

an actuator, coupled to the pressure cap and to the sleeve, wherein the actuator is selectively operable to move the pressure cap relative to the sleeve between, inclusively, the closed position and the open position; and

an automated coupler, configured to automatically reversibly sealingly couple the applicator with the leading end of the cartridge when the cartridge is inside the sleeve and the pressure cap is in the closed position, wherein:
the automated coupler comprises an applicator mount, configured to fixedly receive the applicator and comprising a geometric feature comprising a first surface, oblique to the central axis;
the automated coupler further comprises an engagement assembly, coupled to the sleeve;
the engagement assembly is configured to releasably interlock with the applicator mount and comprises at least one detent;
the at least one detent is engageable with the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount to couple the engagement assembly with the applicator mount; and
the at least one detent is disengageable from the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount to decouple the engagement assembly from the applicator mount.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the engagement assembly further comprises:
a piston, movable relative to the sleeve in one of
a first direction along the central axis of the sleeve to cause the at least one detent to couple the engagement assembly with the applicator mount by engaging the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount, or
a second direction along the central axis of the sleeve, opposite to the first direction, to cause the at least one detent to decouple the engagement assembly from the applicator mount by disengaging the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount;

a second pressure input, through which pressure is selectively introduced to move the piston relative to the sleeve in the first direction along the central axis of the sleeve to a first position to cause the at least one detent to couple the applicator mount with the engagement assembly by engaging the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount; and
a third pressure input, through which pressure is selectively introduced to move the piston relative to the sleeve in the second direction along the central axis of the sleeve to a second position to cause the at least one detent to decouple the applicator mount from the engagement assembly by disengaging the first surface of the geometric feature of the applicator mount.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a contact regulator between the sleeve and the automated coupler, wherein the contact regulator is configured to enable a limited degree of contact between the applicator and a surface of a workpiece.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the contact regulator further comprises a force-torque sensor or one or more proximity sensors, each of the force-torque sensor and the one or more proximity sensors being configured to determine at least one of a presence or a degree of the contact between the applicator and the surface of the workpiece.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein each of the force-torque sensor and the one or more proximity sensors of the contact regulator enables the limited degree of contact between the applicator and the surface of the workpiece by communicating a command, descriptive of at least one of the presence or the degree of contact between the applicator and the surface of the workpiece, to a controller, configured, based at least in part on the command, to direct a robot to at least one of stop movement of the apparatus and the applicator relative to the surface of the workpiece or move the apparatus and the applicator away from the surface of the workpiece.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the contact regulator comprises the force-torque sensor, the force-torque sensor being configured to determine at least one of the presence or the degree of the contact between the applicator and the surface of the workpiece based on at least one of a torque or a force detected by the force-torque sensor when the applicator contacts the surface of the workpiece.

7. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the contact regulator comprises a compliant assembly, comprising:
a first portion, coupled with the sleeve;
a second portion, non-movably coupled to the automated coupler; and
at least one biasing mechanism, movably coupling the second portion with the first portion and biasing the second portion away from the first portion along the central axis of the sleeve.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein each of the at least one biasing mechanism comprises:
a spring;
a piston, extending through the spring, wherein the piston is:
fixed relative to one of the first portion or the second portion of the compliant assembly; and
movable relative to another one of the first portion or the second portion of the compliant assembly; and

a first cylinder, movably retaining the piston, wherein the first cylinder is located in one of the first portion or the second portion of the compliant assembly.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a sleeve interface, translationally fixed relative to the sleeve.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein:
the compliant assembly is selectively movable relative to the sleeve interface along the central axis of the sleeve; and
the first portion of the compliant assembly comprises a second cylinder, movably retaining the sleeve interface and comprising a first chamber and a second chamber, wherein the sleeve interface separates the first chamber from the second chamber.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the compliant assembly comprises the one or more proximity sensors, which are mounted to the first portion of the compliant assembly and communicatively coupled with a controller.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure, selectively applied to the glutinous substance in the cartridge through the first pressure input of the pressure cap, is pneumatic pressure.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure cap further comprises a gasket, configured to form a seal between the pressure cap and an interior surface of the cartridge when the pressure cap is in the closed position and the applicator is coupled with the leading end of the cartridge.

14. The apparatus

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle Iv John W
• Brown John J
• Davancens Angelica
• Frontiera Frederick B
• Guirguis Martin
• Tomuta Raul
• Topf Richard P
• Trend Don D
• Weinmann Jake B
• Hanson Thomas C

Classifications

• Y10T29/49819

  with conveying of work or disassembled work part · CPC title

• Y10T29/49815

  Disassembling · CPC title

• B25J9/1679

  characterised by the tasks executed · CPC title

• Y10T483/17

  including machine tool or component · CPC title

• Y10S901/43

  Spray painting or coating · CPC title