Templates and methods for controlling application of materials around protuberances

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10913091-B2
Application number	US-201815978388-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 14, 2018
Priority date	May 14, 2018
Publication date	Feb 9, 2021
Grant date	Feb 9, 2021

Abstract

A method of applying material to a workpiece around a protuberance, extending from the workpiece, comprises advancing a template toward the workpiece to insert the protuberance into a positioning opening, located in a first portion of the template, until a first-portion workpiece-facing surface of the first portion is in contact with the workpiece. The method also comprises removably attaching at least a portion of a second-portion workpiece-facing surface of a second portion of the template to the workpiece. The method further comprises separating the first portion of the template from the second portion along the boundary while at least the portion of the second-portion workpiece-facing surface remains attached to the workpiece, applying the material to the workpiece around the protuberance such that the material overlaps the second-portion inner peripheral edge, and detaching the second portion of the template from the workpiece.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of applying material to a workpiece around a protuberance, extending from the workpiece, the method comprising steps of:
advancing a template toward the workpiece to insert the protuberance into a positioning opening, located in a first portion of the template, until a first-portion workpiece-facing surface of the first portion is in contact with the workpiece so that the template is at least partially located relative to the workpiece via a first-portion inner peripheral edge of the first portion and wherein the first-portion inner peripheral edge is geometrically complementary to a base of the protuberance and defines the positioning opening;
removably attaching at least a portion of a second-portion workpiece-facing surface of a second portion of the template to the workpiece and wherein the second portion is removably attached to the first portion of the template at a boundary that is frangible;
separating the first portion of the template from the second portion along the boundary while at least the portion of the second-portion workpiece-facing surface remains attached to the workpiece to create at a least a portion of a second-portion inner peripheral edge of the second portion;
applying the material to the workpiece around the protuberance such that the material overlaps the second-portion inner peripheral edge of the second portion of the template up to a visual material-placement indicator, located on a second-portion environment-facing surface that is opposite the second-portion workpiece-facing surface, and wherein the visual material-placement indicator surrounds and is spaced away from the second-portion inner peripheral edge; and
detaching the second portion of the template the workpiece.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of removably attaching at least the portion of the second-portion workpiece-facing surface of the second portion of the template to the workpiece comprises pressing an adhesive layer, located on at least a portion of the second-portion workpiece-facing surface, against the workpiece.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, prior to the step of removably attaching at least the portion of the second-portion workpiece-facing surface of the second portion of the template to the workpiece, aligning the template relative to the workpiece using a visual template-alignment indicator, located on at least one of a first-portion environment-facing surface of a first portion of the template or a second-portion environment-facing surface of a second portion of the template.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the visual template-alignment indicator extends to the first-portion inner peripheral edge of the first portion.

5. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the visual template-alignment indicator extends to a second-portion outer peripheral edge of the second portion.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of advancing the template toward the workpiece comprises enabling a gaseous substance between the template and the workpiece to escape through a vent opening in the first portion.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the vent opening is, at least in part, defined by the first-portion inner peripheral edge.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of separating the first portion of the template from the second portion comprises pulling a first-portion tab of the first portion.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of detaching the second portion of the template from the workpiece comprises a step of pulling a second-portion tab of the second portion.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the step of detaching the second portion of the template from the workpiece further comprises pulling an additional second-portion tab of the second portion.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the second-portion tab and the additional second-portion tab are pulled simultaneously to detach the second portion of the template from the workpiece.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the second-portion tab and the additional second-portion tab are pulled away from the workpiece.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein:
the second portion comprises a weakened region, extending between the boundary and an second-portion outer peripheral edge of the second portion, and
the step of pulling the second-portion tab causes the second portion to separate along the weakened region.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the second-portion tab is pulled in a direction perpendicular to that the protuberance extends from the workpiece.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of applying the material to the workpiece comprises a step of controlling flow of the material on the second-portion environment-facing surface using the visual material-placement indicator.

16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising curing the material prior to detaching the second portion of the template from the workpiece.

17. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising detaching the second portion of the template from the workpiece before curing the material.

18. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to the step of separating the first portion of the template from the second portion, the boundary comprises a perforation in a sheet.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, prior to the step of separating the first portion of the template from the second portion, the boundary comprises a thinned region in a sheet.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first-portion inner peripheral edge is circumferentially closed.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Galdamez Kevin P

Classifications

• B05C17/06

  Stencils (B05C17/04 takes precedence; stencils used in connection with printing plates or foils B41N1/24; drawing accessories B43L13/00) · CPC title

• B05D1/325 Primary

  Masking layer made of peelable film · CPC title

• B05C21/005

  Masking devices (stencils B05C17/06; masking devices for which the means for applying liquids or other fluent material is spraying or is not important B05B12/20) · CPC title

• B05B12/20 Primary

  Masking elements, i.e. elements defining uncoated areas on an object to be coated · CPC title