Sealant application tip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10987693-B2
Application number	US-201514828794-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 18, 2015
Priority date	Aug 18, 2015
Publication date	Apr 27, 2021
Grant date	Apr 27, 2021

Abstract

A method and apparatus for applying a sealant to a structure. The method comprises scanning a surface of the structure with a vision system to form scanned data. The method further determines a sealant application path for the structure using the scanned data. The method also controls movement of an application tip along the sealant application path using a controller.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of applying a sealant to a structure comprising:
scanning a surface of the structure with a vision system to form scanned data;
determining a sealant application path for the structure using the scanned data;
positioning a nozzle of a tool having a sealant source relative to an application tip with a controller;
connecting the application tip to the nozzle of the tool with a number of connections of a first end of the application tip, wherein the connections comprise opposite facing tabs extending from the first end of the application tip away from a second end of the application tip and toward the nozzle of the tool with inward protrusions formed on the opposite facing tabs that interface with the nozzle of the tool;
controlling movement of an application tip along the sealant application path with the controller;
delivering the sealant to a surface of the structure from an exit of the application tip along a channel between an entrance of the application tip and the exit, wherein the channel redirects a flow of the sealant from a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to a first horizontal plane at the entrance to a second direction that is substantially oblique to a second horizontal plane at the exit; and
wherein delivering the sealant further comprises increasing pressure of the sealant with a desired viscosity with increased pressure at the exit relative to the remainder of the channel by moving the sealant through a conical portion and a varying portion of the channel, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the varying portion is oval shaped at a junction with the conical portion and circular at the exit, wherein the conical portion defines a centerline and the opposite facing tabs extend along the centerline of the conical portion and the inward protrusions protrude toward the centerline.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the scanned data comprises positional data for the structure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
flowing the sealant through the application tip while controlling movement of the application tip along the sealant application path.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein a volumetric flow of the sealant through the application tip is controlled by the controller.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein a forming surface of the application tip forms an exterior shape of the sealant as the application tip is moved along the sealant application path.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
inspecting the exterior shape of the sealant after forming.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:
inspecting the sealant to form inspection data after forming the exterior shape of the sealant; and
determining if the sealant is within tolerance based on the inspection data.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling movement of the application tip along the sealant application path using the controller includes moving the application tip such that a sealant surface of the application tip maintains contact with the structure as the application tip moves along the sealant application path.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling movement of the application tip along the sealant application path using the controller includes moving the application tip such that a guide surface of the application tip contacts a second surface of the structure.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling movement of the application tip along the sealant application path using the controller comprises controlling a leading angle of the application tip relative to a normal axis of the structure.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein controlling movement of the application tip along the sealant application path using the controller comprises controlling a tilt angle of the application tip relative to a normal axis of the structure.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
selecting the application tip based on at least one of the sealant application path or an identity of the structure.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
determining a number of complex geometries that impinge on the sealant application path; and
selecting the application tip based on the number of complex geometries that impinge on the sealant application path.

14. A sealing system comprising:
a tool having a nozzle and a sealant source;
a controller that controls movement of the tool and flow of a sealant from the sealant source along a surface of a structure;
an application tip comprising a first end having an entrance and a second end having an exit, wherein the application tip is connected to the nozzle of the tool for receiving the sealant at the entrance and applying the sealant to the structure at the exit, wherein the application tip is connected to the tool by a number of connections comprising opposite facing tabs extending from the first end of the application tip away from the second end of the application tip and toward the nozzle of the tool with inward protrusions formed on the opposite facing tabs that interface with the nozzle of the tool; and
a channel between the entrance and the exit that redirects the flow of the sealant from a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to a first horizontal plane at the entrance to a second direction that is substantially oblique to a second horizontal plane at the exit;
wherein the channel comprises a conical portion and a varying portion;
further wherein the varying portion has a cross-sectional shape that is oval shaped at a junction with the conical portion and circular at the exit; and
further wherein the conical portion defines a centerline and the opposite facing tabs extend along the centerline of the conical portion and the inward protrusions protrude toward the centerline.

15. The sealing system of claim 14 , wherein the application tip comprises a housing with the first end and a second end opposite the first end and the channel extending through the housing from the first end to the second end, in which the second end has at least one of a guide surface, a sealant surface, or a forming surface.

16. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein at least a portion of the second end is rounded.

17. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the guide surface contacts the surface of the structure as the application tip moves relative to the structure.

18. The sealing system of claim 17 , wherein the guide surface is complementary to the surface of the structure.

19. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the forming surface forms an exterior shape of the sealant as the application tip deposits the sealant.

20. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the forming surface is a concave surface complementary to a convex surface of the sealant.

21. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the forming surface is a convex surface complementary to a concave surface of the sealant.

22. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the sealant surface contacts the surface of the structure as the application tip moves relative to the structure to form a closed cross-section for the sealant between the structure and the application tip.

23. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the channel has more than one centerline.

24. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the application tip is formed of a polymeric material.

25. The sealing system of claim 15 , wherein the conical portion is complementary to the

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle Iv John Walter
• Erickson Chris J
• Guirguis Martin Hanna
• Davancens Angelica
• Frontiera Frederick B

Classifications

• B05C11/1044

  Apparatus or installations for supplying liquid or other fluent material to several applying apparatus or several dispensing outlets, e.g. to several extrusion nozzles · CPC title

• B05C11/1021

  responsive to presence or shape of target (B05C11/1018 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B05C5/0216 Primary

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

• B05C1/027

  only at particular parts of the articles (at particular parts of work of indefinite length B05C1/16) · CPC title

• B05C11/10 Primary

  Storage, supply or control of liquid or other fluent material; Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material {(B05C1/0813, B05C5/0225, B05C17/002 and B05C19/06 take precedence)} · CPC title