Aerial fluid spraying system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11065636-B2
Application number	US-201916273638-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 12, 2019
Priority date	Feb 15, 2018
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

An aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a body and a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint. The aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir. The aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a paint applicator assembly configured to receive the pressurized paint and expel the pressurized paint through a spray nozzle towards a target surface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aerial paint spraying vehicle comprising:
a body;
a rotor configured to rotate and provide a lift force on the body;
a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint;
a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir;
a paint applicator assembly configured to receive the pressurized paint and expel the pressurized paint through a spray nozzle towards a target surface; and
a preparatory jet nozzle configured to generate a jet stream that generates a first reactive force that is substantially equal to a second reactive force generated by a paint expulsion from the spray nozzle, wherein the preparatory jet nozzle is configured to generate the jet stream before the paint expulsion from the spray nozzle and cease the jet stream substantially simultaneously when the paint expulsion from the spray nozzle begins.

2. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a multi-axis gimbal configured to allow the spray nozzle to move along multiple axes relative to the body.

3. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 2 , further comprising a control system configured to control the multi-axis gimbal.

4. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 3 , wherein the control system receives a signal indicative of an orientation of the aerial paint spraying vehicle relative to the target surface and controls the multi-axis gimbal to orient the spray nozzle in a non-perpendicular orientation to the target surface during an expulsion of paint through the spray nozzle such that a reactive force parallel to the target surface is generated by the expulsion of paint.

5. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle expels the paint towards the target surface in a fan pattern.

6. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 5 , further comprising a spray nozzle actuator that rotates the spray nozzle such that the fan pattern rotates.

7. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 6 , wherein the spray nozzle actuator automatically rotates the spray nozzle such that the fall pattern is substantially perpendicular to a current movement direction of the aerial paint spraying vehicle.

8. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the paint applicator assembly comprises;
a valve assembly comprising a first end portion opposite of a second end portion configured to be movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the second end portion is configured to be in fluidic contact with the pressurized paint at the closed position, and both the first end portion and the second end portion are configured to be in fluidic contact with the pressurized paint at the open position.

9. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a reactive jet nozzle that actuates based on the actuation of the paint applicator assembly to generate a counter force that counters at least a portion of a reactive force generated by the paint applicator assembly when expelling the paint.

10. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the reactive jet nozzle is coupled to the spray nozzle such that an outlet of the reactive jet nozzle is axially aligned with an outlet of the spray nozzle.

11. The aerial paint spraying vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel comprises compressed and liquid carbon dioxide.

12. The aerial paint spraying vehicle f claim 1 , wherein the paint reservoir comprises a first carbon-fiber tank with a first threaded connection mechanism and the pressure vessel comprises a second carbon-fiber tank with a second threaded connection mechanism.

13. A method of operating an aerial paint spraying vehicle, the method comprising:
operating a rotor to provide a lift force on a body of the aerial paint spraying vehicle, the aerial paint spraying vehicle comprising:
a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint, and
a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir:

before operating a spray nozzle of the aerial paint spraying vehicle to expel the pressurized paint through the spray nozzle towards a target surface,
operating a preparatory jet nozzle to generate a jet stream that generates a first reactive three that is substantially equal to a second reactive force generated by a paint expulsion from the spray nozzle; and

ceasing the jet stream substantially simultaneously when the paint expulsion from the spray nozzle begins.

14. The method of claim 13 , and further comprising;
based on the operation of the spray nozzle, actuating a reactive jet nozzle to generate a counter force that counters at least a portion of reactive force generated by the spray nozzle when expelling the paint.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the reactive jet nozzle is coupled to the spray nozzle such that tar outlet of the reactive jet nozzle is axially aligned with an outlet of the spray nozzle.

16. The method of claim 13 , and further comprising:
operating, a spray nozzle actuator that rotates the spray nozzle.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein operating the spray nozzle actuator comprises:
automatically rotating the spray nozzle such that a fan pattern generated by the spray nozzle is substantially perpendicular to a current movement direction of the aerial paint spraying vehicle.

18. The method of claim 13 , and further comprising:
controlling a multi-axis gimbal to move the spray nozzle along multiple axes relative to the body.

19. The method of claim 18 , and further comprising:
receiving a signal indicative of an orientation of the aerial paint spraying vehicle relative to the target surface; and
controlling the multi-axis gimbal to orient the spray nozzle in a non-perpendicular orientation to the target surface during the paint expulsion through the spray nozzle.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the paint expulsion generates a reactive force parallel to the target surface.

Assignees

• Wagner Spray Tech Corp

Inventors

• Fideler Brian Lee
• Kundem Jeshwanth Durga Sagar

Classifications

• B64U2201/00

  UAVs characterised by their flight controls · CPC title

• B64U2101/28

  for painting or marking · CPC title

• B64U30/20

  Rotors; Rotor supports · CPC title

• B64U10/14

  with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters · CPC title

• B64C15/00

  Attitude, flight direction, or altitude control by jet reaction · CPC title