Device and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11369987-B2
Application number	US-202016829925-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2020
Priority date	Mar 29, 2019
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A device and a system for a lacquer transfer with a frame, transfer roller with a circumferential lateral wall, a drive unit, a slit nozzle, the slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame, an outside contact surface of the lateral wall including depressions, the transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame, the drive unit configured to drive the transfer roller for the transfer roller to rotate about the axis of rotation. The slit nozzle includes a supply connection, nozzle-cavity, slit-shaped nozzle-channel and at least one limiter, the supply connection coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity, the nozzle-channel extending from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end formed by the slit nozzle at the end of the nozzle-channel for dispensing lacquer, the slit nozzle configured by the limiter to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A device for a lacquer transfer, the device comprising:
a frame;
a transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame and comprising a circumferential lateral wall which has an outside contact surface that comprises several depressions;
a drive unit mounted to the frame and configured to drive the transfer roller such that the transfer roller rotates about the axis of rotation;
a slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame and comprising a supply connection, a nozzle-cavity, a slit-shaped nozzle-channel, and at least one limiter;
wherein the supply connection is coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity;
wherein the nozzle-channel extends from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end, which is formed by the slit nozzle at an end of the nozzle-channel and configured for dispensing lacquer;
wherein the slit nozzle is configured, by the at least one limiter, to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel;
wherein the muzzle end of the slit nozzle is arranged contactless or in direct contact with the outside contact surface for dispensing lacquer into respective depressions; and
wherein the transfer roller is configured to roll with the outside contact surface on a work surface of a work piece for transferring the lacquer from the depressions to the work surface of the work piece.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one limiter is at the muzzle end of the nozzle-channel.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one limiter is configured such that, when displaced, the cross-section in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel is reduced.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one limiter is between the muzzle end of the nozzle-channel and the nozzle-cavity.

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein the device comprises an actuator unit, which is at least indirectly connected to the at least one limiter and is configured to displace the at least one limiter.

6. The device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one limiter of the slit nozzle is a plurality of limiters.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the device comprises an actuator unit, which is at least indirectly connected to the plurality of limiters and is configured to displace the plurality of limiters, and wherein the plurality of limiters are in alignment one behind another in a direction of a width of the nozzle-channel.

8. The device of claim 7 , wherein the actuator unit comprises, for each of the plurality of limiters, an associated actuator, which is configured to individually displace an associated limiter of the plurality of limiters.

9. The device of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of limiters are formed by rods, flaps, lever arms, membranes, inflatable bellows, or inflatable tubes.

10. The device of claim 3 , wherein the slit nozzle comprises exactly one limiter, which is formed by a nozzle-part of the slit nozzle, and wherein the nozzle-channel is at least partly formed by the nozzle-part.

11. A system for a lacquer transfer, comprising:
a device for a lacquer transfer, the device comprising:
a frame;
a transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame and comprising a circumferential lateral wall which has an outside contact surface that comprises several depressions;
a drive unit mounted to the frame and configured to drive the transfer roller such that the transfer roller rotates about the axis of rotation;
a slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame and comprising a supply connection, a nozzle-cavity, a slit-shaped nozzle-channel, and at least one limiter; and
an actuator unit configured to displace the at least one limiter;
wherein the supply connection is coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity;
wherein the nozzle-channel extends from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end, which is formed by the slit nozzle at an end of the nozzle-channel and configured for dispensing lacquer;
wherein the slit nozzle is configured, by the at least one limiter, to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel;
wherein the muzzle end of the slit nozzle is arranged contactless or in direct contact with the outside contact surface for dispensing lacquer into respective depressions; and
wherein the transfer roller is configured to roll with the outside contact surface on a work surface of a work piece for transferring the lacquer from the depressions to the work surface of the work piece;

a sensor configured to detect a thickness of the lacquer; and
a control unit;
wherein the sensor is connected to the control unit to transmit a sensor signal to the control unit, which sensor signal represents detected thickness of the lacquer;
wherein the control unit is connected to the actuator unit of the device, such that the actuator unit is controllable via the control; and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the actuator unit of the device based on the detected thickness of the lacquer.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is arranged to detect thickness of the lacquer on the outside contact surface of the lateral wall of the transfer roller.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sensor is arranged to detect thickness of the lacquer transferred to the work surface of the work piece.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one limiter is configured to be displaced to reduce the cross-section in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel, wherein the actuator unit is at least indirectly connected to the at least one limiter, and wherein the control unit is configured to control each actuator of the actuator unit individually.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the at least one limiter is a plurality of limiters that are in alignment one behind another in a direction of a width of the nozzle-channel.

16. The device of claim 1 , comprising a hardening unit for hardening the lacquer.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the hardening unit is arranged within an interior space formed by the transfer roller.

18. The device of claim 17 , wherein the hardening unit comprises a UV-light unit and is configured to harden the lacquer in a contactless manner.

19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the lateral wall of the transfer roller is transparent for UV light emitted by the hardening unit.

20. The device of claim 19 , wherein the UV-light unit is positioned within the interior space of the transfer roller so that lacquer transferred to the work surface can be immediately hardened via the UV light emitted by the UV-light unit.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Gmbh

Inventors

• Zahlen Pierre C
• Gillessen Alexander
• Kerger Sebastian

Classifications

• B05C1/0813 Primary

  characterised by means for supplying liquid or other fluent material to the roller · CPC title

• B05C21/00

  Accessories or implements for use in connection with applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces, not provided for in groups B05C1/00 - B05C19/00 (accessories or implements for use in connection with painting or artistic drawing and fully provided for in B44D3/02 - B44D3/38, see subgroups of B44D3/00) · CPC title

• B05D1/28

  performed by transfer from the surfaces of elements carrying the liquid or other fluent material, e.g. brushes, pads, rollers · CPC title

• B05C1/02

  for applying liquid or other fluent material to separate articles {(B05C1/006 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B05C1/0886

  responsive to the condition of the work · CPC title