Methods for depositing an extrudable substance onto a surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11896996-B2
Application number	US-202017132078-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2020
Priority date	Dec 21, 2017
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A method of depositing an extrudable substance onto a surface. The method comprises the step of delivering the extrudable substance from a cartridge to a flow-bypass assembly. The method further comprises the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to purge air from the extrudable substance before the extrudable substance enters a delivery tube. The method further comprises the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to deliver the extrudable substance from the flow-bypass assembly to a valve assembly via the delivery tube. The method further comprises the step of controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to a nozzle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of depositing an extrudable substance onto a surfaced, the method comprising steps of:
delivering the extrudable substance from a cartridge to a flow-bypass assembly;
selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to purge air from the extrudable substance before the extrudable substance enters a delivery tube;
selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to deliver the extrudable substance from the flow-bypass assembly to a valve assembly via the delivery tube; and
controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to a nozzle.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to the nozzle comprises actuating a linear actuator of the valve assembly, coupled to a valve body of the valve assembly, to move a valve of the valve assembly into one of an open position, in which the valve does not sealingly engage a valve seat of the valve body, or a closed position, in which the valve sealingly engages the valve seat.

3. The method according to claim 2 , further comprising:
detecting when a piston of the linear actuator is in an extended position to indicate that the valve is in the open position; and
detecting when the piston of the linear actuator is in a retracted position to indicate that the valve is in the closed position.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to purge air from the extrudable substance before the extrudable substance enters the delivery tube comprises actuating a ball valve to position the ball valve at a selected first rotational orientation to communicatively couple a flow-bypass purging port of the flow-bypass assembly with a flow-bypass inlet port of the flow-bypass assembly, communicatively coupled with the cartridge.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to the nozzle comprises actuating a linear actuator of the valve assembly, coupled to a valve body of the valve assembly, to move a valve of the valve assembly into one of an open position, in which the valve does not sealingly engage a valve seat of the valve body, or a closed position, in which the valve sealingly engages the valve seat.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to deliver the extrudable substance from the flow-bypass assembly to the valve assembly via the delivery tube comprises actuating the ball valve to position the ball valve at a selected second rotational orientation to communicatively couple a flow-bypass dispensing port of the flow-bypass assembly with the flow-bypass inlet port of the flow-bypass assembly.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the step of controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to the nozzle comprises actuating a linear actuator of the valve assembly, coupled to a valve body of the valve assembly, to move a valve of the valve assembly into one of an open position, in which the valve does not sealingly engage a valve seat of the valve body, or a closed position, in which the valve sealingly engages the valve seat.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein when the valve is moved from the open position to the closed position, the extrudable substance is drawn back into a valve chamber of the valve body.

9. The method according to claim 7 , further comprising detecting when a piston of the linear actuator is in an extended position to indicate that the valve is in the open position.

10. The method according to claim 9 , further comprising detecting when the piston of the linear actuator is in a retracted position to indicate that the valve is in the closed position.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein when the valve is moved from the open position to the closed position, the extrudable substance is drawn back into a valve chamber of the valve body.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, with the valve assembly fixed to a tubular sleeve and the tubular sleeve coupled to a bracket via an opening that has a central axis, selectively rotating the tubular sleeve relative to the bracket about the central axis to controllably position the nozzle relative to the surface.

13. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising, with the bracket coupled to a robot interface that is coupled to a robot, selectively linearly moving the bracket relative to the robot interface along the central axis.

14. The method according to claim 12 , further comprising detecting when the tubular sleeve is in a predetermined rotational orientation relative to the bracket by actuating a proximity sensor, located proximate to the tubular sleeve, with a homing element, located on the tubular sleeve.

15. The method according to claim 14 , further comprising, with the bracket coupled to a robot interface that is coupled to a robot, selectively linearly moving the bracket relative to the robot interface along the central axis.

16. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, with the flow-bypass assembly selectively controlled to deliver the extrudable substance from the flow-bypass assembly to the valve assembly via the delivery tube, a step of controlling flow rate of the extrudable substance through a valve body of the valve assembly, communicatively coupled with the delivery tube.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of controlling the flow rate of the extrudable substance through the valve body is based, at least in part, on temperature of the extrudable substance, located within the valve body.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the step of controlling the flow rate of the extrudable substance through the valve body is based, at least in part, on pressure of the extrudable substance-R-024, located within the valve body.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to purge air from the extrudable substance before the extrudable substance enters the delivery tube comprises actuating a ball valve to position the ball valve at a selected first rotational orientation to communicatively couple a flow-bypass purging port of the flow-bypass assembly with a flow-bypass inlet port of the flow-bypass assembly, communicatively coupled with the cartridge;
the step of selectively controlling the flow-bypass assembly to deliver the extrudable substance from the flow-bypass assembly to the valve assembly via the delivery tube comprises actuating the ball valve to position the ball valve at a selected second rotational orientation to communicatively couple a flow-bypass dispensing port of the flow-bypass assembly with the flow-bypass inlet port of the flow-bypass assembly; and
the step of controlling flow of the extrudable substance from the valve assembly to the nozzle comprises actuating a linear actuator of the valve assembly, coupled to a valve body of the valve assembly, to move a valve of the valve assembly into one of an open position, in which the valve does not sealingly engage a valve seat of the valve body, or a closed position, in which the valve sealingly engages the valve seat.

20. The method according to claim 19 , wherein when the valve is moved from the open position to the closed position, the extrudable substance is drawn back into a valve chamber of the valve body.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Pringle-Iv John W

Classifications

• B05C5/0225 Primary

  characterised by flow controlling means, e.g. valves, located proximate the outlet (B05C5/0258, B05C5/0275 take precedence; supply valves upstream the coating head B05C11/1036) · CPC title

• B05B13/0421

  with rotating spray heads · CPC title

• B05C5/0216 Primary

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

• B05C5/0295

  Floating coating heads or nozzles · CPC title

• B05C11/1013

  responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00) · CPC title