System and method for automatically applying a bead of sealant within a peripheral groove

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12415203-B2
Application number	US-202218284912-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 29, 2022
Priority date	Apr 1, 2021
Publication date	Sep 16, 2025
Grant date	Sep 16, 2025

Abstract

A system for automatically applying a bead of sealant within a peripheral groove defined between two elements coupled to each other and having dimensions that are not strictly predetermined. In one example, a manipulator robot includes a sealant dispensing head including a dispensing nozzle and a profilometer. An electronic controller moves the sealant dispensing head for a first pass along the peripheral groove to detect the profile of the facing lateral surfaces defining the peripheral groove. The correct amount of sealant is calculated based on the detected profile of the groove. The electronic controller moves the dispensing head for a second pass to dispense the calculated amount of sealant in the peripheral groove. In one example, the sealant is dispensed with a constant flow rate and the speed of movement of the dispensing nozzle varies to apply the calculated amount of sealant to each portion of the peripheral groove.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for automatically applying a bead of sealant within a peripheral groove, which is defined between two elements coupled to each other, wherein said peripheral groove has two facing lateral surfaces each having a profile that is continuously variable along a perimeter of the peripheral groove, said system comprising:
a manipulating robot connected to a sealant dispensing head, the sealant dispensing head comprising:
a sealant dispensing nozzle comprising an element of plastic material mounted in a replaceable manner, having a geometry that is subject to dimensional variations;
a reference element, having a predetermined geometry, positioned adjacent to the sealant dispensing nozzle;
a pump configured to feed a sealant to the sealant dispensing nozzle, coming from one or more sealant tanks; and
a profilometer of a type having contactless operation and positioned adjacent to the dispensing nozzle;

an electronic controller programmed to move the sealant dispensing head along said peripheral groove and to simultaneously control said pump so as to apply the bead of sealant within the peripheral groove, wherein the reference element having a position with respect to the manipulating robot which is known by said electronic controller; and
a vision system configured to detect a relative position of a dispensing end of the sealant dispensing nozzle with respect to the reference element, and to send data indicative of said detected relative position, free from robot positioning errors, to the electronic controller,
wherein the electronic controller is programmed for:
controlling a first pass of the sealant dispensing head along the peripheral groove, without dispensing the sealant, while activating the profilometer to detect the profiles of the two facing lateral surfaces of each portion of the peripheral groove, along the perimeter of the peripheral groove,
processing data relating to the profiles of the two lateral surfaces of the peripheral groove, as detected by the profilometer in the first pass, and calculating a correct quantity of the sealant to be applied within each portion of the peripheral groove along the perimeter of the peripheral groove, and
controlling a second pass of the sealant dispensing head along the peripheral groove, while dispensing the sealant in the calculated quantity in each portion of the peripheral groove along the perimeter of the peripheral groove.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said pump is configured to activate a constant and predetermined delivery flow rate of the sealant, and the electronic controller is configured to vary a speed of movement of the sealant dispensing nozzle during the second pass, so as to apply the calculated quantity of the sealant in each portion of the peripheral groove along the perimeter of the peripheral groove.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an electronically-controlled system configured to locate the two elements defining the peripheral groove in a predetermined position at a work area.

4. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more sealant tanks are positioned on and connected to the sealant dispensing head, and are of a refillable or replaceable type, so that movements of the robot are not hindered by pipes connected between the one or more sealant tanks and a stationary sealant tank.

5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein the manipulating robot is slidably mounted on a guide positioned in a working area, the guide is positioned parallel to a longitudinal direction of the working area.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises a mono-component sealant.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sealant comprises a two-component sealant.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the two-component sealant further comprises a fluid having sealing properties.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the two-component sealant further comprises a fluid having adhesive properties.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the two-component sealant further comprises a fluid having sealing properties and adhesive properties.

Assignees

• Comau Spa

Inventors

• Tomasi Daniele
• Serpi Valeria
• Di Stefano Giovanni
• Longo Nicola
• Zacheo Luca
• Montarsolo Gianluca

Classifications

• B05C5/0216 Primary

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

• B05C11/1021 Primary

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