Multi-mode paint curing system for full vehicle and parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024226958-A1
Application number	US-202318095432-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 10, 2023
Priority date	Jan 10, 2023
Publication date	Jul 11, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A paint curing system is provided. The paint curing system includes a robot arm, a first light, a lamp panel, and a control module. The robot arm includes a first end and a second end that opposes the first end. The first light is disposed at the second end of the robot arm and is configured to cure paint on a first panel of a vehicle. The lamp panel is positioned adjacent to the vehicle and includes a second light that is configured to cure paint on a second panel of the vehicle. The control module configured to actuate the robot arm and position the first light relative to the first panel of the vehicle, selectively turn on and off the first light, and selectively turn on and off the second light.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A paint curing system comprising:
a robot arm including a first end and a second end that opposes the first end; a first light disposed at the second end of the robot arm and that is configured to cure paint on a first panel of a vehicle; a lamp panel positioned adjacent to the vehicle and that includes a second light configured to cure paint on a second panel of the vehicle; and a control module configured to:
actuate the robot arm and position the first light relative to the first panel of the vehicle;
selectively turn on and off the first light; and
selectively turn on and off the second light.

2 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the first light includes at least one of an ultraviolet (UV) light and an infrared (IR) light and the second light includes at least one of a UV light and an IR light.

3 . The paint curing system of claim 2 , wherein the UV light is a UV light emitting diode (LED) light.

4 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the first light includes at least two of a UV-A light, a UV-B light, a UV-C light, and an IR light.

5 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to selectively adjust an intensity of the first light and an intensity of the second light.

6 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to selectively set:
a first period that the first light will be on and output light to the first panel, and a second period that the second light will be on and output light to the second panel.

7 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein:
the first light includes multiple first lights, and the control module is configured to control each of the multiple first lights individually; and the second light includes multiple second lights, and the control module is configured to control each of the multiple second lights individually.

8 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the lamp panel includes multiple lamp panels formed in an arch shape around the vehicle.

9 . The paint curing system of claim 1 , wherein the lamp panel is formed in at least one of a rectangular shape, a semi-circular shape, and a curved shape.

10 . A paint curing system comprising:
a robot arm including a first end and a second end that opposes the first end; a first light disposed at the second end of the robot arm and that is configured to cure paint on a first panel of a vehicle; a lamp panel positioned adjacent to the vehicle and that includes a second light configured to cure paint on a second panel of the vehicle; a heater configured to supply heated air to the vehicle; and a control module configured to:
actuate the robot arm and position the first light relative to the first panel of the vehicle;
selectively turn on and off the first light and the second light; and
selectively turn on and off the heater.

11 . The paint curing system of claim 10 , wherein the vehicle is disposed within a room and the heater is disposed outside of the room and configured to supply heated air into the room.

12 . The paint curing system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a first duct extending between the room and the heater and that is configured to carry air from the room to the heater.

13 . The paint curing system of claim 12 , further comprising a second duct extending between the heater and the room and that is configured to carry heated air from the heater to the room, wherein the second duct is attached to a sidewall of the room and the second duct is attached to a floor of the room.

14 . The paint curing system of claim 13 , wherein the second duct includes a first branch positioned on a first side of the vehicle and a second branch positioned on a second side of the vehicle.

15 . The paint curing system of claim 11 , wherein interior surfaces of the room are covered using a UV light shielding film.

16 . The paint curing system of claim 10 , wherein the first light and the second light each include a plurality of lights having a same wavelength.

17 . The paint curing system of claim 10 , wherein the first light and the second light each include a plurality of lights having more than one different wavelength.

18 . A paint curing system comprising:
a robot arm including a first end and a second end that opposes the first end; a first light disposed at the second end of the robot arm and that is configured to cure paint on a first panel of a vehicle; lamp panels positioned adjacent to the vehicle and that each include a second light configured to cure paint on a second panel of the vehicle; an actuator configured to move the lamp panels to a first position, to a second position, and to positions between the first and second positions; and a control module configured to:
actuate the robot arm and position the first light relative to the first panel of the vehicle;
selectively turn on and off the first light and the second lights; and
actuate the actuator.

19 . The paint curing system of claim 18 , wherein a first distance between the lamp panels and the second panel of the vehicle when the lamp panels are in the first position is less than a second distance between the lamp panels and the second panel when the lamp panels are in the second position.

20 . The paint curing system of claim 18 , wherein the actuator is configured to adjust a shape of the lamp panels based on a shape of the second panel of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Fan Hua-Tzu
• Zhao Xiang
• Spicer John Patrick
• Isrow Marcel James
• Albaugh Lisa M

Classifications

• B05D3/0263

  with IR heaters · CPC title

• B05D3/067 Primary

  Curing or cross-linking the coating · CPC title

• B05D7/14

  to metal, e.g. car bodies (involving a chemical reaction between the metal and the coating C23) · CPC title

• B25J11/00 Primary

  Manipulators not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B05D3/066

  involving also the use of a gas · CPC title