Adhesive scoop having a rigid unitary form with plurality of fillets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9839943-B2
Application number	US-201414183781-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2014
Priority date	Feb 19, 2014
Publication date	Dec 12, 2017
Grant date	Dec 12, 2017

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing a viscous material from a structure. The apparatus may comprise a base section. The base section may be configured to move along a surface of a first part and a second part of the structure. The base section may have sides that form a pocket. The sides may have a shape that substantially conforms to the surface of the first part and the second part of the structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus that comprises:
a base section that comprises a rigid unitary form that comprises: a bottom side, a first wall, and a second wall, such that each wall respectively comprises: a front edge, an outer surface, and an inner surface, such that:
the front edge of each wall connects to the inner surface via a respective first fillet that comprises a curved shape that tapers away from the outer surface of the each wall respectively;
each wall extends, in a similar direction, from the bottom side and forms a pocket that comprises a depth that decreases from a height, of a front edge of the first wall at a leading edge of the bottom side, of the base section, down to no depth at an end, opposite the leading edge of the bottom side, that joins into an elongate member of the rigid unitary form;
the inner surface of each wall respectively comprises a number of fillets that each comprise curves; and
the base section configured such that the pocket and each fillet comprise contours shaped to preclude a portion of a cleaning fabric from being caught on the base section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface comprises a shape curved to contact and move along a surface of a structure such that the leading edge guides a viscous material on the surface of the structure into the pocket.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an elongate member comprises an end that is physically associated with the base section.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the outer surface comprises a first contour that comprises a shape that corresponds to a great degree to a shape, of a structure abutted by the base section.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, respectively, the inner surface of each wall comprises a second contour configured to guide the viscous material into the pocket.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the second contour comprises fillets in the number of fillets configured to move the viscous material into the pocket.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bottom side comprises the leading edge set at a specified angle relative to an elongate member physically associated with the base section.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising the leading edge configured to contact the surface of the structure and the viscous material on the surface of the structure.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a guide structure that extends, opposite a direction that the walls extend from the bottom side, such that the leading edge maintains a desired angle when the leading edge contacts the surface of the structure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the walls extend at an angle relative to the bottom side, and respectively, each wall joins, on the inner surface, the bottom side via additional fillets in the number of fillets.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein a line defined by a length of the bottom side forms an angle relative to a line defined by a length of the elongate member.

12. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the elongate member and the base section are comprised of a number of materials selected from at least one of: polypropylene, polyethylene, a metal, polycarbonate, polytetrafluoroethylene, and nylon.

13. The apparatus of claim 3 , further comprising the elongate member configured as a handle configured to be held manually.

14. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the elongate member and the base section form an end effector.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of at least one of: the bottom side, the first wall, and the second wall each respectively comprise a curve that comprises a shape that corresponds to a great degree to a shape of at least one of: a panel, a bracket, a stringer, a fuselage, a fuel tank, an airframe, a composite structure, and a skin panel.

16. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the viscous material is selected from at least one of an adhesive and a sealant.

17. A method for removing a viscous material from a structure, the method comprising:
providing a scoop comprising a base section comprising a rigid unitary form comprising a bottom side, a first wall, and a second wall, each wall extending, in a similar direction, from the bottom side and forming a pocket comprising a depth decreasing from a height, of a front edge of the first wall at a leading edge of the bottom side, of the base section, down to no depth toward an end, of the base section opposite a leading edge of the bottom side, that joins into an elongate member of the rigid unitary form, and each wall respectively comprising: a front edge, an outer surface, and an inner surface, each inner surface respectively comprising a first fillet comprising a curved shape that terminates at the front edge of the each wall respectively, the base section further comprising contours precluding the base section from catching any portion of a cleaning fabric wiped along the base section;
setting an angle, between the bottom side and a surface of the structure, comprising a vertex at the leading edge of the bottom side;
moving the scoop along a surface of the structure; and
guiding, via fillets along an interior surface of the pocket and the angle, a portion of the viscous material on the surface of the structure into the pocket as the scoop moves along the surface of the structure.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising, the outer surface shaped such that after moving the scoop along the surface, a remaining portion of the viscous material remains on the surface of the structure and comprises at least one of: a desired amount, and a desired shape.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein:
the outer surface comprises a curved shape conforming to a curved shape of the structure that abuts the outer surface; and
removing the viscous material from the pocket of the base section.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the outer surface of at least one wall comprises a contour corresponding to a shape of the surface of the structure.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein the pocket comprises an inner surface comprising a contour shaped for moving the viscous material into the pocket while moving the scoop along the structure.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the contour comprises curved fillets moving the viscous material into the pocket.

23. The method of claim 17 , wherein:
the bottom side comprises the leading edge contacting the surface while moving the scoop; and
the walls extend from the bottom side, each wall comprising at least six fillets.

24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the base section comprises the leading edge contacting the surface of the structure and the viscous material on the surface of the structure.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein:
the base section comprises a guide structure extending, in a direction away from the walls, from the bottom side of the base section; and
maintaining the leading edge at a desired angle when the guide structure and the leading edge contact the surface of the structure.

26. The method of claim 23 , wherein the walls extend at an angle relative to the bottom side.

27. The method of claim 17 , wherein the base section comprises an angle relative to a length of an elongate member physically associated with the base section.

28. An adhesive scoop that comprises:
an elongate member; and
a base section associated with an end of the elongat

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Barney Christopher Blaine
• True Lyle J
• Demoulin Jerome Jacques Maurice

Classifications

• B44D3/162

  Scrapers · CPC title

• B08B2220/01

  Adhesive materials · CPC title

• B08B1/005 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• A47L17/06

  Scrapers · CPC title

• B08B1/008

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic