Vehicle part hole patch applicator arrangement

A patch applicator arrangement for securing a patch over a hole in a vehicle part comprising:

• a patch dispensing apparatus having a tape roll with two or more patches on the tape roll, wherein the tape roll selectively rotates and moves one of the two or more patches to a patch loading area;
• a robotic arm having at least one movable joint;
• a spindle connected to an end of the robotic arm, wherein the spindle has a neck portion with having a longitudinal axis and a first end connected to the robotic arm and a second end connected to a base of the spindle, the spindle is rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the neck portion;
• a plurality of spring loaded applicators connected to the spindle, wherein each one of the plurality of spring loaded applicators includes a static base connected to the base of the spindle, a spring seated on the static base and a plunger that having a hollow portion that is slidably connected about the static base with the spring positioned between the static base and the plunger so that the spring acts on the plunger when compressed, wherein the plunger is configured to slide between a compressed position where the plunger compresses against the spring and moves towards the base of the spindle and an uncompressed position where the plunger moves away from the base of the spindle;
• an applicator pad removably connected to an end of the plunger;
• a vacuum channel extending through each plunger and having a vacuum source inlet and one or more vacuum holes extending through the end of the plunger;
• a plurality of vacuum generators each one of the plurality of vacuum generators being connected to one of the plurality of spring loaded applicators at the vacuum source inlet on the plunger of the one of the plurality of vacuum generators;
• a plurality of vacuum feedback lines each connected at one end to a pressure sensor and at a second end to one of the plurality of vacuum generators, wherein each of the plurality of vacuum generators is turned on to create a vacuum pressure that is applied to the vacuum source inlet and each of the plurality of vacuum feedback lines transmit a pressure reading to the pressure sensor;
• one or more air control valves for controlling a flow of compressed air through a plurality of air supply lines connected to a respective one of the plurality of vacuum generators, wherein the plurality of air supply lines supply compressed air to the plurality of vacuum generators to create the vacuum pressure;
• a controller connected to the robotic arm, the one or more air control valves and the pressure sensor connected to each of the plurality of vacuum feedback lines wherein the controller receives signals from the pressure sensor and sends control signals to move the one or more air control valves between an open position and closed position.

A method of applying patches to cover holes on a vehicle part and verifying patch placement comprising the steps of:

• providing a vehicle part having a predetermined number of holes;
• providing a patch dispensing apparatus with a tape roll having plurality of patches on the tape roll;
• providing a robotic arm having at least one movable joint and a spindle connected to an end of the robotic arm, wherein the spindle is rotatable about a longitudinal axis;
• providing a plurality of spring loaded applicators connected to the spindle, the plurality of spring loaded applicators being connected to a vacuum generator;
• providing a controller and a camera for taking images of the vehicle part, the camera is connected to the controller and the controller is connected to one or more air control valves that are connected to the vacuum generator connected to each of the plurality of spring loaded applicators, wherein the controller provides instruction signals to the one more air control valves;
• loading the plurality of patches individually onto a respective one of the plurality of spring loaded applicators on the spindle;
• determining whether there are more patches that need to be loaded;
• determining whether the vehicle part is in position by operating the camera to capture an image of the vehicle part and using the controller to analyze the image and determining if the vehicle part is in proper position;
• moving the robotic arm to position one of the plurality of spring-loaded applicators and one of the plurality of patches into alignment with one of the predetermined number of holes in the vehicle part;
• applying the one of the plurality of patches to the one of the predetermined number of holes in the vehicle part;
• determining whether there are more holes of the predetermined number of holes in the vehicle part that need to be covered by comparing the number of patches applied to the vehicle part with the predetermined number of holes in the vehicle part previously programmed onto the controller;
• determining whether or not the holes on the vehicle part are covered properly, wherein the camera is activated and an image of the one of the plurality of patches on the vehicle part is taken and transmitted to the controller and the controller analyzes the placement of the one of the plurality of patches to determine if the predetermined number of holes are covered;
• and
• moving the robotic arm away from the vehicle part and moving the finished vehicle part.