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US 10,829,667 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for applying a strip of material over an edge on a structure
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsRichard Allen Miller, II, America Olsen Schaaf, Kevin L. Braun, Mark C. Iden, Brian Henry Korenaga, Scott Telford O'Farrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus automatically places, forms and compacts an adhesive strip on an edge of a structure in a single pass.
Claims25
An apparatus configured to apply a strip of material along an edge of a structure, wherein the edge of the structure comprises a top and first and second sides, the apparatus comprising:
- an end effector connected to a manipulator configured to move the end effector along a length of the edge of the structure and follow any:
- curves, twists, contours, rotations in contour, or undulations, along the edge of the structure and maintain a center of a width of the strip of material aligned with a centerline of the edge of the structure as the end effector traverses a length of the structure;
- the end effector comprising:
- an actuator that connects a sub-frame to a frame;
- a spool connected to a front end of the frame and configured to hold the strip of material;
- a guide roller mounted on a pair of arms secured to a forward end of a pivot block and configured to guide and compress the strip of material from the spool onto the edge of the structure, the pivot block configured to pivot about a shaft attached between a pivot bracket and the frame;
- a cutter assembly comprising a cutter configured to cut the strip of material;
- a compaction shoe on the sub-frame configured to compact the strip of material onto the top of the edge of the structure;
- and
- a pre-shaper on the sub-frame comprising a shaping face configured to partially shape the strip of material down onto the first and second sides of the edge of the structure.
7 more elements
A method of applying a strip of material along an edge of a structure, comprising:
- moving an apparatus along the edge, wherein the apparatus comprises:
- an end effector connected to a manipulator configured to move the end effector along a length of the edge of the structure and follow any:
- curves, twists, contours, rotations in contour, or undulations, along the edge of the structure and maintain a center of a width of the strip of material aligned with a centerline of the edge of the structure as the end effector traverses a length of the structure, wherein the end effector comprises:
- an actuator that connects a sub-frame to a frame;
- a spool connected to a front end of the frame and configured to hold the strip of material;
- a guide roller mounted on a pair of arms secured to a forward end of a pivot block and configured to guide and compress the strip of material from the spool onto the edge of the structure, the pivot block configured to pivot about a shaft attached between a pivot bracket and the frame;
- a cutter assembly comprising a cutter configured to cut the strip of material;
- a compaction shoe on the sub-frame configured to compact the strip of material onto a top of the edge of the structure;
- and
- a pre-shaper on the sub-frame comprising a shaping face configured to partially shape the strip of material down onto first and second sides of the edge of the structure;
- feeding the strip of material from the apparatus onto the edge as the apparatus moves along the edge;
- pre-shaping outer edges of the strip of material away from the edge toward sides of the structure;
- and
- conforming the outer edges of the strip of material to the sides of the structure, by passing the outer edges of the strip of material through a conformance wheel.
11 more elements
A method of applying an adhesive material strip along an edge of a structure, using an apparatus comprising:
- an end effector connected to a manipulator configured to move the end effector along a length of the edge of the structure and follow any:
- curves, twists, contours, rotations in contour, or undulations, along the edge of the structure and maintain a center of a width of the adhesive material strip aligned with a centerline of the edge of the structure as the end effector traverses a length of the structure, wherein the end effector comprises:
- an actuator that connects a sub-frame to a frame;
- a spool connected to a front end of the frame and configured to hold the adhesive material strip;
- a guide roller mounted on a pair of arms secured to a forward end of a pivot block and configured to guide and compress the adhesive material strip from the spool onto the edge of the structure, the pivot block configured to pivot about a shaft attached between a pivot bracket and the frame;
- a cutter assembly comprising a cutter configured to cut the adhesive material strip;
- a compaction shoe on the sub-frame configured to compact the adhesive material strip onto a top of the edge of the structure;
- and
- a pre-shaper on the sub-frame comprising a shaping face configured to partially shape the adhesive material strip down onto first and second sides of the edge of the structure;
- wherein the method comprises:
- drawing the adhesive material strip from the spool;
- heating the adhesive material strip;
- feeding the adhesive material strip to the guide roller;
- guiding the adhesive material strip onto the edge of the structure;
- compacting the adhesive material strip onto the edge;
- shaping outer edges of the adhesive material strip by partially folding the outer edges of the adhesive material strip;
- conforming the adhesive material strip onto sides of the structure;
- and,
- compacting the outer edges of the adhesive material strip against the sides of the structure.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.