# US 11,440,042 B2 · Apparatus and method for applying a sealing and/or coating substance > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,042 B2 - Document ID: US11440042B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/811,292 - Filed: 2020-03-06 - Published: 2020-07-02 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-09-07 - Assignees: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Alexander Geisberger; Thorsten Lanzl; Peter Siemsen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440042B2 ## CPC - B05B 13/0457: {specially designed for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces of the work, e.g. by using several moving spray heads (B05B13/0431, B05B13/0452 take precedence)} - B05B 12/00: Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area - B05B 12/122: {responsive to presence or shape of target (B05B12/124 takes precedence)} - B05C 11/1021: {responsive to presence or shape of target (B05C11/1018 takes precedence)} - G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) - B05B 12/084: {responsive to condition of liquid or other fluent material already sprayed on the target, e.g. coating thickness, weight or pattern} - B05B 13/0433: {the work being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies} - B05B 13/0452: {the objects being vehicle components, e.g. vehicle bodies} - B05B: SPRAYING APPARATUS; ATOMISING APPARATUS; NOZZLES (spray-mixers with nozzles B01F25/72; processes for applying liquids or other fluent materials to surfaces by spraying B05D) - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract An apparatus for applying a sealing and/or a coating substance to a component, in particular a vehicle body component. The apparatus includes kinematics, a spray device, and a sensor. The apparatus is configured to: a) acquire computer-aided design (CAD)-based information on the component; and in real time: b) acquire actual information on the component by the first sensor; c) create a movement profile for the kinematics and an application profile for the spray device on a basis of the CAD-based information and the actual information; and d) execute the movement profile and the application profile on the component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for applying a sealing and/or a coating substance to a component, comprising: kinematics; a spray device; and a first sensor; wherein the apparatus is configured to: a) acquire computer-aided design (CAD)-based information on the component; and in real time: b) acquire actual information on the component by the first sensor; c) create a movement profile for the kinematics and an application profile for the spray device on a basis of the CAD-based information and the actual information; and d) execute the movement profile and the application profile on the component; wherein the CAD-based information is categorized in one of a plurality of categories based on measurement information of the component, wherein the plurality of categories each reflects a respective dimensional deviation range from an ideal CAD model of the component, and wherein the dimensions of the component deviate from the ideal dimensions of the ideal CAD model caused by applying a sealing and/or a coating substance to a component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to communicate the CAD-based information and/or the actual information via a cloud. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the actual information is geometrical information on the component and/or information about a previously applied sealing and/or coating substance. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a digital position acquisition system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to additionally acquire the actual information by a second sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to acquire the actual information by the first sensor dependent on a production step. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement profile is dependent on at least one of the following parameters: position; orientation; speed; and acceleration. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the application profile is dependent on at least one of the following parameters: nozzle diameter; distance from the component; flow rate; pressure; volume; temperature; speed of the kinematics and/or the spray device; and orientation of the spray device. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movement profile and/or the application profile are created such that a distance between the spray device and the component is no more than 60 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to run through processes a), b), c) and d) at least partially one after the other and/or more than once.