# US 11,992,859 B2 · Slurry coating leveling

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- Number: US 11,992,859 B2
- Document ID: US11992859B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/238,356
- Filed: 2021-04-23
- Published: 2022-10-27
- Granted: 2024-05-28
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-23
- Assignees: Rtx Corporation
- Applicants: RTX Corporation
- Inventors: Guolin Oo; Tracy A. Propheter-Hinckley
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992859B2

## CPC

- B05D 1/42: by non-rotary members
- B05C 11/041: {characterised by means for positioning, loading, or deforming the blades}
- B05D 3/007: {After-treatment}
- B05D 3/12: by mechanical means
- B05C 11/023: {Apparatus for spreading or distributing liquids or other fluent materials already applied to a surface (B05C11/021, B05C11/04 take precedence)}
- B29C 59/026: {of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces}
- B29C 73/02: using liquid or paste-like material (B29C73/16 takes precedence)
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- 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)
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)

## Abstract

Disclosed herein is a system for slurry coating leveling. The system includes a guide frame and a scrapper apparatus coupled to the guide frame. The scrapper apparatus includes a plurality of scrapper fingers aligned substantially parallel to each other. The system also includes a contour guide coupled to the scrapper fingers. The contour guide is configured to guide movement of the scrapper fingers across a surface of a component having a slurry coating. The scrapper fingers conform to a contour profile of the surface to level the slurry coating on the surface of the component.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for slurry coating leveling, the system comprising:
a guide frame;
a scrapper apparatus coupled to the guide frame, the scrapper apparatus comprising a plurality of scrapper fingers aligned substantially parallel to each other; and
a contour guide coupled to the scrapper fingers, the contour guide configured to guide movement of the scrapper fingers across a surface of a component comprising a slurry coating, wherein the scrapper fingers conform to a contour profile of the surface to level the slurry coating on the surface of the component, wherein the scrapper fingers each comprise a guide probe that is offset from a scrapper finger end to define a desired slurry thickness.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers is retractable.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to extend the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers to perform an initial leveling of the slurry coating and retract the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers prior to performing a final leveling of the slurry coating.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to wait for a predetermined hardening time between the initial leveling and the final leveling of the slurry coating.

### Claim 5

A system for slurry coating leveling, the system comprising:
a guide frame;
a scrapper apparatus coupled to the guide frame, the scrapper apparatus comprising a plurality of scrapper fingers aligned substantially parallel to each other; and
a contour guide coupled to the scrapper fingers, the contour guide configured to guide movement of the scrapper fingers across a surface of a component comprising a slurry coating, wherein the scrapper fingers conform to a contour profile of the surface to level the slurry coating on the surface of the component, wherein the contour guide comprises a plurality of contour guide rails, each of the contour guide rails controlling a vertical position of at least one of the scrapper fingers as the scrapper apparatus moves with respect to the component.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the contour guide comprises a scrapper frame coupled to the guide frame and a spring bar coupled to the scrapper frame.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The system of claim 6, wherein each of the scrapper fingers is respectively coupled by a spring to the spring bar to adjust positioning of the scrapper fingers to trace the contour profile of the surface of the component.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the scrapper fingers each comprise a scrapper finger end that is substantially-flat planar.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an enclosure, wherein the guide frame is moveable relative to the component within the enclosure.

### Claim 10

A method for slurry coating leveling on a component, the method comprising:
positioning a scrapper apparatus proximate to a component comprising a slurry coating, wherein the scrapper apparatus is coupled to a guide frame, the scrapper apparatus comprising a plurality of scrapper fingers aligned substantially parallel to each other; and
guiding movement of the scrapper fingers across a surface of the component comprising the slurry coating using a contour guide, wherein the scrapper fingers conform to a contour profile of the surface to level the slurry coating on the surface of the component, wherein the scrapper fingers each comprise a guide probe that is offset from a scrapper finger end to define a desired slurry thickness.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers is retractable.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, further comprising:
extending the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers to perform an initial leveling of the slurry coating; and
retracting the guide probe of each of the scrapper fingers prior to performing a final leveling of the slurry coating.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising:
waiting for a predetermined hardening time between the initial leveling and the final leveling of the slurry coating.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the contour guide comprises a plurality of contour guide rails, each of the contour guide rails controlling a vertical position of at least one of the scrapper fingers as the scrapper apparatus moves with respect to the component.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the contour guide further comprises a scrapper frame coupled to the guide frame and a spring bar coupled to the scrapper frame.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising:
adjusting positioning of the scrapper fingers to trace the contour profile of the surface of the component by the scrapper fingers, each of the scrapper fingers respectively coupled to a spring that is coupled to the spring bar.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the scrapper fingers each comprise a scrapper finger end that is substantially planar.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, further comprising:
controlling movement of the guide frame relative to the component within an enclosure.