# US 12,005,463 B2 · Composite ultrasonic material applicators with individually addressable micro-applicators and methods of use thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,005,463 B2 - Document ID: US12005463B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/155,776 - Filed: 2021-01-22 - Published: 2021-11-04 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-30 - Assignees: Ford Motor Company - Applicants: Ford Motor Company - Inventors: Kevin Ellwood; Mark Nichols; Wanjiao Liu; Christopher Seubert - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12005463B2 ## CPC - B05B 17/0646: {Vibrating plates, i.e. plates being directly subjected to the vibrations, e.g. having a piezoelectric transducer attached thereto} - B05B 1/262: {with fixed deflectors} - B05B 3/02: with rotating elements (electric spraying discharge apparatus characterised by having rotary outlet or deflecting elements B05B5/04) - B05B 3/14: with oscillating elements; with intermittent operation - B05B 7/1481: {Spray pistols or apparatus for discharging particulate material} - B05B 12/00: Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area - B05B 12/04: for sequential operation or multiple outlets - B05B 12/14: for supplying a selected one of a plurality of liquids or other fluent materials {or several in selected proportions} to a {spray apparatus, e.g. to a} single spray outlet - B05B 12/16: for controlling the spray area (B05B3/00 takes precedence) - B05B 12/18: using fluids, e.g. gas streams - B05B 12/36: Side shields, i.e. shields extending in a direction substantially parallel to the spray jet - B05B 13/002: {Machines or plants for applying coating liquids or other fluent materials by inkjet} - B05B 13/0405: {with reciprocating or oscillating spray heads (B05B13/0436, B05B13/0442, B05B13/0447, B05B13/0468 take precedence)} - B05B 13/0431: {with spray heads moved by robots or articulated arms, e.g. for applying liquid or other fluent material to three-dimensional [3D] surfaces} - 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 15/00: Details of spraying plant or spraying apparatus not otherwise provided for; Accessories - B05B 15/625: designed to be placed on the ground - B05B 15/628: of variable length - B05B 15/68: Arrangements for adjusting the position of spray heads (B05B15/628, B05B15/652, B05B15/656 take precedence) - B05B 17/06: using ultrasonic {or other kinds of} vibrations - B05B 17/063: {having an internal channel for supplying the liquid or other fluent material} - B05B 17/0653: {Details} - B05B 17/0669: {Excitation frequencies} - B05D 1/02: performed by spraying - B05D 1/12: Applying particulate materials (B05D1/06, B05D1/10 take precedence) - B05D 3/067: {Curing or cross-linking the coating} - B25J 11/0075: {Manipulators for painting or coating} - 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) - B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate includes a housing and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing. The applicator array has a plurality of micro-applicators and each of the plurality of micro-applicators has an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures. The applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate, the material applicator comprising: a housing; and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing, the applicator array comprising a plurality of micro-applicators, each of the plurality of micro-applicators comprising an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures, wherein the micro-applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected in an election direction through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate, wherein the material inlet of a first micro-applicator of the plurality of micro-applicators is coupled to a material source to receive a first material from the material source and the material inlet of a second micro-applicator of the plurality of micro-applicators is coupled to the material source to receive a second material from the material source, the second material being different from the first material, wherein the plurality of micro-applicators comprises a first subset of micro-applicators and a second subset of micro-applicators, wherein the micro-applicator plates of the first subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a first plane that is perpendicular to the ejection direction and the micro-applicator plates of the second subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a second plane that is parallel to and offset in the ejection direction from the first plane. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The material applicator according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of micro-applicators further comprises a frame with the reservoir positioned between the frame and the micro-applicator plate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The material applicator according to claim 2, wherein the frame comprises a back wall and at least one sidewall. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The material applicator according to claim 3, wherein the reservoir is between the back wall and the micro-applicator plate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The material applicator according to claim 4, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positioned between the frame and the micro-applicator plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The material applicator according to claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of micro-applicators is individually addressable to apply the at least one material to the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The material applicator according to claim 6 further comprising a controller configured to individually address the at least a subset of the plurality of micro-applicators. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The material applicator according to claim 1, wherein the micro-applicator plates of the plurality of micro-applicators are aligned on a single plane. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The material applicator according to claim 1 further comprising a controller configured to individually address the first subset of micro-applicators and the second subset of micro-applicators. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The material applicator according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of micro-applicators comprises a first subset of micro-applicators and a second subset of micro-applicators, wherein the micro-applicator plates of the first subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a first plane and the micro-applicator plates of the second subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a second plane non-parallel to the first plane. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The material applicator according to claim 10 further comprising a controller configured to individually address the first subset of micro-applicators and the second subset of micro-applicators. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The material applicator according to claim 10 further comprising a robotic arm configured to move the plurality of micro-applicators across a surface. ### Claim 13 A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate, the material applicator comprising: a housing attached to a robotic arm configured to move the housing across a surface; and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing, the applicator array comprising a plurality of micro-applicators, each of the plurality of micro-applicators comprising an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures, wherein the micro-applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected in an election direction through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate, wherein the plurality of micro-applicators comprises a first subset of micro-applicators and a second subset of micro-applicators, wherein the micro-applicator plates of the first subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a first plane that is perpendicular to the ejection direction and the micro-applicator plates of the second subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a second plane parallel to and offset in the ejection direction from the first plane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The material applicator according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of micro-applicators further comprises a frame with a back wall and at least one sidewall, and the reservoir is between the back wall and the micro-applicator plate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The material applicator according to claim 14, wherein the ultrasonic transducer is positioned between the frame and the micro-applicator plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The material applicator according to claim 13 further comprising a controller configured to individually address the first subset of micro-applicators and the second subset of micro-applicators. ### Claim 17 A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate, the material applicator comprising: a housing; and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing, the applicator array comprising a plurality of micro-applicators, each of the plurality of micro-applicators comprising an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures, wherein the micro-applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate, wherein the plurality of micro-applicators comprises a first subset of micro-applicators and a second subset of micro-applicators, wherein the micro-applicator plates of the first subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a first plane to elect the at least one material in a first ejection direction perpendicular to the first plane and the micro-applicator plates of the second subset of micro-applicators are arranged on a second plane non-parallel to the first plane to eject the at least one material in a second election direction that is perpendicular to the second plane. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The material applicator according to claim 17 further comprising a robotic arm attached to the housing and configured to move the housing across a surface.