Systems for automated mobile painting of structures
AssigneeGraco Minnesota Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Thompson, Jon M. Knutson, Dale D. Johnson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated mobile sprayer (AMS) includes a mobile base, an applicator arm supported by the mobile base, and a nozzle extending from the applicator arm. The nozzle receives fluid from a fluid supply and generates an atomized fluid spray for application to a surface. The applicator arm moves vertically relative to the mobile base and the surface to cause the nozzle to generate a vertical fluid stripe. The mobile base moves laterally relative to the surface to cause the nozzle to generate a horizontal fluid stripe.
Claims20
An automated mobile sprayer (AMS) for spraying a fluid on a wall, the AMS comprising:
- a mobile base comprising a plurality of wheels or tracks and one or more first motors configured to move the mobile base via the plurality of wheels or tracks;
- at least one sensor supported by the mobile base;
- an applicator arm supported above the mobile base;
- a second motor configured to move the applicator arm during spraying of the fluid;
- a nozzle connected to the applicator arm and configured to spray the fluid;
- and
- a controller for causing the AMS to spray a plurality of overlapping and offset stripes of the fluid on the wall, the controller configured to:
- receive an overlap parameter regarding adjacent fluid stripes of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes;
- control spray of the fluid from the nozzle for spraying each of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes;
- control movement of the applicator arm relative to the wall to reposition the nozzle after spraying a first one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes based on the overlap parameter to position the nozzle to spray a second one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes such that the second one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes overlaps with and is parallel to the first one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes.
A method of applying a plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes on a wall with an automated mobile sprayer (AMS), the method comprising:
- receiving, by a controller of the AMS, an overlap parameter regarding adjacent fluid stripes of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes;
- controlling, by the controller, spray of fluid from a nozzle of the AMS to apply a first one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes as a first raster stripe;
- shifting, by the controller, the nozzle relative to the wall by a displacement distance based on the overlap parameter to reposition the nozzle for spraying a second one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes;
- and
- controlling, by the controller, spray of the fluid from the nozzle to apply the second one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes as a second raster stripe such that the second one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes overlaps with and is parallel to the first one of the plurality of overlapping and offset fluid stripes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.