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US 7,730,922 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for automatically fabricating tape with threads for visualization of air streams on aerodynamic surfaces
AssigneeAirbus Deutschland GmbH
InventorsEva Maria Montilla Mendez, Susanne Wyrembek, Tim Moenning
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for visualizing air stream by little threads on aerodynamic surfaces such that strips of adhesive tape populated with threads are automatically fabricated.
Claims20
An apparatus for fabricating adhesive tape with threads for visualization of air streams on aerodynamic surfaces, the apparatus comprising:
- a fixed frame, a frame plate mounted on the fixed frame, a mounting plate, a programmable robot unit, a thread access unit and a thread cutting unit;
- wherein the frame plate comprises a first and a second section, the first and second sections being adjacent to one another;
- wherein the programmable robot unit comprises a robot base frame, a robot carousel that is rotatably mounted on the robot base frame, a robot rocker, a robot arm and a robot hand;
- wherein the robot base frame, the thread access unit and the thread cutting unit are fixedly arranged on the first section of the frame plate;
- wherein the mounting plate is mounted on the second section of the frame plate so as to be detachable, but unmovable when attached to the frame plate;
- wherein the programmable robot unit, the thread access unit, the thread cutting unit and the mounting plate are arranged successively in a horizontal position so as to allow access of the robot arm to the thread access unit, the thread cutting unit and the mounting plate;
- and
- wherein the programmable robot unit is programmed to:
- a) grasp an end of unwound thread hanging from a thread tube of the thread access unit and pull the unwound thread to a predetermined thread length;
- b) place the end of the unwound thread over the thread cutting unit;
- c) activate the thread cutting unit to cut the unwound thread into a thread of defined length;
- d) place the thread of defined length over a strip of adhesive tape on the mounting plate, such that an end section of the thread of defined length is aligned substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the strip, such that a remaining section of the thread of defined length protrudes over a first longitudinal border of the strip, and such that the end section of the thread of defined length does not reach a second longitudinal border of the strip opposite to the first longitudinal border;
- and
- e) press the end section of the thread of defined length into the strip of adhesive tape.
11 more elements
An apparatus for visualization of air streams on aerodynamic surfaces, comprising one or more strips of adhesive tape with one or more threads exactly fixated thereon,
- wherein each of the threads comprises an end section that is fixed to one of the strips of the adhesive tape and a remaining section that protrudes over a first longitudinal border of the one of the strips of the adhesive tape,
- wherein the end sections fixed to one strip are aligned substantially orthogonal to a longitudinal extension of the strip and the end sections do not reach a second longitudinal border of the strip opposite to the first longitudinal border.
A system for fabricating adhesive tape with threads for visualization of air streams on aerodynamic surfaces, the system comprising:
- an apparatus including a programmable robot unit;
- at least one strip of adhesive tape defined by a longitudinal direction and having a first longitudinal border and an opposed second longitudinal border;
- and
- a plurality of threads each comprising an end section fixed to the at least one strip of adhesive tape by the apparatus and a remaining section that protrudes over the first longitudinal border, the end section being aligned substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and not reaching the second longitudinal border.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.