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US 9,174,381 B1Granted
Adjustable sealant dispensing system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJames Vincent Morales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and apparatus for applying a sealant material onto a surface. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus comprises a dispenser and an adjustment system associated with the dispenser. The dispenser is configured to receive a sealant material from a sealant source and dispense the sealant material through an output of the dispenser. The adjustment system is configured to change a configuration of the output.
Claims17
An apparatus comprising:
- a dispenser configured to receive a sealant material from a sealant source and dispense the sealant material through an output of the dispenser;
- and
- an adjustment system associated with the dispenser and configured to change a configuration of the output, wherein the adjustment system comprises two moveable screws positioned at the output of the dispenser, wherein movement of the two moveable screws changes the configuration of the output of the dispenser when the two moveable screws move in and out of the output of the dispenser to restrict the output, the two moveable screws rotate about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the output of the dispenser, the output of the dispenser has a width that is restricted along the axis of the two moveable screws, and movement of the two moveable screws along the axis changes an entirety of the width of the output.
A sealant dispensing system comprising:
- a dispenser configured to receive a sealant material from a sealant source and dispense the sealant material through an output of the dispenser onto a surface as a sealant ribbon;
- and
- an adjustment system associated with the dispenser and configured to change at least one of a width and a depth of the output of the dispenser to change at least one of a width and a depth, respectively, of the sealant ribbon, wherein the adjustment system comprises:
- a moveable structure positioned at the output of the dispenser, wherein the moveable structure is configured to be moved relative to the output of the dispenser in a direction along a selected axis to change the depth of the output;
- and
- two moveable screws positioned at the output of the dispenser, wherein movement of the two moveable screws changes an entirety of the width of the output when the two moveable screws move in and out of the output of the dispenser to restrict the output, the two moveable screws rotate about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the output of the dispenser, the output of the dispenser has a width that is restricted along the axis of the two moveable screws, and movement of the two moveable screws along the axis changes the entirety of the width of the output.
3 more elements
A method for applying a sealant material onto a surface, the method comprising:
- identifying a desired configuration for an output of a dispenser, wherein the dispenser is configured to receive the sealant material from a sealant source and dispense the sealant material through the output;
- changing a configuration of the output of the dispenser to the desired configuration using an adjustment system associated with the dispenser, wherein the adjustment system comprises two moveable screws positioned at the output of the dispenser, wherein movement of the two moveable screws changes the configuration of the output of the dispenser when the two moveable screws move in and out of the output of the dispenser to restrict the output, the two moveable screws rotate about an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the output of the dispenser, the output of the dispenser has a width that is restricted along the axis of the two moveable screws, and movement of the two moveable screws along the axis changes an entirety of the width of the output;
- and
- dispensing the sealant material through the output of the dispenser onto the surface to form a sealant ribbon.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.