Device and system

Abstract

A device and a system for a lacquer transfer with a frame, transfer roller with a circumferential lateral wall, a drive unit, a slit nozzle, the slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame, an outside contact surface of the lateral wall including depressions, the transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame, the drive unit configured to drive the transfer roller for the transfer roller to rotate about the axis of rotation. The slit nozzle includes a supply connection, nozzle-cavity, slit-shaped nozzle-channel and at least one limiter, the supply connection coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity, the nozzle-channel extending from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end formed by the slit nozzle at the end of the nozzle-channel for dispensing lacquer, the slit nozzle configured by the limiter to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel.

Claims

1. A device for a lacquer transfer, the device comprising: a frame; a transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame and comprising a circumferential lateral wall which has an outside contact surface that comprises several depressions; a drive unit mounted to the frame and configured to drive the transfer roller such that the transfer roller rotates about the axis of rotation; a slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame and comprising a supply connection, a nozzle-cavity, a slit-shaped nozzle-channel, and at least one limiter; wherein the supply connection is coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity; wherein the nozzle-channel extends from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end, which is formed by the slit nozzle at an end of the nozzle-channel and configured for dispensing lacquer; wherein the slit nozzle is configured, by the at least one limiter, to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel; wherein the muzzle end of the slit nozzle is arranged contactless or in direct contact with the outside contact surface for dispensing lacquer into respective depressions; and wherein the transfer roller is configured to roll with the outside contact surface on a work surface of a work piece for transferring the lacquer from the depressions to the work surface of the work piece.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one limiter is at the muzzle end of the nozzle-channel.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one limiter is configured such that, when displaced, the cross-section in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel is reduced.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one limiter is between the muzzle end of the nozzle-channel and the nozzle-cavity.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the device comprises an actuator unit, which is at least indirectly connected to the at least one limiter and is configured to displace the at least one limiter.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one limiter of the slit nozzle is a plurality of limiters.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the device comprises an actuator unit, which is at least indirectly connected to the plurality of limiters and is configured to displace the plurality of limiters, and wherein the plurality of limiters are in alignment one behind another in a direction of a width of the nozzle-channel.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the actuator unit comprises, for each of the plurality of limiters, an associated actuator, which is configured to individually displace an associated limiter of the plurality of limiters.

9. The device of claim 6, wherein the plurality of limiters are formed by rods, flaps, lever arms, membranes, inflatable bellows, or inflatable tubes.

10. The device of claim 3, wherein the slit nozzle comprises exactly one limiter, which is formed by a nozzle-part of the slit nozzle, and wherein the nozzle-channel is at least partly formed by the nozzle-part.

11. A system for a lacquer transfer, comprising: a device for a lacquer transfer, the device comprising: a frame; a transfer roller mounted rotatably about an axis of rotation at the frame and comprising a circumferential lateral wall which has an outside contact surface that comprises several depressions; a drive unit mounted to the frame and configured to drive the transfer roller such that the transfer roller rotates about the axis of rotation; a slit nozzle at least indirectly connected to the frame and comprising a supply connection, a nozzle-cavity, a slit-shaped nozzle-channel, and at least one limiter; and an actuator unit configured to displace the at least one limiter; wherein the supply connection is coupled to the nozzle-cavity for supplying lacquer to the nozzle-cavity; wherein the nozzle-channel extends from the nozzle-cavity to a muzzle end, which is formed by the slit nozzle at an end of the nozzle-channel and configured for dispensing lacquer; wherein the slit nozzle is configured, by the at least one limiter, to adjust a cross-section in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel; wherein the muzzle end of the slit nozzle is arranged contactless or in direct contact with the outside contact surface for dispensing lacquer into respective depressions; and wherein the transfer roller is configured to roll with the outside contact surface on a work surface of a work piece for transferring the lacquer from the depressions to the work surface of the work piece; a sensor configured to detect a thickness of the lacquer; and a control unit; wherein the sensor is connected to the control unit to transmit a sensor signal to the control unit, which sensor signal represents detected thickness of the lacquer; wherein the control unit is connected to the actuator unit of the device, such that the actuator unit is controllable via the control; and wherein the control unit is configured to control the actuator unit of the device based on the detected thickness of the lacquer.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect thickness of the lacquer on the outside contact surface of the lateral wall of the transfer roller.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the sensor is arranged to detect thickness of the lacquer transferred to the work surface of the work piece.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one limiter is configured to be displaced to reduce the cross-section in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel, wherein the actuator unit is at least indirectly connected to the at least one limiter, and wherein the control unit is configured to control each actuator of the actuator unit individually.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the at least one limiter is a plurality of limiters that are in alignment one behind another in a direction of a width of the nozzle-channel.

16. The device of claim 1, comprising a hardening unit for hardening the lacquer.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the hardening unit is arranged within an interior space formed by the transfer roller.

18. The device of claim 17, wherein the hardening unit comprises a UV-light unit and is configured to harden the lacquer in a contactless manner.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the lateral wall of the transfer roller is transparent for UV light emitted by the hardening unit.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the UV-light unit is positioned within the interior space of the transfer roller so that lacquer transferred to the work surface can be immediately hardened via the UV light emitted by the UV-light unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a part of an aircraft wherein a device is arranged for transferring lacquer on an upper wing surface.

(2) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the device in a cross-sectional view.

(3) FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a part of the lateral wall of the transfer roller in a cross-sectional view.

(4) FIG. 4 schematically illustrates the part of the lateral wall of the transfer roller in a top view.

(5) FIG. 5 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the slit nozzle in a cross-sectional view, wherein the limiter is in a first position.

(6) FIG. 6 schematically illustrates the part of the work piece in a top view.

(7) FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the slit nozzle of FIG. 5 in a cross-sectional view, wherein the limiter is in another position.

(8) FIG. 8 schematically illustrates the part of the work piece in a top view.

(9) FIG. 9 schematically illustrates another embodiment of the device in a cross-sectional view.

(10) FIG. 10 schematically illustrates another embodiment of the device in a cross-sectional view.

(11) FIG. 11 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the limiter as rods.

(12) FIG. 12 schematically illustrates another embodiment of the limiter as flaps.

(13) FIG. 13 schematically illustrates a part of the slit nozzle with another embodiment of the limiter as inflatable tubes.

(14) FIG. 14 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(15) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an aircraft 52, which comprises a fuselage 54 and a wing 56. The air resistance of the aircraft 52 can be reduced, if the upper wing surface 58 of the wing 56 comprises a profile structure. It has been found of advantage, if this profile structure is a microstructure.

(16) FIG. 1 also schematically shows a robot 60, which is seated on a rack 62. The robot 60 comprises a movable robot arm 64. A device 2 is mounted at an end of the robot arm 64, such that the device 2 can be moved by the robot 60.

(17) The device 2 is configured for transferring a lacquer onto a work surface 30 of a work piece 32. According to the example shown in FIG. 1, the work piece 32 can be formed by the wing 56 of the aircraft 52. Thus, the upper wing surface 58 can form the work surface 30.

(18) A first embodiment of the device 2 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional view. The device 2 comprises a frame 4, a transfer roller 6 with a circumferential lateral wall 8, a drive unit 10 and a slit nozzle 12. The transfer roller 6 may also be referred to as a transfer tire. The device 2 can be attached via the frame 4 to the robot arm 64. However, instead of a robot 60 any other handling device may also be used, which is configured to move the device 2 in space. The frame 4 may be adapted to be releasably connected to a handling device, such as the robot 60.

(19) The transfer roller 6 is mounted rotatably, in particular by at least one bearing, about an axis of rotation A at the frame 4. An outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 comprises several depressions 16. The depressions 16 may be evenly or stochastically distributed about the circumference of the lateral wall 8. The FIGS. 3 and 4 show a part of the transfer roller 6 in a cross-section view and a top view, respectively.

(20) As schematically indicated in FIG. 3, the depressions 16 can be formed by recesses arranged at the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6. The depressions 16 may have a predefined size and/or structure. A mean structure size of the depressions 16 can be in the range of 0.1 micrometer to 100 micrometer. In other words, each of the depressions 16 may have a microstructure.

(21) FIG. 4 exemplarily shows the depressions 16 of a part of the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6 in a top view. Each of the depressions 16 may comprise an elongated extension in a circumferential direction U of the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6.

(22) Each of the depressions 16 is configured to receive lacquer and to transfer this received lacquer to a work surface 30 of a work piece 32, such as the upper wing surface 58 of a wing 56. Therefore, the several depressions 16 at the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 may be arranged and/or formed according to a predefined structure, in particular a predefined microstructure. The lateral wall 8 is preferably made of silicone, such that a damage of the wing surface 58 can be prevented.

(23) According to a preferred embodiment exemplarily illustrated in FIG. 2, the muzzle end 26 of the slit nozzle 12 is arranged close to but contactless with the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 for dispensing lacquer from the muzzle end 26 into respective depressions 16. However, the muzzle end 26 of the slit nozzle 12 may be alternatively arranged in direct contact with the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 for dispensing lacquer into the depressions 16. The depressions 16 of the lateral wall 8 arranged are therefore filled with lacquer.

(24) The transfer roller 6 is driven by the drive unit 10, such that the transfer roller 6 rotates about the axis of rotation A. As a result, the lacquer is transported via the depressions 16 in rotation direction K such that the outside contact surface 14 with the depressions 16 filled with lacquer rolls in direct contact about the work surface 30 of the work piece 32 for transferring the lacquer to the work surface 30. In view of the example explained in connection with FIG. 1, the lacquer may be transferred to the wing surface 58 of the wing 56 of the aircraft 52.

(25) If the depressions 16 are filled with a lacquer and if the outside contact surface 14 comes into contact with the work surface 30, in particular the wing surface 58, the lacquer previously received in the depressions 16 is transferred to the work surface 30, in particular the wing surface 58 of the aircraft 52. This transferred lacquer has a structure, in particular microstructure, corresponding to a structure defined by depressions 16. Thus, the outside contact surface 14 with its depressions 16 is configured for embossing a lacquer-structure, in particular a lacquer-microstructure, on the work surface 30, in particular the wing surface 58.

(26) Generally, it has been found of advantage, if microstructure lacquer is applied to the wing surface 58 of an aircraft wing 56. However, the aircraft wing 56 may comprise areas at the wing surface 58, which are not to be painted with lacquer. These areas are referred to as non-application areas 66 and schematically indicated in FIGS. 6 and 8. Both FIGS. 6 and 8 show a part of the wing surface 58 of the aircraft wing 56. The non-application areas 66 may form a section of the wing surface 58 of the aircraft wing 56, however, the non-application areas 66 are supposed to be free of a lacquer coating. In order to prevent a separate masking of this non-application area 66 with tape or stickers, it has been found of advantage, if the device 2 is configured to interrupt the transfer of lacquer to the wing surface 58 in the non-application areas 66 while the transfer roller rolls above the aircraft wing 56.

(27) In order to allow the interruption of the transfer of lacquer to aircraft wing surface 58 of the aircraft wing 56, the slit nozzle 12 of the device 2 comprises a nozzle-cavity 20, a slit-shaped nozzle-channel 22 and at least one limiter 24. The nozzle-channel 22 extends from the nozzle-cavity 20 to a muzzle end 26, which is formed by the slit nozzle 12 at the end of the nozzle-channel 22 and configured for dispensing lacquer. In order to supply the nozzle-cavity 20 with lacquer, the slit nozzle 12 also comprises a supply connection 18. The supply connection 18 may be connected via a pipe or tube to a lacquer supply unit (which is not shown). Therefore, the lacquer supply unit can pump lacquer into the nozzle-cavity 20, such that the lacquer flows through the nozzle-channel 22 resulting in the dispensing of the lacquer at the muzzle end 26, such that the lacquer is applied to the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6.

(28) The amount of lacquer dispensed via the slit nozzle 12 into the outside contact surface 14 depends on the size of the cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22. In particular, the amount of lacquer may depend on the smallest cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22. Therefore, in the following reference is made to the cross-section 28 in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel 22. The cross-section 28 in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel 22 preferably refers to the smallest cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22. By reducing or enlarging the size of the cross-section 28 in the restriction area of the nozzle-channel 22, the amount of lacquer dispensed by the slit nozzle 12 onto the outside contact surface 14 may be controlled. The slit nozzle 12 is therefore configured by at least one limiting mean 24 to adjust the cross-section 28 in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel 22. In this context, reference is made to FIG. 5, which shows an embodiment of a cross-section 28 in view of the slit nozzle 12.

(29) The limiter 24 of the slit nozzle 12 may be configured to be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the width and/or the flow direction of lacquer through the nozzle-channel 22. As a result, the cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22 can be adjusted by a displacement of the limiter 24. Preferably, the slit nozzle 12 comprises a plurality of limiters 24, which are arranged in alignment one behind the other in the direction W of the width of the nozzle-channel 22. The direction W of width of the nozzle-channel 22 is parallel to the axis of rotation A. Moreover, the slit nozzle 12 preferably comprises an actuator unit 34 which comprises several actuators 36. As indicated in FIG. 5, the actuator unit 34 preferably comprises for each limiter 24 an associated actuator 36, which is configured to individually displace the associated limiter 24. The actuator unit 34, in particular its actuators 36 may be controlled, such that the limiter 24 is displaced in parallel to enlarge or reduce the size of the cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22. Therefore, even if the flow rate through the nozzle-channel 22 may be increased or reduced, the distribution with respect to the width W may remain uniform.

(30) In practice however, non-application areas 66 are often arranged, such that only subsections of the transfer roller 6 with respect to its width are to be interrupted in its transfer of lacquer. It has therefore been found of advantage, that the limiter 24 may be displaced individually, as it is indicated in FIG. 7. The position of the transfer roller 6 in contact with the wing surface 58 of the aircraft wing 56 is indicated with the dashed line in FIGS. 6 and 8. If the device 2 is moved into the driving direction F, the transfer roller 6 may reach a position in front of at least one non-application area 66. If such a position is reached, the actuator unit 34 may be controlled, for example, such that the third and the sixth actuator 36 are displaced, such that the associated limiter 24 fully closes a corresponding sub-section of the nozzle-channel 22. This is indicated in FIG. 7. As a result, a strip on the outside contact surface 14 is not dispensed with lacquer via the slit nozzle 12. This lacquer-free-strip on the outside contact surface 14 will roll over the non-application area 66 of the aircraft surface, while the transfer roller 6 is rotated about the axis of rotation A. Since the lacquer-free-strip does not transfer lacquer on the non-application area 66, this non-application area 66 does not have to be masked in advance or even being clean afterwards. The effort is therefore significantly reduced. Even though the displacement of the limiter 24 has been described in a context of the above example, the actuator unit 34 in particular in connection with its actuator 36, may be configured to displace each of the limiter 24 according to reference signal.

(31) Examples of possible embodiments of the limiter 24 are schematically shown in FIGS. 11 and 12. The limiters 24 indicated in FIG. 11 are formed by rods 38. The limiters 24 indicated in FIG. 22 are formed by flaps 40.

(32) Another embodiment of the limiter 24 is schematically shown in FIG. 13, which shows a part of the device 2 and its slit nozzle 12. The limiter 24 may be formed by inflatable tubes 42. These tubes 42 may be inflated in order to adjust the size of the cross-section 28 of the nozzle-channel 22.

(33) According to the embodiment of the device 2 shown in FIG. 2, the limiter 24 may be displaceable arranged in an upper part of the slit nozzle 12. Moreover, the limiter 24 may be arranged at a nose section of the slit nozzle 12.

(34) According to another embodiment of the device 2, which is schematically shown in FIG. 9, the limiter 24 may be arranged between the muzzle end 26 and the nozzle-cavity 20, such that the limiter 24 can adjust the cross-section 28 in a restriction area of the nozzle-channel 22.

(35) Another embodiment of the device 2 is schematically shown in FIG. 10. According to this embodiment, the limiter 24 is displaceable arranged in a lower part of the slit nozzle 12, such that the limiter 24 can be displaced towards or away from the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6. As a result, the effective cross-section, such as cross-section 28 in FIG. 5, of the nozzle-channel 22 between the nozzle-cavity 20 in the muzzle end 26 can be adjusted.

(36) According to a preferred embodiment, the device 2 may comprise a hardening unit 70. The hardening unit 70 is configured for hardening the lacquer, preferably contactless. The hardening unit 70 can be formed by an UV-light unit. The hardening unit 70 is directly or indirectly connected to the frame 4. Moreover, the hardening unit 70 can be arranged within the interior space 68 formed by the transfer roller 6. For instance, if the hardening unit 70 is formed by an UV-light unit, the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6 may be configured to transmit UV-light-waves. Thus, the lateral wall 8 can be transparent for UV-light. The hardening unit 70 can be arranged, such that UV-light is emitted towards a work surface 30 upon which the lateral wall 8 of the transfer roller 6 can roll. The lacquer may be hardenable via UV-light. Therefore, the device 2 may be configured to control the drive unit 10 and/or the UV-light unit, such that lacquer transferred to the work surface 30 is immediately hardened via UV-light emitted by the UV-light unit.

(37) An embodiment of the system 46 according to the disclosure herein is schematically illustrated in FIG. 14. The system 46 comprises a device 2. Furthermore, the system 46 comprises a sensor 48, which is configured to detecting thickness of the lacquer. The system 46 also comprises a control unit 50. The sensor 48 is connected, preferably via a signal line, to the control unit 50 to transmit a sensor signal to the control unit 50, wherein the sensor signal represents a detected thickness of the lacquer. According to a preferred embodiment, the sensor 48 may be arranged, such that the sensor 48 can detect the thickness of the lacquer on the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8 of a transfer roller 6. For instance, the sensor 48 can be mounted to the slit nozzle 12, such that the thickness of the dispensed lacquer on the outside contact surface 14 can directly be detected. The sensor 48 may be configured to detect the thickness contactless.

(38) The control unit 50 is configured to control the actuator unit 34 of the device 2 based on the detected thickness of the lacquer. For instance, the control unit 50 may have access to a reference value, which represents a reference thickness for the lacquer to be dispensed on the outside contact surface 14 of the lateral wall 8. The detected thickness of the lacquer on the outside contact surface 14 is also provided to the control unit 50. The control unit 50 may be configured to compare the reference thickness with the detected thickness and based on the result of the comparison in particular depending on the respective error, the control unit 50 may control the actuator unit 34, such that its actuators 36 displaced the associated limiter 24 in order to reach a thickness for the lacquer D on the outside contact surface 14, which corresponds to the reference thickness. According to a preferred embodiment, the control unit 50 may be configured to control each of the actuators 36 of the actuator unit 34 individually.

(39) According to a further embodiment, the sensor 48 may be arranged differently, such that the sensor 48 is arranged to detect the thickness of the lacquer transferred to the work surface 30 of the work piece 32. But in general, the previous explanations apply in an analogous manner.

(40) It is additionally pointed out that “comprising” does not rule out other elements, and “a” or “an” does not rule out a multiplicity. It is also pointed out that features that have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be disclosed as in combination with other features of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be regarded as restrictive.

(41) While at least one example embodiment of the invention(s) is disclosed herein, it should be understood that modifications, substitutions and alternatives may be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. This disclosure is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the example embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms “comprise” or “comprising” do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms “a”, “an” or “one” do not exclude a plural number, and the term “or” means either or both. Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described may also be used in combination with other characteristics or steps and in any order unless the disclosure or context suggests otherwise. This disclosure hereby incorporates by reference the complete disclosure of any patent or application from which it claims benefit or priority.