Mobile platform and oscillating mechanism for coating flat surfaces

Abstract

The present invention refers to a working assembly for a painting system, containing a mobile platform and a crank and slider-type oscillating mechanism, which reproduces movements transmitted to a shaft and that guides a paint gun, mimicking the process performed by painters. Thus, the mobile platform and the oscillating mechanism were designed to move unidirectionally over the surface, being able to move in two orthogonal directions and also to rotate in order to keep the platform level.

Claims

1. A mobile platform and oscillating mechanism for coating flat surfaces, the platform comprising: four movable pivots, two adjustable arms, a platform counterweight, a suspension system of mecanum wheels and a compartment; and the oscillating mechanism, comprising: a flywheel, an arm and a forearm with an arm counterweight and a forearm counterweight, respectively a shaft, a paint gun, a pedestal, comprising: an electric motor, a flanged connection, a lever, an annular of an epicyclic gear train, four gears and an epicyclic sun, a first oscillating mechanism pivot located on the arm comprising two toothed pulleys, and connecting an inertia coupling belt with a forearm belt, and a second oscillating mechanism pivot located on the forearm, comprising a toothed pulley that interconnects the shaft with the forearm belt.

2. The mobile platform and oscillating mechanism of claim 1, wherein one of the two adjustable arms receives the platform counterweight that supports a purge sink and a purge reservoir.

3. The mobile platform and oscillating mechanism of claim 1, wherein the pedestal is an integral part of the oscillating mechanism.

4. The mobile platform and oscillating mechanism of claim 1, wherein one of the two adjustable arms receives a cable carrier.

5. The mobile platform and oscillating mechanism of claim 1, wherein the forearm with the forearm counterweight contains the forearm belt.

6. The mobile platform and oscillating mechanism of claim 1, wherein the arm with the arm counterweight is located on an axis of the pedestal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) The detailed description presented below references the attached figures and their respective reference numbers.

(2) FIG. 1 illustrates the mobile platform with the Mecanum wheel suspension system.

(3) FIG. 2 shows the configuration of the wheel supports that are inserted into and secured to the mobile platform.

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates the adaptation of the Mecanum wheel suspension system to different surface curvatures.

(5) FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic view of the oscillating mechanism with the paint rod.

(6) FIG. 5 details the transmissions between the oscillating mechanism's pulleys.

(7) FIG. 6 illustrates the semi-open pedestal with a detail of the gears that interconnect the inertia flywheel and the inertia coupling belt.

(8) FIG. 7 illustrates the movement of the oscillating mechanism and the course of the paint rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(9) First, it should be noted that the following description will start from a preferred embodiment of the invention. As will be apparent to anyone skilled in the art, however, the invention is not limited to that particular embodiment.

(10) FIG. 1 illustrates the mobile platform (1) including the Mecanum wheels (2) installed. The platform has 4 attaching pivots (5) for the cables that are necessary to move the system. The platform contains two adjustable arms (4), normally used to support the counterweight (8) of the cables and the cable carrier (not shown in the figure).

(11) The arm (4a), shown in FIG. 1, receives the counterweight (8) with the purpose of balancing the mobile platform when connected to the cable carrier that is connected to the arm (4b). The counterweight (8) can serve as support for the purge sink (6) and the purge tank (7). The cable carrier supports the cables that connect the airless paint pump to the spray gun (11).

(12) The part shown in (9) is a flanged connection for engaging and securing the oscillating mechanism. In it there is a cylindrical and empty space (10) to receive and house the electric motor (15).

(13) FIG. 2 illustrates the support of the Mecanum wheels (3). The support was built so that two of the four wheels are centered on the central axis of the platform and the other two are located on the sides. The side wheel supports use suspended shafts that are capable of flexing based on the angulation of the part or hull, keeping the wheels aligned with the surface. FIG. 3 illustrates two possible types of curvature in a painting surface.

(14) In general, the platform is intended to restrict movement against the plane of the side, allowing parallel movements that are controlled by the cables.

(15) FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 illustrate the mechanism used as an oscillating system for the painting arm without inversion where the rotating movement will be called crank and slider-type, because the inversion of the alternative movement is mechanical, as in the pistons of an internal combustion engine. The electric motor (15) remains in a position in the center of the mobile platform inside a compartment (10) in the pedestal (19) of the oscillating mechanism (29). The arm (26) and the forearm (16) are interconnected by a pivot (20) that contains two toothed pulleys, one with 36 teeth connected by the inertia coupling belt (18) and the other with 30 teeth coupled to the forearm (16) and interconnected by the belt (25).

(16) The rod (12) is connected to the forearm (16) by a toothed pulley with 30 teeth (21). At one end is the paint gun (11), which is fed by an airless paint pump. The paint array shows the actual paint line (22) on the surface.

(17) This mechanism now has an inertia flywheel (13) with a larger diameter of 661 mm not restricted to that size, which will make it more effective even with a smaller mass. Due to the mechanism's self-colliding limitations, the diameter of the inertia flywheel (13) is limited and can no longer be increased, even using lead as the material.

(18) The arm (14) and forearm (17) counterweights could also be mounted with the maximum distance allowed, and also have their mass reduced.

(19) The motor is attached to the pedestal by a flanged connection (23) and is hidden in the compartment (10) of the mobile platform.

(20) The course of the pedestal (19) is corrected through the lever (24) allowing cross oscillations at 45°.

(21) The inertia coupling belt (18) is stiffer to provide better coupling with the inertia flywheel (13) than with the pedestal (19).

(22) FIG. 6 shows the internal structure of transmission from the pedestal shaft to the flywheel (13) and the inertia coupling belt (18). Inside the annular of the epicyclic (29), there are 4 gears (28), enveloping the sun of the epicyclic (27).

(23) FIG. 7 shows the movement positions of the oscillating system in just one illustration, highlighting the linear movement of the pistol shaft. The total course of the arm (12) is 1,480 mm (end to end), with an acceleration distance of 140 mm at each end and a useful course of 1,200 mm in the center.