PAINTING SYSTEM

Abstract

A coating system for applying coating liquid such as a base coat, a paint, a lacquer or a protective layer to surfaces of buildings, wind turbines, ships and aircraft. The coating system includes an unmanned aerial machine in the form of a helicopter for dispensing the coating liquid. The aerial machine has a fuselage, two rotors, a tank for holding the coating liquid, and an applicator for dispensing the coating liquid and outputting same onto a surface to be coated. In order to supply the tank with coating liquid, the tank is fastened to the aerial vehicle and the tank or aerial vehicle has a filling opening for refilling the tank in the landed state of the vehicle, and/or the tank is part of an exchangeable tank module coupled to the fuselage and/or is uncoupled from the fuselage by a coupling device controlled in an automated manner.

Claims

1. A coating system, in particular for applying a base coat, a paint, a lacquer or a protective layer to surfaces, in particular of buildings, wind turbines, ships and aircraft, having the following features: a. the coating system has a tank for holding coating liquid before it is discharged; b. the coating system has an applicator for dispensing the coating liquid, through which applicator coating liquid which is supplied from the tank is output onto a surface which is to be coated, c. the coating system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle in the form of a helicopter for outputting the coating liquid, said aerial vehicle having a fuselage and at least two rotors, wherein the tank and the applicator are provided on this aerial vehicle, and d. for supplying the tank on the aerial vehicle with coating liquid, provision is made for the tank to be permanently fastened to the aerial vehicle and the aerial vehicle or the tank to have a filling opening which is accessible in the fastened state of the tank and by means of which the tank can be refilled in the landed state of the aerial vehicle, and/or for the tank to be designed as part of an exchangeable tank module which can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle and/or can be uncoupled from said fuselage by means of a coupling device which can be controlled in an automated manner.

2. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following additional features: a. the applicator for dispensing the coating liquid is provided as part of an applicator module of exchangeable configuration on the aerial vehicle, preferably having the following additional feature: b. the applicator module can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle and/or can be uncoupled from said fuselage by means of a coupling device which can be controlled in an automated manner, wherein, in particular, a common coupling device for jointly exchanging the exchangeable tank module and the applicator module is preferably provided.

3. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following additional features: a. the aerial vehicle has, for the purpose of energy supply, an energy supply module for providing electrical energy, and b. the energy supply module can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle and/or can be uncoupled from said fuselage by means of a coupling device which can be controlled in an automated manner.

4. The coating system as claimed in claim 3, having the following additional feature: a. the energy supply module is designed together with the exchangeable tank module as an integral tank and energy supply module and/or together with the applicator module as an integral applicator and energy supply module or tank, applicator and energy supply module which has a common coupling device for jointly exchanging firstly the energy supply module and secondly the applicator module and/or the tank module.

5. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following additional feature: a. the aerial vehicle has at least one internal combustion engine for driving the rotors and/or for driving a generator for generating electrical energy.

6. The coating system as claimed in claim 5, having the following additional features: a. the aerial vehicle has a fuel module for supplying the internal combustion engine with fuel, wherein the fuel module preferably can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle and can be uncoupled from said fuselage by means of a coupling device which can be controlled in an automated manner, and/or is permanently fastened to the aerial vehicle and the aerial vehicle has a filling opening by means of which the fuel module can be refilled in the landed state of the aerial vehicle.

7. The coating system as claimed claim 1, having the following additional feature: a. the coupling device, by means of which the tank module, the applicator module, the energy supply module and/or the fuel module can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle, is designed in such a way that it requires force to be applied to a component of the coupling device by an aerial vehicle-external section, so that the coupling device can then be moved from a coupling state to a release state in an automated manner.

8. A coating system, in particular for applying a base coat, a paint, a lacquer or a protective layer to surfaces, in particular of buildings, wind turbines, ships and aircraft, having the following features: a. the coating system has a tank for holding coating liquid before it is applied; b. the coating system has an applicator for dispensing the coating liquid, through which applicator coating liquid which is supplied from the tank is output onto a surface which is to be coated, c. the coating system comprises an unmanned aerial vehicle in the form of a helicopter for outputting the coating liquid, having a fuselage and at least two rotors, wherein the tank is provided on this aerial vehicle, and d. the applicator is provided with a guide device in order to in this way reduce disturbance of a coating spray jet, which is dispensed by the applicator, on account of turbulence which is caused by the rotors.

9. The coating system as claimed in claim 8, having the following additional features: a. the guide device is designed in the form of a structure which surrounds a dispensing axis of the applicator, wherein said structure is preferably a structure which widens in the dispensing direction and is in the form of a funnel which opens in the dispensing direction.

10. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following feature: a. the applicator can move in a pivoting manner in relation to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle.

11. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following feature: a. the applicator can move in a pivoting manner about a horizontal pivot axis, preferably about an angle of at least 60, particularly preferably of at least 80, so that the applicator can be pivoted downward substantially between a first orientation for approximately horizontally outputting a spray jet and a second orientation for approximately. vertically outputting a spray jet.

12. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following feature: a. the aerial vehicle is designed with a layer thickness sensor unit for contactlessly measuring an applied layer of paint, particularly preferably having at least one of the following additional feature: b. the layer thickness sensor unit operates using the measurement principle of ultrasonic testing, laser measurement or infrared measurement, and/or c. the layer thickness sensor unit is part of an exchangeable sensor module which can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle and can be uncoupled from said fuselage by means of a coupling device which can be controlled in an automated manner, wherein the coupling device is preferably designed in accordance with that of the tank module or of the applicator module, so that the exchangeable sensor module can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle instead of the tank module or instead of the applicator module.

13. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having the following additional feature: a. the aerial vehicle has an application compensator for compensating for a pulse which is caused by dispensing of coating liquid.

14. The coating system as claimed in claim 13, having the following additional feature: a. the application compensator is designed in the form of an additional rotor, the rotation axis of which has an orientation which differs from a vertical direction.

15. The coating system as claimed in claim 13, having the following additional feature: a. the application compensator is designed in the form of a guide device which can be displaced, in particular can be pivoted, in relation to the fuselage and which, by relative displacement in relation to the air stream of at least one of the rotors, deflects the air stream flowing to the rotor or the air stream departing from the rotor for the purpose of generating a counterpulse.

16. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having at least one of the following features: a. the coating system has a base station which serves as a landing area for the aerial vehicle, and b. the base station has a mechanically acting positioning mechanism for ensuring positioning of the landed aerial vehicle in a defined service position.

17. The coating system as claimed in claim 16, having the following additional feature: a. the positioning mechanism is designed as an active positioning mechanism and has at least one electrically operated actuator which is designed for displacing the aerial vehicle after landing.

18. The coating system as claimed in claim 16, having the following additional feature: a. the positioning mechanism is designed as a passive positioning mechanism and has guide areas, which are inclined in relation to a vertical direction, for horizontally displacing the aerial vehicle during landing.

19. The coating system as claimed in claim 16, having the following additional feature: a. the base station and the aerial vehicle have a fixing mechanism by means of which the aerial vehicle can be secured against vertical displacement in the landed state.

20. The coating system as claimed in claim 19, having the following additional feature: a. the fixing mechanism has a securing element which can be displaced in an automated manner and which can be made to engage with a mating area on the aerial vehicle for the purpose of securing the aerial vehicle.

21. The coating system as claimed in claim 20, having the following additional feature: a. the securing element is provided as a translatively or pivotable securing element.

22. The coating system as claimed in claim 20, having the following additional feature: a. the securing element is provided with a thread which is designed to interact with a thread on the aerial vehicle.

23. The coating system as claimed in claim 20, having the following additional feature: a. the securing element and the aerial vehicle have interacting inclined areas, so that displacement of the securing element causes application of force to the aerial vehicle in the direction of the displacement and transversely to said direction.

24. The coating system as claimed in claim 20, having the following additional features: a. a plurality of securing elements are provided, which can secure the aerial vehicle in an interlocking manner, and b. a common locking member is provided, by means of which the securing elements can be displaced in different directions at the same time in order to secure the aerial vehicle.

25. The coating system as claimed in claim 16, having the following additional feature: a. a section is provided on the base station, which section, when the aerial vehicle is landed, interacts with at least one coupling device in such a way that said coupling device can be moved from the coupling state to the release state.

26. The coating system as claimed in claim 16, having the following additional feature: a. the base station has a plurality of exchangeable modules which are designed as tank modules, energy supply modules, fuel modules or applicator modules or a combination thereof and which can be moved to a transfer position, from which they can be coupled to the fuselage of the aerial vehicle, by an automated handling mechanism, preferably having at least one of the following additional features: b. the plurality of exchangeable modules are arranged on the base station in a movable magazine, preferably in a turret magazine, and/or c. the base station has a heating mechanism for heating the contents of exchangeable tank modules.

27. The coating system as claimed in claim 1, having at least one of the following features: a. the aerial vehicle has at least three downwardly directed rotors, in particular four downwardly directed rotors (quadrocopter), six downwardly directed rotors (hexacopter) or eight downwardly directed rotors (octocopter), and/or b. the aerial vehicle has a measurement system for measuring the quantity of liquid dispensed from the tank or the quantity of liquid still contained in the tank, wherein values which are measured by means of this measurement system are preferably taken into account by the software of an attitude controller, and/or c. the tank is designed as a thermally insulated tank and to this end has an insulated outer wall, preferably with a heat transfer coefficient of [value missing], and/or d. the aerial vehicle has a heating device for heating the coating before the application, and/or e. the applicator has a dispensing opening through which the coating liquid is output to the surrounding area, wherein the applicator is configured or arranged in such a way that the dispensing opening and/or a guide device of the applicator are/is spaced apart from the rotors by at least 20 cm with respect to a horizontal plane, and/or f. the aerial vehicle has at least one camera which is oriented or can be oriented horizontally for detecting surfaces which are to be coated, wherein position control of the aerial vehicle and/or control of the dispensing process by a control device are/is performed taking into account output data from this camera.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0067] Further advantages and aspects of the invention can be found in the claims and the following description of preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention which are explained below with reference to the figures.

[0068] FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a coating system according to the invention having a base station and an aerial vehicle.

[0069] FIGS. 2 to 4 show the aerial vehicle of the coating system from above and also from two lateral perspectives.

[0070] FIGS. 5A and 5B show the aerial vehicle during coating of an object.

[0071] FIGS. 6A to 6E show the coating system including the base station during landing and starting of the aerial vehicle.

[0072] FIG. 7 shows an exemplary refinement of a base station from above.

[0073] FIGS. 8A and 8B show an alternative design of the coating system.

[0074] FIG. 9 shows a further alternative design of the coating system.

[0075] FIGS. 10A to 13C show four variants of a locking system for the base station.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0076] FIG. 1 shows a coating system 10 according to the invention. This coating system has an aerial vehicle 20 on which an applicator module 40 is provided. The coating system 10 further has a base station 100 which is intended to be set up in a stationary or mobile manner on the ground and also serves as a landing platform for the aerial vehicle 20.

[0077] The components of the aerial vehicle 20 are explained in more detail in a schematic manner with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

[0078] The aerial vehicle is designed as an octocopter. This means that the aerial vehicle has a total of eight rotors which, in a manner driven by respectively dedicated electric motors 25 and fitted to cantilever arms 23, implement lifting of the aerial vehicle 20, which lifting is required for flight. The aerial vehicle 20 has a fuselage to which, in addition to the cantilever arms 23 on the bottom side, various modules which will be explained in more detail below are fitted.

[0079] Furthermore, the aerial vehicle 20 has a total of four landing feet 90.

[0080] Depending on the configuration of the aerial vehicle, said modules are a tank module 30 for holding the coating liquid, an energy supply module 50 for holding batteries or rechargeable batteries, an applicator module 40 for dispensing the coating fluid and, but not in the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4, a fuel module 60 for supplying an internal combustion engine of the aerial vehicle 20.

[0081] In the configuration according to FIGS. 2 to 4, a common module 30, 50 is provided, which common module combines the tank module 30 for the coating liquid and the energy supply module 50 for holding electrically stored energy. This common module 30, 50 is coupled to the fuselage 22 in an exchangeable manner by means of coupling devices 34, 54. The tank module 30 comprises the tank for holding the coating liquid, a measurement system 38 for detecting the filling level and also a filling opening 36 which is usually closed by a non-return valve. The applicator module 40, which is usually designed to be longer than as depicted in the illustrations, comprises the actual applicator 42 for outputting the liquid, which applicator has a dispensing opening 42C for this purpose. The applicator 42 is surrounded by a funnel-like guide device 43 which is oriented in a manner corresponding to the opening angle of the liquid jet which is output by the dispensing opening 42C. The applicator module 40 further comprises a motor 45, for example a servomotor, in order to be able to pivot the applicator 42 about the axis 42A.

[0082] An application compensator 47 in the form of a further rotor 48 is provided on that side of the applicator module 40 which is averted from the applicator.

[0083] As illustrated in FIG. 2, a connecting line 27 is provided, which connecting line connects the tank 32 to the applicator module 40 and is provided for feeding the applicator 42. The line is provided with a pumping device 29 and a heating device 28. The heating device allows the liquid which is pumped out of the tank 32 by means of the pumping device 29 to be heated before it is dispensed. This is provided depending on the type of coating liquid which is to be dispensed and/or depending on the ambient temperature.

[0084] The aerial vehicle 20 is provided for coating surfaces of large area, wherein different types of coating are possible, for example applying a colored paint, a base coat or else applying a corrosion-protection agent or corrosion-protection wax.

[0085] The use of the aerial vehicle 20 takes place as explained, by way of example, with reference to FIGS. 5A and 5B. FIG. 5A illustrates how the aerial vehicle 20 coats a surface 200, that is to say for example applies a layer of paint 202, using the applicator module 40. To this end, the liquid which is supplied from the tank 32 by means of the pumping device 29 is dispensed through the dispensing opening 42C in atomized form in the direction of the dispensing axis 42B. In this case, the guide device 43 in the form of a funnel prevents the air movement which is caused by the rotors 24 from appreciably disturbing the spray jet. Precise coating is possible in this way.

[0086] The aerial vehicle 20 has a camera 74 and a layer thickness sensor unit 72. A control device 80 can use the output signals from said camera and layer thickness sensor unit during the discharge of the coating liquid in order to check whether the applied layer meets the requirements or in order to be able to navigate in a particularly precise manner by evaluating a camera image.

[0087] During dispensing of the coating liquid, the rotor 48 is activated in order to compensate for the pulse which is caused by the dispensing operation. Although this is also possible with the lifting rotors 24 in principle, the aerial vehicle 20 would have to be moved to a more tilted position, which would make dispensing of liquid more difficult.

[0088] FIG. 5B shows that, with a changed orientation of the surface 200 which is to be coated, the aerial vehicle 20 ensures, due to reorientation of the applicator 42, that the application of the coating continues at an ideal angle and in a manner protected against the turbulent air of the rotors 24.

[0089] FIGS. 6A to 6E show temporary landing of the aerial vehicle 20 for the purpose of refreshing the operating resources.

[0090] FIG. 6A shows the aerial vehicle 20 during the landing approach. Owing to a downwardly directed camera, not illustrated, or else other navigation and positioning mechanisms, the aerial vehicle 20 positions itself above the base station 100 and then reduces the altitude. In the process, the landing feet 90 engage with a positioning mechanism 102, which is shaped in the form of a funnel, as intended. The guide faces 104, which form the funnel, are correspondingly inclined so that a precise predetermined position can be assumed even in the event of an inaccurate approach by the aerial vehicle 20 in the manner shown by FIG. 6B.

[0091] During landing, the modules 30, 50, 40 enter shafts which are provided on the base station 100, and said modules are then arranged above magazines 132 which are still to be explained below. As soon as the landing feet 90 of the aerial vehicle 20 have reached their desired position, pin-like securing elements 112 of a fixing mechanism 110 are radially extended in order to completely fix the aerial vehicle 20 by way of interaction with mating areas 92 on the landing feet 90, so that said aerial vehicle is secured against lifting away in an interlocking manner.

[0092] In a manner not illustrated in any detail, electrical contact areas on the base station 100 and the aerial vehicle 20 are connected to one another during landing, so that the control device 80 of the aerial vehicle 20 can be supplied with electrical power by means of said contact areas.

[0093] Furthermore, the landing process leads to pin-like sections 120 which are provided on the top side of the base station coming into contact with components 34A, 44A, 54A of the coupling devices 34, 44, 54 which are provided for this purpose and in this way allow the modules 30, 50, 40 to be uncoupled in a mechanical manner. As a result, it is possible for the control device 80 or a base station-side control device to release the coupling devices 34, 44, 54, so that both the combined tank module and energy supply module 30, 50 and also the applicator module 40 are unlatched and drop into their respective magazine 132.

[0094] By moving this magazine 132, a new module 30, 40, 50 is then, in the manner shown in FIG. 6D, respectively moved to a transfer position below the aerial vehicle 20 and raised there by means of a mechanism which is not illustrated in any detail, so that coupling of the coupling devices 34, 44, 54 takes place. The coupling devices 34, 44, 54 are preferably designed in such a way that a coupled state is achieved solely by pressing against the respective module, in particular by way of the module-side elements of the coupling device locking into place in a unidirectional manner when the fuselage 22 is pressed against.

[0095] As illustrated in FIG. 6E, the aerial vehicle 20 can be restarted and continue applying the coating after the securing elements 112 are released.

[0096] FIG. 7 shows a schematic illustration of the base station 100 from above. It can be seen that the magazines for holding the combined tank and energy supply modules 30, 50 and, respectively, the applicator modules 40 are configured differently in the present case. The magazine 132 for the combined modules 30, 50 is designed as a turret magazine, whereas the magazine 132 for the applicator modules 40 is designed as a linearly oriented magazine 132. The two magazines 132 share the common feature that they are respectively configured in a movable manner in accordance with the arrows 140, 142.

[0097] FIGS. 8A and 8B and also 9 show slightly modified variations. An additional or alternative option for refilling the tank 32 is provided in the case of the design of FIGS. 8A and 8B. Here, the base station 100 has a filling section 150 which is connected into a coating liquid supply system 152. When the aerial vehicle 20 is landed, this section enters the filling opening 36 of the aerial vehicle 20 and in the process opens the non-return valve which is provided here. The tank 32 can then be refilled without exchanging the module.

[0098] FIG. 9 shows a variant in which a supplementary or additional internal combustion engine 82 is provided in the drone. Furthermore, a fuel module 60 is provided in this refinement for supplying the internal combustion engine 82, which fuel module is parts of an integral module 30, 50 for the coating liquid and the fuel. In this case, filling openings 36, 66 are respectively provided on the bottom side of this module 30, 50 for refilling purposes.

[0099] FIGS. 10A and 10B, 11A and 11B, 12A and 12B and also 13A to 13C show alternative variants of a fixing mechanism 110 which can be used instead of those of the design illustrated in FIG. 6B.

[0100] In the variant of FIGS. 10A and 10B, the fixing mechanism has pivotable securing elements 114 which are designed in a hook-like manner in the present case. After landing or in the last phase of landing of the aerial vehicle 20, these securing elements project in a motor-driven manner out of the position of FIG. 10A to that of FIG. 10B. In the process, they fix a holding cam 91 which is respectively provided on the landing foot 90. The aerial vehicle 20 is then secured against lifting away in an interlocking manner.

[0101] In the variant of FIGS. 11A and 11B, the landing feet 90 are provided with an external thread 94. In a manner corresponding to this, a securing element 115 of the base station 100 in configured in the form of a rotatable nut with an internal thread 116 and provided such that it can be rotated on the base station 100 by motor. When the aerial vehicle 20 is landed, the landing feet enter, is the by way of your external thread 94, the bore of the securing element 115 and are as it were firmly screwed here by the rotational movement of said securing element.

[0102] The variant of FIGS. 12A and 12B makes provision for inclined holding areas or a circumferential conical area 96 to be provided on the landing feet. In order to interact with said holding areas or conical area, the base station has radially displaceable securing element 117 which can be displaced horizontally in relation to the inserted landing feet of the aerial vehicle 20 by motor and likewise have an inclined holding area, so that said holding area, as they approach one another and in the direction of the respective landing foot 90, apply force to said landing foot radially inwardly and as a result axially downwardly. The landing feet of the aerial vehicle 20 are pushed against a stop face of the base station 100 in the process, so that secure fixing of the aerial vehicle 20 is achieved.

[0103] The variants of FIGS. 13A to 13C provide a securing device which, on the base station 100, consists of a pipe 118A, which is provided with radial cutouts, and securing bodies 118B which can be radially displaced in relation to said pipe. A locking pin 119 is provided within the pipe 118A, which locking pin can be displaced in the direction of extent of the pipe 118A by motor in order to push the securing bodies 118B outward by means of its conical end during this movement.

[0104] In a corresponding manner to this, the landing feet 90 are also provided with a widening securing geometry.

[0105] When the vehicle 20 is landed, as shown in FIG. 13B, the locking pin 119 is moved upward. In the process, the spherical securing bodies 118B are displaced and shift outward. As a result, they protrude beyond the outside diameter of the pipe 118A on the outside, so that they form an interlocking securing arrangement with the widening geometry of the landing feet 90.