DEVICE

Abstract

A device for a lacquer transfer is disclosed having a transfer roller, the transfer roller includes a cylindrical support body, a first ring element, a second ring element, and a tire, wherein the tire comprises a middle section forming a circumferential outer contact surface with several depressions. The transfer roller is configured to roll with the outer contact surface on a work surface of a workpiece for transferring lacquer from the outer contact surface and from the depressions to the work surface of the workpiece. The tire includes two annular end sections, which are attached to the support body resulting in two axially separated and circumferentially extending connections. The tire, the connections, and the outer shell of the support body are fluid-tight and arranged such that a fluid-tight main cavity is formed between the tire and the support body. The first and second ring elements are arranged in the main cavity and seated on the support body at a predefined distance in an axial direction (A) of the transfer roller from one another.

Claims

1. A device for a lacquer transfer, comprising: a frame, a drive unit, a nozzle with a dispensing end for dispensing lacquer, and a transfer roller, wherein the transfer roller is rotatably mounted on the frame, such that the transfer roller is rotatable relative to the frame about an axis of rotation, wherein the drive unit is configured to drive rotation of the transfer roller about the axis of rotation, wherein the transfer roller comprises: a cylindrical support body, a first ring element, a second ring element, and a tire, wherein the tire comprises a middle section forming a circumferential outer contact surface with several depressions, wherein the nozzle and the transfer roller are arranged such that lacquer is dispensable from the dispensing end onto the outer contact surface and into the depressions, wherein the transfer roller is configured to roll with the outer contact surface on a work surface of a workpiece for transferring the lacquer from the outer contact surface and from the depressions to the work surface of the workpiece, wherein the tire comprises two annular end sections, which are arranged on opposite sides of the middle section and are attached to a cylindrical outer shell of the support body resulting in two axially separated and circumferentially extending connections, wherein the tire, the connections, and the outer shell of the support body are fluid-tight and arranged such that a fluid-tight main cavity is formed between the tire and the support body, wherein the first and second ring elements are arranged in the main cavity and seated on the support body at a predefined distance in an axial direction (A) of the transfer roller from one another such that the middle section of the tire between the first and second ring elements is prestrained in the axial direction (A), wherein the first ring element comprises a first fluid-tight wall defining a circumferentially extending first ring cavity, which is filled with a first fluid, wherein the second ring element comprises a second fluid-tight wall defining a circumferentially extending second ring cavity (80), which is filled with a second fluid, and wherein the device comprises a control unit adapted to control a first pressure in the first ring cavity and a second pressure in the second ring cavity.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is adapted to control a main pressure in the main cavity.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a fluid conveyor means, which is attached to a resealable first opening in the first ring element and a resealable second opening in the second ring element, such that the first fluid is transferrable into and out of the first ring cavity and the second fluid is transferrable into and out of the second ring cavity.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the main cavity is filled with a gas with a predefined pressure such that the middle section is prestrained in a radial direction (R) of the transfer roller.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the middle section of the tire between the outer contact surface of the tire and a confinement surface of the tire facing the main cavity is at most 1 cm.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the tire is formed of at least two layers.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein the number of layers is at most five.

8. The device according to claim 6, wherein the tire comprises a first layer of the at least two layers and a second layer of the at least two layers, wherein the first layer is arranged on a side of the tire facing the main cavity, wherein the second layer forms the outer contact surface of the tire.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein each end section extends transversely to an extension of the middle section.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the tire comprises silicone.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer roller comprises a first clamping element and a second clamping element, wherein the first clamping element is in contact with the first annular end section of the two annular end sections such that the first annular end section is pressed on the outer shell of the support body to form a first connection of the two connections, wherein the second clamping element is in contact with the second annular end section of the two annular end sections such that the second annular end section is pressed on the outer shell of the support body to form a second connection of the two connections.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support body comprises a transparent cylinder and two rims, wherein the rims are mounted to the cylinder at two opposing ends of the cylinder such that the cylinder and the two rims are arranged coaxial to each other.

13. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cylinder is made of glass.

14. The device according to claim 12, wherein the cylinder forms a confinement surface facing the main cavity.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the support body comprises a first support element extending in the radial direction (R) such that the first ring element is secured against movement in the axial direction (A) by the first support element, wherein the support body comprises a second support element extending in the radial direction (R) such that the second ring element is secured against movement in the axial direction by the second support element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Further features, advantages and application possibilities of the present invention may be derived from the following description of exemplary embodiments and/or the figures. Thereby, all described and/or visually depicted features for themselves and/or in any combination may form an advantageous subject matter and/or features of the present invention independent of their combination in the individual claims or their dependencies. Furthermore, in the figures, same reference signs may indicate same or similar objects.

[0046] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a part of an aircraft with a wing and a device arranged according to an embodiment for transferring lacquer onto an upper wing surface of the wing.

[0047] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the embodiment of the device in FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view.

[0048] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a section of an embodiment of a transfer roller of the device in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional view.

[0049] In the accompanying drawings, like reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating particular principles, discussed below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME EMBODIMENTS

[0050] Some embodiments will now be described with reference to the Figures.

[0051] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a part of an aircraft 1, which comprises a fuselage 3 and a wing 5. A robot 7 is seated on a rack 9. The robot 7 comprises a movable robot arm 11. A device 13 according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted at an end of the robot arm 11, such that the device 13 can be moved by the robot 7. The device 13 is configured for transferring lacquer onto a work surface 15 of a workpiece 17. According to the example shown in FIG. 1, the workpiece 17 can be formed by the wing 5 of the aircraft 1 and an upper wing surface 19 of the wing 5 can form the work surface 15.

[0052] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the embodiment of the device 13 in FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view. The device 13 comprises a frame 21, a drive unit 23, a nozzle 25, and a transfer roller 27. The device 13 can be attached via the frame 21 to the robot arm 11. However, instead of a robot 7 any other handling device may be used, which is configured to move the device 13 in space. The frame 21 may be adapted to be releasably connected to a handling device, such as the robot 7.

[0053] The transfer roller 27 is mounted rotatably, in particular by means of at least one bearing, about an axis of rotation 29 on the frame 21 such that the transfer roller 27 is rotatable about the axis of rotation 29 relative to the frame 21. The transfer roller 27 comprises a tire 31, which may be elastically deformable. The tire 31 comprises a circumferential outer contact surface 33 with several depressions. The nozzle 25 comprises a dispensing end 35 for dispensing lacquer onto the outer contact surface 33 and into the depressions. The nozzle 25 and the transfer roller 27 are arranged such that lacquer is dispensable from the dispensing end 35 onto the outer contact surface 33 and into the depressions.

[0054] The drive unit 23 is configured to drive rotation of the transfer roller 27 about the axis of rotation 29, such that the tire 31 continuously rotates around the axis of rotation 29. When lacquer is dispensed from the dispensing end 35 of the nozzle 25 onto the outer contact surface 33 and into the depressions, the lacquer rotates around the axis of rotation 29 in a rotation direction U. When the lacquer reaches the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17, the lacquer is transferred from the depressions and from the outer contact surface 33 to the work surface 15. Therefore, the transfer roller 27 is configured to roll with the outer contact surface 33 on the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17 for transferring the lacquer from the outer contact surface 33 and from the depressions to the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17.

[0055] The device 13 comprises a hardening unit 39. The hardening unit 39 is configured for hardening the lacquer, preferably contactless. The hardening unit 39 can be formed by a UV-light unit. The hardening unit 39 is directly or indirectly connected to the frame 21. Moreover, the hardening unit 39 can be arranged within an interior space 41 formed by the transfer roller 27. For instance, if the hardening unit 39 is formed by a UV-light unit, the tire 31 of the transfer roller 27 may be configured to transmit UV-light-waves. Thus, the tire 31 can be transparent for UV-light. The hardening unit 39 can be arranged, such that UV-light is emitted towards the work surface 15 on which the tire 31 of the transfer roller 27 can roll. The lacquer may by hardenable by UV-light. The device 13 may be configured to control the drive unit 23 and/or the hardening unit 39, such that lacquer transferred to the work surface 15 is immediately hardened via UV-light emitted by the hardening unit 39.

[0056] FIG. 3 schematically illustrates a section of an embodiment of the transfer roller 27 of the device 13 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 in a cross-sectional view. The transfer roller 27 comprises the tire 31, a cylindrical support body 43, a first ring element 45, and a second ring element 47. The tire 31 comprises a middle section 83, which forms the circumferential outer contact surface 33, and two annular end sections 82, 85. The two annular end sections 82, 85 are arranged on opposite sides of the middle section 83. The first ring element 45 comprises a first fluid-tight wall 76 defining a circumferentially extending first ring cavity 77, which is filled with a first fluid 78 such that a first pressure is in the first ring cavity 77. The second ring element 47 comprises a second fluid-tight wall 79 defining a circumferentially extending second ring cavity 80, which is filled with a second fluid 81 such that a second pressure is in the second ring cavity 80. The first and second ring elements 45, 47 may be elastically deformable against the first and second pressures, respectively.

[0057] Further, the support body 43 comprises a transparent cylinder 49, which is made of glass, and two rims 95, 97. The rims 95, 97 are mounted to the cylinder 49 at two opposing ends of the cylinder 49 such that the cylinder 49 and the two rims 95, 97 are arranged coaxial to each other, especially with the axis of rotation 29 as their common axis. The support body 43 comprises a circumferential first outer contact surface 51 and a circumferential second outer contact surface 53. The first ring element 45 and the second ring element 47 each comprises a circumferential inner contact surface 55, 57. The first outer contact surface 51 of the support body 43 is in contact with the inner contact surface 55 of the first ring element 45. The second outer contact surface 53 of the support body 43 is in contact with the inner contact surface 57 of the second ring element 47, such that the support body 43 supports the first and second ring elements 45, 47 in a radial direction R of the transfer roller 27.

[0058] The first ring element 45 and the second ring element 47 each comprise a circumferential outer contact surface 59, 61. The tire 31 comprises a circumferential first inner contact surface 63 and a circumferential second inner contact surface 65. The outer contact surface 59 of the first ring element 45 is in contact with the first inner contact surface 63 of the tire 31. The outer contact surface 61 of the second ring element 47 is in contact with the second inner contact surface 65 of the tire 31, such that the first and second ring elements 45, 47 support the tire 31 in the radial direction R.

[0059] The two annular end sections 82, 85 are attached to a cylindrical outer shell 37 of the support body 43 resulting in two axially separated and circumferentially extending connections 87, 89. The tire 31, the connections 87, 89, and the outer shell 37 of the support body 43 are fluid-tight and arranged such that a fluid-tight main cavity 75 is formed between the tire 31 and the support body 43. The first and second ring elements 45, 47 are arranged in the main cavity 75 and seated on the support body 43 at a predefined distance in an axial direction A of the transfer roller 27 from one another such that the middle section 83 of the tire 31 between the first and second ring elements 45, 47 is prestrained in the axial direction A. The main cavity 75 is filled with a gas with a predefined pressure such that the middle section 83 is prestrained in the radial direction R of the transfer roller 27.

[0060] The device 13 comprises a control unit 90. The control unit 90 is adapted to control the first pressure in the first ring cavity 77 and the second pressure in the second ring cavity 80. A first pressure sensor 92 is arranged inside the first ring cavity 77 and is adapted to measure the first pressure. In addition, a second pressure sensor 94 is arranged inside the second ring cavity 80 and is adapted to measure the second pressure. The first pressure sensor 92 and the second pressure sensor 94 are each connected to the control unit 90 and adapted to transmit a pressure signal representing the first pressure and the second pressure, respectively, to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 is connected to a fluid conveyor means 96. The fluid conveyor means 96 is attached to a resealable first opening 98 in the first ring element 45 and a resealable second opening 100 in the second ring element 47, such that the first fluid 78 is transferrable into and out of the first ring cavity 77 and the second fluid 81 is transferrable into and out of the second ring cavity 80. The control unit 90 may be adapted to transmit a control signal based on the pressure signals to the fluid conveyor means 96, such that the fluid conveyor means 96 transfers the first fluid 78 into and out of the first ring cavity 77 and the second fluid 81 into and out of the second ring cavity 80 based on the control signal such that the first pressure approaches a first target pressure and the second pressure approaches a second target pressure. Each fluid-tight wall 76, 79 may be elastically deformable in the radial direction R. The elastic deformation of each fluid-tight wall 76, 79 may be allowed by the first ring element 45 and the second ring element 47, respectively, since each fluid-tight wall 76, 79 may be deformed against the pressure of each respective fluid 78, 81.

[0061] The control unit 90 in FIG. 3 may be adapted to control a main pressure in the main cavity 75. A main pressure sensor, which is not shown in FIG. 3, may be arranged inside the main cavity 75 and be adapted to measure the main pressure. The main pressure sensor may be connected to the control unit 90 and adapted to transmit a pressure signal representing the main pressure to the control unit 90. The fluid conveyor means 96 may comprise a main opening or may be attachable to a resealable main opening in the support body 43, such that the gas, with which the main cavity 75 is filled, is transferrable into and out of the main cavity 75. The control unit 90 may be adapted to transmit a control signal based on the pressure signal received from the main pressure sensor to the fluid conveyor means 96, such that the fluid conveyor means 96 transfers the gas into and out of the main cavity 75 based on the control signal such that the main pressure approaches a main target pressure. The main pressure in the main cavity 75 may be controlled, such that the gas in the main cavity 75 has a predefined pressure, i.e. the main target pressure. The tire 31, especially the middle section 83 of the tire 31, may be elastically deformable in the radial direction R. The elastic deformation of the tire 31, especially of the middle section 83 of the tire 31, may be allowed by the transfer roller 27, since the tire 31, especially the middle section 83 of the tire 31, may be deformed against the pressure of the gas inside the main cavity 75.

[0062] The transfer roller 27 comprises a first clamping element 99 and a second clamping element 101. The first clamping element 99 is in contact with the first annular end section 82 of the two annular end sections 82, 85 such that the first annular end section 82 is pressed on the outer shell 37 of the support body 43 to form the first connection 87 of the two connections 87, 89. The second clamping element 101 is in contact with the second annular end section 85 of the two annular end sections 82, 85 such that the second annular end section 85 is pressed on the outer shell 37 of the support body 43 to form the second connection 89 of the two connections 87, 89. The first end section 82 of the two end sections 82, 85 extends transversely to an extension of the middle section 83. The second end section 85 of the two end section 82, 85 extends transversely to the extension of the middle section 83. The tire 31 comprises an elastic material, especially silicone.

[0063] The outer shell 37 of the support body 43 comprises a circumferential first mounting surface and a circumferential second mounting surface. The first annular end section 82 is pressed on the first mounting surface of the outer shell 37 of the support body 43 and the second annular end section 85 is pressed on the second mounting surface of the outer shell 37 of the support body 43. The first mounting surface of the support body 43 is formed by a first seal 91 of the support body 43. The second mounting surface of the support body 43 is formed by a second seal 93 of the support body 43.

[0064] The support body 43 comprises a circumferential confinement surface 67, which is formed by the cylinder 49 and faces the main cavity 75. The first ring element 45 comprises a circumferential confinement surface 69, the second ring element 47 comprises a circumferential confinement surface 71, and the tire 31 comprises a circumferential confinement surface 73. The confinement surfaces 67, 69, 71, 73 confine a central section of the main cavity 75.

[0065] The thickness of the middle section 83 of the tire 31 between the outer contact surface 33 of the tire 31 and the confinement surface 73 of the tire 31 facing the main cavity 75 is at most 1 cm. The tire 31 is formed of at least two layers and the number of layers is at most five. The tire 31 comprises a first layer of the at least two layers and a second layer of the at least two layers, wherein the first layer is arranged on a side of the tire 31 facing the main cavity 75, wherein the second layer forms the outer contact surface 33 of the tire 31. The tire 31 comprises a first layer of the layers and a second layer of the layers. The first inner contact surface 63, the second inner contact surface 65, and the confinement surface 73 of the tire 31 are each formed by the first layer. The outer contact surface 33 of the tire 31 is formed by the second layer. Even though the tire 31 is formed of at least two layers, the tire 31 can be formed of a single layer.

[0066] The support body 43 comprises a first support element 103 extending in the radial direction R such that the first ring element 45 is secured against movement in the axial direction A by the first support element 103. The support body 43 comprises a second support element 105 extending in the radial direction R such that the second ring element 47 is secured against movement in the axial direction A by the second support element 105.

[0067] 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.

[0068] While at least one exemplary embodiment 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 exemplary embodiment(s). In addition, in this disclosure, the terms comprise or comprising do not exclude other elements or steps, the terms a 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.