Device for lacquer transfer

Abstract

A device for lacquer transfer is disclosed having a frame, a nozzle with a dispensing end for dispensing lacquer, and a transfer roller with a circumferential lateral wall, a circumferential outer contact surface of the lateral wall comprises 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. A first hardening unit is formed as a UV-light unit configured for partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting UV-light, the first hardening unit is arranged within an interior space defined by the transfer roller. The lateral wall of the transfer roller is transparent for UV-light, and the first hardening unit is arranged such that UV-light is emittable towards the work surface in a first operational area of the work surface to partially harden the lacquer in the first operational area.

Claims

1. A device for lacquer transfer, comprising: a frame, a drive unit, a nozzle with a dispensing end for dispensing lacquer, a transfer roller with a circumferential lateral wall, and at least two hardening units comprising a first hardening unit and a second hardening unit, wherein the frame comprises a first extending arm, a second extending arm, and a third extending arm, wherein the nozzle is disposed at a distal end of the first extending arm, the first hardening unit is disposed at a distal end of the second extending arm, and the second hardening unit is disposed at a distal end of the third extending arm, 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 a circumferential outer contact surface of the lateral wall comprises 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 when the transfer roller rotates about the axis of rotation, 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 along a rolling direction, wherein the first hardening unit of the at least two hardening units is formed as a UV-light unit configured for partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting UV-light, wherein the first hardening unit is arranged within an interior space defined by the transfer roller, wherein the lateral wall of the transfer roller is transparent for UV-light, wherein the first hardening unit is arranged such that UV-light is emittable towards the work surface in a first operational area of the work surface to partially harden the lacquer in the first operational area, wherein the lacquer is transferable to the work surface in the first operational area, wherein the second hardening unit of the at least two hardening units is configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way, wherein the second hardening unit is arranged such that the lacquer is at least partially hardenable by the second hardening unit in a second operational area of the work surface in which the lacquer was transferred to the work surface and was partially hardened by the first hardening unit.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second hardening unit is formed as a UV-light unit configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting UV-light, wherein the second hardening unit is arranged such that UV-light is emittable towards the work surface in the second operational area of the work surface to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second hardening unit is formed as an IR-light unit configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting IR-light, wherein the second hardening unit is arranged such that IR-light is emittable towards the work surface in the second operational area of the work surface to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second hardening unit is formed as a fan heater unit configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting heated air, wherein the second hardening unit is arranged such that heated air is emittable towards the work surface in the second operational area of the work surface to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area.

5. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a shield, wherein the shield is at least indirectly connected to the frame and extends away from the frame towards a distal end of an end section of the shield, wherein the shield is arranged between the first hardening unit and the second hardening unit such that the second operational area is shielded from the UV-light emitted from the first hardening unit.

6. The device according to claim 5, wherein the distal end of the end section of the shield is arranged at a predefined distance from the work surface when the transfer roller rolls with the outer contact surface on the work surface.

7. The device according to claim 5, wherein the end section of the shield is flexible such that the end section is elastically deformable against the rolling direction.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a third hardening unit of the at least two hardening units, wherein the third hardening unit is configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way, wherein the third hardening unit is arranged such that the lacquer is at least partially hardenable by the third hardening unit in a third operational area of the work surface in which the lacquer was transferred to the work surface and was partially hardened by the first hardening unit and by the second hardening unit.

9. A method for lacquer transfer using the device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer roller rotates relative to the frame about the axis of rotation, the drive unit drives rotation of the transfer roller about the axis of rotation, lacquer is dispensed from the dispensing end onto the outer contact surface and into the depressions, the transfer roller rolls with the outer contact surface on the work surface of the workpiece along the rolling direction such that the lacquer is transferred from the outer contact surface and from the depressions to the work surface in the first operational area of the work surface, the lacquer is partially hardened in the first operational area of the work surface by UV-light emitted from the first hardening unit towards the work surface in the first operational area, and the lacquer is at least partially hardened in the second operational area of the work surface by the second hardening unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) 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.

(2) FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a part of an aircraft with a wing and an embodiment of a device for lacquer transfer onto an upper wing surface of the wing.

(3) FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the embodiment of the device in FIG. 1 in a cross-sectional view.

(4) 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

(5) Some embodiments will now be described with reference to the Figures.

(6) 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, which may by hardenable by UV-light and/or IR-light and/or heated air, 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.

(7) 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.

(8) 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 circumferential lateral wall 31, which is transparent for UV-light and may be elastically deformable, especially in and against a radial direction R. The lateral wall 31 comprises a circumferential outer contact surface 33 with several depressions 34. The nozzle 25, which is connected to the frame 21, comprises a dispensing end 35 for dispensing lacquer onto the outer contact surface 33 and into the depressions 34. 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, especially when the transfer roller 27 rotates about the axis of rotation 29.

(9) 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 rotation of the transfer roller 27 is driven by the drive unit 23. 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 along a rolling direction 37.

(10) The device 13 comprises a first hardening unit 39 and a second hardening unit 40. The first hardening unit 39 and the second hardening unit 40 are each connected to the frame 21. The first hardening unit 39 is arranged within an interior space 41 defined by the transfer roller 27. The second hardening unit 40 is arranged outside of the interior space 41.

(11) The first hardening unit 39 is formed as a UV-light unit configured for partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting UV-light. The first hardening unit 39 is arranged such that UV-light is emittable towards the work surface 15 in a first operational area 43 of the work surface 15 to partially harden the lacquer in the first operational area 43. In the first operational area 43, the lacquer is transferred to the work surface 15. The device 13 may be configured to control the drive unit 23 and/or the first hardening unit 39 such that lacquer transferred to the work surface 15 is partially hardened via UV-light emitted by the first hardening unit 39.

(12) The second hardening unit 40 is configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way. The second hardening unit 40 is arranged such that the lacquer is at least partially hardenable by the second hardening unit 40 in a second operational area 45 of the work surface 15. The first operational area 43 and the second operational area 45 are arranged one after the other along the rolling direction 37. In the second operational area 45, the lacquer was transferred to the work surface 15 and was partially hardened by the first hardening unit 39.

(13) Similarly to the first hardening unit 39, the second hardening unit 40 is formed as a UV-light unit configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting UV-light. The second hardening unit 40 is arranged such that UV-light is emittable towards the work surface 15 in the second operational area 45 of the work surface 15 to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area 45. However, the second hardening unit 40 may also be formed as an IR-light unit and be configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting IR-light. In this case, the second hardening unit 40 may be arranged such that IR-light is emittable towards the work surface 15 in the second operational area 45 of the work surface 15 to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area 45. Alternatively, the second hardening unit 40 may also be formed as a fan heater unit configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way by emitting heated air. In case the second hardening unit 40 is formed as a fan heater unit, the second hardening unit 40 is arranged such that heated air is emittable towards the work surface 15 in the second operational area 45 of the work surface 15 to at least partially harden the lacquer in the second operational area 45.

(14) When the transfer roller 27 rolls with the outer contact surface 33 on the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17 for transferring lacquer from the outer contact surface 33 and from the depressions to the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17 along the rolling direction 37, a first section of the lacquer is transferred to the work surface 15 in the first operational area 43. While the first section of the lacquer is transferred to the work surface 15 in the first operational area 43, the first section of the lacquer is partially hardened by the first hardening unit 39. While the transfer roller 27 rolls along the rolling direction 37, the first operational area 43 and the second operational area 45 both move together with the transfer roller 27 in the rolling direction 37 such that the first section of the lacquer passes from the first operational area 43 to the second operation area. In the second operational area 45, the first section of the lacquer is then at least partially hardened by the second hardening unit 40. Similarly, each section of the lacquer is transferred to the work surface 15 and partially hardened by the first hardening unit 39 in the first operational area 43, passed over from the first operational area 43 to the second operational area 45 and then at least partially hardened by the second hardening unit 40.

(15) The device 13 in FIG. 2 comprises a shield 47 with an end section 49. The shield 47 is connected to the frame 21 and extends away from the frame 21 towards a distal end 51 of the end section 49 of the shield 47. The shield 47 is arranged between the first hardening unit 39 and the second hardening unit 40 such that the second operational area 45 is shielded from the UV-light emitted from the first hardening unit 39. The distal end 51 of the end section 49 of the shield 47 is arranged at a predefined distance from the work surface 15 when the transfer roller 27 rolls with the outer contact surface 33 on the work surface 15. Further, the end section 49 of the shield 47 is flexible such that the end section 49 is elastically deformable against the rolling direction 37.

(16) In addition to the first hardening unit 39 and the second hardening unit 40, the device 13 may comprise a third hardening unit 44. The third hardening unit 44 may be configured for at least partially hardening the lacquer in a contactless way. The third hardening unit 44 may be arranged such that the lacquer is at least partially hardenable by the third hardening unit in a third operational area of the work surface 15 in which the lacquer was transferred to the work surface 15 and was partially hardened by the first hardening unit 39 and by the second hardening unit 40.

(17) The device 13 shown in FIG. 2 can be used in a method for lacquer transfer. During this method, the transfer roller 27 rotates relative to the frame 21 about the axis of rotation 29. The drive unit 23 drives rotation of the transfer roller 27 about the axis of rotation 29. Lacquer is dispensed from the dispensing end 35 onto the outer contact surface 33 and into the depressions. The transfer roller 27 rolls with the outer contact surface 33 on the work surface 15 of the workpiece 17 along the rolling direction 37 such that the lacquer is transferred from the outer contact surface 33 and from the depressions to the work surface 15 in the first operational area 43 of the work surface 15. The lacquer is partially hardened in the first operational area 43 of the work surface 15 by UV-light emitted from the first hardening unit 39 towards the work surface 15 in the first operational area 43. While the transfer roller 27 rolls along the rolling direction 37, each section of the lacquer is transferred to the work surface 15 and partially hardened by the first hardening unit 39 in the first operational area 43, then passed over from the first operational area 43 to the second operational area 45, and then at least partially hardened by the second hardening unit 40 in the second operational area 45 of the work surface 15.

(18) 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.

(19) 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.