COATING REPAIR APPLICATION SYSTEM USING REMOTELY PILOTED AIRCRAFT

Abstract

The present invention provides the use of a drone, or remotely piloted aircraft, equipped with a system for applying paint or industrial coating with epoxy paint and/or polyurethane.

Coating repair application system using remotely piloted aircraft, characterized by comprising remotely piloted aircraft (9), a portable painting system (2), (5), (7) and (8), linear guide (4), distance sensors (10), camera (11), remote control (12), battery (1), lattice structure (3).

Claims

1. COATING REPAIR APPLICATION SYSTEM USING REMOTELY PILOTTED AIRCRAFT, characterized by comprising remotely piloted aircraft (9), a portable painting system (2), (5), (7) and (8), linear guide (4), distance sensors (10), camera (11), remote control (12), battery (1), lattice structure (3).

2. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the portable painting system (2), (5), (7) and (8), operates with or without compressed air.

3. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear guide (4) has 2 degrees of freedom and allows lateral linear movement of the paint application nozzle (7) (sideways) and rotation of the nozzle pointing up (14) and down (15).

4. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear guide (4) has, positioned itself, a mask (6) made of disposable material or easy to clean for protecting against paint splashes on the sensors (10) and in the camera (11).

5. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that a flexible hose (5) connects the nozzle extension (8) to the portable painting compressor (2).

6. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the lattice structure (3) is made of carbon fiber, glass fiber or metallic materials such as aluminum and its alloys.

7. SYSTEM, according to claim 1, characterized in that the remote control (12) is the only one for controlling the remotely piloted aircraft (9) and the portable painting system (2), (5), (7) and (8), linear guide (4) or separate controls.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0015] The present invention will be described in more detail below, with reference to the attached figures which, in a schematic and not limiting of the inventive scope, represent examples of its realization. The drawings show:

[0016] FIG. 1 illustrates a rear isometric view;

[0017] FIG. 2 illustrates a front isometric view;

[0018] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view with the guide inclination details;

[0019] FIG. 4 illustrates a front view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] Below follows a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, by way of example and in no way limiting. Nevertheless, it will be clear to a person skilled in the art, from the reading of this description, possible additional embodiments of the present invention further comprised by the essential and optional features below.

[0021] With the use of a drone, or remotely piloted aircraft, equipped with a system for applying industrial paint with epoxy paint and/or polyurethane, coating repair activities could have a shorter and more routine periodicity, thus ensuring a local suspension of corrosion processes. With this mobile platform for surface repair, periodic maintenance of the coating can be carried out through simple interventions in discreet points of corrosion, reducing, or even not requiring, the complete stoppage of the production processes, thus ensuring greater assertiveness in the decision-making to carry out preventive or corrective maintenance of the coating.

[0022] With the coating maintenance drone, it is possible to carry out several visits to specific corrosion points in the same structure. Depending on the conditions at the maintenance site, the equipment or process may not have to stop. Developed for the application of industrial painting with epoxy and/or polyurethane paint, corrosion points can receive a layer of coating capable of stopping the corrosion process. This allows a better planning and preparation for the structure or equipment to receive major maintenance. The project allows only one employee to pilot the drone and apply the paint. However, for safety reasons, the system is configured with two independent remote controls, requiring two employees, one for piloting the drone and the other for applying the coating. In both cases, all employees do not work at heights, allowing this activity to be carried out without exposure to risk and in the best ergonomic condition. With a smaller number of people allocated to carry out the maintenance of the coating, the risk of accidents at work and the cost of the service are drastically reduced.

[0023] The invention uses the process of applying paint without compressed air (airless). Thus, coatings that require industrial paints with thick layers of coating and high concentration of solids can make use of the invention, in the condition of area repair or covering.

[0024] The invention comprises a drone or any remotely piloted aircraft (9), which may or may not be autonomous, but not limited to the latter. This mobile platform carries a portable painting compressor (2), which can operate with or without compressed air, the latter also known as airless, but not limited to this type, and can be any portable paint application system. It also has a linear guide with 2 degrees of freedom (4) that allows lateral linear movement of the paint application nozzle (7) (sideways) and rotation of the nozzle pointing up (14) and down (15). Distance sensors (10) continuously measure the distance from the application nozzle to a frontal obstacle, which is the object that will receive the coating. The composition of the distance sensors (10) also provides the condition of the nozzle perpendicularity in relation to the painting object, transmitting this information, together with the image of the object and the process, captured by the camera (11), to the remote control system (12), being received by the system operator (13).

[0025] In order to protect the sensors (10) and the camera (11) from paint splashes, a mask (6) made of disposable or easy-to-clean material is positioned on the moving part of the linear guide (4). A flexible painting hose (5) connects the nozzle extension (8) to the portable painting compressor (2), which has a reservoir for the paint.

[0026] Both the drone (9) and its battery (1), and the portable painting system equipment (2), (5), (7) and (8), are supported by a lattice structure (3) of composite material, and can be manufactured from carbon fiber, fiberglass or metallic materials such as aluminum and its alloys.

[0027] The system remote control (12) can include the control of the drone and the painting system, can be in the same control or separated, and one alternative does not limit the other. It is up to the system operator (13) to control the drone positioning (9) and carry out the activation of the portable painting compressor (2) and the linear guide (4), the latter performing the lateral movements of the painting nozzle (7) and controls its inclination (14) and (15), which can be manually or automatically.