Ultrasonic material applicators and methods of use thereof

{
  "publication_number": "US10799905B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Ultrasonic material applicators and methods of use thereof",
  "abstract": "A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate includes ejecting atomized droplets from an array of micro-applicators while the array of micro-applicators cyclically moves about at least one axis. The atomized droplets from each of the plurality of micro-applicators overlap with atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators and a diffuse overlap of deposited atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators is provided on a surface of the substrate. The array of micro-applicators cyclically rotates back and forth around the at least one axis and/or moves back and forth parallel to the at least one axis. For example, the at least one axis can be a central axis of the array of micro-applicators, a length axis of the array of micro-applicators, a width axis of the array of micro-applicators, and the like. Also, the array of micro-applicators can be part of an ultrasonic material applicator used to paint vehicles.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate comprising: ejecting atomized droplets from a material applicator comprising at least one transducer and an array plate with an array of micro-applicators, wherein: each of the micro-applicators has a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate in mechanical communication with the at least one transducer, and the micro-applicator plate has a plurality of apertures through which the at least one material is elected as atomized droplets when the transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate; and the atomized droplets travel line-of-sight from the array of micro-applicators to a surface of the substrate; and moving the array of micro-applicators cyclically about at least one axis such that the atomized droplets from each of the plurality of micro-applicators overlap with atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators and diffuse overlap of deposited atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators is provided on the surface.",
    "2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the array of micro-applicators cyclically rotates back and forth around the at least one axis of the array of micro-applicators.",
    "3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the array of micro-applicators rotates back and forth around the at least one axis of the array of micro-applicators at a predetermined frequency.",
    "4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the array of micro-applicators moves back and forth parallel to the at least one axis of the array of micro-applicators.",
    "5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the array of micro-applicators moves back and forth parallel to the at least one axis of the array of micro-applicators at a predetermined frequency.",
    "6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one axis is a pair of orthogonal axes and the array of micro-applicators moves back and forth parallel to each of the pair of orthogonal axes.",
    "7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one axis of the array of micro-applicators is a central axis of the array of micro-applicators.",
    "8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the array of micro-applicators is part of an ultrasonic material applicator.",
    "9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the substrate is a surface of a vehicle.",
    "10. The method of according to claim 1 further comprising painting a vehicle by ejecting the atomized droplets from the array of micro-applicators and moving the array of micro-applicators cyclically about the at least one axis.",
    "11. A method for applying a coating to a vehicle comprising: ejecting atomized droplets of a coating material from a material applicator comprising at least one transducer and an array plate with an array of micro-applicators, wherein: each of the micro-applicators has a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate in mechanical communication with the at least one transducer, and the micro-applicator plate has a plurality of apertures through which the at least one material is elected as atomized droplets when the transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate; and the atomized droplets travel line-of-sight from the array of micro-applicators to a surface of the vehicle; moving the array of applicators along a pattern adjacent to the surface of the vehicle such that the surface is coating with the coating material; and moving the array of micro-applicators cyclically about an axis of the array of micro-applicators such that the atomized droplets from each of the plurality of micro-applicators overlap with atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators due to the moving of the array of micro-applicators about the axis and provide a diffuse overlap with each other to form the coating on the surface of the vehicle without streaks.",
    "12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the array of micro-applicators rotates back and forth around the axis of the array of micro-applicators.",
    "13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the array of micro-applicators rotates back and forth around the axis of the array of micro-applicators at a predetermined frequency.",
    "14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the array of micro-applicators moves back and forth along the axis of the array of micro-applicators.",
    "15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the array of micro-applicators moves back and forth along the axis of the array of micro-applicators at a predetermined frequency.",
    "16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the axis of the array of micro-applicators is a central axis of the array of micro-applicators."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure relates to the painting of vehicles, and more particularly to methods and equipment used in high volume production to paint the vehicles and components thereof.\n\nThe statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.\n\nPainting automotive vehicles in a high volume production environment involves substantial capital cost, not only for application and control of the paint, but also for equipment to capture overspray. The overspray can be up to 40% of the paint that exits an applicator, or in other words, up to 40% of the paint that is purchased and applied is wasted (i.e. the transfer efficiency is ˜60%). Equipment that captures overspray involves significant capital expenses when a paint shop is constructed, including large air handling systems to carry overspray down through a paint booth, construction of a continuous stream of water that flows under a floor of the paint booth to capture the overspray, filtration systems, and abatement, among others. In addition, costs to operate the equipment is high because air (flowing at greater than 200K CFM) that flows through the paint booths must be conditioned, the flow of water must be maintained, compressed air must be supplied, and complex electrostatics are employed to improve transfer efficiency.\n\nWith known production equipment, paint is atomized by rotating bells, which are essentially a rotating disk or bowl that spins at about 20,000-80,000 rpms.",
  "cpc": [
    "B05B 17/0646",
    "B05B 1/262",
    "B05B 12/00",
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    "B05D 3/067",
    "B25J 11/0075"
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  "ipc": [
    "B05B 1/26",
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  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Ford Motor Co"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Christopher Michael Seubert",
    "Mark Edward Nichols",
    "Kevin Richard John Ellwood",
    "Wanjiao Liu"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-12-06",
  "publication_date": "2020-10-13",
  "grant_date": "2020-10-13",
  "priority_date": "2018-01-30",
  "application_number": "US-201816211334-A",
  "family_id": "67391243",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}