Sealant applying apparatus and sealant applying method

{
  "publication_number": "US2015251212A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Sealant applying apparatus and sealant applying method",
  "abstract": "A sealant applying apparatus includes a fastener rotating unit which supports a fastener to be rotatable around a central axis, and a sealant discharging unit which applies a sealant to the fastener by discharging the sealant. The fastener rotating unit includes a first holding member and a second holding member which hold the fastener to be rotatable, and a base which supports the first and second holding members. The first holding member is installed to the base to be exchangeable.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A sealant applying apparatus comprising: a fastener rotating unit disposed on a second base to support a fastener to be rotatable around a central axis of the fastener; a sealant discharging unit disposed on a first base to discharge a sealant to apply the sealant to the fastener; a fastener axial feeder disposed on the first base to move the second base in a direction parallel to the central axis of the fastener; and a controller configured to control the fastener rotating unit such that the fastener is rotated, control the fastener axial feeder such that the fastener is moved in the direction parallel to the central axis of the fastener, when the fastener is rotated, and control the sealant discharging unit such that the sealant is discharged for the fastener when the fastener is rotated and moved in the direction parallel to the central axis of the fastener, wherein the fastener rotating unit comprises: a first holding member and a second holding member configured to hold the fastener to be rotatable; and the second base configured to support the first holding member and the second holding member, and wherein the first holding member is installed to the second base to be exchangeable. 2. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the faster comprises a pipe-shaped sleeve, and a countersunk bolt inserted in the sleeve, wherein the countersunk bolt comprises a screw section disposed at one end, and a countersunk head section disposed at the other end, and wherein the first holding member is arranged to be brought into contact with the one end of the countersunk bolt, and the second holding member is arranged to be brought into contact with the other end of the said countersunk bolt. 3. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a stocker configured to store a plurality of spare first holding members; and an exchanging mechanism configured to exchange the first holding member for either of the plurality of spare first holding members. 4. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the stocker has a locating member that rotates around a stocker center axis, and wherein the plurality of spare first holding members are put on the locating member. 5. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first holding member and the second holding member has a holding section that becomes thinner toward a tip thereof. 6. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastener rotating unit further comprises a driving mechanism configured to rotate the first holding member or the second holding member. 7. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fastener rotating unit biases further comprises a biasing mechanism configured to bias one of the first holding member and the second holding member to approach the other. 8. The sealant applying apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the sealant discharging unit comprises: a sealant cartridge configured to save the sealant and a discharge punch feeder configured to push a discharge punch into the sealant cartridge in a constant velocity such that the sealant is discharged. 9. A sealant applying method comprising: supporting a fastener by a first holding member and a second holding member which are supported by a second base to be rotatable around a central axis of the fastener; rotating the fastener around the central axis of the fastener; moving the second base with respect to a first base in a direction along the central axis such that fastener is moved, when the fastener is rotated; and applying a sealant to the fastener by discharging the sealant when the fastener is rotated and the second base is moved in the direction along the central axis. 10. The sealant applying method according to claim 9, wherein said applying comprises discharging the sealant from a sealant cartridge, and wherein said exchanging comprises exchanging the first holding member when the sealant filled in the sealant cartridge is to be exchanged."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a sealant applying apparatus and a sealant applying method.\n\nThe technique of fastening a workpiece by using a fastener (a fastening member) such as a bolt and a rivet is used for assembling an aircraft. When a part of the main wing of the aircraft should be fastened by using the fastener, a fastening portion is sealed to prevent fuel leakage.\n\nA method of fastening a workpiece of composite members such as fiber reinforced plastics will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 6.\n\nAs shown in FIG. 1, a workpiece 3 contains composite members 1 and 2 which are stacked. A hole 4 with a countersink is formed to pass from a surface 5 on one side of the work 3 to a rear surface on the other side. The countersink of the hole 4 is arranged on the side of the surface 5. The workpiece 3 has a countersink wall 7 which surrounds the countersink. After the hole 4 with the countersink is formed, the workpiece 3 is cleaned to remove burr produced in case of forming the the hole 4 with the countersink.\n\nFIG. 2 shows a fastener 8 as a fastening member to fasten the workpiece 3. For example, the fastener 8 is a hack tight fastener. The fastener 8 includes a countersunk bolt 9 and a sleeve 10. The sleeve 10 has a pipe shape and the countersunk bolt 9 is inserted into the sleeve 10. The countersunk bolt 9 includes a countersunk head 11, a circular column section 12, and a screw section 13. The countersunk head 11 has a head surface 14 and a head side surface 18. The head side surface 18 is formed to have a shape of a side surface of a circular truncated cone.",
  "cpc": [
    "B05D 1/002",
    "B05B 3/02",
    "B05C 13/02",
    "B05C 5/0216",
    "F16B 33/004",
    "F16B 33/06"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B05B 3/02",
    "B05D 1/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Yusuke Ikeda",
    "Toshiyuki Funato",
    "Yosuke Ikeda",
    "Akihito Suzuki",
    "Kunihiro Kuroi",
    "Takahiro Inagaki",
    "Yuji Kondo",
    "Tsugumaru Yamashita"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-10-28",
  "publication_date": "2015-09-10",
  "priority_date": "2012-10-30",
  "application_number": "US-201314437414-A",
  "family_id": "50627299",
  "cited_by_count": 10,
  "citations": [
    "JPS57191467A",
    "JPS59115185A",
    "US4842890A",
    "CN101811110A"
  ]
}