Method for applying paints and varnishes

• US 20050100680A1
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Burkhard Bustgens
• Original Assignee: Burkhard Bustgens
• Inventors: Bustgens, Burkhard
• Granted Patent: US 7,981,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/427.100
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/169 having three or more selectively effective outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/00 Arrangements for controlling delivery; Arrangements for controlling the spray area
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/04 for sequential operation or multiple outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/12 responsive to conditions of ambient medium or target, e.g. humidity, temperature position or movement of the target relative to the spray apparatus B05B12/082, B05B12/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/122 responsive to presence or shape of target B05B12/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 12/124 responsive to distance between spray apparatus and target
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 13/005 mounted on vehicles or designed to apply a liquid on a very large surface, e.g. on the road, on the surface of large containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1013 responsive to flow or pressure of liquid or other fluent material B05C11/101 takes precedence; control of flow in general G05D7/00; control of fluid pressure in general G05D16/00
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1018 responsive to distance of target
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1023 responsive to velocity of target, e.g. to web advancement rate
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 5/027 Coating heads with several outlets, e.g. aligned transversally to the moving direction of a web to be coated B05C5/0254 takes precedence

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for applying paints or varnishes with the aid of an application device in order to apply a color design on surfaces of buildings or public or civil engineering works in accordance with a previously executed implementation of a digital image model in a previously recorded digital surface object that represents the surface of the object. According to the invention, the application device moves on the surface of the object while contacting the surface thereof, the position of the application device is continuously measured or calculated using motion sensors and paint is applied in accordance with said implementation depending on the position thus determined. Application of paint by the application device is automatically stopped if the position of the application device with respect to a predefined position error acceptance threshold cannot be determined in a sufficiently accurate manner or if the corresponding paint or varnish has been fully applied in the position of the paint applying elements.

Claims

1. A method for applying paints or varnishes with the aid of an application device in order to apply a color design on surfaces of buildings or public or civil engineering works according to a previously executed implementation of a digital image model into a digital object, which represents the real surface of the object, comprising the steps of

bringing the application device into contact with the surface and moving it arbitrarily on the surface,

continuously measuring the position of the application device by use of a non-contact positioning system or additional motion sensors,

applying paint in accordance with said implementation depending on the position measured, and

stopping the application of paint automatically, if the position cannot be determined sufficiently accurate with respect to a predetermined position error acceptance threshold or if paint has already been fully applied at the positions of the paint applying elements.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device is maintained in contact with the surface by manually pressing it onto the surface or by applying a vacuum between the application device and the surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning system is based on position measurement methods, which utilise fix entities in relation to the surface, to measure position information relative to, in particular by applying the methods of distance measurement, angular measurement, telemetry, photometrics or imaging measurement principles.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein a positioning method is used, which utilizes optoelectronic means to identify position relevant characteristics of the surface in the near range of the application device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein motions of the application device are measured to derive position information thereof from, in particular velocity and/or rotational velocity and/or acceleration and/or rotational acceleration.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein additionally the tilt of the application device within the earth gravity field and/or the orientation of the application device in relation to the earths magnetic field is measured and utilised for the position measurement.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the paint applying elements and the surface of the object is adjustable.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device is moved manually.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device is moved semi-automatically.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device is moved automatically.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device comprises at least one nozzle element, in particular a spraying element.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application device comprises a row or an array of spraying elements.

7. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. A system for applying paints or varnishes with the aid of an application device in order to apply a color design on surfaces of buildings or public or civil engineering works according to a previously executed implementation of a digital image model into a digital object representing the real surface of the object, the system comprising:

means for bringing the application device into contact with the surface and moving it arbitrarily on the surface,

means for continuously measuring the position of the application device by use of a non-contact a positioning system or additional motion sensors,

means for applying paint in accordance with said implementation depending on the position measured, and

means for stopping the application of paint automatically, if the position cannot be determined sufficiently accurate with respect to a predetermined position error acceptance threshold or if paint has already been fully applied at the positions of the paint applying elements.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein the application device is maintained in contact with the surface by manually pressing it onto the surface or by applying a vacuum between the application device and the surface.

17. The system according to claim 15, wherein the positioning system is based on position measurement methods using fixed entities in relation to the surface.

18. The system according to claim 15, further including optoelectronic means to identify position relevant characteristics of the surface in the near range of the application device.

19. The system according to claim 15, wherein motions of the application device are measured to derive position information.

20. The system according to claim 15, wherein additionally the tilt of the application device within the earth gravity field and/or the orientation of the application device in relation to the earths magnetic field is measured and used for the position measurement.