APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR APPLYING A FLUID TO A SURFACE

• US 20120325924A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 12/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Roadprinting, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Roadprinting, LLC
• Inventors: Baltus, Gregory D.
• Application Number:
  US13/508,001
• Publication Number:
  US 20120325924A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 239/1
• CPC Class Codes: E01C 23/222 specially adapted for automatic spraying of interrupted, individual or variable markings

Abstract

A fluid application apparatus, a spray head system, and a method of applying a fluid to a surface are disclosed. The fluid application apparatus, the spray head system, and the method involve applying a fluid to a surface and adjusting the spray header system between a transport configuration and an application configuration, wherein the adjusting modifies a distance between the spray header system and the surface.

Claims

1. A fluid application apparatus (100), comprising a spray head system (114) configured to be raised to a transport configuration and lowered toward an application configuration for applying a fluid to a surface (510).

2. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the apparatus (100) is capable of applying a plurality of patterns of information.

3. The apparatus (100) of claim 2, wherein the apparatus (100) is configured to apply the plurality of patterns of information in a single pass.

4. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the apparatus (100) is capable of applying the fluid in a substantially linear manner.

5. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the spray header system (114) is supported by a frame (144), the frame (144) being attached to two or more wheels.

6. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, further comprising a microprocessor (152), a video recording unit (154), valve drive electronics (156), and a power supply (158).

7. The apparatus (100) of claim 6, further comprising a control system (108) including a machine control interface that communicates with the microprocessor (152).

8. The apparatus (100) of claim 7, wherein the microprocessor (152) provides control inputs to the valve drive electronics (156) for applying the fluid.

9. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the spray header system (114) is configured to be raised and lowered by a device selected from the group consisting of an electrical device, a pneumatic device, and a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the spray header system (114) is configured to be raised and lowered manually.

11. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, further comprising a position indication device.

12. The apparatus (100) of claim 11, wherein the position indication device is a mechanical device capable of identifying a relative position of the apparatus.

13. The apparatus (100) of claim 12, wherein the position indication device (810) comprises an encoder caster wheel (820) and an encoder (830).

14. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the apparatus (100) is configured to be put in motion by an outside force.

15. The apparatus (100) of claim 1, wherein the apparatus (100) is configured to apply an informational pattern in a single pass.

16. A spray head system (114) configured to be raised to a transport configuration and lowered toward an application configuration for applying a fluid to a surface (510).

17. The system (114) of claim 16, wherein the system (114) is capable of applying a plurality of patterns of information.

18. The system (114) of claim 16, wherein the system (114) is capable of applying the fluid in a substantially linear manner.

19. A method of applying a fluid to a surface, comprising adjusting a spray header system (114) between a transport configuration and an application configuration, wherein the adjusting modifies a distance between the spray header system (114) and the surface.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising spraying a controlled pattern upon the surface.