Method of applying a coating design
First Claim
1. A method of applying a coating design to selected portions of a surface of a structure, comprising:
- applying a maskant to the surface;
positioning a plurality of sensors on the structure around the surface;
positioning a laser at a distance from the surface;
directing a laser beam from the laser to each of the sensors as input to the sensors, and using output from the sensors based on the input to determine the position of the laser relative to the surface;
scanning the perimeter of the selected portions with a laser beam from the laser, including using the determined position of the laser relative to the surface to guide the laser beam, to cut into the maskant around the perimeter;
then, peeling the maskant away from the selected portions; and
then, applying the coating to the selected portions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for applying a coating design to selected portions of a surface (13) of a structure (14) including the steps of applying a maskant (18) to the surface (13), positioning a plurality of sensors (20) on the structure (14) around the surface (13), positioning a laser (22) at a distance from the surface (13), directing a laser beam (32) from the laser (22) to each of the sensors (20) as input to the sensors, and using output from the sensors (20) based on the input to determine the position of the laser (22) relative to the surface (13), scanning the perimeter of the selected portions (36) with a laser beam (34), including using the determined relative positions of the laser and the surface to guide the laser beam, to cut into the maskant (18) around the perimeter, peeling the maskant (18) away from the selected portions (36), and applying the coating to the selected portions.
61 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of applying a coating design to selected portions of a surface of a structure, comprising:
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applying a maskant to the surface; positioning a plurality of sensors on the structure around the surface; positioning a laser at a distance from the surface; directing a laser beam from the laser to each of the sensors as input to the sensors, and using output from the sensors based on the input to determine the position of the laser relative to the surface; scanning the perimeter of the selected portions with a laser beam from the laser, including using the determined position of the laser relative to the surface to guide the laser beam, to cut into the maskant around the perimeter; then, peeling the maskant away from the selected portions; and then, applying the coating to the selected portions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of painting a design on selected portions of a surface of an object, comprising the steps of:
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creating a design map for the design in a first coordinate reference frame, applying a maskant to the surface of the object on which the design is to be painted so that the maskant covers the surface portion to be painted and the immediate surrounding surface area, positioning a laser so that the laser confronts the object, determining the position of the selected portions of the surface in a second coordinate reference frame, directing a laser beam from the laser along the perimeter of the selected portions to cut a stencil for the design in the maskant, peeling the cut sections of the maskant from the remaining maskant to expose the selected portions of the surface to be painted, and painting the exposed selected portions of the object. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification