Method for detecting impurities on a surface

• US 8,363,213 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2007
• Issued: 01/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: BASF AG (BASF SE), Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Wagner, Eva, Brinz, Thomas, Geiger, Thomas, Lewis, Jane, Tiefenbacher, Markus, Burk, Tobias, Koltzenburg, Sebastian, Schrof, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TU T
• Application Number:
  US12/444,750
• Publication Number:
  US 20100328676A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,967 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 356/237.3
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/04 in the solid state, e.g. by cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/028 Sampling from a surface, swabbing, vaporising
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2833 Collecting samples on a sticky, tacky, adhesive surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/94 Investigating contamination, e.g. dust G01N21/85 takes precedence

Abstract

A method is provided for detecting not fully set coatings and liquid or smearing impurities on a surface, in which in a first step a film is pressed onto a surface of a coating using a predefined press-on pressure, the film having a relative motion with respect to the surface of the coating, thereafter the film is pulled off the surface of the coating and finally it is determined whether impurities are adhering to the film. A device is also provided for performing the method, including at least one film, which may be pressed against a surface to be tested, at least one press-on roller having a surface by which the film is pressed against the coating, and at least one device for determining whether there are impurities adhering to the film.

Claims

1. A method for detecting not fully set coatings and liquid or smearing impurities on a surface to be tested, comprising:

pressing a film onto the surface to be tested using a predefined press-on pressure, the film having a relative motion with respect to the surface to be tested;

pulling the film off the surface to be tested; and

determining, by a determining device, whether impurities are adhering to the film prior to the film being wound unto a reel.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the film is pulled off a film reserve and, after the determination of whether impurities are adhering to the film, the film is collected for disposal.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the film is an endless film, which runs around at least two reels, at least one of which is driven, the film being cleaned after the determining step has been performed and before being pressed again onto a surface to be tested.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating is a paint or a colored lacquer.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the film is clear and transparent.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the coating is a clear lacquer.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the film is at least one of opaque and light-scattering.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein, for determining whether impurities are adhering to the film, the film is transluminated using a light source and light passing through the film is detected by a photodetector.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein a surface to be tested is labeled “

not OK”

if the transmission of light through the film changes by at least a predefined amount.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the light source and the photodetector are situated in such a way that the film is passed between the light source and the photodetector after it is pulled off the surface to be tested.

11. A device for detecting not fully set coatings and liquid or smearing impurities on a surface to be tested, comprising:

at least one film which may be pressed against a surface to be tested;

at least one press-on roller having a surface by which the film is pressed against the coating; and

at least one device for determining whether there are impurities adhering to the film prior to the film being wound unto a reel.

12. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the device for determining whether impurities are adhering to the film includes at least one light source and at least one photodetector, the light source and the photodetector being situated in such a way that the film is passed between the light source and the photodetector after it has been pulled off the coating.

13. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the surface of the press-on roller is smooth or profiled.

14. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the film is kept on a reel from which it may be unwound.

15. The device as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a second reel onto which the film is wound after being transluminated.

16. The device as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

an analyzer unit which is connected to the photodetector to perform an automatic analysis.

17. The device as recited in claim 11, wherein the film is an endless film, which runs around at least the press-on roller and another reel.

18. The device as recited in claim 17, further comprising:

a cleaning device in which the film may be cleaned after being transluminated.