JP7500905B2 - Method and system for applying non-Newtonian fluids - Patents.com - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a method and system for applying a non-Newtonian fluid, such as a sealant, using an application roller.

When assembling structural components of an aircraft, a sealant is applied to the joining surfaces of the components based on requirements for waterproofing, corrosion resistance, etc. For example, the sealant is applied and spread over the joining surfaces while a roller is rotated over the joining surfaces to which the sealant has been applied.
It is difficult to stabilize the state of application of the sealant to the joining surface due to the variation in the physical properties of the sealant depending on the environmental temperature during application, etc. Therefore, the application of the sealant using a roller is performed manually while checking the state of the layer of the sealant on the joining surface, such as the thickness.
Since the viscosity of the sealant changes depending on the environmental temperature, when applying the sealant, it is confirmed that the environmental temperature is within the range of the allowable temperature range set for the sealant.

There are few examples of attempts to automate the application of sealant using an applicator, but Patent Document 1 discloses a sealant application device that can be applied to stringers of aircraft. This sealant application device is equipped with a sealant application mechanism that is suspended from a frame and can run along a rail and is mounted on a cart that can move up and down, and a work support positioner that can apply contact pressure between a work such as a stringer and the sealant application mechanism. The sealant application mechanism includes a sealant supply device and a sawtooth sealant leveling roll that is arranged in series with the supply device. This sealant application mechanism runs following the shape of the work, and while pressing the leveling roll against the work, it evenly distributes the sealant supplied to the joint surface by the supply device to each sawtooth of the leveling roll. The running speed and the peripheral speed of the leveling roll are synchronized.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 1-179773

As described above, since variations in the physical properties of the sealant due to factors such as environmental temperature affect the state of the sealant application, it is difficult to commercialize an application system that automates the sealant application process, and the sealant application process is still performed manually.
In order to ensure the quality of the joint between parts that are assembled with the sealant between them, it is necessary to apply the sealant to the joint surfaces in a consistent thickness.

An experienced worker can stabilize the condition of the application by checking the viscosity of the sealant dispensed from the dispenser and the condition of the applied sealant, and then adjusting the pressing force of the roller against the joining surface, the speed at which the roller is moved, and, if necessary, the number of times the roller is moved back and forth, based on experience.
However, this requires the securing of skilled workers, and there is a limit to the speed of manual coating, even for experienced workers. In light of the current situation where the coating condition is stabilized by adjusting the roller speed while checking the condition of the sealant each time coating is performed, it is difficult to meet the demand for improved productivity by speeding up the coating process.

In view of the above, the present disclosure aims to provide a method and system capable of automating the application of non-Newtonian fluids and speeding up the application process by realizing stable application of non-Newtonian fluids such as sealants using an application system.

When considering application conditions to achieve automation and high speed, the inventors considered the physical phenomenon of the sealant supplied to the outer peripheral surface of the roller adhering to the joint surface as the roller rotates. Even if the sealant is supplied to the outer peripheral surface of the roller in a stable manner, if the sealant does not adhere to the joint surface in a stable manner, the thickness of the sealant adhered to the joint surface will also be unstable. If a layer of sealant with a stable thickness can be obtained by performing a process of rolling the roller from one end of the joint surface to the other only once, this will contribute to speeding up the application process.

The inventors of the present disclosure have noticed that because the sealant is a non-Newtonian fluid and there is a relationship between the shear stress of the flow and the flow speed, there is also a relationship between the ease with which the sealant peels off and the application speed, and have come up with new application conditions necessary to obtain a sealant of a stable thickness on the joint surface.

The non-Newtonian fluid application method disclosed herein, which includes such application conditions, is a method of applying a non-Newtonian fluid to a target area of a target member using an application roller that rolls over the target area, and includes an application step in which a non-Newtonian fluid application system including an application roller rotates and drives the application roller at a predetermined roller speed equivalent to the peripheral speed of the application roller that corresponds to the temperature characteristics of the non-Newtonian fluid, and moves the target member and the application roller relatively at an application speed corresponding to the roller speed, while supplying the non-Newtonian fluid to the outer periphery of the application roller and applying the non-Newtonian fluid from the application roller to the target area.
When the roller speed is V _R and the non-Newtonian fluid is at a certain temperature and viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer periphery of the applying roller prior to reaching the target area due to the rotation of the applying roller is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer periphery of the applying roller after reaching the target area is V _S , then the relationship V _G < V _R < V _S holds.

Furthermore, the non-Newtonian fluid application system disclosed herein is a system that applies a non-Newtonian fluid to a target area of a target member using an application roller that rolls over the target area, and includes an application roller that is rotated at a predetermined roller speed equivalent to the peripheral speed of the application roller that corresponds to the temperature characteristics of the non-Newtonian fluid, and is moved by a moving mechanism relative to the target member at an application speed corresponding to the roller speed, and a supply mechanism that supplies the non-Newtonian fluid to the outer periphery of the application roller.
When the roller speed is V _R and the non-Newtonian fluid is at a certain temperature and viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer periphery of the applying roller prior to reaching the target area due to the rotation of the applying roller is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer periphery of the applying roller after reaching the target area is V _S , then the relationship V _G < V _R < V _S holds.

According to the present disclosure, as described in detail below, the application roller is rotationally driven at a roller speed V _R corresponding to the temperature characteristics of the non-Newtonian fluid based on V _G < V _R < V _S , so that the non-Newtonian fluid can be applied to a target area in a stable thickness even in a single application, regardless of variations in physical properties such as viscosity due to temperature of the sealant, thereby automating and speeding up the application of the non-Newtonian fluid. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to achieve application speeds that significantly exceed the speed achieved by manual work.
As described later, the suitable speed of the applicator roller for each temperature of the sealant is faster as the temperature of the sealant is higher. Therefore, when the application work is performed at a relatively high temperature, the sealant can be applied while the application roller is rolling at high speed against the target member, thereby shortening the time required for the application process. In particular, it is preferable from the viewpoint of shortening the application process to perform the application work when the temperature is close to the upper limit of the temperature allowable for the sealant during application. Furthermore, the higher the temperature of the sealant, the wider the suitable speed range for each temperature, so there is a high degree of freedom for the device that drives the application roller, etc.

2 is a partially cutaway view illustrating a moving body of the sealant application system according to the embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a moving body of the sealant application system as viewed from the direction of the arrow II in FIG. 1 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the sealant application system shown in FIG. 1 . 1 is a plan view showing a schematic view of a member, an application roller, a supply roller, and a target member, which are arranged in a substantially horizontal position, as viewed from above. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a state in which the orientation of the application roller and the sealant supply mechanism is inclined by a swing mechanism provided on the moving body in FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a stringer as a target member for application. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a frame as a target member for application. 5A and 5B are schematic diagrams for explaining the relationship between the ease with which the sealant is peeled off from the applying roller and the speed of the applying roller (embodiment); 11 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between the ease with which the sealant peels off from the applying roller and the applying roller speed (first comparative example). FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining the relationship between the ease with which the sealant peels off from the applying roller and the applying roller speed (second comparative example). FIG. 13A and 13B are schematic diagrams showing another example of a supply mechanism that supplies a sealing material and another example of a temperature adjustment mechanism.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The present embodiment discloses a method and system for applying a sealant 3 to a component 2 using an application roller 11 , and a method for acquiring the speed of the application roller 11 .
According to a sealant application system 1 (FIGS. 1 to 3) disclosed below, a sealant 3 can be applied to a member 2 constituting an aircraft fuselage, which is an example of a target member.

[Materials to be coated]
The member 2 corresponds to, for example, the stringer 2-1 shown in Fig. 6A or the frame 2-2 shown in Fig. 6B. Both the stringer 2-1 and the frame 2-2 are structural members of an aircraft and are joined to a skin (not shown). The cross-sectional shape of the stringer 2-1 is merely an example.
Due to requirements for waterproofing and corrosion resistance, for example, a sealant 3 is applied to the target area 2A of the stringer 2-1, and then the stringer 2-1 and the skin are joined by an appropriate method such as fastening.
As shown in FIG. 4, the member 2 can be positioned at a predetermined position by a positioning member 9.
When applying the sealant 3 to a target area 2A, which is a joining surface of a structural member of an aircraft, the sealant 3 is required to be applied over the entire target area 2A.

[Sealing material]
The sealant 3 contains an appropriate dispersoid selected from the viewpoint of weather resistance and the like, and a dispersion medium, and is applied to the target area 2A of the component 2 in a fluid state before hardening. When applied, the sealant 3 corresponds to a non-Newtonian fluid that exhibits viscosity.
The gap between the target area 2A of the member 2 and the target area of a corresponding member (for example, a skin) is sealed by the sealing material 3 being hardened by drying or the like.

The temperature of the sealant 3 is basically close to the temperature of the environment in which it is used, and the physical properties of the sealant 3, including the viscosity, change depending on the temperature of the sealant 3. According to this embodiment, as will be described later, by deriving the roller speed V _R during application from the relationship between the ease with which the sealant 3 peels off from the application roller 11 depending on the temperature characteristics of the sealant 3 and the speed of the application roller 11, it is possible to stabilize the state in which the sealant 3 is applied to the target area 2A and improve the bonding quality.

In addition to the sealing function, the sealant 3 may have an adhesive function to bond components together by adhesive force. In that case, the components are bonded together as the sealant 3 between the components hardens. At this time, while the components are positioned relative to each other, pressure and heat treatments may be performed as necessary.

In this embodiment, the sealing material 3 is sealed in a cylindrical container 3C (FIGS. 1 and 2) and stored under temperature control. The container 3C is provided with a nozzle 31 that discharges the sealing material 3 onto the application roller 11. When the container 3C is opened before use, the container 3C is detachably attached to a moving body 40 including the application roller 11. When the container 3C is replaced with a new container 3C, all of the members that come into contact with the sealing material 3, including the nozzle 31, the piston-shaped extrusion part 32 inserted into the container 3C, and the application roller 11, are washed to prevent the sealing material of the used container 3C from being mixed with the sealing material of the new container 3C. In addition, during periodic inspections, the paths that the sealing material 3 comes into contact with, including the nozzle 31 and the application roller 11, are also washed.

[Sealant application system]
A sealant application system 1 (hereinafter, application system 1) shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 applies a sealant 3 to a target area 2A of a member 2 using an application roller 11 that rolls on the target area 2A.
In this specification, the terms "front" and "rear" refer to the front and rear of the direction in which the applying roller 11 rolls (rolling direction D1) with respect to the position of the applying roller 11 as a reference.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the application system 1 includes an application roller 11, a supply roller 12 arranged in front of the application roller 11, a supply mechanism 30 that supplies sealing material 3 to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11, a moving body 40 that includes the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12, a control unit 6 that controls the rotational drive of the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12, and a temperature adjustment mechanism 7 that adjusts the sealing material 3 to a predetermined temperature.
The control unit 6 or another control unit (not shown) drives the moving mechanism 8, whereby the moving body 40 having the application roller 11 is moved toward the member 2 at a moving speed.

Furthermore, the coating system 1 preferably includes a pressure mechanism 41 that presses the coating roller 11 and the target area 2A together to bring them into contact with each other, and a follow-up mechanism 43 that causes the coating roller 11 to follow the change in shape of the member 2. The pressure mechanism 41 and the follow-up mechanism 43 can be provided on the moving body 40 as in this embodiment.

The following describes how to set the roller speed V _R corresponding to the temperature characteristics of the sealing material 3. The roller speed V _R corresponds to the circumferential speed of the application roller 11. The circumferential speed can be converted from the rotation speed, diameter, and circumference value of the application roller 11, so the rotation speed may be obtained as the roller speed corresponding to the temperature characteristics of the sealing material 3, and may be converted to the circumferential speed of the application roller 11 using the rotation speed.
When the sealing material 3 is at a certain temperature T and has a certain viscosity η, the relationship between the ease with which the sealing material 3 peels off from the application roller 11 and the speed of the application roller 11 is expressed by the following formula (1): V _G <V _R <V _S (1)
V _G : the speed at which the sealant 3 leaves the outer periphery 11A of the applying roller 11 prior to reaching the target area 2A due to the rotation of the applying roller 11 V _R : the speed equivalent to the peripheral speed of the applying roller 11 V _S : the speed at which the sealant 3 leaves the outer periphery of the applying roller 11 after reaching the target area 2A

Here, V _G is a speed that is determined relatively in relation to V _R depending on the physical properties of the sealing material 3. V _S is also a speed that is determined relatively in relation to V _R depending on the physical properties of the sealing material 3. V _G and V _S can be derived by testing and analysis.
When V _G <V _R , the sealing material 3 can remain on the outer circumferential portion 11C without being separated from the applying roller 11 due to gravity, centrifugal force, or the like, prior to reaching the target region 2A.
Furthermore, when V _R <V _S , the sealant 3 that has reached the target area 2 A and is subjected to gravity, centrifugal force, adhesive force with the target area 2 A, etc., can separate from the outer periphery of the applying roller 11 .
For example, when a coating test is performed by changing the roller speed V _R , if the relationship between V _G and V _R is reversed from equation (1) or the relationship between V _R and V _S is reversed from equation (1), the coating state will be difficult to stabilize.

From the above formula (1), the range (speed region SR) of the roller speed V _R between V _G and V _S is derived. The roller speed V _R is determined within this range. The speed region SR and the roller speed V _R can be stored in the storage medium of the control unit 6.
It is preferable that the roller speed V _R is sufficiently larger than V _G and sufficiently smaller than V _S. For example, the roller speed V _R can be set to the midpoint between V _G and V _S.

FIG. 7A shows a schematic diagram of the behavior of the flow of the sealing material 3 when the application roller 11 is rotationally driven at a set roller speed _{V_R} .
7A and comparative examples 7B and 7C show an example in which a supply roller 12 is disposed adjacent to the front of the application roller 11. Even when the supply roller 12 is not present and the sealant 3 is directly supplied from the nozzle 31 to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11, the sealant 3 behaves in the same manner as shown in FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C, respectively.

In Figures 7A, 7B, and 7C, the outer periphery 11C of the application roller 11 corresponds to the range from the nozzle 31 and the gap 13 between the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12 to the target area 2A on the rotating application roller 11. The outer periphery 11A is located above the position where the sealant 3 is supplied to the outer periphery 11C through the nozzle 31 and the gap 13.

When the relationship of the above formula (1) is satisfied, as shown in FIG. 7A, the sealing material 3 forms a layer 3L1 of a stable thickness in the outer peripheral portion 11C below the gap 13, and when the layer 3L1 comes into contact with the target area 2A as the application roller 11 rotates in the R1 direction, it separates from the application roller 11 and forms a layer 3L2 of a stable thickness in the target area 2A. At this time, the thickness t1 of the layer 3L1 and the thickness t2 of the layer 3L2 are equal.

A case where the above formula (1) does not hold will be described with reference to Figures 7B and 7C. When formula (1) does not hold, even if the sealant 3 is supplied to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11 at a stable supply amount (supply amount per unit time), the application state of the sealant 3 is unstable because the variation in the physical properties of the sealant 3, such as the viscosity, due to the temperature, has a large effect on the flow state of the sealant 3.

As shown in Fig. 7B, when V _R is sufficiently smaller than V _G (V _R << V _G ), the roller speed V _R is slower than that in Fig. 7A , so that the sealant 3 attached to the outer periphery 11C separates from the outer periphery 11C and flows down due to gravity, centrifugal force, etc., prior to reaching the target area 2A by the rotation of the application roller 11. Since the behavior of the flowing down sealant 3 is unstable, it is difficult to stabilize the thickness t1 of the sealant 3 in the outer periphery 11C. As a result, it is also difficult to stabilize the thickness t2 of the sealant 3 attached to the target area 2A. Since the relationship between t1 and t2 is t1>t2 or t1<t2, the thickness of the layer 3L2 of the sealant 3 on the target area 2A varies greatly.

Next, as shown in Fig. 7C, when V _R is sufficiently larger than V _S (V _S << V _R ), because the roller speed V _R is faster than that in Fig. 7A , the sealant 3 attached to the outer circumferential portion 11C moves away from the target area 2A due to the rotation of the application roller 11 before it comes into contact with the target area 2A and separates from the application roller 11. In this way, the behavior of the sealant 3 when it does not separate from the application roller 11 even when it comes into contact with the target area 2A is unstable, so even if a portion of the sealant 3 moves from the application roller 11 to the target area 2A as in the example shown in Fig. 7C , it is difficult to stabilize the thickness t2 of the sealant 3.

For example, only a portion of the sealing material 3 attached to the outer periphery 11C is transferred to the target area 2A, and the remaining sealing material 3 is left in the same location (outer periphery 11C') even after passing through the target area 2A. In this case, the relationship between the thickness t1 of the sealing material 3 at the outer periphery 11C and the thickness t2 of the sealing material 3 attached to the target area 2A is t1 > t2, so that insufficient t2 means that the entire target area 2A cannot be covered with the sealing material 3, and part of the target area 2A may be exposed.

If the roller speed V _R is selected in the speed range SR shown by the above formula (1), the rotation of the application roller 11 can be synchronized with the timing at which the sealant 3 separates from the application roller 11. In this way, as shown in FIG. 7A, regardless of the variation in the physical properties of the sealant 3, such as the viscosity, due to the temperature, the sealant 3 does not separate from the outer periphery 11C and maintains the thickness t1, and when it reaches the target area 2A, it adheres to the target area 2A and separates from the application roller 11. Therefore, a layer 3L2 of the sealant 3 with a stable thickness is formed in the target area 2A. In this state, as shown in FIG. 7A, the amount of the sealant 3 that accumulates between the outer periphery of the application roller 11 and the outer periphery of the supply roller 12 is sufficient to be the minimum amount necessary to stabilize the application state of the sealant 3.

Based on the results of a test in which the application system 1 applies the sealant 3 to the target area 2A while changing the roller speed V _R for each temperature condition, a speed range in which a stable application state was obtained in terms of the application thickness of the sealant 3 and the proportion of the sealant 3 covering the target area 2A is illustrated.
Verification test results:
When the temperature is 15°C: 2.5 to 3 m/min When the temperature is 35°C: 7.5 to 14 m/min

At both conditions of 15°C and 35°C, when the application roller 11 was rolled once from one end of the target area 2A to the other end to apply the sealant 3, the application thickness of the sealant 3 (the thickness of layer 3L2) measured by the film thickness gauge was 120 μm or more, and it was visually confirmed that 100% of the target area 2A was covered by the sealant 3.
At 35° C., no tests were conducted above 14 m/min due to the constraint of the upper limit speed of the moving mechanism 8. If the member 2 and the application roller 11 are moved relatively by another moving mechanism having a higher upper limit speed than the moving mechanism 8, stable application of the sealant 3 is possible even at a speed exceeding 14 m/min.

When the test was conducted under the conditions of an air temperature of 35°C and a roller speed V _R of 5 m/min with the same single application as above, the application thickness of the sealant 3 was insufficient. In this case, an operation such as a second application is required to keep the film thickness constant.
In addition, when the test was conducted with a single application under the conditions of an air temperature of 15°C and a roller speed V _R of 10 m/min, the application thickness of the sealant 3 was insufficient and varied. In this case, there is a risk that the film thickness will not be stable even if the sealant is applied multiple times.
From the above test results, it can be said that there exists a speed range SR that contributes to stabilizing the application state of the sealant 3 depending on the temperature characteristics of the sealant 3, and therefore the test results are consistent with formula (1).

The above test results using the application system 1 show that by rotating the application roller 11 at a speed range that is suitable for the environmental temperature when the application work is performed, a layer 3L2 of the sealant 3 with a stable thickness can be obtained in a single application on the target area 2A, eliminating the need for manual application work and achieving automation and high-speed application of the sealant.

From the above test results, the adaptation speed for each temperature is faster as the temperature of the sealing material 3 is higher. Therefore, when the application work is performed when the environmental temperature is relatively high, the application roller 11 rolls at high speed against the member 2 while applying the sealing material 3, and therefore the time required for the application process can be shortened.
In particular, from the viewpoint of shortening the application process, it is preferable to perform the application operation at a temperature close to the upper limit of the temperature allowable for the sealant 3 during application (for example, 35° C.).
In addition to the above, the higher the temperature of the sealing material 3, the wider the suitable speed range for each temperature, so there is a high degree of freedom in the devices driving the application roller 11, the moving body 40, etc., and appropriate speeds can be applied to the application roller 11 and the moving body 40, respectively.

(Supply mechanism)
The supply mechanism 30 (FIGS. 1 and 2) includes, for example, a container 3C, a nozzle 31, and an extrusion unit 32.
The extrusion unit 32 extrudes the sealing material 3 in the container 3C from the nozzle 31 by a driving device 33 such as an air cylinder whose driving is controlled by the control unit 6. The sealing material 3 is stably supplied to the outer circumferential portion 11A of the application roller 11 through the nozzle 31 in an amount corresponding to the application thickness.
As the sealing material 3 in the container 3C decreases, the pushing portion 32 moves, for example, from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG.

The nozzle 31 located near the outer periphery 11A gradually narrows in the rolling direction D1 as it moves downward, and the opening area gradually expands in the width direction of the application roller 11 as shown in FIG. 2. It is preferable that the dimension of the lower end 31A of the nozzle 31 in the direction of the rotation axis 11B perpendicular to the rolling direction D1 is set to be equal to the width dimension of the application roller 11 so that the sealant 3 is supplied from the nozzle 31 to the entire width direction of the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11.

(Temperature adjustment mechanism)
The temperature adjustment mechanism 7 has at least one of heating and cooling functions, and adjusts the temperature of the sealing material 3 to a predetermined temperature. When heating the sealing material 3, the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 may be, for example, one equipped with an electric heating wire, or one equipped with a heat source and a heat medium such as hot water or hot air. When cooling the sealing material 3, the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 may be, for example, one equipped with a Peltier element. When the environmental temperature exceeds the upper limit of the allowable temperature of the sealing material 3, the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 having a cooling mechanism can maintain the temperature of the sealing material 3 at or below the allowable value.

The temperature adjustment mechanism 7 of this embodiment includes a cover 71 that covers the container 3C that is the supply source of the sealing material 3, and a heating wire (not shown) that is incorporated in the cover 71, and adjusts the temperature of the sealing material 3 to, for example, 30° C. or higher via the container 3C by controlling the output of the heating wire that is energized by the control unit 6. However, the temperature is controlled so as not to exceed the temperature allowable for the sealing material 3.
1 shows the container 3C covered by the cover 71, with a portion of the cover 71 cut away. When heat is generated from the heating wire by energization, the entire area inside the cover 71, including the container 3C, the extrusion section 32, and a portion of the nozzle 31, is heated, as shown by the dot pattern in FIG.
The temperature adjustment mechanism 7 can be configured appropriately depending on the configuration of the supply mechanism 30. Another example will be described later (FIG. 8).

In order to maintain the temperature given to the sealing material 3 by heating or cooling with the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 as long as possible until the sealing material 3 reaches the target area 2A, all or part of the nozzle 31, the application roller 11, and the supply roller 12 can be made of a resin material or the like having a lower thermal conductivity than a metal material. An example of a resin material that can be used is a silicone resin.
In addition to the heat retention, the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 can be incorporated into the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12 .

When the temperature of the sealing material 3 is adjusted to a constant temperature by the temperature adjustment mechanism 7, the speed range SR of the application roller 11 at which a stable application state of the sealing material 3 can be obtained is determined, as explained with reference to the formula (1).
By providing the temperature adjustment mechanism 7, the relationship between the temperature of the sealant 3 and the speed range SR can be established regardless of the environmental temperature. For example, it is possible to provide the sealant 3 with a temperature suited to the speed range in which the application roller 11 and the moving body 40 can be driven by the driving device.

(Moving body, application roller, and supply roller)
The moving body 40 is moved relative to the member 2 by a moving mechanism 8 (FIG. 2) along a rolling direction D1 in which the application roller 11 rolls. FIG. 2 shows only a mounting part 81 of the moving mechanism 8 to which the moving body 40 is detachably mounted, and does not show the entire moving mechanism 8 equipped with rails or the like capable of guiding the mounting part 81 in the horizontal and vertical directions.
The moving mechanism 8 moves the moving body 40 relative to the member 2 positioned at a predetermined position, whereby the member 2 and the application roller 11 move relatively at _a coating speed _VA corresponding to the roller speed VR. The roller speed VR and the coating speed VA are basically synchronized.

The moving body 40 includes an application roller 11, a supply roller 12, a support section 400 that supports the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12, a pressure mechanism 41 that includes a spring 411 as an elastic body, a shape parameter acquisition section 42, and a tracking mechanism 43.

The application roller 11 is supported by a support portion 400 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis 11B, and is rotationally driven by a motor 11M (FIG. 2) under the control of the control portion 6.
The application roller 11 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow R1 at a roller speed V _R , so that the application roller 11 moves in a predetermined direction (D1) while rotating about a rotation axis 11B and in contact with the target area 2A. The term "rolling" of the application roller 11 is used in this sense.

The application roller 11 is made of an appropriate material such as a resin material. The supply roller 12 is also made of the same material.

When the member 2 has a target area 2A that is long in a predetermined direction as shown in Figures 6A and 6B, the application roller 11 of the moving body 40 rolls over the target area 2A along the longitudinal direction of the member 2. At this time, the rolling direction D1 of the application roller 11 is approximately the same as the longitudinal direction of the member 2.

The application roller 11 is preferably given a width equal to that of the target area 2A. In order to reliably apply the sealant 3 over the entire target area 2A, the width of the application roller 11 can be set, for example, several mm larger than the width of the target area 2A.
When the width of the application roller 11 is the same as the width of the target area 2A, it is possible to prevent the sealing material 3 from dripping from both sides of the width of the application roller 11, thereby preventing the accumulated sealing material 3 from affecting the thickness of the sealing material 3 at both ends of the width of the target area 2A, and preventing contamination of the sealing material 3 ejected earlier from the nozzle 31 with the sealing material 3 ejected later.
Furthermore, application of the sealant 3 over the entire target area 2A can be completed in a single application step in which the application roller 11 rolls from one end of the long target area 2A to the other end.

The application system 1 can also be applied to a target area 2A that is wider than the width of the application roller 11. In this case, the sealant 3 can be applied to the entire target area 2A while the moving body 40 is moved by the moving mechanism 8 in the width direction of the target area 2A.

The supply roller 12 is adjacent to the front of the application roller 11 and is supported by the support part 400. A stable supply amount is supplied to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11 from above the supply roller 12 and the application roller 11. The supplied sealant 3 accumulates between the supply roller 12 and the application roller 11, and is supplied to the outer periphery 11C of the application roller 11 at a stable supply amount through the gap 13 between the supply roller 12 and the application roller 11, which are rotated in opposite directions. This makes it possible to make the thickness of the sealant 3 in the outer periphery 11C more stable, and therefore makes it possible to make the thickness of the layer 3L2 of the sealant 3 formed on the target area 2A by transfer from the application roller 11 more stable. The gap 13 functions as a nozzle that supplies the sealant 3 to the outer periphery 11C of the application roller 11.

The supply roller 12 is driven to rotate around a rotation axis 12B parallel to the rotation axis 11B of the application roller 11 by a motor 12M (Figure 2) under the control of the control unit 6 in a direction opposite to the rotation direction (R2) of the application roller 11 (R1).
The supply roller 12 does not contact the target area 2A when the application roller 11 applies the coating to the target area 2A. The peripheral speed of the supply roller 12 may be basically equal to the roller speed V _R. The diameter of the supply roller 12 may be appropriately determined as long as it does not interfere with the target area 2A, the support portion 400, etc.
In order to stably supply the sealing material 3 across the entire width of the outer circumferential portion 11C, it is preferable that the width of the supply roller 12 is set to be equal to the width of the application roller 11.

The supply roller 12 is preferably provided with circular partitions 121 (FIG. 1) on both sides in the axial direction. The pair of partitions 121 rotates around the rotation shaft 12B together with the supply roller 12. The pair of partitions 121 is provided on a bush 122 that attaches the supply roller 12 to the support part 400, and has a larger diameter than the outer periphery 12A, so that it protrudes from the outer periphery 12A over the entire circumference. Therefore, the seal material 3 accumulated in the section between the pair of partitions 121 is separated from the outside of the partitions 121, and while preventing dust and the like from entering the seal material 3 from the outside, the area where the seal material 3 is attached is limited between the pair of partitions 121, so that the area where the seal material 3 is attached can be easily cleaned.
The pair of partitions 121 do not necessarily have to rotate together with the supply roller 12 .

(Supporting part, pressing mechanism, and following mechanism)
The support unit 400, the pressure mechanism 41, the shape parameter acquisition unit 42, and the tracking mechanism 43 will be briefly described.
The support part 400 supports the application roller 11, the supply roller 12, the supply mechanism 30, and the temperature adjustment mechanism 7. The support part 400 includes a laminate including a first support plate 401, a second support plate 402, and a third support plate 403, a support column 404 that supports the container 3C and the driving device 33, and an attachment part 405 that is attached to the attachment part 81 of the movement mechanism 8.

(Pressure mechanism)
The pressure mechanism 41 has a plurality of (four in this case) coil springs 411 as elastic bodies supporting a second support plate 402 above a first support plate 401 that supports the application roller 11, the supply roller 12, etc. The height of the mounting portion 81 that supports the support portion 400 relative to the target area 2A is adjusted by the movement mechanism 8, and the elastic force of the coil springs 411 is adjusted by a plurality of (four in this case) expandable portions 431, so that the application roller 11 is in contact with the target area 2A in a pressed state by the elastic force of these coil springs 411.

Unlike this embodiment, the device supporting the member 2 may be provided with a pressure mechanism that presses the application roller 11 and the member 2 together to bring them into contact with each other.

(Shape parameter acquisition unit)
The shape parameter acquisition unit 42 is, for example, a line sensor that scans the target area 2A in the width direction using a laser. The shape parameter acquisition unit 42 is, for example, provided on the first support plate 401 and moves together with the support unit 400 in the rolling direction D1 to detect shape parameters that indicate the shape of the target area 2A ahead of the application roller 11. The shape parameter is, for example, a normal vector that is perpendicular to the surface of the target area 2A. When the shape of the target area 2A changes in the rolling direction D1, the detected normal vector changes.

The shape parameter acquisition unit 42 is not limited to a line sensor, and may be configured to include, for example, a camera that captures the target area 2A and an image processing unit that acquires shape parameters from image data obtained by the camera. The camera and image processing unit are not illustrated.

(Follow-up mechanism)
The tracking mechanism 43 uses the shape parameters (normal vectors) acquired by the shape parameter acquisition unit 42 to cause the posture of the applying roller 11 to follow the change in shape of the target area 2A. The pressure mechanism 41 having the coil spring 411 described above allows the applying roller 11 to follow the inclination of the target area 2A to a certain extent. The tracking mechanism 43 makes it possible for the applying roller 11 to follow even a large inclination that exceeds the tracking range of the pressure mechanism 41.
The tracking mechanism 43 has an expansion/contraction section 431 consisting of a plurality of expandable air cylinders or the like provided between the second support plate 402 and the third support plate 403, and an oscillation mechanism 432 for swinging in the width direction of the target area 2A.

Each of the pair of swing mechanisms 432 includes a motor 432B that drives the first support plate 401 relative to the second support plate 402 around a shaft portion 432A. The swing mechanisms 432 are disposed on the front and rear sides of the moving body 40 in the rolling direction D1.
For example, if the member 2 is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane, by driving the motor 432B using the control unit 6, the first support plate 401 and the rollers 11, 12 and container 3C supported by the first support plate 401 can be swung in the width direction of the target area 2A relative to the second support plate 402 and the third support plate 403, as shown in Figure 6.

The control unit 6 monitors shape parameters such as the normal vector to grasp shape changes such as the inclination of the target area 2A, and drives the expansion and contraction units 431 and the swinging mechanisms 432 to follow the shape changes, thereby changing the posture of the applying roller 11. By providing the moving body 40 with such a following mechanism 43, the angle at which the applying roller 11 can follow the shape changes of the target area 2A can be expanded, compared to a case in which the applying roller 11 is provided with a following mechanism, for example.
By using the attitude control using the shape parameter acquisition unit 42 and the tracking mechanism 43, it is possible to continuously grasp the shapes of a large number of components 2 having various shapes, such as the components 2 that constitute the body of an aircraft, including dimensional and shape tolerances, throughout the application process, and to stably apply the sealant 3 while applying an appropriate contact pressure to the application roller 11 and the components 2 without the sealant 3 causing the application roller 11 to slip in the width direction relative to the target area 2A or separating from the target area 2A.

It is preferable to suppress the angle that the outer circumferential surface of the applying roller 11 makes with respect to the target area 2A to, for example, 5° or less by posture control using the tracking mechanism 43. This angle can also be expressed by the angle (for example, θ in FIG. 6 ) made by the normal vector of the target area 2A and the central axis X set on the moving body 40.
A test similar to the above-mentioned verification test was performed on a target area 2A inclined relative to the horizontal plane, and it was confirmed that when the inclination was 5° or less, the sealing material 3 was applied to the entire surface of the target area 2A with a sufficient coating thickness.

An elastic body such as the spring 411 is not necessarily required to press the application roller 12 and the member 2 into contact with each other. For example, the application roller 12 and the target area 2A of the member 2 may be pressed against each other with a predetermined force by displacing the support 400 in the vertical direction using the movement mechanism 8 while detecting the load applied to the mounting part 81 that supports the support part 400 using a sensor. In this case, the pressure mechanism 41 is not required.
Furthermore, if the attitude of the support 400 is controlled by the moving mechanism 8, the moving mechanism 8 will have the functions of both the pressure mechanism 41 and the follow-up mechanism 43, making the pressure mechanism 41 and the follow-up mechanism 43 unnecessary.

[Method of applying sealant]
An example of a procedure for applying the sealant 3 using the application system 1 described above will be described.
When the roller speed V _R is acquired from the speed range SR based on the above formula (1) (roller speed acquisition step), the moving mechanism 8 sends the moving body 40 in the rolling direction D1 relative to the target area 2A at a coating speed V _A synchronized with the roller speed V _R , while the supply mechanism 30 supplies the sealant 3 from the nozzle 31 to the coating roller 11, and under the drive control of the control unit 6, the roller speed V _R of the coating roller 11 in the R1 direction is controlled, and the rotation speed of the supply roller 12 in the R2 direction is controlled to a speed synchronized with the roller speed V _R , and the coating roller 11 is pressed against the target area 2A by the pressure mechanism 41, and the coating roller 11 applies the sealant 3 to the target area 2A (coating step). In this coating step, it is preferable to correct the posture of the coating roller 11, etc., using the shape parameters detected by the shape parameter acquisition unit 42.
Prior to the application step or in parallel with the application step, the temperature of the sealing material 3 may be adjusted by the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 .
As described above, the application roller 11 is rotationally driven at the roller speed V _R determined in the speed range SR corresponding to the temperature characteristics of the sealant 3, so that the sealant 3 can be applied to the target area 2A in a desired thickness even in a single application. According to this embodiment, as shown in the above test results, it is possible to achieve an application speed V _A that significantly exceeds the speed of manual application work.

By using the supply roller 12 in addition to the application roller 11 as in this embodiment, a layer 3L2 of a stable thickness can be formed in the target area 2A by the sealing material 3 that is supplied to the target area 2A through the gap 13 between the two. Furthermore, as described above, only the minimum amount of sealing material 3 remains between the application roller 11 and the supply roller 12, so that it is possible to prevent foreign matter from being mixed into the sealing material 3 and to prevent mixing of sealing materials 3 that have been discharged from the nozzle 31 for different amounts of time, and it is also easy to perform a cleaning operation to remove the sealing material 3 from the rollers 11 and 12.

In addition to the above, it is possible to select and discard the configurations given in the above embodiment, or to change them to other configurations as appropriate.
8, which is a modification of this embodiment, a supply mechanism 30 for the sealing material 3 may include a tank 301 as a supply source, a nozzle 31 that discharges the sealing material 3 onto the application roller 11, and a hose 302 that connects the tank 301 and the nozzle 31. In this case, the tank 301 and the hose 302 may be covered by heating covers 701, 702 that serve as a temperature adjustment mechanism 7. The heating covers 701, 702 may incorporate, for example, an electric heating wire.
Even with this modified example, by driving the application roller 11 to rotate at the roller speed V _R while feeding the moving body 40 toward the target area 2A at an application speed V _A synchronized with the roller speed V _R , the sealant 3 supplied from the nozzle 31 to the application roller 11 is applied to the target area 2A, thereby achieving a stable application thickness on the target area 2A even with a single application, thereby automating and speeding up the application of the sealant.

[Additional Notes]
The above-described non-Newtonian fluid application system and non-Newtonian fluid application method disclose the following.
(1) The non-Newtonian fluid application method is a method of applying a non-Newtonian fluid 3 to a target area 2A of a target member 2 using an application roller 11 that rolls over the target area 2A, and includes an application step in which the application roller 11 is rotationally driven at a predetermined roller speed V _R equivalent to the circumferential speed of the application roller 11 that corresponds to the temperature characteristics of the non-Newtonian fluid 3 by a non-Newtonian fluid application system 1 including the application roller 11, and the target member 2 and the application roller 11 are moved relatively to each other at an application speed V _A corresponding to the roller speed V _R , while supplying the non-Newtonian fluid 3 to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11, and the non-Newtonian fluid 3 is applied from the application roller 11 to the target area 2A.
When the roller speed is V _R and the non-Newtonian fluid 3 is at a certain temperature and viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 leaves the outer circumferential portion 11C of the applying roller 11 prior to reaching the target area 2A due to the rotation of the applying roller 11 is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 leaves the outer circumferential portion 11C of the applying roller 11 after reaching the target area 2A is V _S , then the relationship V _G < V _R < V _S holds.
"Non-Newtonian fluids" include, for example, sealing materials and adhesives.
(2) In a state where the supply roller 12 is disposed in front of the application roller 11 in the direction D1 in which the application roller 11 rolls, with a gap 13 therebetween, in the application step, the application roller 11 is rotationally driven at a roller speed V _R , and the supply roller 12 is rotationally driven in the opposite direction (R2) to the rotation direction (R1) of the application roller 11, while supplying the non-Newtonian fluid 3 to the outer periphery of the application roller 11.
(3) Prior to or in parallel with the coating step, the non-Newtonian fluid 3 is adjusted to a predetermined temperature.
(4) The temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid 3 is adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the source (3C, 301) of the non-Newtonian fluid 3 or at least a part of the path (31, 11, 12, 302) along which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 travels from the source to the target area 2A.
(5) The application step is performed while the application roller 11 and the target area 2A are pressed against each other and brought into contact with each other.
(6) In the application step, shape parameters indicating the shape of the target area 2A in front of the direction D1 in which the application roller 11 rolls are detected using the application roller 11 as a reference, and the posture of the application roller 11 is made to follow changes in the shape of the target area 2A using the shape parameters.
(7) The target component 2 is a component of an aircraft.
(8) The non-Newtonian fluid application system 1 is a system 1 that applies a non-Newtonian fluid 3 to a target area 2A of a target member 2 using an application roller 11 that rolls over the target area 2A, and includes the application roller 11 that is moved by a moving mechanism 8 relative to the target member 2 at an application speed _VA corresponding to the roller speed _VR while being rotationally driven at a predetermined roller speed _VR equivalent to the circumferential speed of the application roller 11 that corresponds to the temperature characteristics of the non-Newtonian fluid 3, and a supply mechanism 30 that supplies the non-Newtonian fluid 3 to the outer periphery 11A of the application roller 11.
When the roller speed is V _R and the non-Newtonian fluid 3 is at a certain temperature and viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 leaves the outer circumferential portion 11C of the applying roller 11 prior to reaching the target area 2A due to the rotation of the applying roller 11 is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 leaves the outer circumferential portion 11C of the applying roller 11 after reaching the target area 2A is V _S , then the relationship V _G < V _R < V _S holds.
(9) A supply roller 12 is provided in front of the application roller 11 in the direction D1 in which the application roller 11 rolls, with a gap 13 between it and the application roller 11, and is driven to rotate in the opposite direction (R2) to the direction of rotation (R1) of the application roller 11, and a supply mechanism 30 supplies non-Newtonian fluid 3 to the outer periphery of the application roller 11.
(10) The temperature adjustment mechanism 7 is provided to adjust the temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid 3 to a predetermined temperature.
(11) The supply mechanism 30 includes a nozzle 31 that ejects the non-Newtonian fluid 3 onto the outer periphery of the application roller 11, and a supply source (3C, 301) that supplies the non-Newtonian fluid 3 to the nozzle 31, and the temperature adjustment mechanism 7 adjusts the temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid 3 by adjusting the temperature of the supply source (3C, 301) or at least a part of the path (31, 11, 12, 302) along which the non-Newtonian fluid 3 travels from the supply source (3C, 301) to the target area 2A, and the path includes the nozzle 31 and the application roller 11.
(12) The moving body 40 is moved by the moving mechanism 8 along the direction D1 in which the applying roller 11 rolls, and the moving body 40 includes the applying roller 11 and at least a part of the temperature adjustment mechanism 7.
(13) The pressure mechanism 41 presses the application roller 11 and the target area 2A together to bring them into contact with each other.
(14) The apparatus includes a shape parameter acquisition unit 42 that acquires shape parameters that indicate the shape of the target area 2A in front of the direction D1 in which the application roller 11 rolls based on the application roller 11, and a tracking mechanism 43 that uses the shape parameters to cause the posture of the application roller 11 to track changes in the shape of the target area 2A.

1 Sealant application system 2 Component (target component)
2-1 Stringer 2-2 Frame 2A Target area 3 Sealing material (non-Newtonian fluid)
3C Container (source)
3L1, 3L2 layer 6 control unit 7 temperature adjustment mechanism 8 movement mechanism 9 positioning member 11 application roller 11A, 11C outer periphery 11B rotation shaft 11M motor 12 supply roller 12A outer periphery 12B rotation shaft 12M motor 13 gap 30 supply mechanism 31 nozzle 31A lower end 32 extrusion unit 33 driving device 40 moving body 41 pressure mechanism 42 shape parameter acquisition unit 43 tracking mechanism 71 cover 81 mounting unit 121 partition 122 bush 301 tank (supply source)
302 Hose 400 Support portion 401 First support plate 402 Second support plate 403 Third support plate 404 Support 405 Mounting portion 411 Coil spring 431 Expandable portion 432 Swing mechanism 432A Shaft portion 432B Motor 701, 702 Heating cover D1 Rolling directions t1, t2 Thickness

Claims (14)

1. A method for applying a non-Newtonian fluid to a target area of a target member using an application roller that rolls over the target area, comprising:
a coating step of applying the non-Newtonian fluid from the application roller to the target area while rotating the application roller at a predetermined roller speed corresponding to a peripheral speed of the application roller corresponding to a temperature characteristic of the non-Newtonian fluid and relatively moving the target member and the application roller at a coating speed corresponding to the roller speed, while supplying the non-Newtonian fluid to an outer periphery of the application roller,
the roller speed is V _R ;
When the non-Newtonian fluid has a certain temperature and a certain viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer circumferential portion of the applying roller prior to reaching the target area due to the rotation of the applying roller is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer circumferential portion of the applying roller after reaching the target area is V _S , so that the relationship V _G <V _R <V _S is established.
Non-Newtonian fluid application methods. A supply roller is disposed in front of the application roller in a rolling direction of the application roller with a gap between the application roller and the supply roller,
In the coating step,
supplying the non-Newtonian fluid to the outer circumferential portion of the application roller while rotating the application roller at the roller speed and rotating the supply roller in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of the application roller;
The method of claim 1 . Prior to or in parallel with the coating step,
conditioning the non-Newtonian fluid to a predetermined temperature;
The method for applying a non-Newtonian fluid according to claim 1 or 2. a source of said non-Newtonian fluid; or
adjusting the temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid by adjusting the temperature of at least a portion of the path the non-Newtonian fluid takes from the source to the target area;
The method of applying a non-Newtonian fluid according to claim 3. The coating step includes:
The application roller and the target area are pressed together to contact each other.
The method for applying a non-Newtonian fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 4. In the coating step,
detecting a shape parameter indicating a shape of the target area in front of the applying roller in a rolling direction relative to the applying roller, and adjusting the posture of the applying roller to follow a change in the shape of the target area using the shape parameter;
The method for applying a non-Newtonian fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 5. The target component is an aircraft component,
The method for applying a non-Newtonian fluid according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 1. A system for applying a non-Newtonian fluid to a target area of a target member using an application roller that rolls over the target area, comprising:
the application roller being rotated at a predetermined roller speed corresponding to a peripheral speed of the application roller corresponding to a temperature characteristic of the non-Newtonian fluid, and being moved by a moving mechanism relative to the target member at a coating speed corresponding to the roller speed;
a supply mechanism that supplies the non-Newtonian fluid to the outer periphery of the application roller,
the roller speed is V _R ;
When the non-Newtonian fluid has a certain temperature and a certain viscosity, the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer circumferential portion of the applying roller prior to reaching the target area due to the rotation of the applying roller is V _G , and the speed at which the non-Newtonian fluid leaves the outer circumferential portion of the applying roller after reaching the target area is V _S ,
A non-Newtonian fluid application system in which the relationship V _G <V _R <V _S holds true. a supply roller that is disposed in front of the application roller in a rolling direction of the application roller with a gap therebetween and that is driven to rotate in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation of the application roller,
The supply mechanism includes:
supplying the non-Newtonian fluid to the outer circumferential surface of the application roller;
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of claim 8 . A temperature adjustment mechanism is provided for adjusting the temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid to a predetermined temperature.
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of claim 8 or 9. The supply mechanism includes:
a nozzle that ejects the non-Newtonian fluid onto the outer circumferential surface of the application roller;
a source for supplying the non-Newtonian fluid to the nozzle;
The temperature adjustment mechanism includes:
the source, or
adjusting a temperature of the non-Newtonian fluid by adjusting a temperature of at least a portion of a path the non-Newtonian fluid takes from the source to the target area;
The path includes the nozzle and the application roller.
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of claim 10. a moving body that is moved by the moving mechanism along a rolling direction of the application roller,
The moving body is
The application roller;
At least a part of the temperature adjustment mechanism;
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of claim 10 or 11. A pressure mechanism is provided to press the application roller and the target area into contact with each other.
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of any one of claims 8 to 12. a shape parameter acquisition unit that acquires shape parameters indicating a shape of the target area in a forward direction in which the applying roller rolls relative to the applying roller;
a tracking mechanism that uses the shape parameters to cause the posture of the applying roller to follow a change in the shape of the target area.
The non-Newtonian fluid application system of any one of claims 8 to 13.

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