Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B05—SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C—APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL
  • B05C17/00—Hand tools or apparatus using hand held tools, for applying liquids or other fluent materials to, for spreading applied liquids or other fluent materials on, or for partially removing applied liquids or other fluent materials from, surfaces
  • B05C17/005—Hand tools or apparatus using hand held tools, for applying liquids or other fluent materials to, for spreading applied liquids or other fluent materials on, or for partially removing applied liquids or other fluent materials from, surfaces for discharging material from a reservoir or container located in or on the hand tool through an outlet orifice by pressure without using surface contacting members like pads or brushes
  • B05C17/00503—Details of the outlet element
  • B05C17/00516—Shape or geometry of the outlet orifice or the outlet element

Definitions

• the invention relates to a guidance device, and concerns in particular a guidance mechanism for use with a mastic applicator.
• Most motor manufacturers from around the world use numerous types of mastic sealers during the manufacture of car bodies, mainly for rust prevention and/or to stop water ingression to interior spaces.
• the sealer is extruded into place, as a strip or bead, from a nozzle affixed to a suitable container, and for the most part this sealer is not visible when the car is constructed and so does not require to be decorative.
• the task for the specialist repairer is to replace for example a damaged door skin (the outer part of the door), and duplicate as near as possible the manufacturers original pre-damaged condition of the panel, including the sealer beading.
• the present invention proposes a guidance device, useable with a nozzle attached mastic container, to ensure - or at least increase the chances of - the strip or bead of sealant being of neat and tidy appearance. More specifically, it suggests a nozzle guidance device which is a combination of nozzle, guide means (to maintain the position of the nozzle relative to the edge of the workpiece) and spacing arrangement by which the relative position of the guide means and thus the nozzle can be adjusted to suit different workpieces.
• a first embodiment employs a wheel as the guide member (different-radius wheels allowing adjustment of the spacing), and a second employs as the guide member a flatted and eccentrically-mounted bar (rotating this around its mounting enables spacing adjustment).
• a third, and the presently preferred utilizes as the guide member an eccentricall -mounted circular-section rod (also rotatable to achieve spacing adjustment) , there being means (such as a tapered rod end fitting into a tapered rod-mounting socket a "morse” taper) to prevent the rod rotating except when actually required to do so.
• an eccentricall -mounted circular-section rod also rotatable to achieve spacing adjustment
• means such as a tapered rod end fitting into a tapered rod-mounting socket a "morse” taper
• the invention provides a mastic applicator guidance device, which device comprises: a nozzle, through which the sealer is to be extruded onto the surface to be coated; guide means, by which the position of the nozzle relative to the workpiece is to be maintained constant; and a spacing arrangement, by which the position of the guide means, and thus the relative position of the nozzle, can be adjusted to suit different workpieces (or different parts of the same workpiece) .
• a mastic applicator guidance device which device comprises: a nozzle, through which the sealer is to be extruded onto the surface to be coated; guide means, by which the position of the nozzle relative to the workpiece is to be maintained constant; and a spacing arrangement, by which the position of the guide means, and thus the relative position of the nozzle, can be adjusted to suit different workpieces (or different parts of the same workpiece) .
• I have chosen to use a commercially available nozzle but one of my own designs can be equally successful in the described devices. Because the desired shape of the seal
• nozzles used today for panel sealing take the form of a tapered round section, in both cases and as the guiding devices can be used with both nozzle shapes cutting the tapered section will enlarge the bead size.
• Any type of sealer/mastic can be used with the device in fact any substance or substances with the same or similar viscosities can be successfully used.
• the delivery mechanism for the described device can be by manual applicator or more generally by air assistance.
• the guide means can take a number of different forms.
• the method of guiding the nozzle can be by means of a wheel, shaped to run along the edge of the workpiece, and so follow the contours of the workpiece.
• the distance can be adjusted either by employing different radius wheels or by mounting the wheel on the rod secured to the nozzle so that either the wheel can move along the rod or the rod can run in/out relative to the nozzle.
• the wheel supports the nozzle in use, and permits the operator to position the nozzle at the required distance from the panel edge to the hemming flange. This distance can be adjusted either by varying the length of the rod and or the diameter of the wheel-, depending on the distance specification.
• the wheel is aligned on to the edge of the panel, and the operator moves the device around the workpiece while the sealer is extruded.
• the wheel guides the device around the outer perimeters of the workpiece, allowing the sealer to attach itself to the panel and thus achieve a bead positioned parallel to the edge of the workpiece in the desired position.
• Another way to provide the device with distance adjustment and include also a means of adjusting the diameter of the extruded sealant is achieved by using a conveniently flatted rectangular and eccentrically-mounted guide block, rotating this around its mounting would enable spacing adjustment. Graduating the tapered rectangular nozzle tip with specific measurements enables an operator to cut the tip to the dimensional requirements.
• this second method of guiding the nozzle around a workpiece can be described as follows:
• a shaped nozzle that takes the form of a tapered rectangle, and incorporated into its design is a way of varying with reasonable accuracy the orifice dimensions and therefor the widths of the extruded sealant to suit the application requirements.
• This sealer bead dimension adjustment is achieved by including marked graduations to the. nozzle tip, these graduations assist in an operator using the device to cut the escribed nozzle to the correct working angle while at the same time widen if necessary the nozzle orifice to the required size.
• a cap is provided to help prevent the sealer from drying out.
• the panel parameter can be achieved by incorporating a flatted (rectangular section) bar as the adjusting and guiding mechanism.
• the bar is attached parallel to the nozzle by a collar, and can be turned to offer any one of its faces to the panel edge.
• the guide bar is supported by a shaft that is attached to the end of the bar, and the shaft is eccentrically mounted into the end of the bar so that each face is a different radial distance from the shaft.
• FIG (A1 ) Side View illustrates the nozzle and wheel engaged on a panel shown as dotted line L.
• FIG (A2) Plan View illustrates the same as FIG (A1 ) with the components of the wheel assembly, in exploded form.
• FIG (B1 ) Plan View illustrates the described nozzle with marked graduations, and rectangular shaped guide bar.
• FIG (B2) Side View illustrates the device set against a panel with end cap and seal.
• FIG (B3) End View illustrates the guide bar principle of adjustment.
• FIG (B4) End View illustrates an alternative method of guide bar adjustment using a square section bar.
• FIG (C1 ) Side View of device attached to a sealer nozzle, identifying the basic parts illustrating the bar in the maximum and minimum positions relevant to the nozzle.
• FIG (C2) Illustrates complete device with collar and guide bar attached showing tapered locking foot and peg.
• FIG (C3) Illustrates the collar.
• FIG (C4) Illustrates the cylindrical shaped guide bar.
• FIG (C5) Illustrates a automotive door panel, as an example of the device in operation attached to a sealer gun.
• FIG (C6) Illustrates a alternative angled position of guide bar, providing the most extensive range of distance variations.
• the device is attached to the nozzle (2) by sliding over collar (1 ) and securing by nut (5).
• the distance (L) to (P) adjustment (Z) is provided, see FIG (1A).
• the device is attached to any sealer extruding device in this example an air operated unit (G).
• Attached to the collar is a rod (3) and this provides further attachment for the wheel sub assembly (6).in FIG (A2). This illustrates two small collars (6) shaft (8) and the wheel support bearing (7).
• the guide wheel (4) is set against the panel edge (L) with the sealer nose positioned at the centre point represented by line (P) (the hemming flange) where the new metal panel skin meets the frame, as mentioned, this position is varied by the manufacturers but can be accommodated by altering • the length of rod (3) or by substituting a wheel (4) for a smaller or larger diameter.
• FIG (B1 ) The device of FIG (B1 ) consists of a shaped nozzle (3) that takes the form of a tapered rectangle shown as section (0).
• the end of the nozzle has a series of graduations (4) marked on the top and side, these are placed there to assist an operator using the device to cut the tip to the correct working angle and widen if necessary the nozzle to reproduce the desired widths of sealer required.
• Attached to the nozzle is a flange (9) and from this a shaft (2) extends to the rectangle guide bar (1), refer to FIG (B3), this illustrates an enlarged end section of the bar.
• The. guide means consists of a rectangular section bar that is able to turn through 360 degrees in 90 degree segments on the axis marked with a cross. Because the axis is off centre, if the section is turned clockwise 90 degrees,from the position shown, face (B) takes the place of face (A) and the distance (E) decreases as distance (X) is subtracted from distance (E). Turning a further 90 degrees will bring face (C) adjacent to line (6) further decreasing the distance (E) by a factor of (Y).
• FIG (B2) illustrates an alternative view of the device in position on the panel (6) with sealing cap (7) and silicone sealing bellows (8). This is to provide a cap for the nozzle and help prevent premature hardening of the sealer when the device is not in use.
• the bellow design of seal will allow a varying size of nozzle to be accommodated in the same cap.
• FIG (B4) describes an alternative square section guide bar with off-set axis. As the bar is turned it will also offer a differing face to the line (6) as the section is revolved through 4 equal 90 degree turns.This square section bar was workable but not as effective as the other example.
• the device as seen in FIG (C1 ) consists of a mounting collar (3) that is shown attached to sealer nozzle (2), with the adjustable guide bar (1) incorporating tapered foot and peg (this example illustrates the device attached to a commercially available sealer nozzle however, the nozzle with tip graduations described previously could also be used).
• the guide bar can be locked into position FIG (C2) drawing (1) and removed as shown in drawing (2) with tapered foot section (F) and peg (P) illustrated.
• FIG (3C) collar To achieve a secure fit and over come the diameter variations of the nozzle in production, and to enable the described device to be removed when necessary,incorporated into the collar bore hole are a number of rib protrusions shown, this example has three shown as (W). These moulded protrusions compress when the device is attached to the nozzle, ensuring an acceptable fit.
• the bar has a foot section base (F) as part of its design and this is used to lock the guide bar into a corresponding tapered hole in the collar, when the desired position of the bar has been established. It is this guide bar that can be turned eccentrically through 360 degrees (however in practice only 180 degrees is necessary to obtain the distance requirements) and these variations from nozzle to workpiece are illustrated in FIG (C1 ) from max to min.
• the tapered locking foot finally develops into a short parallel peg (P) FIG C2/C4).
• This peg insures that the guide bar can be lifted, turned and locked successfully in one operation.
• the described device can work with out using the locking foot section described, and will work using a parallel section foot. This would then rely on friction to prevent the bar from revolving, and dropping out.
• the guide bar can be mounted at an angle in the collar corresponding to the tapered nozzle as illustrated in FIG (6C), the rest of the description remaining the same.
• This final example provides the best distance variations from mastic bead to nozzle, irrespective of how much the nozzle is cut down to provide the required bead dimensions.
• Production design of the guide bar as a moulding in plastic may benefit by changing the round section to a D shape, this will in practise best use the 180 degrees of movement and reduce the volume of material used by 50%.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Geometry (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Coating Apparatus (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (7)

Publications (1)

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• 1993
  • 1993-02-25 AU AU35715/93A patent/AU3571593A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1993-02-25 WO PCT/GB1993/000391 patent/WO1993016810A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1993-02-25 EP EP93904255A patent/EP0629147A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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