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US4858264A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ultrasonic assisted protective coating removal
Assignee: United States Department of the Air Force
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Filing: 1988-10-05
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Granted: 1989-08-22
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Expires: 2008-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A paint or other protective coating removal arrangement involving the use of reciprocal motion ultrasonic frequency mechanical energy applied to the coating by a variety of tool and abrasive substrate members in the company of surface preparation agents such as coolant, heating, softening, and/or abrasive agents. The invention is particularly applicable and disclosed in terms of protective coating removal from aircraft, such as is often necessary for replacement or in the reutilization of aircraft with different identification markings. The coating removal arrangement is environmentally and human operator safe in comparison with presently used coating removal arrangements such as abrasive blasting and chemical solvent removal.
Inventors
- 👤 Theodore J. Reinhart
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 23:48
CPC Classifications
B; B44; B44D; B44D3/00; B44D3/16; B44D3/162; A; A47; A47L; A47L13/00; A47L13/02; A47L13/08; B08; B08B; B08B7/00; B08B7/02; B08B7/026; B08B7/028; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S451/00; Y10S451/91; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/19; Y10T156/1961; Y10T156/1967; Y10T74/00; Y10T74/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
190 words
Vibratory mechanical energy apparatus for removing hardened tenacious polymeric resin coatings from the exterior of an aircraft with minimal damage to the smooth and fragile flight surfaces of the aircraft comprising the combination of: a coating engagement tool member having a shaped working edge portion engageable in large kinetic energy transferring compression, impacting, scraping, and shearing relationships with a work area region of said aircraft polymeric coating and in low energy transferring sliding relationship with said smooth and fragile underlying aircraft flight surfaces; a source of vibratory motion mechanical energy fixedly connected with said tool member and connected with an exciting source therefor, said vibratory motion mechanical energy source having an ultrasonic vibration frequency of at least twenty kilohertz and imparting movement at said frequency to said tool member along an axis having predetermined alignment with respect to said working edge portion thereof; coating layer presence sensing means for sensing the absence of a coating immediately adjacent said working edge portion; and means responsive to for urging said tool member working edge into moving continuing travel contact with a receding removed coating edge of said polymeric coating as removal progresses.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
190 words
Vibratory mechanical energy apparatus for removing hardened tenacious polymeric resin coatings from the exterior of an aircraft with minimal damage to the smooth and fragile flight surfaces of the aircraft comprising the combination of: a coating engagement tool member having a shaped working edge portion engageable in large kinetic energy transferring compression, impacting, scraping, and shearing relationships with a work area region of said aircraft polymeric coating and in low energy transferring sliding relationship with said smooth and fragile underlying aircraft flight surfaces; a source of vibratory motion mechanical energy fixedly connected with said tool member and connected with an exciting source therefor, said vibratory motion mechanical energy source having an ultrasonic vibration frequency of at least twenty kilohertz and imparting movement at said frequency to said tool member along an axis having predetermined alignment with respect to said working edge portion thereof; coating layer presence sensing means for sensing the absence of a coating immediately adjacent said working edge portion; and means responsive to for urging said tool member working edge into moving continuing travel contact with a receding removed coating edge of said polymeric coating as removal progresses.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tool and said aircraft surface are separated by an angle between five and twenty-five degrees in size.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portable source of vibratory motion mechanical energy includes a piezoelectric crystal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portable source of vibratory motion mechanical energy includes a moving coil electromagnetic transducer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said portable source of vibratory motion mechanical energy includes a pressurized fluid transducer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means urging said tool member working edge portion into coating contact includes tension members and rotatable reel members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means urging said tool member working edge portion into contact includes a servo controlled robotic arm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said working edge has a squared cross-sectional shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said working edge includes a tapered cross-sectional shape terminating in a sharpened edge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said sharpened working edge tool member is disposed at an angle of five to twenty-five degrees with respect to he plane of said aircraft surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
135 words
Protective coating removal apparatus for a physical damage susceptible workpiece surface covered with a coating layer to be removed comprising: transducer means for generating reciprocal motion mechanical energy of at least twenty kilohertz ultrasonic movement frequency; a coating engagement tool physically connectable with a mechanical energy output portion of said energy transducer means at one tool end and receivable at the opposite tool end on said damage susceptible workpiece surface in ultrasonic energy transferring mechanical engagement with said coating layer and in sliding relationship with said workpiece surface; coating layer presence sensing means for sensing the absence of coating immediately adjacent said working edge portion; moving means responsive to for moving said ultrasonic frequency mechanical energy excited coating engagement tool over the surface of said workpiece in engagement with successive portions of said coating layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
135 words
Protective coating removal apparatus for a physical damage susceptible workpiece surface covered with a coating layer to be removed comprising: transducer means for generating reciprocal motion mechanical energy of at least twenty kilohertz ultrasonic movement frequency; a coating engagement tool physically connectable with a mechanical energy output portion of said energy transducer means at one tool end and receivable at the opposite tool end on said damage susceptible workpiece surface in ultrasonic energy transferring mechanical engagement with said coating layer and in sliding relationship with said workpiece surface; coating layer presence sensing means for sensing the absence of coating immediately adjacent said working edge portion; moving means responsive to for moving said ultrasonic frequency mechanical energy excited coating engagement tool over the surface of said workpiece in engagement with successive portions of said coating layer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said energy transducer means has a power input level exceeding one hundred watts.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further including fluidized coating conditioning media received on said coating layer prior to engagement by said tool.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said coating conditioning media comprises an organic solvent chemical reactant.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said means for moving said coating engagement tool includes a programmed robot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 11 further including means for controlling the temperature of said paint coating during said energy transferring mechanical engagement.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said means for controlling the temperature of said paint coating includes means for decreasing the temperature of said paint coating below room temperature.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said said reciprocal motion mechanical energy has amovement amplitude of one-thousandth of an inch or less.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing means senses tool travel resistance force.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said sensing means senses the optical energy reflective difference between said coating and said aircraft surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-21 | 1993-02-20 | 1993-08-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-21 | 1997-02-20 | 1997-08-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-21 | 2001-02-20 | 2001-08-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |