Abrading – Abrading process
Reexamination Certificate
2003-09-03
2004-09-28
Hail, III, Joseph J. (Department: 3723)
Abrading
Abrading process
C451S051000, C451S052000, C451S177000, C451S178000, C451S180000, C451S190000, C451S344000, C451S360000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06796882
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to paint removal tools and methods for removing paint coatings and, more particularly, to an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool and a method for locally removing an appliqué film and paint treatment.
Advanced aircraft, such as the F-18/EF, require the application of various advanced paint treatments or appliqué films to the mold line surface of the aircraft. Newly developed appliqué materials and other specialty coatings are of special interest for the aircraft industry since they provide a better corrosion protection than currently used paint treatments and have environmental and numerous other advantages over currently used paint treatments. The use of the appliqué materials and other specialty coatings is currently limited by the lack of production application methods that are cost effective and technically viable. One of the major problem areas is the cost of providing access to the mold line aircraft doors after the application of the paint or appliqué material. After application the paint treatments as well as the appliqué films cover the whole mold line surface of the aircraft including door access fasteners and latches. Consequently, direct access to the doors is precluded. This is a serious problem since a typical aircraft, such as the F-18/EF, has over 400 doors and thousands of removable fasteners that hold the doors in place.
Prior art methods utilized to remove the paint treatment or appliqué films from the door access fasteners and latches include cutting by hand around each fastener with a sharp knife, such as an exacto knife or similar cutting tool, and omission of paint or appliqué material in the areas of the door access fasteners and latches. Both prior art methods are costly and have disadvantages that limit the use of the paint treatments and appliqué films. Cutting on the mold line of an aircraft needs to be done manually and is labor intensive and time consuming. Further, using sharp cutting tools to cut around the door access fastener to remove the paint or appliqué material covering the door access fastener has a relatively high potential of damaging the aircraft structure. Cutting trough the paint or appliqué material into the outer skins of the aircraft could result in stress risers. Omission of the paint or appliqué material in the areas of the door access fasteners and latches requires the application of alternate treatments in these areas, which is costly and time consuming. If this alternate treatment is a paint type treatment the aircraft must be masked to omit paint in the areas that already received the paint treatment or the appliqué film, greatly increasing manufacturing costs. If the alternate treatment in the door access fastener area is a separate appliqué strip applied over the fastener area where it was initially omitted this strip is a constant maintenance and cost burden. The separate strip of appliqué material must be removed and reapplied every time a door is accessed. This increases labor time to remove and reinstall doors during fleet maintenance, increasing the cost and time needed for the fleet maintenance.
There has, therefore, arisen a need to provide a tool that makes it possible to quickly remove paint treatments and appliqué films from the door access fasteners after the application of paint treatments or appliqué films to the mold line surface of the aircraft without damaging the aircraft structure. There has further arisen a need to provide a tool that allows to remove the paint treatment and appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners at a relatively low cost and within a relatively short time. There has also arisen a need to provide a method for removing the paint treatment and appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners that allows the usage of advanced coatings and appliqué films on aircraft. There has further arisen a need to provide a method for removing the paint treatment and appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners that reduces the cost and time needed for aircraft fleet maintenance.
As can be seen, there is a need for an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool that makes it possible to remove paint treatments or appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners after the application of paint treatments or appliqué films to the mold line surface of the aircraft without damaging the aircraft structure. Further, there is a need for an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool that allows relatively fast, local removal of paint material of appliqué material covering door access fasteners in the airplane mold line, with reduced manual labor, at a relatively low cost, and within a relatively short time. Moreover, there is a need for a method for removing the paint treatment or appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners that allows the usage of advanced coatings and appliqué films on aircraft.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool that is suitable for, but not limited to, the removal of paint treatments and appliqué films from the door access fasteners after the application of paint treatments or appliqué films to the mold line surface of the aircraft. The present invention further provides an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool that makes it possible to remove paint and appliqué material quickly and locally without damaging the aircraft structure. The present invention also provides an inexpensive appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool that has a simple mechanical design, is relatively easy to operate at a low cost and with low maintenance. The present invention further provides a method for removing the paint treatment and appliqué films locally from the door access fasteners that allows the usage of advanced coatings and appliqué films on aircraft.
In one aspect of the present invention, an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool comprises a central rotating shaft, at least three bearings, a cylindrical cavity, a locator pin, a spring, an arbor, and a collar. The central rotating shaft has a cylindrical shape and a central longitudinal axis, the central rotating shaft extends along the axis, is rotatable about the axis, and includes a first end and a second end, wherein the first end has a conically shape and includes at least three cavities equidistant from the central longitudinal axis and evenly spaced about the first end. Each of the at least three bearings is inserted into a corresponding cavity of the at least three cavities of the first end of the central rotating shaft. The cylindrical cavity extends within the central rotating shaft along the central longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end, wherein the cylindrical cavity includes a first portion having a first diameter and a second portion having a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is smaller than the second diameter. The locator pin includes an elongated body, a shoulder and a tip, wherein the locator pin is inserted into the cylindrical cavity, wherein the locator pin is movable along the central longitudinal axis, and wherein the body of the locator pin extends the first end of the central rotating shaft, and wherein the shoulder of the locator pin has a diameter larger than the first diameter of the first portion of the cylindrical cavity. The spring is placed into the cylindrical cavity following the locator pin. The arbor has an elongated cylindrical shape and includes a first end and a shank portion, wherein the first end is disposed into the second portion of the cylindrical cavity extending coaxially with the central longitudinal axis forming a rigid connection. The collar is mounted onto the arbor, wherein the arbor is able to rotate inside the collar.
In another aspect of the present invention, an appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool comprises a central rotating shaft, at least three post bearings, a cylindrical cavity, a locator pin, a spring, an arbor, and a cylindrical colla
Holwager Marvin C.
Pulcher Daniel E.
Tribble Roy L.
Hail III Joseph J.
McDonald Shantese L.
Shimokaji & Associates P.C.
The Boeing Company
LandOfFree
Appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Appliqué film and paint treatment removal tool will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3259623