US 11,850,619 B2
Robot end effector for dispensing an extrudable substance
John Walter Pringle, IV, Torrance, CA (US); Angelica Davancens, Reseda, CA (US); and Ryan Vutha Touch, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to THE BOEING COMPANY, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed by The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US)
Filed on Sep. 9, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/470,555.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/161,204, filed on Mar. 15, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0288613 A1, Sep. 15, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B05B 7/04 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01); B05B 7/26 (2006.01); B05B 7/12 (2006.01); B01F 25/42 (2022.01); B01F 101/00 (2022.01)
CPC B05B 7/0408 (2013.01) [B01F 25/42 (2022.01); B05B 7/12 (2013.01); B05B 7/26 (2013.01); B25J 15/0019 (2013.01); B01F 2101/2305 (2022.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robot end effector for dispensing an extrudable substance, the robot end effector comprising:
a chassis;
a mixer housing, extending from the chassis and configured to receive a static mixer, wherein the static mixer comprises a mixer inlet and a mixer outlet, which is in fluidic communication with the mixer inlet;
cartridge bays, extending from the chassis, wherein:
each of the cartridge bays is shaped to receive a corresponding one of two-part cartridges;
each one of the two-part cartridges comprises a cartridge outlet; and
fluidic communication between the cartridge outlet of a selected one of the two-part cartridges and the mixer inlet is established when the cartridge bays are moved to a predetermined position with respect to the chassis, linearly along a first axis and linearly along a second axis, which is transverse to the first axis;
a dispensing valve, attached to the chassis and comprising a valve inlet and a valve outlet, wherein:
the valve outlet is in selective fluidic communication with the valve inlet; and
the mixer housing is configured to position the static mixer with respect to the dispensing valve so that the valve inlet is in fluidic communication with the mixer outlet; and
a head assembly, comprising pairs of fittings, wherein each of the pairs of fittings is configured to selectively supply compressed air from a pressure source to contents of a corresponding one of the two-part cartridges when the two-part cartridges are received by the cartridge bays, and the cartridge bays are translated along the first axis and along the second axis relative to the chassis so that the cartridge outlet of the corresponding one of the two-part cartridges is in fluidic communication with the mixer inlet.