Ford Motor Company Limited

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Christopher Michael Seubert

Mark Edward Nichols

Kevin Richard John Ellwood

Wanjiao Liu

Ellen Cheng-chi Lee

Kevin R Ellwood

Scott Adams

Aaron Fiala

Andrew Robert Drews

Kevin James Rhodes

Deborah Frances Mielewski

Kenneth Edward Nietering

Tony Misovski

Kerrie Nikaido Holguin

Cindy Anne Peters

Emily Ann Ryan

Matthew Linden Bedell

Nicholas Ryan Gunther

Chelsea Cates

An atomizer for applying a coating to a substrate includes a nozzle and at least one electrode. The nozzle defines a plurality of apertures. The nozzle includes a nozzle plate, a nozzle body, and an actuator. The nozzle plate defines the apertures. The nozzle body and an inner side of the nozzle plate define a reservoir in fluid communication with the first apertures. The actuator is configured to vibrate the nozzle plate to eject droplets of a liquid from the reservoir through the first apertures. The at least one electrode is configured to directly or indirectly electrostatically charge the droplets with a charge that repels the droplets from each other to reduce coalescence of the droplets before the droplets reach the substrate.

Ultrasonic atomizer for applying a coating to a substrate with electrostatic charge to prevent droplet coalescence during atomization

A method of forming a part includes 3D printing a photopolymerizable resin and forming a preformed part and subsequently post-curing the preformed part with electron beams. The preformed part may be cured via UV curing. A section of the preformed part post-cured with electron beams may have a thickness of at least 1.0 centimeter, for example, at least 2.0 centimeters or at least 3.0 centimeters. An electron beam dosage to post-cure the preformed part may be between 10 kilogray (kGy) and 100 kGy. The preformed part may be 3D printed using stereolithography (SLA), digital light processing (DLP) or material jetting (MJ) and the photopolymerizable resin may include at least one of an acrylate functional polymer and a methacrylate functional polymer. In the alternative, or in addition to, the photopolymerizable resin may include at least one of a urethane, a polyester, and a polyether.

Methods of post-curing additive manufacturing parts using electron beams

An ultrasonic atomization material applicator includes a material applicator with at least one transducer and an array plate with an array of micro-applicators. Each of the micro-applicators has a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures. At least one supply line is in communication with the micro-applicators and configured to supply at least one material to each of the micro-applicators. The at least one ultrasonic transducer is mechanically coupled to the at least one array of micro-applicators and configured to vibrate the at least one array of micro-applicators such that atomized droplets of the at least one material are ejected from each of the micro-applicators. A movement device configured to cyclically move the at least one array of micro-applicators back and forth about at least one axis of the at least one array of micro-applicators can be included.

Ultrasonic material applicators and methods of use thereof

A material applicator for controlling application of at least one material on a substrate includes a housing and an array plate with an applicator array positioned within the housing. The applicator array has a plurality of micro-applicators and each of the plurality of micro-applicators has an ultrasonic transducer, a material inlet, a reservoir, and a micro-applicator plate with a plurality of apertures. The applicator plate is in mechanical communication with the ultrasonic transducer such that at least one material is ejected through the plurality of apertures as atomized droplets when the ultrasonic transducer vibrates the micro-applicator plate.

Composite ultrasonic material applicators with individually addressable micro-applicators and methods of use thereof

An atomizer for applying a coating includes a nozzle plate, an actuator, and an acoustic focusing device. The nozzle plate defines at least one aperture. The actuator is configured to oscillate to form pressure waves within a fluid to eject the fluid from the nozzle plate. The acoustic focusing device focuses the pressure waves toward the apertures.

Ultrasonic atomizer with acoustic focusing device

A method of controlling application of at least one material onto a substrate includes configuring a material applicator having an array plate with an applicator array. The applicator array has a plurality of micro-applicators with a first subset of micro-applicators and a second subset of micro-applicators. Each of the plurality of micro-applicators has a plurality of apertures through which fluid is ejected. The first subset of micro-applicators and the second subset of micro-applicators are individually addressable, and a liquid flows through the first subset of micro-applicators and a shaping gas, e.g., air, flows through the second subset of micro-applicators. The flow of shaping gas shapes the flow of the liquid from the first subset of micro-applicators to the substrate.

Composite ultrasonic material applicators with embedded shaping gas micro-applicators and methods of use thereof

A device and method of forming a three-dimensional component includes filling a reservoir () with a volume of curable resin (), the resin configured to undergo a first reaction to form a first product when exposed to light () of a first wavelength and to undergo a second reaction to form a second product when exposed to light () of a second wavelength. The presence of the first and second products at a common location in the resin causes a third reaction that results in a solid polymer at the common location. The method further includes directing a first light source () of the first wavelength into the reservoir, directing a second light source () of the second wavelength into the reservoir such that the first and second light sources intersect at a first predetermined location () within the reservoir, and allowing the third reaction to form the solid polymer at the first predetermined location.

3-D printing components using two-light sources to control location of solidification

An additive article stabilizing method includes prior to polymerization, adding a radiation-activated stabilizing composition to a liquid resin, forming the article from the liquid resin, layer by layer, using radiation such that the stabilizing composition does not stabilize the liquid resin but the formed article, and neutralizing free radicals generated during a degradation process initiated by exposure of the article to additional radiation post-cure.

Stabilized additive manufacturing articles

A nozzle for an atomizer includes a plate, a piezoelectric actuator, a body, and a connector. The plate defines an aperture. The actuator is configured to oscillate the plate. The body supports the plate. The connector is configured to reversibly mount the body to the atomizer in a first orientation and in a second orientation. In the first orientation, fluid exits the nozzle along a first axial direction through the aperture. In the second orientation, fluid exits the nozzle along an opposite axial direction through the aperture.

Reversible nozzle in ultrasonic atomizer for clog prevention

A method of controlling application of at least one material to a substrate is provided. The method includes configuring at least one array having a plurality of micro-applicators such that a subset of the micro-applicators is individually addressable to apply the at least one material to the substrate. Individually addressing the subset of micro-applicators provides control of a pattern width of a coating applied to a substrate, control of a flow rate of the material applied to the substrate, control of an angle of application of the material to the substrate, control of which and how many materials are applied to the substrate, and combinations thereof.

An apparatus for applying a coating to a substrate includes a base, an applicator, and a quick-connect connector. The base includes a fluid conduit. The applicator includes at least one actuator and an array of nozzle plates. Each nozzle plate defines at least one aperture. The at least one actuator is configured to oscillate the nozzle plates to eject fluid from the apertures. The quick-connect connector couples the fluid conduit to the applicator for fluid communication therebetween.

Ultrasonic atomizer with quick-connect mechanism

A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate includes ejecting atomized droplets from an array of micro-applicators while the array of micro-applicators cyclically moves about at least one axis. The atomized droplets from each of the plurality of micro-applicators overlap with atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators and a diffuse overlap of deposited atomized droplets from adjacent micro-applicators is provided on a surface of the substrate. The array of micro-applicators cyclically rotates back and forth around the at least one axis and/or moves back and forth parallel to the at least one axis. For example, the at least one axis can be a central axis of the array of micro-applicators, a length axis of the array of micro-applicators, a width axis of the array of micro-applicators, and the like. Also, the array of micro-applicators can be part of an ultrasonic material applicator used to paint vehicles.

A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate is provided. The method includes ejecting an ultraviolet (UV) curable material through a plurality of micro-applicators in the form of atomized droplets. At least one UV light source is positioned adjacent to the plurality of micro-applicators and the atomized droplets are irradiated with UV light by the at least one UV light source and curing of the atomized droplets is initiated. The atomized droplets are deposited onto a surface of the substrate and a UV cured coating on the surface is formed thereon. The UV curable material may include a photolatent base catalyst such that the atomized droplets deposited onto the surface continue to cure after being irradiated with the at least one UV light source. The at least one UV light source can include a UV light ring, a UV light emitting diode, and the like.

Growing community of inventors

New Hudson, MI, United States of America

Christopher Michael Seubert