Painting device, painting arrangement, method for painting a curved surface of an object, and use of an inkjet device for painting an aircraft

Abstract

A painting device for painting a curved surface ( 102 ) of an object ( 101 ), with a paint material ejection device ( 103 ), with a guide device ( 104, 105 ) and with a control device. The paint material ejection device ( 103 ) is designed for ejecting paint material. By means of the guide device ( 104, 105 ) the paint material ejection device ( 103 ) can be mechanically guided along a curved surface of an object. By means of the control device the paint material ejection device ( 103 ) and the guide device ( 104, 105 ) can be controlled in such a way that by means of guiding the paint material ejection device ( 103 ) along a predefinable path and by means of predefinable ejection of paint from the paint material ejection device ( 103 ) along the predefinable path a curved surface ( 102 ) of an object ( 101 ) to be painted can be painted.

1 . A painting device for painting a curved surface of an object, the painting device comprising: 
 a paint material ejection device comprising a plurality of paint material ejection sub-devices,    wherein the paint material ejection device is adapted to eject paint material and wherein the sub-devices are adapted to eject different paint materials onto the surface of an object to be painted, and wherein the plurality of sub-devices are adapted to eject paint materials for forming a three-dimensional texture on a surface of an object to be painted;    a guide device adapted to mechanically guide the paint material ejection device along a curved surface of an object; and    a control device adapted to control the paint material ejection device and the guide device in such a way that by guiding the paint material ejection device along a predefinable path and by predefinable ejection of paint from the paint material ejection device along the predefinable path a curved surface of an object to be painted is paintable.    
   
   
       2 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the painting device is adapted to paint at least a part of the surface of an aircraft.    
   
   
       3 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the painting device is adapted to paint at least a portion of the surface    of a rudder unit;    of a winglet;    of a nacelle; and/or    of a fuselage of an aircraft.    
   
   
       4 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the plurality of paint material ejection, sub-devices are adapted to eject different paint materials of different colours onto a surface of an object to be painted.    
   
   
       5 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the plurality of paint material ejection sub-devices are adapted to eject paint materials for forming riblets as a three-dimensional texture on a surface of an aircraft as an object to be painted.    
   
   
       6 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the paint material ejection device is an inkjet device comprising at least one inkjet head.    
   
   
       7 . The painting device of  claim 6 , 
 wherein the at least one inkjet head is    a piezo inkjet head; or    a thermo inkjet head.    
   
   
       8 . The painting device of  claim 1 , 
 wherein the guide device comprises at least one guide rail to which the paint material ejection device is movably attached.    
   
   
       9 . The painting device of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a position acquisition device, adapted for acquiring a relative position of the paint material ejection device in relation to a surface of an object to be painted and is further adapted for transmitting the acquired relative position to the control device.    
   
   
       10 . The painting device of  claim 9 , 
 wherein the position acquisition. device is adapted for acquiring the distance of the paint material ejection device from a surface of an object to be painted.    
   
   
       11 . The painting device of  claim 9 , 
 wherein the position acquisition device is adapted as a laser measuring system.    
   
   
       12 . The painting device of  claim 1 , further comprising 
 a drying device, adapted for drying a paint material ejected onto the surface of an object to be painted.    
   
   
       13 . The painting device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a paint material reservoir for accommodating paint material which can be fed to the paint material ejection device.    
   
   
       14 . The painting device of  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a painting-process monitoring device which is adapted for monitoring a painted surface of an object.    
   
   
       15 . The painting device of  claim 14 , in which the painting-process monitoring device is a 
 laser sensor; or a    piezo ultrasound sensor.    
   
   
       16 . A painting arrangement, comprising: 
 an object with a surface to be painted; and    a painting device of  claim 1  for painting the surface of the object.    
   
   
       17 . The painting arrangement of  claim 16 , in which the object is an aircraft.  
   
   
       18 . A method for painting a curved surface of an object, comprising: 
 ejecting paint material from a paint material ejection device, wherein the paint material ejecting device comprises a plurality of paint material ejection sub-devices, wherein the sub-devices are adapted to eject different paint materials onto the surface of an object to be painted, and wherein the plurality of sub-devices are adapted to eject paint materials for forming a three-dimensional texture on a surface of an object to be painted;    mechanically guiding the paint material ejection device along a curved surface of an object by a guide device;    controlling the paint material ejection device and the guide device by a control device in such a way that by guiding the paint material ejection device along a predefinable path, and by predefinable ejection of paint from the paint material ejection device along the predefinable path a curved surface of an object to be painted is painted.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising: 
 covering a painted surface by a protective layer when the surface of the object to be painted has been painted.    
   
   
       20 . The use of a painting device according to  claim 1  having an inkjet device for painting at least part of the surface of an aircraft.