Method for dispensing viscous liquid material

Abstract

An automated dispensing system and method for dispensing a viscous liquid material along a dynamic dispensing path. In a first scan, a scanning apparatus determines a dispensing path. A dispensing apparatus dispenses the viscous liquid material along the dispensing path. In an optional second scan, the scanning apparatus measures a dimension of the dispensed material. Object not meeting an acceptable liquid height are rejected.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method comprising: 
 a. Providing an object having a non-repeatable surface;    b. Performing a scan to determine a dispensing path; and    c. Dispensing a material onto the object along the dispensing path.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the material is a viscous material.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the viscous material is a liquid silicone rubber.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a radiator end tank.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the scan is performed using a scanning apparatus.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the scan using a processing computer.  
     
     
         7 . A method comprising: 
 a. Providing an object;    b. Performing a first scan of the object;    c. Calculating a dispensing path from the first scan;    d. Dispensing a material along the dispensing path; and    e. Performing a second scan of the object to determine a dimension, location or configuration of the material.    
     
     
         8 . A method comprising: 
 a. Providing an object;    b. Determining a scanning window about the object;    c. Determining features of said object by defining thresholds; and    d. Calculating a desired dispense path point based on the features of the object.