Aerial fluid spraying system

Abstract

An aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a body and a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint. The aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir. The aerial paint spraying vehicle includes a paint applicator assembly configured to receive the pressurized paint and expel the pressurized paint through a spray nozzle towards a target surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aerial paint spraying vehicle comprising:
 a body;   a rotor configured to rotate and provide a lift force on the body;   a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint;   a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir; and   a paint applicator assembly configured to receive the pressurized paint and expel the pressurized paint through a spray nozzle towards a target surface.   
     
     
         2 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a multi-axis gimbal configured to allow the spray nozzle to move along multiple axes relative to the body. 
     
     
         3 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 2 , further comprising a control system configured to control the multi-axis gimbal. 
     
     
         4 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 3 , wherein the control system receives a signal indicative of an orientation of the aerial paint spraying vehicle relative to the target surface and controls the multi-axis gimbal to orient the spray nozzle in a non-perpendicular orientation to the target surface during an expulsion of paint through the spray nozzle such that a reactive force parallel to the target surface is generated by the expulsion of paint. 
     
     
         5 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the spray nozzle expels the paint towards the target surface in a fan pattern. 
     
     
         6 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 5 , further comprising a spray nozzle actuator that rotates the spray nozzle such that the fan pattern rotates. 
     
     
         7 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 6 , wherein the spray nozzle actuator automatically rotates the spray nozzle such that the fan pattern is substantially perpendicular to a current movement direction of the aerial paint spraying vehicle . 
     
     
         8 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the paint applicator assembly comprises:
 a valve assembly comprising a first end portion opposite of a second end portion configured to be movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein the second end portion is configured to be in fluidic contact with the pressurized paint at the closed position, and both the first end portion and the second end portion are configured to be in fluidic contact with the pressurized paint at the open position.   
     
     
         9 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , further comprising a reactive jet nozzle that actuates based on the actuation of the paint applicator assembly to generate a counter force that counters at least a portion of a reactive force generated by the paint applicator assembly when expelling the paint. 
     
     
         10 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 9 , wherein the reactive jet nozzle is coupled to the spray nozzle such that an outlet of the reactive jet nozzle is axially aligned with an outlet of the spray nozzle. 
     
     
         11 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure vessel contains a liquid propellant configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir. 
     
     
         12 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid propellent comprises compressed liquid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The aerial paint spraying vehicle of  claim 1 , wherein the paint reservoir comprises a first carbon-fiber tank with a first threaded connection mechanism and the pressure vessel comprises a second carbon-fiber tank with a second threaded connection mechanism. 
     
     
         14 . A method of operating an aerial paint spraying vehicle, the method comprising:
 operating a rotor to provide a lift force on a body of the aerial paint spraying vehicle, the aerial paint spraying vehicle comprising:
 a paint reservoir removably coupled to the body and configured to store paint, and 
 a pressure vessel removably coupled to the body and configured to pressurize the paint from the paint reservoir; 
   operating a spray nozzle of the aerial paint spraying vehicle to expel the pressurized paint through the spray nozzle towards a target surface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising:
 based on the operation of the spray nozzle, actuating a reactive jet nozzle to generate a counter force that counters at least a portion of a reactive force generated by the spray nozzle when expelling the paint.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the reactive jet nozzle is coupled to the spray nozzle such that an outlet of the reactive jet nozzle is axially aligned with an outlet of the spray nozzle. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising:
 operating a spray nozzle actuator that rotates the spray nozzle.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein operating the spray nozzle actuator comprises:
 automatically rotating the spray nozzle such that a fan pattern generated by the spray nozzle is substantially perpendicular to a current movement direction of the aerial paint spraying vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising:
 controlling a multi-axis gimbal to move the spray nozzle along multiple axes relative to the body.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , and further comprising:
 receiving a signal indicative of an orientation of the aerial paint spraying vehicle relative to the target surface; and   controlling the multi-axis gimbal to orient the spray nozzle in a non-perpendicular orientation to the target surface during the paint expulsion through the spray nozzle.