Self-guided welding machine
US4588872A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 22, 1984 |
| Grant date | May 13, 1986 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 22, 2004 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG05B19/4207
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An automated welding apparatus (20) supports a work head (30) for motion in at least two dimensions along a seam (24) in a work piece (21). A tactile sensing probe (33) is mounted to the work head (30) to rotate about it and is controlled so that the tip (35) of the probe is in contact with a wall (26) of the seam at a constant force or deflection. The position of the probe (33) as it contacts the seam wall is sampled and stored to establish a data base for the geometry of the seam wall, and the work head (30) is then driven to follow the established data base while the probe (33) precedes it acquiring new data for the seam wall geometry. The work head may include a welding head (31) rotatable about an axis which can be controlled to be directed at a constant angle with respect to a normal to the seam wall.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.