Welding training system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10748442-B2
Application number	US-201615167496-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2016
Priority date	May 28, 2008
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A welding training system includes one or more welding operator device which provides positional feedback relevant to a quality weld. The positional feedback is analyzed and, when the positional feedback is outside of a predetermined range, a signal is provided to the welding operator. In one embodiment, tactile feedback is provided in a welding gun.

First claim

We claim:

1. A welding system comprising:
a sensor configured to detect position or orientation data of a welding device; and
a plurality of tactile feedback devices configured to provide directional feedback based at least in part on a comparison of the position or orientation data detected by the sensor and stored position or orientation data defining a position or orientation of the welding device for a stored weld to correct a position or orientation of the welding device during an actual weld or a simulated weld, wherein the plurality of tactile feedback devices are configured to be selectively controlled to provide different directional, tactile feedback to the operator based on the position or orientation data, and the plurality of tactile feedback devices are configured to be selectively controlled to provide an intensity to the directional, tactile feedback based on the position or orientation data.

2. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the directional feedback provides feedback to correct the position or orientation of the welding device during the actual weld.

3. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the directional feedback provides feedback to correct the position or orientation of the welding device during the simulated weld.

4. The welding system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an angle sensor, an altimeter, a global positioning sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer, a micro-electromechanical gyroscope, or an optical sensor.

5. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback devices comprise at least one of a vibrational motor, a piezeo-electric device, an air bladder, or an exoskeleton.

6. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the welding device comprises a protective eye shielding device, a welding gun, a glove, or a wrist band.

7. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the directional feedback provides feedback to correct an angle of the welding device.

8. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the tactile feedback devices comprise a plurality of spaced vibrational motors.

9. A welding system, comprising:
a sensor configured to detect position or orientation data of a welding device;
a plurality of tactile feedback devices; and
a controller communicatively coupled to the welding device, wherein the controller is configured to:
receive the position or orientation data from the sensor;
compare the position or orientation data to stored position or orientation data; and
selectively activate one or more of the plurality of tactile feedback devices to provide different directional, tactile feedback to prompt a welding operator to adjust a position or orientation of the welding device based at least in part on comparison during an actual weld or a simulated weld, the controller configured to control the plurality of tactile feedback devices to provide an intensity to the directional, tactile feedback based on the position or orientation data.

10. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises at least one of an angle sensor and an altimeter.

11. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises a global positioning sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer, or a micro-electromechanical gyroscope.

12. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein the sensor comprises an optical sensor.

13. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein the tactile feedback devices comprise a vibrational motor, a piezeo-electric device, an air bladder, or an exoskeleton.

14. The welding system of claim 9 , comprising the welding device, wherein the welding device comprises a protective eye shielding device, a welding gun, a glove, or a wrist band.

15. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein the directional feedback provides feedback to correct an angle of the welding device.

16. The welding system of claim 1 , wherein the intensity is controlled based on a magnitude of error between the position or orientation of the welding device detected by the sensor and the stored position or orientation data.

17. The welding system of claim 9 , wherein controller is configured to control the intensity based on a magnitude of error between the received position or orientation data and the stored position or orientation data.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Batzler Todd Gerald
• Albrecht Bruce Patrick
• Becker William Joshua

Classifications

• B23K9/32 Primary

  Accessories · CPC title

• G05B2219/37396

  Tactile feedback, operator feels reaction, force reflection · CPC title

• B23K37/00

  Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass · CPC title

• G09B19/003 Primary

  Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements · CPC title

• G09B9/00

  Simulators for teaching or training purposes (for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; {protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131}) · CPC title