Grade annunciator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10845682-B2
Application number	US-201715841173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2017
Priority date	Oct 16, 2012
Publication date	Nov 24, 2020
Grant date	Nov 24, 2020

Abstract

Embodiments provide grade annunciator systems that allow a lumber workpiece traveling in a workflow path to be labeled with a projected image that conveys information about the grade, a cut line, and/or the location of a defect in the workpiece. In some embodiments, the system includes a conveyor configured to convey lumber workpieces in a workflow path, and a projector or series of projectors configured to project an image or symbol onto a surface of the workpiece, wherein the image or symbol indicates grade, a cut line, and/or the location of a defect in the workpiece. Other embodiments are methods of labeling a lumber workpiece in a workflow path, the methods includes conveying the lumber workpiece along the workflow path, and projecting an image or symbol onto a surface of the workpiece as it is conveyed along the workflow path.

First claim

We claim:

1. A grade annunciator system for displaying information about a wood workpiece traveling in a first direction along a flow path on a conveyor and oriented generally transverse to the first direction, the grade annunciator system comprising:
a first projector positioned to project a first image onto a surface of the workpiece as the workpiece travels along the flow path on the conveyor through a first field of projection of the first projector; and
a computer system configured to
identify a first target location on the workpiece for projection of the first image, based at least on scan data acquired by a scanner upstream of the first projector, wherein the first target location is a location of a defect or a predicted cut, and
in response to identifying the first target location, cause the first projector to project the first image onto the first target location as the workpiece travels through the first field of projection, such that the location of the first image indicates the location of the defect or predicted cut.

2. The grade annunciator system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system comprises an optimizer configured to determine a grade of a piece of lumber to be cut from the workpiece, the computer system is configured to cause the projector to project a second image onto the workpiece, and the second image represents said grade.

3. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a second projector with a second field of projection, the first and second projectors are arranged across the flow path such that the fields of projection meet or overlap along a longitudinal axis of the conveyor, and the instructions are further operable to cause the second projector to project a second image onto a second target location on the workpiece as the workpiece travels along the flow path through the fields of projection.

4. The grade annunciator of claim 3 , wherein the target locations are locations of predicted cuts and the first and second images are images of cut lines.

5. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to cause the first projector to project the first image such that the first image moves with the workpiece as the workpiece travels through the first field of projection along the flow path.

6. The grade annunciator of claim 5 , further including a vision camera system operatively coupled with the computer system and configured to track the workpiece as the workpiece travels along the flow path.

7. The grade annunciator of claim 6 , wherein the first projector comprises a series of projectors arranged along the flow path, and wherein the computer system is configured to cause the series of projectors to sequentially project the first image as a stationary image to thereby cause the projected first image to track with the first workpiece as the first workpiece travels along the flow path.

8. The grade annunciator of claim 6 , wherein the first projector comprises a series of LEDs arranged along the flow path, and wherein the computer system is configured to cause the series of LEDS to sequentially project the first image as a stationary image to thereby cause the projected first image to track with the workpiece as the workpiece travels along the flow path.

9. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is configured to cause the first projector to project the first image such that the first image remains stationary as the workpiece travels along the flow path.

10. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the first target location is a location of a defect and the first image is an image of a geometric shape.

11. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor comprises a non-lugged chain.

12. The grade annunciator of claim 1 , wherein the conveyor comprises a lugged chain.

13. A method of labeling a lumber workpiece as the workpiece travels along a flow path on a conveyor, the method comprising:
identifying a first target location on the workpiece for projection of a first image, based at least on scan data acquired by a scanner upstream of a field of projection of a first projector, wherein the first target location is a location of a defect or a predicted cut; and
in response to identifying the first target location, using the first projector to project the first image onto the first target location as the workpiece is conveyed along the flow path through the field of projection, such that the location of the first image indicates the location of the defect or predicted cut.

14. The method of claim 13 , further including determining a grade of a piece of lumber to be cut from the workpiece.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises using the first projector to project the determined grade onto the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed along the flow path through the first field of projection.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises using an overhead vision camera system to track the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed along the flow path.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises using the overhead vision camera system to direct the first projector to move the projected first image with the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed along the flow path.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises detecting an identification code on the workpiece, and wherein the scan data is associated with the identification code.

19. The method of claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises:
using a second projector to project a second image onto a second target location on the workpiece as the workpiece is conveyed through the field of projection, wherein the second image indicates a grade, a second predicted cut line, and/or a second defect in the workpiece.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first and second target locations are locations of first and second predicted cut lines, respectively, and the first and second fields of projection meet or overlap along a longitudinal axis of the conveyor.

Assignees

• Usnr Llc

Inventors

• Blomquist Christopher W
• Flatman Carl
• Wahlstrom Carl
• O'Heron Mike
• Sunder Nick

Classifications

• B27B31/06 Primary

  Adjusting equipment, e.g. using optical projection {(see also B27L5/022)} · CPC title

• G01B11/25

  by projecting a pattern, e.g. {one or more lines,} moiré fringes on the object (G01B11/255 takes precedence {; image analysis for depth or shape recovery G06T7/50}) · CPC title

• G03B21/14 Primary

  Details · CPC title