Welding simulator with dual-user configuration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11475792-B2
Application number	US-201916366275-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2019
Priority date	Apr 19, 2018
Publication date	Oct 18, 2022
Grant date	Oct 18, 2022

Abstract

Welding training systems and methods utilize a welding simulator wherein multiple users can interact simultaneously with distinct simulated environments or within the same simulated environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A welding simulator comprising:
a first display associated with a first user;
a second display associated with a second user;
a first mock welding tool associated with the first user;
a second mock welding tool associated with the second user;
a first stand operable to hold a first coupon;
a second stand operable to hold a second coupon;
a first spatial tracker for tracking first movements of the first mock welding tool relative to the first coupon by the first user;
a second spatial tracker for tracking second movements of the second mock welding tool relative to the second coupon by the second user; and
a housing holding logic comprising a memory storing machine-readable instructions and a processor for executing the instructions to:
generate a simulated environment; and
simultaneously display the simulated environment, including the first movements and the second movements, on the first display and the second display.

2. The welding simulator of claim 1 , wherein the first display is part of a welding helmet.

3. The welding simulator of claim 1 , wherein the second display is part of a welding helmet.

4. The welding simulator of claim 1 , further comprising a third display.

5. The welding simulator of claim 4 , wherein the third display is mounted on the housing.

6. The welding simulator of claim 4 , further comprising a fourth display.

7. The welding simulator of claim 6 , wherein the fourth display is mounted on the housing.

8. The welding simulator of claim 1 , wherein the logic displays the first coupon and the second coupon as a same part.

9. The welding simulator of claim 8 , wherein a weld path is defined on the same part,
wherein the first movements correspond to a first traversal of the weld path, and
wherein the second movements correspond to a second traversal of the weld path.

10. The welding simulator of claim 1 , wherein the logic displays the first coupon and the second coupon as portions of the same assembly.

11. A welding simulator comprising:
a first display associated with a first user;
a second display associated with a second user;
a first mock welding tool associated with the first user;
a second mock welding tool associated with the second user;
a first stand operable to hold a first coupon;
a second stand operable to hold a second coupon;
a first spatial tracker for tracking first movements of the first mock welding tool relative to the first coupon by the first user;
a second spatial tracker for tracking second movements of the second mock welding tool relative to the second coupon by the second user; and
a housing holding first logic and second logic,
wherein the first logic comprises a first memory storing first machine-readable instructions and a first processor for executing the first machine-readable instructions to:
generate a first simulated environment; and
display the first simulated environment and the first movements on the first display; and

wherein the second logic comprises a second memory storing second machine-readable instructions and a second processor for executing the second machine-readable instructions to:
generate a second simulated environment; and
display the second simulated environment and the second movements on the second display.

12. The welding simulator of claim 11 , wherein the first display is part of a welding helmet.

13. The welding simulator of claim 11 , wherein the second display is part of a welding helmet.

14. The welding simulator of claim 11 , further comprising a third display.

15. The welding simulator of claim 14 , wherein the third display is mounted on the housing.

16. The welding simulator of claim 14 , wherein the first logic causes the first simulated environment and the first movements to be displayed on the third display.

17. The welding simulator of claim 16 , further comprising a fourth display.

18. The welding simulator of claim 17 , wherein the fourth display is mounted on the housing.

19. The welding simulator of claim 17 , wherein the second logic causes the second simulated environment and the second movements to be displayed on the fourth display.

20. The welding simulator of claim 11 , wherein the first logic displays the first coupon as a first part; and
wherein the second logic displays the second coupon as a second part.

21. The welding simulator of claim 20 , wherein the first part and the second part are identical.

22. The welding simulator of claim 20 , wherein the first part and the second part are different portions of an assembly.

Assignees

• Lincoln Global Inc

Inventors

• Meess Brian
• Shamrock Andrew S

Classifications

• G09B5/10

  all student stations being capable of presenting the same information simultaneously (G09B5/14 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G09B19/24 Primary

  Use of tools · CPC title

• G09B5/125

  the stations being mobile · CPC title

• G09B5/14

  with provision for individual teacher-student communication · 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