Methods and apparatus to provide visual information associated with welding operations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11862035-B2
Application number	US-202318092664-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 3, 2023
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Jan 2, 2024
Grant date	Jan 2, 2024

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide visual information associated with welding operations are disclosed. An weld training system includes a display, a camera, a communications device, and a welding helmet. The communications device communicates with welding equipment. The welding helmet has a view port. The communications device is configured to hold the camera, the communications device, and the display such that, when the welding helmet is worn by a wearer, the display is viewable by the wearer, the camera has a view through the view port such that the display displays to the wearer images taken by the camera through the view port and displays a simulated object generated based on information received from the welding equipment via the communications device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A weld training system, comprising:
a display;
a camera; and
a welding helmet comprising a view port and configured to hold the camera and the display such that, when the welding helmet is worn by a wearer, the display is viewable by the wearer, the camera has a view through the view port such that the display displays to the wearer images taken by the camera through the view port and displays a simulated object generated based on information received from the camera,
wherein the display and the camera are in a smartphone or tablet computer attached to the welding helmet.

2. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone or tablet computer is configured to execute an app to simulate an arc.

3. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone or tablet computer is configured to generate and overlay virtualized versions of an electrical arc and a resulting welding bead.

4. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone or tablet computer is configured to generate and overlay graphics illustrating weld data.

5. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the display is operable to provide a wearer's vision of a weld scene.

6. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone or tablet computer is configured to summarize and display weld performance for a training weld in a post-weld summary interface on the display.

7. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a speaker configured to output at least one of a simulated arc sound or a simulated gas flow sound.

8. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone or tablet computer is configured to process images captured by the camera to extract a characteristic of the weld scene, and generate a simulated object over the weld scene based on the characteristic.

9. The weld training system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of a torch type, a torch condition, a welding consumable type, or a weld joint type.

10. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a communications device configured to communicate with equipment to detect a start of a simulated weld operation or an end of the simulated weld operation.

11. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the smartphone is configured to:
obtain real-time images from the camera;
perform image processing on the real-time images;
render reconstructed scene images based on the captured images; and
superimpose a virtual object into the scene image.

12. The weld training system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the image processing including object recognition.

13. The weld training system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the virtual object comprises at least one of a virtual arc, a virtual weld pool, virtual spatter, a virtual wire feed, a virtual weld bead.

Assignees

• Illinois Tool Works
• Illinois Tool Works

Inventors

• Hsu Christopher
• Schmidt Scott Nicholas

Classifications

• G09B19/00 Primary

  Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass (teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26) · CPC title

• B23K9/0956

  using sensing means, e.g. optical · CPC title

• B23K9/32

  Accessories · CPC title

• G09B5/02

  with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip · CPC title

• G09B19/24 Primary

  Use of tools · CPC title