Automated apparatus for use in selectively cutting side walls of a honeycomb core

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9381659-B2
Application number	US-201414254500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 16, 2014
Priority date	Apr 16, 2014
Publication date	Jul 5, 2016
Grant date	Jul 5, 2016

Abstract

An automated apparatus for use in selectively cutting side walls of a honeycomb core is provided. The apparatus includes an end effector, a cutting tool coupled to the end effector, wherein the end effector is configured to position the cutting tool in an initial cutting position based on a schematic geometry of the honeycomb core. The automated apparatus also includes an adaptive vision system configured to direct the end effector to modify the initial cutting position based on an actual geometry of the honeycomb core acquired by the adaptive vision system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An automated apparatus for use in selectively cutting side walls of a honeycomb core, said apparatus comprising:
an end effector;
a cutting tool coupled to said end effector, wherein said end effector is configured to position said cutting tool in an initial cutting position defined along a predetermined tool path for said cutting tool, the initial cutting position based on a schematic geometry of the honeycomb core; and
an adaptive vision system configured to direct said end effector to modify the initial cutting position based on an actual geometry of the honeycomb core acquired by said adaptive vision system such that a final cutting position is offset from the predetermined tool path.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said end effector is configured to move said cutting tool along a predetermined tool path relative to the honeycomb core, the predetermined tool path including a plurality of initial cutting positions.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said adaptive vision system is further configured to:
determine a core cell offset between the schematic geometry and the actual geometry of the honeycomb core; and
modify the initial cutting position of the cutting tool based at least partially on the core cell offset, wherein the initial cutting position is modified to position said cutting tool in the final cutting position.

4. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said cutting tool comprises:
a guide portion sized for insertion into at least one core cell of the honeycomb core with a clearance fit; and
a cutter slidably coupled with said guide portion, wherein said guide portion is configured to guide said cutter in a substantially normal direction relative to an outer surface of the honeycomb core.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said adaptive vision system is configured to substantially align said guide portion with the at least one core cell.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said guide portion has a substantially complementary cross-sectional shape as the at least one core cell.

7. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4 , wherein said end effector is rotatable about a central axis thereof to substantially align said guide portion with the at least one core cell.

8. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1 , wherein said cutting tool comprises an ultra-sonic cutting tool.

9. An end effector of an automated apparatus for use in selectively cutting side walls of a honeycomb core, said end effector comprising:
a cutting tool coupled to said end effector, wherein the end effector is configured to position said cutting tool in an initial cutting position defined along a predetermined tool path for said cutting tool, the initial cutting position based on a schematic geometry of the honeycomb core; and
an adaptive vision system configured to direct the end effector to modify the initial cutting position based on an actual geometry of the honeycomb core acquired by said adaptive vision system such that a final cutting position is offset from the predetermined tool path.

10. The end effector in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said adaptive vision system is further configured to:
determine a core cell offset between the schematic geometry and the actual geometry of the honeycomb core; and
modify the initial cutting position of the cutting tool based at least partially on the core cell offset, wherein the initial cutting position is modified to position said cutting tool in the final cutting position.

11. The end effector in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said cutting tool comprises:
a guide portion sized for insertion into at least one core cell of the honeycomb core with a clearance fit; and
a cutter slidably coupled with said guide portion, wherein said guide portion is configured to guide said cutter in a substantially normal direction relative to an outer surface of the honeycomb core.

12. The end effector in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said adaptive vision system is configured to substantially align said guide portion with the at least one core cell.

13. The end effector in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said guide portion has a substantially complementary cross-sectional shape as the at least one core cell.

14. The end effector in accordance with claim 11 , wherein said end effector is rotatable about a central axis thereof to substantially align said guide portion with the at least one core cell.

15. The end effector in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said cutting tool comprises an ultra-sonic cutting tool.

16. A method of selectively cutting side walls of a honeycomb core, the side walls selectively cut using an automated apparatus including a cutting tool and an adaptive vision system, said method comprising:
positioning the cutting tool in an initial cutting position defined along a predetermined tool path, the initial cutting position for the cutting tool, the initial cutting position based on a schematic geometry of the honeycomb core;
acquiring an actual geometry of the honeycomb core with the adaptive vision system; and
modifying the initial cutting position of the cutting tool based on the actual geometry of the honeycomb core acquired by the adaptive vision system such that a final cutting position is offset from the predetermined tool path.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising:
determining a core cell offset between the schematic geometry and the actual geometry of the honeycomb core; and
modifying the initial cutting position based at least partially on the core cell offset to position the cutting tool in the final cutting position.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising:
inserting a guide portion of the cutting tool into at least one core cell of the honeycomb core with a clearance fit; and
translating a cutter within a cutter slot of the guide portion to selectively cut the side walls.

19. The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein inserting a guide portion comprises using the adaptive vision system to substantially align the guide portion with the at least one core cell.

20. The method in accordance with claim 18 , wherein translating a cutter comprises translating the cutter in a substantially normal direction relative to an outer surface of the honeycomb core.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Perron Daniel J
• Moore Stephen
• Olberg Jeffrey Hayden
• Negley Mark Alan

Classifications

• B26D5/34

  scanning being effected by a photosensitive device · CPC title

• B26D5/007 Primary

  Control means comprising cameras, vision or image processing systems · CPC title

• B26D2210/00

  Machines or methods used for cutting special materials · CPC title

• B26D7/086

  by vibrating, e.g. ultrasonically · CPC title

• G05B19/4083

  Adapting program, configuration · CPC title