Contour follower apparatus and related systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9636798-B1
Application number	US-201514921394-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2015
Priority date	Oct 23, 2015
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

Systems and related methods are provided for maintaining a spatial relationship between a tool of the multi-axis machine (e.g., fluid jet nozzle of a fluid jet cutting machine) and a workpiece to be processed by the tool. An example system includes a contour follower apparatus having a sensor and a gimbal assembly operable with the sensor to sense a deviation between a machine focal point and a gimbal assembly focal point defined by the gimbal assembly as the gimbal assembly rides upon the surface of the workpiece during operation. The system may further include a gimbal mount assembly configured to sense a collision event of the gimbal assembly with another object.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A gimbal assembly for a multi-axis machine to assist in maintaining a spatial relationship between a tool of the multi-axis machine and a workpiece to be processed by the tool, the multi-axis machine including two axes of rotation that intersect to define a machine focal point, the gimbal assembly comprising:
a swivel arm operable to rotate about a first axis of rotation; and
a contact member rotatably coupled to the swivel arm to rotate about a second axis of rotation which intersects with the first axis of rotation to define a gimbal assembly focal point, the contact member including one or more surface features arranged to ride upon a surface of the workpiece during operation and to define a reference plane that contains the gimbal assembly focal point, and
wherein the gimbal assembly enables sensing of a deviation between the machine focal point and the gimbal assembly focal point as the contact member rides upon the surface of the workpiece during operation.

2. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal assembly includes a gimbal base and the gimbal assembly is configured such that the deviation of the machine focal point from the gimbal assembly focal point results in a corresponding displacement of the gimbal base.

3. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 wherein the gimbal assembly is configured to adjust to changes in topography of the workpiece via rotational movement of the swivel arm and contact member about the first and second axes of rotation, respectively, while the gimbal assembly simultaneously enables sensing of any deviation between the machine focal point and the gimbal assembly focal point.

4. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one swivel lock to selectively prevent rotation of the swivel arm about the first axis of rotation or rotation of the contact member about the second axis of rotation.

5. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one rotational stop to limit rotation of the swivel arm about the first axis of rotation or rotation of the contact member about the second axis of rotation.

6. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
encoders for measuring a surface topography of the workpiece based on a respective sensed rotational position of the swivel arm and the contact member.

7. The gimbal assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
encoders for measuring a surface topography of the workpiece based on a respective sensed rotational position of the swivel arm and the contact member and for keeping the tool at a defined orientation relative to the surface topography.

8. A contour follower apparatus for a multi-axis machine to assist in maintaining a spatial relationship between a tool of the multi-axis machine and a workpiece to be processed by the tool, the multi-axis machine including two axes of rotation that intersect to define a machine focal point, the contour follower apparatus comprising:
a sensor; and
a gimbal assembly operable with the sensor to sense a deviation between the machine focal point and a gimbal assembly focal point defined by the gimbal assembly as the gimbal assembly rides upon the surface of the workpiece during operation.

9. The contour follower apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
a gimbal mount assembly for coupling the gimbal assembly to the multi-axis machine and for sensing a collision event of the gimbal assembly with another object.

10. The contour follower apparatus of claim 9 wherein the gimbal assembly includes a coupling arrangement which removably couples the gimbal assembly to the gimbal mount assembly, the coupling arrangement being configured to allow detachment of the gimbal assembly from the gimbal mount assembly without manipulating any fasteners.

11. The contour follower apparatus of claim 10 wherein the coupling arrangement includes at least one alignment device that establishes and maintains a predetermined spatial relationship between a base of the gimbal assembly and a base of the gimbal mount assembly and at least one magnetic device that urges the base of the gimbal assembly and the base of the gimbal mount assembly together.

12. The contour follower apparatus of claim 9 wherein the gimbal mount assembly includes a collision sensor arrangement comprising a collision sensor and a sensor member that is displaced during the collision event to cause the collision sensor to generate a collision event signal.

13. The contour follower apparatus of claim 12 wherein the collision sensor arrangement includes a ramp, and wherein the sensor member is forced to move vertically by the ramp during the collision event to cause the collision sensor to generate the collision event signal.

14. The contour follower apparatus of claim 12 wherein the collision sensor arrangement is located remote from the gimbal assembly so as to not compromise movement of the gimbal assembly as the gimbal assembly rides on the workpiece during operation.

15. The contour follower apparatus of claim 9 wherein the gimbal mount assembly is constrained relative to the tool to move linearly.

16. The contour follower apparatus of claim 9 wherein the gimbal mount assembly is configured to provide a rigid connection between the gimbal assembly and the multi-axis machine which breaks free during a collision event.

17. The contour follower apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
at least one actuator for deploying and retracting the gimbal assembly into and out of an active configuration.

18. A fluid jet cutting system, the system comprising:
a fluid jet cutting head manipulable in space via a multi-axis machine that includes two axes of rotation that intersect to define a machine focal point, the fluid jet cutting head including a nozzle from which a high pressure fluid jet is discharged during operation to process a workpiece; and
a contour follower apparatus comprising a sensor and a gimbal assembly that includes a swivel arm operable to rotate about a first axis of rotation and a contact member rotatably coupled to the swivel arm to rotate about a second axis of rotation which intersects with the first axis of rotation to define a gimbal assembly focal point, the contact member including one or more surface features arranged to ride upon a surface of the workpiece during operation and to define a reference plane that contains the gimbal assembly focal point, and
wherein the sensor operates in conjunction with the gimbal assembly of the contour follower apparatus to sense a deviation between the machine focal point and the gimbal assembly focal point as the contact member rides upon the surface of the workpiece during operation.

19. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 18 , further comprising:
a gimbal mount assembly that couples the gimbal assembly to the multi-axis machine and is configured to sense a collision event of the gimbal assembly with another object.

20. The fluid jet cutting system of claim 18 wherein the gimbal assembly is configured to adjust to changes in topography of the workpiece via rotational movement of the swivel arm and contact member about the first and second axes of rotation, respectively, while the gimbal assembly simultaneously enables sensing of any deviation between the machine focal point and the gimbal assembly focal point.

21. A method of controlling a standoff distance of a nozzle of a fluid jet cutting head manipulable in space via a multi-axis machine having two axes of rotation that intersect to define a machine

Assignees

• Flow Int Corp

Inventors

• Romanoff Ethan E
• Claeys Kenneth E
• Eide Kirby J

Classifications

• B24C1/045 Primary

  for cutting (energy dissipating devices therefor B26F3/008) · CPC title

• B23Q17/2233

  for adjusting the tool relative to the workpiece · CPC title

• B23Q17/2241

  Detection of contact between tool and workpiece · CPC title

• B23Q17/2208

  Detection or prevention of collisions · CPC title

• B26F3/004

  by means of a fluid jet (methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26) · CPC title