System and method for wireless control using a deadman switch

• US 10,040,169 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Terydon, Inc. (Mh Sub I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Terydon, Inc. (Mh Sub I LLC)
• Inventors: Gromes, Sr., Terry D., Gromes, Jr., Terry D., Shockey, Jr., Jon M., Jackson, William C.
• Primary Examiner(s): CASSITY, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US14/204,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336793A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 700 80, 700 83, 700 86
• CPC Class Codes: B24C 7/0015 with control of feed parameters, e.g. feed rate of abrasive material or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 5/00 Arrangements for operating and controlling machines or devices for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 7/22 Safety devices specially adapted for cutting machines safety devices in general F16P
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/004 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 Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39447 Dead man switch
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45036 Waterjet cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0617 specially adapted for fluid materials
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for wirelessly controlling an operating device by way of a wireless connection between the operating device and a computing device. The computing device provides an interface for controlling the operating device. The interface includes a switch for use as a deadman switch, whereby releasing the switch will cease the operation of the operating device. The user may remotely control the operating device via the computing device while the switch is actuated. Upon releasing the switch, the computer device wirelessly halts the operating device for safety.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a water jet cutting or cleaning device for performing a cutting or cleaning operation;

providing a hand-held computing device remote from the a water jet cutting or cleaning device;

wirelessly linking the water jet cutting or cleaning device and the computing device together;

controlling the cutting or cleaning operation of the water jet cutting or cleaning device using the computing device;

providing an element on the computing device;

determining whether a user is in control of the computing device by determining if there is continuous contact by the user with the element;

allowing the cutting or cleaning operation to begin and continue running if the user keeps continuous contact with the element while simultaneously operating the computing device to control the water jet cutting or cleaning device

repeatedly determining whether the user is maintaining continuous contact with the element while simultaneously operating the computing device while the cutting or cleaning operation is running; and

halting the cutting or cleaning operation of the water jet cutting or cleaning device when the user breaks contact with the element of the computing device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

determining the user is in control of the computing device when the user is continuously actuating the element; and

determining the user is not in control of the computing device when the user is not actuating the element.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing the element as a touchscreen;

determining the user is in control of the computing device when the user is in continuous contact with the element on the touchscreen; and

determining the user is not in control of the computing device when the user is not touching the element on the touchscreen.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

partitioning the touchscreen on the computing device into a safety zone and a control zone;

where the safety zone comprises the element of the computing device;

allowing the user to actuate the cutting or cleaning operation by touching the control zone;

determining the user is in control of the computing device when the user is constantly touching the safety zone; and

determining the user is not in control of the computing device when the user is not touching the safety zone.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of positioning the safety zone to align with a thumb on a hand of the user when the user is holding the computing device in the hand.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising the steps of:

providing the element as a button;

determining the user is in control of the computing device when the user is continuously pressing the button; and

determining the user is not in control of the computing device when the user is not pressing the button.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of positioning the button to align with a thumb on a hand of the user when the user is holding the computing device in the hand.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of providing the water jet cutting or cleaning device comprises providing a water jet cutting machine for performing a cutting operation using a jet of water under high pressure;

and wherein the step of wirelessly linking comprises wirelessly linking the water jet cutting machine with the portable computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of providing an element on the computing device comprises providing a deadman switch on the computing device;

and wherein the steps of controlling and operating of the water jet cutting machine, further comprises, maintaining physical contact with the deadman switch on the computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of maintaining physical contact further comprises keeping the user'"'"'s finger or thumb in constant physical contact with the deadman switch.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of halting the cutting or cleaning operation comprises halting the cutting or cleaning operation of the water jet cutting machine when the user'"'"'s finger or thumb is lifted off the deadman switch on the computing device.

8. An apparatus adapted to actuate a cutting or cleaning operation of a remote water jet cutting or cleaning device, the apparatus comprising:

a portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device includes a processor, a memory, an element, and a wireless module, wherein the wireless module is adapted to wirelessly connect the portable computing device to a remote operating device;

wherein the

the element is adapted to be actuated by direct continuous contact therewith by a user of the portable computing device;

a plurality of circuits, wherein the plurality of circuits interconnects the element, the processor, and the memory;

a switch variable stored in the memory, wherein the switch variable is settable to one of a first state and a second state, wherein the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device is enabled when the switch variable is in the first state, and wherein the cutting or cleaning operation is disabled when the switch variable is in the second state;

wherein the switch variable is set to the first state when the user actuates the element by contacting the element and maintaining continuous contact with the element on the computing device while simultaneously operating the computing device to control the water jet cutting or cleaning device; and

wherein the switch variable is set to the second state when the user breaks contact with the element.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the element is a touchscreen disposed on the computing device, and wherein the touchscreen is actuated by manual pressure.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the element is a button disposed on the computing device, and wherein the button is actuated by manual pressure.

11. A system for enabling and disabling a cutting or cleaning operation of a remote water jet cutting or cleaning device, the system comprising:

a portable computing device, wherein the portable computing device includes a wireless module and an element;

a software application executable by the portable computing device, wherein the software application is adapted to selectively enable the cutting or cleaning operation of a remote water jet cutting or cleaning device or to selectively disable the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device and to perform the cutting or cleaning operation when a user is in direct contact with the element on the computing device and wherein while maintaining direct contact with the element the user controls the water jet or cleaning device to perform the cutting or cleaning operation in real time;

wherein the software application disables the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device by default;

wherein the software application enables the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device only when the element on the computing device is continuously manually pressed by the user while the user simultaneously operates the computing device to control the water jet cutting or cleaning device;

wherein the software application activates the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device via the wireless module when the cutting or cleaning operation is enabled by the software application and the user actuates the portable computing device to activate the cutting or cleaning operation; and

wherein the application deactivates the cutting or cleaning operation of the remote water jet cutting or cleaning device via the wireless module when the user manually releases the element on the computing device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the element is a touchscreen.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a safety zone portrayed on the touchscreen by the application; and

a control zone portrayed on the touchscreen by the application.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the element is a button.