System for remotely controlling an operating device

• US 10,265,834 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• 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): Fennema, Robert E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Monty, Marzia T
• Application Number:
  US14/204,265
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336827A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,869 Days
• 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 via a control unit which is removably connected to the operating device. The control unit and the computing device communicate wirelessly allowing a user to move about freely while still controlling operating device. Control unit may include at least one valve for use in controlling the operating device.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

providing a portable fluid jet machine for performing an operation using pressurized fluid sprayed through a nozzle, wherein the fluid jet machine comprises a working unit and a pump unit; and

wherein the pump unit includes mechanisms for pumping high pressure water to a nozzle operatively engaged with the working unit;

providing a portable stand-alone control unit, where the control unit includes a housing;

providing one or more connectors on the housing;

providing a plurality of control valves in the control unit;

connecting the plurality of control valves in the control unit to the pump unit of the portable fluid jet machine with the one or more connectors;

providing a hand-held mobile computing device to a human operator located on the ground and within sight of the fluid jet machine;

wirelessly connecting the mobile computing device to the control unit;

sending one or more wireless signals from the computing device to the control unit;

actuating the plurality of control valves in the control unit upon receipt of the one or more wireless signals;

assuming control of the pump unit on the fluid jet machine with the control unit;

manipulating a user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to control the control unit;

using the computing device to operate the fluid jet machine via the one or more connectors and the plurality of control valves of the control unit;

selectively actuating the pump unit on the fluid jet machine using one or more of the plurality of valves on the control unit;

pumping water under pressure from the pump unit to the working unit and thereby to the nozzle that is operatively engaged with the working unit; and

performing the operation of the fluid jet machine.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of using wireless signals further comprising the steps of:

sending a first signal from the computing device held by the human operator to the control unit;

translating the first signal into a second signal;

sending the second signal from the control unit to the fluid jet machine via the connector; and

actuating an operation of the fluid jet machine when the fluid jet machine receives the second signal.

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

providing a plurality of selectable options on the user interface of the computing device, wherein each option corresponds to an operation of the jet machine;

selecting, by contacting the user interface with the human operator'"'"'s finger, an option corresponding to a desired operation of the fluid jet machine;

encapsulating information about the selected option into a first signal;

sending the first signal from the computing device to the control unit;

translating the first signal into a second signal;

sending the second signal from the control unit to the fluid jet machine via the connector; and

actuating the desired operation of the fluid jet machine when the fluid jet machine receives the second signal.

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

correlating the second signal with a particular combination of the plurality of control valves; and

actuating each control valve in the particular combination to send the second signal from the control unit to the fluid jet machine.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the step of generating a pressure through each control valve in the particular combination to send the signal from the control unit to the fluid jet machine.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

disconnecting the control unit from the fluid jet machine;

moving the control unit to a different physical location;

connecting the control unit to a second fluid jet machine; and

using the computing device to operate the second fluid jet machine via the control unit.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of:

disconnecting the computing device from the control unit;

connecting a second computing device to the control unit wirelessly; and

using the second computing device to operate the fluid jet machine in real time using the human operator via the control unit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of positioning the control unit at any close distance to the fluid jet machine.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of positioning the control unit includes:

providing a handle on the control unit;

lifting the control unit by the handle; and

moving the control unit from a first location remote from the fluid jet machine to a second position where the control unit is at any close distance to the fluid jet machine.

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

sending a second signal from the fluid jet machine to the computing device; and

updating a display on the computing device upon receiving the second signal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid jet machine includes wheels and the method further comprises:

actuating the fluid jet machine upon receipt of the one or more wireless signals; and

wherein the step of actuating the fluid jet machine further comprises actuating the wheels and physically moving the machine over a surface.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of connecting the control unit to the fluid jet machine via the connector includes forming a wired communication link between the control unit and the fluid jet machine.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance of the operation of the fluid jet machine does not utilize any controls of the fluid jet machine.

14. A system adapted to activate and deactivate an operation of a portable fluid jet machine, the system comprising:

a portable fluid jet machine including a pump unit;

a hand-held mobile computing device having a first wireless module;

a portable stand-alone control unit having;

a housing;

a second wireless module located within the housing;

a valve control body disposed inside the housing of the control unit, wherein the valve control body is selectively operable in an open position and a closed position;

a connector provided on the housing;

said connector having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the valve control body, and wherein the second end is removably connected to the pump unit of the fluid jet machine;

a wireless communication link between the first wireless module and the second wireless module;

wherein the computing device is operable by a human operator in the immediate vicinity of the fluid jet machine to control and move the valve control body in real time between the open position and closed position via the wireless communications link and to thereby control the pump unit of the fluid jet machine;

wherein the operation of the pump unit of the fluid jet machine is activated when the valve control body is in one of the open position and the closed position; and

wherein the operation of the pump unit of the fluid jet machine is deactivated when the valve control body is in the other one of the open position and the closed position.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first signal, wherein the first signal is sent from the first wireless module to the second wireless module via the communication link, and wherein the valve control body moves to the open position when the second wireless module receives the first signal; and

a second signal sent from the first wireless module to the second wireless module via the communication link, and wherein the valve control body moves to the closed position when the second wireless module receives the second signal.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a user interface of the computing device, wherein the first signal and the second signal is generated by physically contacting and manually manipulating the user interface using the human operator'"'"'s hand.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the interface is a touchscreen.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

a fluid disposed in valve control body and the connector;

wherein the operation is activated via the fluid when the valve control body is in one of the open position and the closed position; and

wherein the operation is deactivated via the fluid when the valve control body is in the other of the open position and the closed position.

19. The system of claim 14, further comprising a line extending between the connector provided on the control unit and the fluid jet machine.

20. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

a display on the computing device;

a set of system metrics, wherein the set of system metrics is communicated from the fluid jet machine to the computing device by way of a wireless communications link; and

an output presented on the display, wherein the output graphically represents the set of system metrics.

21. A method comprising:

holding a mobile computing device in a human operator'"'"'s hand;

wirelessly connecting the computing device to a portable stand-alone control unit to form a wireless communication link therebetween by manipulating a user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand;

connecting a valve provided inside the portable control unit to a pump unit provided in a portable fluid jet machine that is located in the immediate vicinity of the human operator by way of a connector provided on the control unit;

manipulating the user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to enable a control signal between the control unit and the fluid jet machine via the connector;

activating, through one of opening or closing of the valve, an operation of the pump unit of the fluid jet machine;

manipulating the user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to control the operation of the pump unit of the fluid jet machine through the control unit;

manipulating the user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to disable the control signal between the control unit and the fluid jet machine via the connector by the other of the opening or the closing of the valve to deactivate the operation of the one of the pump unit of the fluid jet machine;

wherein the enabling step is actuated by wirelessly transmitting a first signal from the computing device to the portable control unit; and

wherein the disabling step is actuated by wirelessly transmitting a second signal from the computing device to the portable control unit.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

manipulating the user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to open the valve provided inside the control unit to enable the control signal between the connector on the control unit and the fluid jet machine; and

manipulating the user interface on the computing device using the human operator'"'"'s hand to close the valve to disable the control signal between the connector on the control unit and the fluid jet machine.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

displaying a graphic on the user interface on the computing device;

manipulating the graphic on the user interface to open the valve in the control unit; and

manipulating the graphic on the user interface to close the valve in the control unit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the wireless transmitting further comprising the steps of:

sending a first signal from a first wireless module in the computing device to a second wireless module in the control unit via the wireless communication link;

opening the valve in the control unit upon receiving the first signal;

sending a second signal from the first wireless module in the computing device to the second wireless module in the control unit via the wireless communication link; and

closing the valve in the control unit upon receiving the second signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the control signal is embodied in an amount of liquid pressure in a hydraulic system of the fluid jet machine.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the control signal is embodied in an amount of air pressure in a pneumatic system of the fluid jet machine.