Method and apparatus for material processing

• US 20060278620A1
• Filed: 04/10/2006
• Published: 12/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andrew P. Joseph, Jay R. Eastman, John Scott Phillips, Michael N. Patena, Paul Coleman, Paul E. Denney, Paul M. Fallara, Ta-Chieh Huang, Tim Burnham
• Original Assignee: Andrew P. Joseph, Jay R. Eastman, John Scott Phillips, Michael N. Patena, Paul Coleman, Paul E. Denney, Paul M. Fallara, Ta-Chieh Huang, Tim Burnham
• Inventors: Fallara, Paul M., Joseph, Andrew P., Coleman, Paul, Burnham, Tim, Denney, Paul E., Patena, Michael N., Phillips, John S., Huang, Ta-Chieh, Eastman, Jay R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,880,114 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.780
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/12 in a special atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/123 in an atmosphere of particular gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/128 Laser beam path enclosures
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1464 Supply to, or discharge from, nozzles of media, e.g. gas, powder, wire

Abstract

An apparatus processes a surface of an inhabitable structure. The apparatus includes a base unit adapted to provide energy waves to an interaction region, the energy waves removing material from the structure. The base unit includes an energy wave generator and a head coupled to the energy wave generator. The head is adapted to remove the material from the interaction region, thereby providing reduced disruption to activities within the structure. The apparatus further includes a manipulation system which includes an anchoring mechanism adapted to be releasably coupled to the structure and a positioning mechanism coupled to the anchoring mechanism and coupled to the head. The manipulation system is adapted to controllably adjust the position of the head relative to the structure. The apparatus further includes a controller electrically coupled to the base unit. The controller is adapted to transmit control signals to the base unit in response to user input.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a surface of an inhabitable structure, the apparatus comprising:

a base unit adapted to provide energy waves to an interaction region, the energy waves removing material from the structure, the base unit comprising an energy wave generator and a head coupled to the energy wave generator, the head adapted to remove the material from the interaction region, thereby providing reduced disruption to activities within the structure;

a manipulation system comprising;

an anchoring mechanism adapted to be releasably coupled to the structure, and

a positioning mechanism coupled to the anchoring mechanism and coupled to the head, the manipulation system adapted to controllably adjust the position of the head relative to the structure; and

a controller electrically coupled to the base unit, the controller adapted to transmit control signals to the base unit in response to user input.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head is releasably coupled to the energy wave generator and releasably coupled to the positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism is releasably coupled to the anchoring mechanism, and the controller is releasably coupled to the base unit and the manipulation system, whereby the apparatus can be reversibly assembled and disassembled to facilitate transportation of the apparatus to locations in proximity to or within the structure.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base unit comprises a cooling subsystem coupled to the energy wave generator, the cooling subsystem adapted to remove heat from the energy wave generator.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy wave generator comprises a laser.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the head comprises optical elements adapted to receive laser light from the energy wave generator and to direct the laser light to the interaction region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head is coupled to a cooling subsystem adapted to remove heat from the head.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a containment plenum adapted to confine the material and to remove the material from the interaction region.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the containment plenum is further adapted to reduce noise emitted out of the containment plenum from the interaction region.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the containment plenum is coupled to a cooling subsystem adapted to remove heat from the containment plenum.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the containment plenum comprises an extraction port which provides a pathway for removal of the material from the containment plenum.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the containment plenum comprises a resilient interface adapted to contact the structure and to substantially surround the interaction region, thereby facilitating confinement and removal of material from the interaction region.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a nozzle fluidly coupled to a compressed gas supply, the nozzle adapted to direct a compressed gas stream to the interaction region.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a sensor adapted to measure the relative distance between the head and the interaction region.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the sensor is coupled to the controller, and the controller is adapted to transmit control signals to the base unit in response to signals from the sensor, and the base unit is adapted to adjust one or more parameters of the energy waves in response to the control signals.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a proximity sensor electrically coupled to the controller and adapted to provide a fail condition signal to the controller upon detection of the relative distance between the head and the structure exceeding a predetermined distance.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises one or more resilient vacuum pads coupled to at least one vacuum generator.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a ground-based support connector adapted to be releasably attached to a ground-based support system.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchoring mechanism comprises a suspension-based support connector adapted to be releasably attached to a suspension-based support system.

19. An apparatus for processing a surface of an inhabitable structure with reduced disruption to activities within the structure, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating energy waves;

means for providing the energy waves to an interaction region of the structure to remove material from the structure;

means for confining the material and removing the material from the interaction region;

means for controllably adjusting a position of the interaction region relative to the surface of the structure; and

means for controlling the energy waves in response to user input.

20. A method of processing a surface of an inhabitable structure with reduced disruption to activities within the structure, the method comprising:

remotely generating energy waves;

providing the energy waves to the surface, the energy waves interacting with the structure in an interaction region to remove material from the structure;

confining the material and removing the material from the interaction region;

controllably adjusting a position of the interaction region relative to the surface of the structure; and

controlling the energy waves in response to user input.