MECHANISM FOR REMOTELY CONTROLLING WATER JET EQUIPMENT

• US 20140336828A1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Published: 11/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Terydon, Inc. (Mh Sub I LLC)
• Original Assignee: Terydon, Inc. (Mh Sub I LLC)
• Inventors: Gromes, Terry D. Sr., Gromes, Terry D. Jr., Shockey, Jon M. Jr., Jackson, William C.
• Application Number:
  US14/204,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20140336828A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/282
• 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 a water jet machine by way of a wireless connection between the water jet machine and a computing device. The computing device provides an interface for controlling the operating device either directly to the water jet machine or via a control unit which is removably connected to the water jet machine. The water jet machine or control unit communicates wirelessly with the computing device, allowing a user to move about freely while still controlling the water jet machine. The control unit may include at least one valve for use in controlling the operating device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a computing device, wherein the computing device includes a first wireless module;

a fluid jet machine, wherein the fluid jet machine includes a pump unit, a nozzle, and an operation;

a second wireless module, wherein the second wireless module is connected to the fluid jet machine;

a wireless communications link between the computing device and the fluid jet machine, wherein the wireless communication link is formed by the first wireless module and the second wireless module;

a signal, wherein the signal is generated by the computing device and communicated to the fluid jet machine by way of the wireless communications link; and

wherein the operation is actuated when the fluid jet machine receives the signal.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a control unit, wherein the second wireless module is disposed in the control unit; and

a connector, wherein the control unit is connected to the fluid jet machine by a connector.

3. The system of claim 2, further including:

a valve body disposed in the control unit and operable in an open position and a closed position;

wherein the control unit is in fluid communication with the fluid jet machine when the valve body is in the open position; and

wherein the operation is actuated when the control unit is in fluid communication with the fluid jet machine.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the signal is communicated to the control unit by way of the wireless communication link, and wherein the valve body moves to the open position when the control unit receives the signal.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the operation is one of a fluid jet cutting operation and a movement of the fluid jet machine operation.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless communications link is formed using Bluetooth wireless communications protocol.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a touchscreen interface on the computing device.

8. The control system of claim 1, further comprising:

a display on the computing device;

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

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

9. A method comprising the steps of:

forming a wireless communication link between a portable computing device and a fluid jet machine;

sending a first signal from the computing device to the fluid jet machine via the wireless communication link; and

actuating an operation of the fluid jet machine upon receiving the first signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a first wireless module to a second wireless module to form the wireless communication link therebetween, wherein the first wireless module is disposed in the computing device, and wherein the second wireless module is connected to the fluid jet machine; and

forming the wireless communication with Bluetooth communication protocol.

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

sending a second signal from the fluid jet machine to the computing device via the wireless communications link; and

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

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

actuating an element on the computing device prior to the step of sending the first signal;

sending a termination signal from the computing device to the fluid jet machine when the element is no longer actuated; and

halting the operation of the fluid jet machine when the fluid jet machine receives the termination signal.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of graphics on a display of the computing device;

linking each graphic in the plurality of graphics with a corresponding operation in a plurality of operations of the fluid jet machine;

selecting a graphic in the plurality of graphics;

generating the first signal in response to selecting the graphic; and

actuating the operation in the plurality of operations corresponding to the selected graphic.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operation is one of;

a spraying of fluid out of a nozzle disposed on the fluid jet machine;

a terminating spraying of fluid out of the nozzle;

a physically moving the fluid jet machine via a locomotion system of the fluid jet machine;

a halting the movement of the fluid jet machine;

an altering an aperture size of the nozzle disposed on the fluid jet machine; and

a changing the direction of the nozzle.

15. A method comprising the steps of;

forming a wireless communication link between a portable computing device and a control unit;

forming a wired communication link between the control unit and a fluid jet machine;

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

translating the first signal into a second signal;

sending the second signal from the control unit to the fluid jet machine via the wired communications link; and

actuating an operation of the fluid jet machine upon receiving the second signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a first wireless module to a second wireless module to form the wireless communication link therebetween, wherein the first wireless module is disposed in the computing device, and wherein the second wireless module is disposed in the control unit; and

forming the wireless communication with Bluetooth communication protocol.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

sending a third signal from the fluid jet machine to the control unit via the wired communications link;

translating the third signal to a fourth signal;

sending the fourth signal from the control unit to the computing device via the wireless communications link; and

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

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

actuating an element on the computing device prior to the step of sending the first signal;

sending a first termination signal from the computing device to the control unit when the element is no longer actuated;

translating the first termination signal to a second termination signal;

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

halting the operation of the fluid jet machine when the fluid jet machine receives the second termination signal.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of graphics on a display of the computing device;

linking each graphic in the plurality of graphics with a corresponding operation in a plurality of operations of the fluid jet machine;

selecting a graphic in the plurality of graphics;

generating the first signal in response to selecting the graphic; and

actuating the operation in the plurality of operations corresponding to the selected graphic.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the operation is one of:

a spraying of fluid out of a nozzle disposed on the fluid jet machine;

a terminating spraying of fluid out of the nozzle;

a physically moving the fluid jet machine via a locomotion system of the fluid jet machine;

a halting the movement of the fluid jet machine;

an altering an aperture size of the nozzle disposed on the fluid jet machine; and

a changing the direction of the nozzle.