AUTOMATICALLY GUIDED TOOLS

• US 20150277421A1
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Published: 10/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shaper Tools, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Taktia LLC
• Inventors: Rivers, Alec Rothmyer, Moyer, Ilan Ellison
• Granted Patent: US 10,078,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 9/0042 the guide means being fixed only on the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36429 Power assisted positioning

Abstract

A position correcting system, method and tool for guiding a tool during its use based on its location relative to the material being worked on. Provided is a system and tool which uses its auto correcting technology to precisely rout or cut material. The invention provides a camera which is used to track the visual features of the surface of the material being cut to build a map and locate an image on that map used to reference the location of the tool for auto-correction of the cutting path.

Claims

1. A system for positioning a working member of a tool, the system comprising:

a stage;

at least one motor adapted to move the stage;

at least one motor controller that controls the at least one motor;

a processor in combination with one or more software applications for processing data and providing information to the at least one motor controller;

at least one sensor communicatively coupled with the processor, the sensor configured to capture first information of a surface,

wherein the processor is configured to;

build a map of the surface using the first information;

determine, based on second information of the surface and based on the map, at least one of a location of the working member and an orientation of the working member relative to the surface; and

provide based on at least one of the location and the orientation, motor control information to control the at least one motor to move the stage and the working member to a desired location.