CUTTING DEVICE, CUTTING EQUIPMENT AND METHOD

• US 20160271733A1
• Filed: 02/03/2016
• Published: 09/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: AVITABILE, Antonio, Ferrari, Roberta
• Application Number:
  US15/014,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20160271733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0622 by shaping pulses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0884 in at least in three axial directions, e.g. manipulators, robots
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/142 for the removal of by-products
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/38 by boring or cutting
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0288 Carriages forming part of a cutting unit
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0294 Transport carriages or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/182 characterised by the machine tool function, e.g. thread cutting, cam making, tool direction control G05B19/21 - G05B19/40 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4099 Surface or curve machining, making 3D objects, e.g. desktop manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/36199 Laser cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37567 3-D vision, stereo vision, with two cameras

Abstract

A cutting device for creating an object from material is described. The cutting device comprises: a plurality of image sensors separated by a predetermined distance and the image sensors being operable to capture a stereoscopic view of the material; controller circuitry operable to determine the position of the cutting device relative to the material using the captured stereoscopic view of the material; drive control circuitry, under control of the controller circuitry, operable to control the movement of the cutting device relative to the material; and a cutting unit, under control of the controller circuitry, operable to cut the material.

Claims

1. A cutting device for creating an object from material, the cutting device comprising:

a plurality of image sensors separated by a predetermined distance and the image sensors being operable to capture a stereoscopic view of the material;

controller circuitry operable to determine the position of the cutting device relative to the material using the captured stereoscopic view of the material;

drive control circuitry, under control of the controller circuitry, operable to control the movement of the cutting device relative to the material; and

a cutting unit, under control of the controller circuitry, operable to cut the material.

2. The cutting device according to claim 1 comprising a suction cup operable to adhere the cutting device to the material prior to the cutting unit being operated to cut the material.

3. The cutting device according to claim 1, comprising at least one wheel, the wheel being driven by the drive control unit.

4. The cutting device according to claim 1 comprising a positional marker reading unit operable to read a positional marker, wherein the positional marker is provided at a reference position relative to the material.

5. A cutting device according to claim 4, wherein the positional marker reading unit is operable to read a cutting device identifier from the positional marker, and the control circuitry is operable to compare the read cutting device identifier with a stored cutting device identifier and in the event of a negative comparison, the cutting device is operable to find a second positional marker.

6. The cutting device according to claim 1 comprising a blower, under control of the control circuitry, operable to blow material residue after the cutting unit has cut the material.

7. The cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit is a laser.

8. A cutting device according to claim 1 comprising a time of flight sensor which, under control of the control circuitry, is operable to measure the depth of cut made by the cutting device.

9. Cutting equipment, comprising:

a plurality of walls which when erected form a working area into which material to be cut is placed, each of the walls comprising an electromagnet;

a cutting device according to claim 1, the cutting device further comprising a magnet; and

a positional marker, wherein the positional marker is provided at reference position relative to the position of the material in the working area.

10. A method of controlling a cutting device to create an object from material, the method comprising:

capturing a stereoscopic view of the material using a plurality of image sensors separated by a predetermined distance;

determining the position of the cutting device relative to the material using the captured stereoscopic view of the material;

controlling the movement of the cutting device relative to the material; and

cutting the material.

11. The method according to claim 10 comprising adhering the cutting device to the material using a suction cup prior to the cutting unit being operated to cut the material.

12. The method according to claim 10, comprising driving at least one wheel to move the cutting device.

13. A method according to claim 10 comprising reading a positional marker, wherein the positional marker is provided at a reference position relative to the material.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising reading a cutting device identifier from the positional marker, and comparing the read cutting device identifier with a stored cutting device identifier and in the event of a negative comparison, the method comprises finding a second positional marker.

15. A method according to claim 10 comprising blowing material residue after the material has been cut.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the cutting unit is a laser.

17. The method according to claim 10 comprising measuring the depth of cut made by the cutting device using a time of flight sensor.

18. A computer program product comprising computer readable code which, when loaded onto a computer, configures the computer to perform a method according to claim 10.