AUTOMATICALLY GUIDED TOOLS

• US 20160291567A1
• Filed: 06/09/2016
• Published: 10/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shaper Tools, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Shaper Tools, Inc.
• Inventors: Rivers, Alec Rothmyer, Moyer, Ilan Ellison
• Granted Patent: US 10,067,495 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 to manage multidimensional placement of a working member of a tool, comprising:

a frame coupled to the tool;

a working member of the tool configured to move relative to the frame;

one or more sensors configured to obtain information indicative of a location of the frame relative to a material;

one or more processors configured to;

locate, based on the information obtained by the one or more sensors, the frame relative to the material;

identify, for the working member, a path on the material, the path comprising a first plurality of coordinates in a first dimension and a second plurality of coordinates in a second dimension different from the first dimension;

determine, based on the location of the frame relative to the material and the path, a target position for the working member relative to the frame; and

provide instructions to move the working member to the target position corresponding to the path.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to:

obtain the information from the one or more sensors in real-time; and

provide the instructions to move the working member responsive to the information.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to:

capture a plurality of images of the material within one second; and

locate the frame relative to the material based on the plurality of images captured within the one second.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to provide the instructions to move the working member within a time interval, wherein the time interval is within one second.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the path comprises a third plurality of coordinates in a third dimension different from the first dimension and the second dimension.

6. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to:

determine, based on the path, a plurality of target positions relative to the frame; and

provide one or more instructions to move the working member to the plurality of target positions.

7. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to:

determine, based on the path, a plurality of target positions relative to the frame; and

provide one or more instructions to move the working member to the plurality of target positions, the tool advanced in a direction that is within a range adjacent to the path for the working member of the tool.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors.

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

the one or more processors configured to;

display, via the display device, one or more indications of the location of the frame and a location of the working member relative to the location of the frame.

10. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

the one or more processors configured to;

display, via the display device, one or more indications of the location of the frame and the target position of the working member relative to the location of the frame.

11. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

the one or more processors configured to;

display, via the display device, one or more indications of the location of the frame and the target position of the working member relative to the location of the frame, the one or more indications overlaid on an image of the material.

12. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a display device communicatively coupled to the one or more processors; and

the one or more processors configured to;

display, via the display device, one or more indications of the location of the frame or a location of the working member relative to the location of the frame;

identify a design comprising one or more coordinate points defining the path; and

generate a virtual overlay of the design for display via the display device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise a camera.

14. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more sensors configured to detect optical markers to determine at least one of the location of the frame, the target position, or the path.

15. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more sensors configured to detect microwave or radio frequency signals to determine at least one of the location of the frame, the target position, or the path.

16. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more sensors configured to detect visible light, ultraviolet light, infrared light, or laser light to determine at least one of the location of the frame, the target position, or the path.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the tool comprises at least one of a router, a drill, a cutter, a saw, a knife, a hammer, or a printer.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the working member comprises at least one of a drill bit, a router bit, a cutting bit, a saw blade, a knife blade, a hammer, or a print head.

19. The system of claim 1, comprising one or more motors configured to move the working member.

20. The system of claim 1, comprising the one or more processors configured to:

obtain, via the one or more sensors, a plurality of images of a surface of the material; and

stitch the plurality of images together to build a map of the surface of the material.

21. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a skid pad proximate to the frame to facilitate movement of the frame along the material.

22. The system of claim 1, comprising:

the one or more processors configured provide an indication to a motor to automatically align the working member in a same plane as the material.

23. The system of claim 1, comprising:

one or more handles coupled to the tool, the one or more handles configured to be gripped by a hand and facilitate movement of the tool along the material.

24. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a robot configured to position the tool.

25. A method for multidimensional positioning of a working member of a tool, comprising:

determining, by one or more processors of the tool, based on information obtained by one or more sensors of the tool, a location of a frame of the tool relative to a material;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a path on the material for a working member of the tool, the path comprising a first plurality of coordinates in a first dimension and a second plurality of coordinates in a second dimension different from the first dimension;

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the location of the frame relative to the material and the path, a target position for the working member relative to the frame; and

providing, by the one or more processors based on a time interval, instructions to move the working member to the target position corresponding to the path.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising:

obtaining, by the one or more processors, the information from the one or more sensors in real-time; and

providing, by the one or more processors, the instructions to move the working member responsive to the information.

27. The method of claim 25, comprising:

determining, by the one or more processors, based on the path, a plurality of target positions relative to the frame; and

providing, by the one or more processors, one or more instructions to move the working member to the plurality of target positions, the tool advanced in a direction that is within a range adjacent to the path for the working member of the tool.

28. The method of claim 25, comprising:

providing, by the one or more processors, an indication to a motor to automatically align the working member in a same plane as the material.

29. A tool to modify a material, comprising:

a positioning system to provide a first location of the tool, the first location defined by a first coordinate in a first dimension and a second coordinate in a second dimension different from the first dimension;

a working member to modify the material;

one or more processors communicatively coupled with the positioning system to move the working member in the first dimension and the second dimension; and

the positioning system configured to provide, to the one or more processors, a second location of the tool different from the first location, the tool located in the first location and the second location within a time interval.

30. The tool of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine, based on the first location, a target position for the working member; and

provide instructions to a motor to move the working member to the target position, the tool advanced in a direction that is within a range adjacent to a path comprising the target position.

31. The tool of claim 29, wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

identify a path for the working member of the tool;

determine, based on the first location and the path, a target position for the working member; and

provide instructions to a motor to move the working member to the target position, the tool advanced in a direction that is within a range adjacent to the path comprising the target position.

32. The tool of claim 29, comprising:

the one or more processors configured provide an indication to a motor to automatically align the working member in a same plane as the material.

33. The tool of claim 29, comprising:

one or more handles coupled to the tool, the one or more handles configured to be gripped by a hand and facilitate movement of the tool along the material.