AUTOMATICALLY GUIDED TOOLS

• US 20160291569A1
• 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 10,788,804 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 position a working member of a tool, comprising:

a frame coupled to the tool;

the working member coupled to the tool, the working member 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;

a display device;

one or more processors communicatively coupled to the display device, the one or more processors configured to;

determine, based on the location of the frame, a location of the working member relative to the frame;

register a design to be rendered on the material, the design comprising one or more paths defined by a plurality of coordinates in a plurality of dimensions;

display, via the display device, a path of the one or more paths; and

display, via the display device, an indication of the location of the working member relative to the frame.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the display device comprises a touch sensitive display.

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

determine a target range window corresponding to the design; and

display, via the display device, the target range window overlaid on a representation of the material.

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

display, via the display device, the indication of the location of the working member relative to the frame, the indication of the working member overlaid on a representation of the material and the path.

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

determine a distance between the location of the working member and the path; and

display, via the display device, an indication of the distance between the location of the working member and the path.

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

determine a distance between the location of the working member and the path; and

determine to activate the working member based on the distance.

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

obtain, via 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.

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

determine a plurality of positions of the working member relative to the frame; and

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

9. The system of claim 1, comprising:

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

10. The system of claim 1, comprising:

a motor; and

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

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

capture, via the one or more sensors, an image of the material;

display, via the display device, the path of the one or more paths overlaid on the image of the material; and

display, via the display device, the indication of the location of the working member overlaid on the image.

12. A method of cutting a material using a working member of a tool, comprising:

obtaining, by one or more processors of the tool via one or more sensors, information indicating a position of the tool;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a cutting path for the working member of the tool;

displaying, by the one or more processors via a display device of the tool, one or more indications of the position of the tool and the cutting path for the working member;

advancing the tool in a direction to place the working member at a first position within a target range of the cutting path, the first position different from the cutting path;

determining, by the tool, a second position for the working member based on a difference between the first position and the cutting path; and

moving, by one or more motors of the tool, the working member from the first position not on the cutting path to the second position on the cutting path.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising:

capturing, via one or more sensors of the tool, an image of the material; and

displaying, by the one or more processors via the display device, the image of the material.

14. The method of claim 12, comprising:

displaying, by the one or more processors via the display device, the target range of the cutting path overlaid on an image representing the material.

15. The method of claim 12, comprising:

capturing, via one or more sensors of the tool, an image of the material;

displaying, by the one or more processors via the display device, the image of the material; and

displaying, by the one or more processors via the display device, the target range of the cutting path overlaid on the image of the material.

16. The method of claim 12, comprising:

advancing the tool in the direction using one or more handles configured to be gripped by a hand.

17. The method of claim 12, comprising:

manually advancing the tool in the direction to place the working member at the first position within the target range of the cutting path.

18. The method of claim 12, comprising:

advancing, via a robot external to the tool, the tool in the direction to place the working member at the first position within the target range of the cutting path.

19. The method of claim 12, comprising:

moving, by one or more motors comprising a stepper motor, the working member from the first position not on the cutting path to the second position on the cutting path.

20. The method of claim 12, comprising:

moving, via a precision component, the working member from the first position not on the cutting path to the second position on the cutting path.

21. The method of claim 12, comprising:

moving, via an eccentric component, the working member from the first position not on the cutting path to the second position on the cutting path.