Real time control system and process for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism
First Claim
1. A real time control system for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, said workpiece joint having two opposed edges, said system comprising:
- thermal radiation sensing means responsive to thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint, said sensing means being positioned along a travelling path of a welding element of said welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to said welding element, said sensing means and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to said workpiece joint;
means for causing said thermal radiation sensing means to scan said workpiece joint along a line transverse to said travelling path so as to allow said sensing means to sense a thermal radiation profile along said transverse scanning line and to provide peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of said workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of said joint; and
circuitry means for processing said peak signals provided by said radiation sensing means to issue command signals for controlling said predetermined operating characteristics of said welding mechanism.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A real time control system and process for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, the workpiece joint having two opposed edges. A thermal radiation sensing device is responsive to thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint. The sensing device is positioned along a travelling path of a welding element of the welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to the welding element, the sensing device and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to the workpiece joint. The thermal radiation sensing device is caused to scan the workpiece joint along a line transverse to the travelling path so as to allow the sensing device to sense a thermal radiation profile along the transverse scanning line and to provide peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of the workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of the joint. Circuitry is provided for processing the peak signals provided by the radiation sensing device to issue command signals for controlling the predetermined operating characteristics of the welding mechanism.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A real time control system for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, said workpiece joint having two opposed edges, said system comprising:
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thermal radiation sensing means responsive to thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint, said sensing means being positioned along a travelling path of a welding element of said welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to said welding element, said sensing means and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to said workpiece joint; means for causing said thermal radiation sensing means to scan said workpiece joint along a line transverse to said travelling path so as to allow said sensing means to sense a thermal radiation profile along said transverse scanning line and to provide peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of said workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of said joint; and circuitry means for processing said peak signals provided by said radiation sensing means to issue command signals for controlling said predetermined operating characteristics of said welding mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A real time control system for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, said workpiece joint having two opposed edges, said system comprising:
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an optical device sensitive to thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint and including photo-electric cells responsive to said radiation energy, said optical device being positioned along a travelling path of a welding element of said welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to said welding element, said optical device and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to said workpiece joint; means for causing said optical device to scan said workpiece joint along a line transverse to said travelling path so as to allow said optical device to sense a thermal radiation profile along said transverse scanning line and cause said photo-electric cells to deliver peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of said workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of said joint; and circuitry means for processing said peak signals delivered by said photo-electric cells of the optical device to issue command signals for controlling said predetermined operating characteristics of said welding mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. A real time control system for controlling predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, said workpiece joint having opposed edges, said system comprising:
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a collimator for collecting thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint, said collimator being connected to photo-electric cells responsive to said radiation energy and being positioned along a travelling path of a welding element of said welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to said welding element, said collimator and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to said workpiece joint; means for causing said collimator to scan said workpiece joint along a line transverse to said travelling path so as to allow said collimator to collect said thermal radiation energy along said transverse scanning line and to transmit same to said photo-electric cells, whereby to enable said photo-electric cells to sense a thermal radiation profile along said transverse scanning line and to deliver peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of said workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of said joint; and means for processing said peak signals delivered by said photo-electric cells to issue command signals for controlling said predetermined operating characteristics of said welding mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A process for controlling in real time predetermined operating characteristics of a welding mechanism movable along a workpiece joint to be welded, said workpiece joint having opposed edges, said process comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a thermal radiation energy sensing means along a travelling path of a welding element of said welding mechanism, ahead of and in close proximity to said welding element, said thermal radiation sensing means being responsive to thermal radiation energy emanating from a heated workpiece joint, said sensing means and welding element being disposed on a common side relative to said workpiece joint; (b) causing said thermal radiation sensing means to scan said workpiece joint along a line transverse to said travelling path so as to sense a thermal radiation profile along said transverse scanning line and to provide peak signals representative of the relative position of the edges of said workpiece joint in accordance with the thermal radiation profile sensed, thereby defining the actual width of said joint; and (c) processing said peak signals through circuitry means to issue command signals for controlling said predetermined operating characteristics of said welding mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification