Mouse-based hand wheel control for a machine tool

• US 8,041,448 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hurco Companies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hurco Companies, Inc.
• Inventors: Glandorf, Joseph D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Decady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLAND, STEVEN R
• Application Number:
  US12/115,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20090281664A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,260 Days
• Field of Search: 700/85, 700/83, 700/180, 345/184, 345/156, 345/157, 345/163, 345/166, 318/628
• US Class Current: 700/180
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/421 Teaching successive positions by mechanical means, e.g. by mechanically-coupled handwheels to position tool head or end effector G05B19/423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35459 Knob, handle, handwheel delivers pulses, electronic handwheel, digipot
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/35462 Mouse

Abstract

A machine tool is controlled using a pointing device coupled to two rotatable hand wheels. The pointing device tracks movement of the two hand wheels and communicates the movement to a control system which controls a moveable element.

Claims

1. A machine tool comprising:

at least one movable element;

a control system;

a rotatable first hand wheel having a tracking surface with at least one physically consistent region;

a second hand wheel having a different axis of rotation than the first hand wheel; and

a pointing device coupled to both the first hand wheel and the second hand wheel configured to track movement of both the first and second hand wheels, the pointing device being configured to interact with the at least one physically consistent region of the tracking surface to track movement of the first hand wheel as the tracking surface translates across the pointing device and to communicate the movement to the control system, the control system being configured to control the at least one movable element based upon the movement of the first hand wheel.

2. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the pointing device comprises at least a sensor of a computer mouse.

3. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one movable element comprises one of a cutting tool, a tool magazine, and a workpiece positioning mechanism.

4. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the pointing device includes at least one of a USB output, a PS/2 output, and a serial port output configured to communicate with the control system.

5. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the at least one physically consistent region of the tracking surface is consistent in elevation and in pattern.

6. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the tracking surface is formed either integrally on the first hand wheel or defined by component that is coupled to the first hand wheel for rotation therewith.

7. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein the pointing device tracks movement of the first hand wheel along a first axis and tracks movement of the second hand wheel along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis.

8. The machine tool of claim 1, wherein rotation of the second hand wheel moves the pointing device radially relative to the first and second hand wheels.

9. A machine tool comprising:

at least one movable element;

a control system;

a first rotatable hand wheel having a tracking surface;

a second hand wheel having a different axis of rotation than the first hand wheel; and

a pointing device that directly contacts the tracking surface of the first hand wheel, the pointing device coupled to both the first hand wheel and the second hand wheel and being configured to track a movement of the first and second hand wheels as the tracking surface translates across the pointing device and to communicate the movement to the control system, the control system being configured to control the at least one movable element based upon the movement of the hand wheels.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the tracking surface is defined by a component that is coupled to the hand wheel for rotation therewith.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the pointing device remains stationary while the tracking surface translates across the pointing device.