Welding training system

• US 9,352,411 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Batzler, Todd, Albrecht, Bruce, Becker, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Application Number:
  US12/473,392
• Publication Number:
  US 20090298024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,560 Days
• Field of Search: 219/124.34, 219/130.01, 434/234, 434/260, 600/546, 600/485, 600/595, 340/407.2, 735/143.2, 702/188, 700/166, 324/510
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/37396 Tactile feedback, operator feels reaction, force reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/24 Use of tools
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

A welding training system includes one or more welding operator device which provides positional feedback relevant to a quality weld. The positional feedback is analyzed and, when the positional feedback is outside of a predetermined range, a signal is provided to the welding operator. In one embodiment, tactile feedback is provided in a welding gun.

Claims

1. A handheld welding operator device for use by a welding operator while performing an actual or simulated weld, the handheld welding operator device comprising:

a controller;

a position sensor; and

a stimulation device comprising a tactile feedback device providing directional feedback to an operator, the stimulation device operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller is programmed to receive position data from the position sensor, to compare the position data to stored position data defining a position of the handheld welding operator device for a stored weld to determine the position of the handheld welding operator device relative to the stored position data, and to activate the stimulation device to provide the directional feedback to the welding operator to correct the position of the handheld welding operator device to follow the stored position data during the actual or simulated weld.

2. The handheld welding operator device as recited in claim 1, wherein the position sensor comprises at least one of an angle sensor and an altimeter.

3. The handheld welding operator device as recited in claim 2, wherein the angle sensor is selected from the group of a global positioning sensor, a gyroscopic sensor, an accelerometer, and a micro-electromechanical gyroscope.

4. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation device is selected from the group of a vibrational motor, a piezeo-electric device, an air bladder, and an exoskeleton.

5. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the handheld welding operator device is selected from the group of a welding gun, a welding glove, and a wristband.

16. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the directional feedback to the welding operator provides feedback to correct an angle of the handheld welding operator device.

17. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation device comprises a plurality of spaced vibrational motors.

18. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the controller adjusts an intensity of an output of the stimulation device to correlate to a magnitude of an error between the stored and actual position.

19. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation device comprises a plurality of air bladders that are selectively pumped to provide the directional feedback to the welding operator.

20. The handheld welding operator device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation device comprises a plurality air bladders that are pumped up to direct the welding operator to adjust a push or pull angle of a welding gun corresponding to the handheld welding operator device.

6. A welding system, comprising:

a welding power source for providing welding power to a simulated or actual weld, the welding power source comprising a welding power source controller and a power source communications device; and

a handheld welding operator device in communications with the power source communications device in the welding power source, the handheld welding operator device comprising;

a position feedback sensor;

a stimulation device comprising a tactile feedback device; and

a communications device operatively coupled to the position feedback sensor and the stimulation device, wherein the communications device provides position feedback data to the welding power source controller, and the welding power source controller is programmed to compare the position feedback data to stored position data to evaluate the position feedback data and to active the stimulation device to provide directional feedback to prompt a welding operator to adjust a position of the handheld welding operator device when the position feedback data is outside of a predetermined range during the simulated or actual weld to follow a weld path corresponding to the stored position data.

7. The welding system as recited in claim 6, further comprising a second welding operator device corresponding to a position of a head of a weld operator in use, the second welding operator device providing position feedback data to the welding power source, and wherein the second welding operator device is selected from the group of a protective eye shielding device, a welding gun, a glove, and a wrist band.

8. The welding system as recited in claim 6, wherein the handheld welding operator device includes a plurality of stimulation devices, the stimulation devices being selectively positioned to provide directional feedback to the welding operator.

15. The welding system of claim 6, further comprising a second welding operator device, the second welding operator device comprising a protective eye shield, a welding operator position feedback indicator, a height sensor coupled to the protective eye shield, a communication device coupled to the height sensor and the welding operator position feedback indicator, and wherein the welding power source controller is further programmed to receive position feedback data from an eye shield communications device, to compare the position feedback data to stored data known to produce a quality weld, and to activate the welding operator position feedback indicator to prompt the welding operator to adjust a height of the protective eye shield in a direction selected to improve a quality of the weld.

9. A method for providing feedback to a welding operator to aid the welding operator to perform a quality weld, the method comprising the following steps:

storing positional data relevant to a position of a welding gun during a predetermined weld sequence, the positional data including a height and an angle of the welding gun;

acquiring positional data corresponding to an actual height of the welding gun and an actual angle of the welding gun during an actual or simulated weld performed by the welding operator;

comparing the stored positional data to the acquired positional data during the actual or simulated weld; and

providing a directional tactile signal to the welding operator indicating a direction of motion to guide the welding operator to reposition the welding gun toward a position specified in the stored positional data to direct the welding operator toward a consistent quality weld.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing a directional tactile signal comprises adjusting at least one of a pressure, a frequency of vibration, and an intensity of an applied force on a hand of the welding operator to signal a directional change.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing a directional tactile feedback comprises locating one or more vibrational motors adjacent a hand of an operator during the actual or simulated weld and selectively adjusting an output of the vibrational motors to identify an adjustment of the direction of motion.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing a directional tactile feedback comprises adjusting an exoskeleton or an air bladder adapted to be coupled adjacent a hand of a welding operator during the actual or simulated weld to apply a pressure on the hand of the welding operator indicating an angle adjustment.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of storing positional data relevant to a preferred height of a welding helmet worn by an operator during the actual or simulated weld, and acquiring positional data corresponding to an actual height of a welding helmet worn by the welding operator during the actual or simulated weld.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, further comprising the step of coupling a directional tactile feedback device to at least one of a welding glove, a wrist band, and the welding gun.