System and device for welding training

• US 10,417,935 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Original Assignee: Illinois Tool Works Inc.
• Inventors: Becker, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US15/425,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20170148352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 953 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/095 Monitoring or automatic control of welding parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/16 making use of shielding gas selection of media B23K35/38
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/32 Accessories earthing connections H01R
• 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 system and device for welding training. In one example, a welding training system includes a position detecting system configured to detect a distance between the position detecting system and objects within a field of view of the position detecting system, and to produce a map corresponding to the objects. The welding training system also includes a markers configured to be coupled to a device of the welding training system. Furthermore, the markers are configured to be detected by the position detecting system.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a plurality of markers configured to be coupled to a welding device; and

a position detecting system configured to;

detect the plurality of markers;

determine, based on detection of the plurality of markers, at least one of a position of the welding device or an orientation of the welding device;

detect, based on detection of the plurality of markers, a workpiece within a field of view of the position detecting system; and

produce a map corresponding to the welding device and the workpiece.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a processing device configured to determine at least one of a pitch of the welding device, a roll of the welding device, a yaw of the welding device, based at least partly on data received from the position detecting system.

3. The system of claim 1, comprising a processing device configured to determine a travel speed of the welding device based at least partly on data received from the position detecting system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding device comprises a welding torch having the plurality of markers coupled thereon.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the position detecting system comprises a commercially available off-the-shelf component of a video game system.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the position detecting system comprises a commercially available off-the-shelf computer accessory.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the welding device comprises a welding workpiece having the plurality of markers coupled thereon.

8. The system of claim 1, comprising a virtual workpiece configured to display a simulated weld on the virtual workpiece.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the position detecting system is configured to detect the plurality of markers of the welding torch by detecting at least one of respective sizes of the plurality of markers, respective shapes of the plurality of markers, or colors of the plurality of markers.

10. A method comprising:

detecting a first marker of a welding torch using a position detecting system;

detecting a second marker of the welding torch using the position detecting system;

detecting, based on a position of the first marker and a position of the second marker within a field of view of the position detecting system, a workpiece;

calculating at least one of a position of the welding torch or an orientation of the welding torch, using the detected first and second markers; and

producing a map corresponding to the welding torch and the workpiece.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein detecting the first marker of the welding torch using the position detecting system comprises detecting at least one of a size of the first marker, a shape of the first marker, or a color of the first marker.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein detecting the second marker of the welding torch using the position detecting system comprises detecting at least one of a size of the second marker, a shape of the second marker, or a color of the second marker.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein calculating at least one of the position of the welding torch, or the orientation of the welding torch, comprises at least one of calculating a pitch of the welding torch, a roll of the welding torch, or a yaw of the welding torch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein calculating at least one of the pitch of the welding torch, the roll of the welding torch, or the yaw of the welding torch, comprises calculating at least one of the pitch, the roll, or the yaw, relative to a welding workpiece.

15. A method comprising:

detecting a first marker of a welding torch using a position detecting system;

detecting a second marker of the welding torch using the position detecting system;

detecting a first marker of a welding workpiece using the position detecting system;

detecting a second marker of the welding workpiece using the position detecting system;

detecting a plurality of objects within a field of view of the position detecting system;

calculating a position, an orientation, or some combination thereof, of the welding torch and the welding workpiece using the first and second markers of the welding torch and the first and second markers of the welding workpiece; and

producing a map corresponding to the welding torch, the welding workpiece, and the plurality of objects.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising displaying a virtual representation of the welding workpiece on a display.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising displaying a virtual weld bead on the display, and adjusting a virtual position and a virtual orientation of the virtual weld bead on the display as the position, the orientation, or some combination thereof, of the welding torch changes.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein calculating the position, the orientation, or some combination thereof, of the welding torch and the welding workpiece comprises calculating a relative position, a relative orientation, or some combination thereof, of the welding torch in relation to the welding workpiece.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the position detecting system comprises a camera and an infrared emitter.