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Publication Number
US-11376734-B2
Publication Date
2022-07-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A trajectory control device includes: a contact sensor that can contact side surfaces of a workpiece; an actuator that moves a trajectory tracking member and the contact sensor; and a trajectory controller that calculates XY coordinates of a trajectory on the workpiece that is placed in an arbitrary position, by transforming XY coordinates of the trajectory on the workpiece in a reference position, based on positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece in the reference position and positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece placed in the arbitrary position. The positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece placed in the arbitrary position is obtained by the contact sensor.
Core Innovation
The disclosed invention provides a trajectory control device for moving a trajectory tracking member along a trajectory on a workpiece placed in an arbitrary position. The device includes a contact sensor that contacts side surfaces of the workpiece, an actuator that moves the trajectory tracking member and the contact sensor, and a trajectory controller that calculates XY coordinates of the trajectory on the workpiece in the arbitrary position by transforming XY coordinates of the trajectory on the workpiece in a reference position.
The transforming is based on positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece in the reference position and positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece in the arbitrary position. In obtaining the positional information for the arbitrary position, the trajectory controller uses the contact sensor to detect XY coordinates of two contact points on one side surface and two contact points on another side surface, obtains straight line equations passing through the contact points, and obtains an intersection point to determine an amount of movement of an X coordinate and an amount of movement of a Y coordinate of a reference point of the workpiece.
The trajectory controller also calculates a gradient angle of the another side surface with respect to the reference position of the workpiece, and uses these computed values to calculate XY tool/trajectory coordinates for trajectory correction. The coordinate transformation unit applies an affine transformation based on the amount of movement of the X coordinate, the amount of movement of the Y coordinate, and the gradient angle to transform trajectory coordinates from the reference position to the arbitrary position, with Z-axis interlock between the contact sensor and the trajectory tracking member.
Claims Coverage
The document describes one independent claim and dependent claims that refine the device configuration, control sequencing, and the affine transformation used for calculating XY trajectory coordinates. The inventive features include transforming from a reference position using side-surface contact-point positional information, deriving reference-point movement and a gradient angle from intersection of straight lines, and applying an affine coordinate transformation for XY coordinate computation, with dependent claims specifying axis structure, Z-axis interlock, stopping conditions, and transformation equations.
Side-surface contact-based transformation of XY trajectory coordinates
A trajectory control device calculates XY coordinates of the trajectory on the workpiece placed in the arbitrary position by transforming XY coordinates of the trajectory on the workpiece in a reference position, based on positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece in the reference position and positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece placed in the arbitrary position, wherein the positional information about the side surfaces of the workpiece placed in the arbitrary position is obtained by the contact sensor.
Detect two contact points on one side and two on another via X- and Y-parallel advancement
The trajectory controller detects XY coordinates of two contact points on one side surface of the workpiece by driving the actuator to advance the contact sensor in two movement directions that are parallel to an X axis, and detects XY coordinates of two contact points on another side surface of the workpiece by driving the actuator to advance the contact sensor in two movement directions that are parallel to a Y axis.
Intersection-based reference point movement and gradient-angle calculation
The trajectory controller obtains an equation of a first straight line that passes through the two contact points on the one side surface of the workpiece and an equation of a second straight line that passes through the two contact points on the another side surface of the workpiece, further obtains XY coordinates of an intersection of the first straight line and the second straight line, then calculates an amount of movement of an X coordinate and an amount of movement of a Y coordinate of a reference point of the workpiece, and also calculates a gradient angle of the another side surface of the workpiece with respect to the reference position of the workpiece.
Affine transformation using reference-point movements and gradient angle
The trajectory controller calculates the XY coordinates of a toolpath on a workpiece in an arbitrary position using an affine transformation based on X and Y reference-point movements and the gradient angle.
Affine transformation with x' and y' equations including rotation and translations
The trajectory control device performs an affine transformation of trajectory coordinates on a workpiece from a reference position to an arbitrary position using the given x' and y' equations with a rotation by Δθ and translations tx and ty.
X-, Y-, and Z-axis actuator arrangement with sensor and tracking on the Z axis
The actuator includes an X-axis actuator, a Y-axis actuator, and a Z-axis actuator, wherein the contact sensor and the trajectory tracking member are attached to the Z-axis actuator.
Z-axis operating/withdrawn interlock between contact sensor and trajectory tracking member
The trajectory control device adjusts Z-axis positions of the contact sensor and the trajectory tracking member using a Z-axis actuator so that when one is in an operating position the other is in a withdrawn position, and vice versa.
Stop actuation when contact sensor contacts either side surface
The trajectory control device stops the actuator when a contact sensor contacts either one side surface or another side surface.
Overall claim coverage centers on computing XY trajectory coordinates in an arbitrary workpiece position by contacting side surfaces to derive contact-point positional information, calculating reference-point X/Y movement and a gradient angle via straight-line intersection, and transforming reference trajectory XY coordinates using an affine transformation. Dependent claims further specify axis decomposition (X/Y/Z), Z-axis interlocked positioning of the contact sensor and trajectory tracking member, stopping when contact occurs, and explicit affine-transformation equations using rotation (Δθ) and translations (tx, ty).
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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