US4683493A — Compact optical apparatus for tracking a path of …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 174 words

Optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a tool along a line of travel on a workpiece, the tool having a first side in front of the tool along the line of travel, a second side behind the tool along the line of travel, and a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel, comprising: a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on the tool adjacent the second side of the tool; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the third side of the tool, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of the tool, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 174 words

Optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a tool along a line of travel on a workpiece, the tool having a first side in front of the tool along the line of travel, a second side behind the tool along the line of travel, and a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel, comprising: a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on the tool adjacent the second side of the tool; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the third side of the tool, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of the tool, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 54 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said image generating means comprises: a camera mounted on the tool and oriented in a direction such that said camera faces away from the workpiece; and means for reflecting an image of a portion of the workpiece including the projected light stripe into said camera.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 19 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cylindrical reflector comprises a convex cylindrical piece of glass.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 16 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said light source comprises a laser diode.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 41 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the collimated light beam has a diameter in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm and wherein said laser diode has a power level in the range of 5 to 20 mW.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein the tool is a seam welder having a torch with a tip and a shield gas cup mounted on said torch adjacent the tip of the torch, and wherein said cylindrical reflector is mounted on the third side of the seam welder adjacent the shield gas cup.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising means for filtering the image of the light stripe generated by said camera.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 196 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said camera generates an image signal corresponding to the image of the light stripe, and wherein said filtering means comprises: an analog-to-digital converter, coupled to said camera, for receiving the image signal from said camera and for generating a digital image signal; a multiplier circuit coupled to said analog-to-digital converter; first and second buffer circuits, each having an input and an output; and switching means, connected to said analog-to-digital converter, said multiplier circuit and the inputs and outputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting the input of one of said first and second buffer circuits to said analog-to-digital converter to receive the digital image signal representing a current video frame, while simultaneously connecting the output of the other of said first and second buffer circuits to said multiplier circuit to provide a stored digital image signal representing a previous video frame to said multiplier circuit, so that said multiplier circuit multiplies the digital image signal representing the current video frame by the stored digital image signal representing the previous video frame, said multiplier circuit providing a filtered digital image signal as an output.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 15 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said camera comprises a solid-state camera.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 182 words

Optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a seam welder along a line of travel on a workpiece, the seam welder having a first side in front of the seam welder along the line of travel, a second side behind the seam welder along the line of travel, and a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel, comprising: a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on the seam welder adjacent the second side of the seam welder; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the second side of the seam welder, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of the seam welder, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 182 words

Optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a seam welder along a line of travel on a workpiece, the seam welder having a first side in front of the seam welder along the line of travel, a second side behind the seam welder along the line of travel, and a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel, comprising: a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on the seam welder adjacent the second side of the seam welder; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the second side of the seam welder, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of the seam welder, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 55 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein said image generating means comprises: a camera mounted on the seam welder and oriented in a direction such that said camera faces away from the workpiece; and means for reflecting an image of a portion of the workpiece including the projected light stripe into said camera.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 19 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said cylindrical reflector comprises a convex cylindrical piece of glass.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 16 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said light source comprises a laser diode.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 41 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein the collimated light beam has a diameter in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 mm and wherein said laser diode has a power level in the range of 5 to 20 mW.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 173 words

A seam welder for performing a welding operation along a line of travel on a workpiece, comprising: a torch having a first side in front of said torch along the line of travel, having a second side behind said torch along the line of travel, and having a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel; a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on said torch adjacent the second side of said torch; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the third side of said torch, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of said torch, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 173 words

A seam welder for performing a welding operation along a line of travel on a workpiece, comprising: a torch having a first side in front of said torch along the line of travel, having a second side behind said torch along the line of travel, and having a third side substantially perpendicular to the line of travel; a light source for providing a collimated light beam, said light source being mounted on said torch adjacent the second side of said torch; a cylindrical reflector positioned in the path of the collimated light beam and mounted adjacent the third side of said torch, for reflecting at least a portion of the collimated light beam so as to project a light stripe on the workpiece in front of said torch, said cylindrical reflector being positioned with respect to the collimated light beam and the line of travel, so that the projected light stripe is substantially bisected by the line of travel; and means for generating an image of the light stripe projected on the workpiece.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 55 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim . 15, wherein said image generating means comprises: a camera mounted on said torch and oriented in a direction such that said camera faces away from the workpiece; and means for reflecting an image of a portion of the workpiece including the projected light stripe into said camera.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 19 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said cylindrical reflector comprises a convex cylindrical piece of glass.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 16 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 17, wherein said light source comprises a laser diode.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, further comprising means for filtering the image of the light stripe generated by said camera.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 196 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said camera generates an image signal corresponding to the image of the light stripe and wherein said filtering means comprises: an analog-to-digital converter, coupled to said camera, for receiving the image signal from said camera and for generating a digital image signal; a multiplier circuit coupled to said analog-to-digital converter; first and second buffer circuits, each having an input and an output; and switching means, connected to said analog-to-digital converter, said multiplier circuit and the inputs and outputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting the input of one of said first and second buffer circuits to said analog-to-digital converter to receive the digital image signal representing a current video frame, while simultaneously connecting the output of the other of said first and second buffer circuits to said multiplier circuit to provide a stored digital image signal representing a previous video frame to said multiplier circuit, so that said multiplier circuit multiplies the digital image signal representing the current video frame by the stored digital image signal representing the previous video frame, said multiplier circuit providing a filtered digital image signal as an output.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 195 words

A filter for filtering an image signal produced by a solid-state television camera to remove transient portions of an image corresponding to the image signal, comprising: an analog-to-digital converter, coupled to the solid-state television camera, for receiving the image signal from said camera and for generating a digital image signal; a multiplier circuit connected to said analog-to-digital converter; first and second buffer circuits, each having an input and an output; and switching means, connected to said analog-to-digital converter, said multiplier circuit and the inputs and outputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting the input of one of said first and second buffer circuits to said analog-to-digital converter to receive the digital image signal representing a current video frame, while simultaneously connecting the output of the other of said first and second buffer circuits to said multiplier circuit to provide a stored digital image signal representing a previous video frame to said multiplier circuit, so that said multiplier circuit multiplies the digital image signal representing the current video frame by the stored digital image signal representing the previous video frame, said multiplier circuit providing a filtered digital image signal as an output.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 195 words

A filter for filtering an image signal produced by a solid-state television camera to remove transient portions of an image corresponding to the image signal, comprising: an analog-to-digital converter, coupled to the solid-state television camera, for receiving the image signal from said camera and for generating a digital image signal; a multiplier circuit connected to said analog-to-digital converter; first and second buffer circuits, each having an input and an output; and switching means, connected to said analog-to-digital converter, said multiplier circuit and the inputs and outputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting the input of one of said first and second buffer circuits to said analog-to-digital converter to receive the digital image signal representing a current video frame, while simultaneously connecting the output of the other of said first and second buffer circuits to said multiplier circuit to provide a stored digital image signal representing a previous video frame to said multiplier circuit, so that said multiplier circuit multiplies the digital image signal representing the current video frame by the stored digital image signal representing the previous video frame, said multiplier circuit providing a filtered digital image signal as an output.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 109 words

Optical apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said switching means comprises: a microprocessor for generating a switching signal; a first switch, coupled to said microprocessor, said analog-to-digital converter and the inputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting one of the inputs of said first and second buffer circuits to said analog-to-digital converter in dependence upon the switching signal; and a second switch, coupled to said microprocessor, said multiplier circuit and the outputs of said first and second buffer circuits, for selectively connecting one of the outputs of said first and second buffer circuits to said multiplier circuit in dependence upon the switching signal.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 16 words

A filter as set forth in claim 22, wherein said multiplier circuit comprises a pixel-by-pixel multiplier.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-07-27	1991-01-26	1991-07-28	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-07-27	1995-01-26	1995-07-28	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-07-27	1999-01-26	1999-07-28	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Compact optical apparatus for tracking a path of movement of a tool along a line of travel on a workpiece

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