US4739489A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Area cutting method
Assignee: Fanuc Corp
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Filing: 1984-12-14
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Granted: 1988-04-19
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Expires: 2004-12-14
Abstract
Abstract The present invention provides an area cutting method for machining an area (AR) bounded by the curve (OLC) of a predetermined external shape previously using a unidirectional cutting motion. The invention has a step of performing cutting along an i-th cutting path (PT i ), a step, executed after completion of cutting along the cutting path (PT i ), of moving a tool (TL) in a cutting-feed mode along the curve (OLC) of the external shape from a machining end point (Q i ) on the cutting path to a machining end point (Q i-1 ) on an (i-1)th cutting path (PT i-1 ) previously cut, a step of positioning the tool (TL) from the point (Q i-1 ) to a machining starting point (P i ) on the cutting path (PT i ), a step of moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape from the machining starting point (P i ) on the cutting path (PT i ) to a machining starting point (P i+1 ) on the next cutting path (PT i+1 ), a step of moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the cutting path (PT i+1 ) to execute cutting along the cutting path (PT i+1 ), and a step of repeating these steps to perform area machining.
Inventors
- 👤 Hajimu Kishi
- 👤 Masaki Seki
- 👤 Takashi Takegahara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:26
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/41; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/49; G05B2219/49381; G05B2219/49392
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
246 words
An area cutting method, comprising the steps of: moving a tool and cutting in a predetermined first direction along a cutting path PT i to machine an interior of an area, the first direction being limited to a substantially two-dimensional plane; moving the tool and cutting in the first direction along the next cutting path PT i+1 , which is shifted by a predetermined amount within the two-dimensional plane, to machine the interior of the area; repeating the first direction cutting motions to machine an area defined by the two-dimensional plane and bounded by a curve of a predetermined external shape; moving the tool and cutting in a cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from a machining end point Q i on said cutting path PT i to a machining end point Q i-1 on a cutting path PT i-1 previously cut after completion of cutting along the cutting path PT i ; positioning the tool by moving from the point Q i-1 to a machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i after the cutting of path PT i ; and moving the tool and cutting in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from the machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i to a machining starting point P i+1 on the next cutting path PT i+1 before cutting the path PT i+1 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
246 words
An area cutting method, comprising the steps of: moving a tool and cutting in a predetermined first direction along a cutting path PT i to machine an interior of an area, the first direction being limited to a substantially two-dimensional plane; moving the tool and cutting in the first direction along the next cutting path PT i+1 , which is shifted by a predetermined amount within the two-dimensional plane, to machine the interior of the area; repeating the first direction cutting motions to machine an area defined by the two-dimensional plane and bounded by a curve of a predetermined external shape; moving the tool and cutting in a cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from a machining end point Q i on said cutting path PT i to a machining end point Q i-1 on a cutting path PT i-1 previously cut after completion of cutting along the cutting path PT i ; positioning the tool by moving from the point Q i-1 to a machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i after the cutting of path PT i ; and moving the tool and cutting in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from the machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i to a machining starting point P i+1 on the next cutting path PT i+1 before cutting the path PT i+1 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
An area cutting method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning is executed in a rapid-traverse mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
An area cutting method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of entering data necessary for area cutting.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
97 words
An area cutting method according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of: including cutting path shift direction and an amount of cutting path shift in said area cutting data in advance; obtaining from said shift direction and amount of shift a straight line specifying the next cutting path PT i+1 ; and designating two points at which said straight line intersects an offset curve offset a predetermined amount from the curve of the external shape as the machining starting and end points P i+1 , Q i+1 , respectively, of the cutting path PT i+1 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
69 words
An area cutting method according to claim 4, wherein said positioning step includes the steps of: raising the tool in the rapid-traverse mode up to an approach plane specified by the area cutting data; moving the tool along said approach plane in the rapid-traverse mode to a point directly above the point P i ; and moving the tool in the rapid-traverse mode to the point P i .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
67 words
An area cutting method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: determining whether a remaining cut-in width is smaller than said predetermined value specified by the area cutting data; and moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape from the point P i to the point Q i when the remaining cut-in width is smaller than said predetermined value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
253 words
An area cutting method comprising the steps of: creating positioning data for moving a tool and cutting in a predetermined first direction along a cutting path PT i to machine the interior of an area, the first direction being limited to a substantially two-dimensional plane; moving the tool and cutting in the first direction along the next cutting path PT i+1 , which is shifted by a predetermined amount within the two-dimensional plane, to machine the interior of the area; creating positioning data for moving the tool and cutting in a cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from a machining end point Q i on an i-th cutting path PT i to a machining end point Q i-1 on an (i-1)th cutting path PT i-1 after cutting path PT i ; creating positioning data for moving the tool in a rapid-traverse mode from the point Q i-1 to a machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i after cutting path PT i creating positioning data for moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from the machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i to a machining starting point P i+1 on the next cutting path PT i+1 before cutting path PT i+1 ; and repeating the creating steps to create all positioning data for area cutting within the two-dimensional plane, and performing area cutting by using said positioning data.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
253 words
An area cutting method comprising the steps of: creating positioning data for moving a tool and cutting in a predetermined first direction along a cutting path PT i to machine the interior of an area, the first direction being limited to a substantially two-dimensional plane; moving the tool and cutting in the first direction along the next cutting path PT i+1 , which is shifted by a predetermined amount within the two-dimensional plane, to machine the interior of the area; creating positioning data for moving the tool and cutting in a cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from a machining end point Q i on an i-th cutting path PT i to a machining end point Q i-1 on an (i-1)th cutting path PT i-1 after cutting path PT i ; creating positioning data for moving the tool in a rapid-traverse mode from the point Q i-1 to a machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i after cutting path PT i creating positioning data for moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape within the two-dimensional plane from the machining starting point P i on the cutting path PT i to a machining starting point P i+1 on the next cutting path PT i+1 before cutting path PT i+1 ; and repeating the creating steps to create all positioning data for area cutting within the two-dimensional plane, and performing area cutting by using said positioning data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
An area cutting method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of entering data necessary for area cutting.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
96 words
An area cutting method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of: including cutting path shift direction and an amount of cutting path shift in said area cutting data in advance; obtaining from said shift direction and amount of shift a straight line specifying the next cutting path PT i+1 ; and designating two points at which said straight line intersects an offset curve offset a predetermined amount from the curve of the external shape as machining starting and end points P i+1 , Q i+1 , respectively, of the cutting path PT i+1 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
89 words
An area cutting method according to claim 9, wherein said step of creating positioning data for moving from point Q i-1 to point P i comprises creating positioning data for raising the tool in the rapid-traverse mode up to an approach plane specified by the area cutting data, positioning data for moving the tool on said approach plane in the rapid-traverse mode to a point directly above the point P i , and positioning data for moving the tool in the rapid-traverse mode to the point P i .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
71 words
An area cutting method according to claim 7, further comprising the steps of: determining whether a remaining cut-in width is smaller than said predetermined value specified by the area cutting data; and creating positioning data for moving the tool in the cutting-feed mode along the curve of the external shape from the point P i to the point Q i when the remaining cut-in width is smaller than said predetermined value.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
132 words
A substantially two-dimensional area cutting method using a cutting tool having a cutting speed, comprising the steps of: (a) cutting from point P i to point Q i where P i is a start point of a current path and Q i is an end point of a current path; (b) cutting from point Q i to point Q i-1 where Q i-1 is an end point of a previously cut path; (c) moving the tool at speed greater than the cutting speed from point Q i-1 to point P 1 ; and (d) cutting from point P i to point P i+1 where P i+1 is a start point of a succeeding path, points P i , P i+i , Q i and Q i-i lying in a substantially two-dimensional plane.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
132 words
A substantially two-dimensional area cutting method using a cutting tool having a cutting speed, comprising the steps of: (a) cutting from point P i to point Q i where P i is a start point of a current path and Q i is an end point of a current path; (b) cutting from point Q i to point Q i-1 where Q i-1 is an end point of a previously cut path; (c) moving the tool at speed greater than the cutting speed from point Q i-1 to point P 1 ; and (d) cutting from point P i to point P i+1 where P i+1 is a start point of a succeeding path, points P i , P i+i , Q i and Q i-i lying in a substantially two-dimensional plane.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method as recited in claim 12, wherein step (c) includes the steps of: (ci) moving the tool to an approach plane at a rapid traverse speed; (cii) moving the tool at a rapid traverse speed to a point P i above the point P i and in the approach plane; and (ciii) moving the tool from the point P i to the point P i at the speed less than the rapid traverse speed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as recited in claim 12, wherein the cutting performed in steps (b) and (d) follows an external shape curve.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-04-19 | 1991-10-19 | 1992-04-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-04-19 | 1995-10-19 | 1996-04-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-04-19 | 1999-10-19 | 2000-04-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |