Tooling System with Visual Identification of Attached Component
AssigneeApex Brands, Inc.
InventorsMartin Douglas Rola, Adrian Hilary Hetzel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tooling system that includes a drive unit configured to provide rotational force to a tool member. The tool member is attached at a mount on the drive unit. A camera associated with the drive unit is aligned to capture a target on the tool member. The data is sent to a controller that identifies the tool member based on the target. The controller determines whether the tool member is correct for performing an operation on a work piece. If the tool member is correct, the controller may set one or more operating parameters on the drive unit. If the controller determines that the tool member is not correct, the drive unit is disabled. Further, a signal may be sent to inform an operator of the issue.
Claims20
A tooling system for performing an operation on a work piece, the tooling system comprising:
- a drive unit;
- a tool member removably attached to the drive unit and configured to engage with the work piece;
- first and second targets that are visibly positioned on the tool member, the first and second targets being visibly distinct;
- a vision system associated with the drive unit and configured to capture an image of each of the first and second targets when the tool member is attached to the drive unit;
- and
- a controller configured to control a first aspect of the drive unit based on the image of the first target captured by the vision system and to control a second aspect of the drive unit based on the image of the second target captured by the vision system.
A tooling system for performing an operation on a work piece, the tooling system comprising:
- a motor;
- a tool member removably attached to the drive unit and configured to engage with the work piece;
- targets that are visibly positioned on the tool member with each of the targets being visibly distinct;
- a camera configured to capture an image of each of the targets when the tool member is attached to the drive unit;
- and
- a control circuit that controls the drive unit based on the images of the targets captured by the camera.
A tooling system for performing an operation on a work piece, the tooling system comprising:
- a motor;
- a tool member;
- targets that are visibly positioned on the tool member;
- and
- a vision system configured to capture images of the targets;
- a control circuit configured to:
- receive a first image from the vision system of a first one of the targets;
- identify the first target;
- determine that the tool member is proper for the operation on the work piece;
- receive a second image from the vision system of a second one of the targets;
- identify the second target;
- and
- determine one or more operating parameters for the motor based on the identified second target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.