Method of creating curved surfaces

A computerized method for forming a curved surface on a workpiece under the control of the numerical control commands created by moving a single given section curve, while being transformed, along first and second given reference curves, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) defining, on the first given reference curve, a first correspondence point which corresponds to a second correspondence point on the second given reference curve, the first and second correspondence points dividing the first and second given reference curves, respectively, into corresponding segments;
• (b) partitioning equally the corresponding segments, of the first and second reference curves to form corresponding partition points in each of the corresponding segments;
• (c) generating a plurality of intermediate section curves containing the corresponding partition points;
• and
• (d) creating numerical control commands for forming the curved surface on the workpiece as an assemblage of the plurality of intermediate section curves.

A method for producing a computer generated curved surface on a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• (a) inputting curve data defining a reference curve and first and second given section curves and reference curve partition data defining first and second corresponding points on the first and second given section curves, respectively;
• (b) converting the curve data defining the first and second given section curves into partition data by using the section curve partition data to generate corresponding partition points on the first and second given section curves;
• (c) converting the reference curve partition data and partition points into intermediate section curve data representing intermediate section curves along the reference curve by applying the reference curve partition data to differences between the corresponding partition points;
• and
• (d) transforming the intermediate section curve data into numerical control commands for controlling numerically controlled machining forming the curved surface of the workpiece.

A method for creating numerical control commands for producing a computer generated curved surface on a workpiece, comprising the steps of:

• (a) inputting curve data defining first and second reference curves having end points, a given section curve and first and second correspondence points on the first and second reference curves, respectively;
• (b) converting the curve data into segment curve data by segmenting each of the first and second reference curves into first and second segments defined by the first and second correspondence points and corresponding end points of each of the first and second reference curves, respectively;
• (c) converting the reference curve partition data and partition points into intermediate section curve data representing intermediate section curves along the first and second reference curves, the intermediate section curves partitioning the first and second segments with an equal length ratio;
• and
• (d) transforming the intermediate section curve data into numerical control commands for controlling numerically controlled machining forming the curved surface of the workpiece.