Apparatus and methods for collision detection and recovery for waterjet cutting systems

A disengageable mount assembly for a cutting head of a waterjet cutting system, comprising:

• a first mount member coupleable to a controllably positionable portion of the waterjet cutting system;
• a second mount member coupleable to the cutting head and disengageably coupled to the first mount member;
• and
• a sensing circuit having a plurality of first conductive elements disposed on the first mount member and a plurality of second conductive elements disposed on the second mount member.

A waterjet cutting system for cutting a workpiece, comprising:

• a cutting head having a high pressure fluid inlet coupleable to a source of high-pressure fluid;
• a first mount member coupleable to a controllably positionable portion of the cutting system;
• a second mount member coupled to the cutting head and disengageably coupled to the first mount member;
• and
• a sensing circuit having a plurality of first conductive elements disposed on the first mount member and a plurality of second conductive elements disposed on the second mount member.

An assembly for mounting a cutting head on a waterjet cutting system and for generating a signal when the cutting head collides with an object, the assembly comprising:

• a retainer coupleable to a mounting arm of the waterjet cutting system, the retainer having a first seating surface;
• a clamping collar coupleable to the cutting head, the clamping collar having a second seating surface, the clamping collar being rotatable about at least one radial axis of the clamping collar with respect to the retainer, the second seating surface being in contact with the first seating surface when the clamping collar is in an operative position;
• a first contact member coupled to the clamping collar to move with the clamping collar;
• a second contact member positioned adjacent the first contact member and spaced therefrom by a predetermined distance such that, when the clamping collar is in the operative position there is a gap between the first and second contact members, and when the clamping collar is out of the operative position by more than a predetermined angle the first contact member is in contact with the second contact member, and
• a sensing circuit coupleable to the first and second contact members to generate a signal when the first contact member is in contact with the second contact member.

An assembly for mounting a cutting head on a waterjet cutting system and for generating a signal when the cutting head collides with an object, the assembly comprising:

• a first mount member fixedly coupleable to a controllably positionable portion of the waterjet cutting system;
• a second mount member fixedly coupleable to the cutting head and movably positioned against the first mount member to move with respect to the first mount member between an operative position and a collision position;
• and
• a sensing circuit having a first conductive element fixedly coupled to the second mount member to move with the second mount member, and a second conductive element positioned to be a predetermined distance from the first conductive element when the second mount member is in the operative position and to be in contact with the first conductive element when the second mount member is in the collision position.

A waterjet cutting system for cutting a workpiece, comprising:

• a cutting head having a high pressure fluid inlet configured to communicate with a source of high-pressure fluid, the cutting head being movably coupled to a controllably positionable portion of the cutting system to move with respect thereto between an operative position and a collision position;
• a first conductive element coupled to the cutting head such that movement of the cutting head with respect to the controllably positionable portion of the cutting system results in movement of the first conductive element with respect to the controllably positionable portion of the cutting system;
• a second conductive element coupled to the cutting system to move only with the controllably positionable portion of the cutting system, the second conductive element being spaced apart from the first conductive element when the cutting head is in the operative position, and being in contact with the first conductive element when the cutting head is in the collision position;
• and
• a sensing circuit coupleable to the first and second conductive elements to generate a signal when the cutting head is in the collision position.