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US 7,886,642 B2Granted
Systems and methods for monitoring a saw blade during sawing
AssigneeEB Associates, Inc.
InventorEarl Barker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A light source is used to illuminate a sawn portion of a piece of wood and exposed surfaces of the saw blade on both sides of the sawn portion. The sawn portion and the exposed surfaces of the saw blade are then imaged substantially concurrently using a single image generator. At least one geometric characteristic of the sawn portion and at least one geometric characteristic of the saw blade are determined based on the imaging.
Claims21
A system for monitoring a saw blade comprising:
- a light source positioned to illuminate a sawn portion of a piece of wood, the sawn portion adjacent a saw blade and positioned between the light source and the saw blade, a first exposed surface of the saw blade to a first side of the sawn portion, and a second exposed surface of the saw blade to a second side of the sawn portion;
- an image generator positioned to generate an image of the sawn portion, the first exposed surface and the second exposed surface substantially concurrently, wherein the light source and image generator are positioned substantially perpendicular to a plane through which the saw blade passes through the portion of the piece of wood being sawn;
- and a computing device
- coupled to the image generator to receive data from the image generator and configured to determine at least one geometric characteristic of the sawn portion and at least one geometric characteristic of the saw blade based on the received data.
1 more element
A system to monitor a saw blade, the system comprising:
- a light source that produces at least one line of light that illuminates a portion of a piece of wood being sawn and both a first and a second exposed surface of a saw blade that extends respectively from a first and a second edge of the portion of the piece of wood being sawn during sawing;
- an imager having a field of view that concurrently encompasses the illuminated sawn portion, the first exposed surface and the second exposed surface of the saw blade, wherein the light source and imager are positioned substantially perpendicular to a plane through which the saw blade passes through the portion of the piece of wood being sawn;
- and
- a computer communicatively coupled to the imager to receive data from the imager and configured to determine at least one geometric characteristic of the portion of the piece of wood being sawn and at least one geometric characteristic of the saw blade based on the received data.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.