The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 16, 2003
Filed:
Jul. 11, 2002
Steve A. Brink, Seattle, WA (US);
Noel A. Spishak, Bellevue, WA (US);
Daniel L. Nydegger, Auburn, WA (US);
Stephen L. Sembritzky, Wenatchee, WA (US);
William R. Schell, Federal Way, WA (US);
David M. Kozy, Kent, WA (US);
Steven R. Walton, Wilkeson, WA (US);
Ray Henderson, Federal Way, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Chicago, IL (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method is provided for cutting curved tube and duct assemblies using a high-powered laser, which locates, measures and follows a scribe line. The invention generally is comprised of a multi-axis laser-based machine tool to cut formed (i.e., curved) welded tube and duct detailed parts to a planar scribe line. It is further comprised of a laser focusing head positioned on a rotating and tilting platform; fixturing aids to position and hold the tubes or ducts to be cut; a machine vision system to locate and measure a scribe line in a plane on the tube or duct, thus determining its orientation; and a controller that tilts the turntable to a co-planar position, and then operates a high-powered laser to cut the duct at the scribe line.