AND VIS ION METHOD FOR WELDING OPERATIONS"

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no . 102020000031727 filed on December 21 , 2020 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference .

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a welding and microwelding workstation, to a vision kit for a welding workstation, to a vision method for welding operations and to an updating method of a welding workstation .

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

Welding workstations for manually carrying out precision welding or microwelding operations are known, for example , in the orthodontic and in the j ewelery fields .

Such welding workstations comprise , in general :

- a welding device , for example a laser welding device ;

- a process chamber , within which the welding process is carried out by means of the welding device ; and

- a vision system, which enables the operator to observe the inside of the process chamber while carrying out the welding .

In particular, the welding operation is carried out by an operator, who inserts his/her hands inside the process chamber and handles the obj ects to be welded and/or the welding device , observing the inside of the process chamber by means of the vision system .

The vision system can be , for example , a microscope comprising an obj ective arranged inside the process chamber and one or more eyepieces , which enable the operator to observe the obj ects arranged inside the process chamber on an enlarged scale . However, the use of the microscope obliges the operator to remain in a fixed position, with his/her eyes in contact with the eyepieces , for the whole duration of the welding operations . Such posture can be not very ergonomic, especially i f kept for prolonged intervals of time , causing discomfort for the operator .

In fact , recent studies within the scope of the ergonomic risk assessment have highlighted the mani festation of muscle-skeletal disorders , eyestrain and mental fatigue due to postures similar to those assumed by the operators of the welding workstations .

Moreover, the use of the microscope as vision system can be even less ergonomic for the operators who wear reading glasses . In fact , such operators use the microscope after taking of f their reading glasses , making use of the focusing settings of the instrument for adapting it to sight . However, the repeated taking of f of the reading glasses from the face of the operator entails a further eyestrain due to the focusing at di f ferent distances .

The vision system can comprise , alternatively, a video camera with an obj ective arranged inside the process chamber and a screen, which is fixed outside the process chamber and proj ects the images filmed by the video camera . During the process , the operator carries out the welding operations keeping the visual contact with the screen . Therefore , also in this case , the operator is in a position which is not always ergonomic, since it is not possible for him/her to freely rotate his/her head without losing the visual contact with the screen .

It is further proper to note that the arti ficial or natural light present in the workplace can easily cause reflections on the screen, causing the risk of glaring the operator . Additionally, the quality of the images reproduced on the screen is not always optimal .

CN-A- 110434510 and US-A1-2019047068 describe welding workstations comprising viewer means configured to show the obj ects subj ected to the welding process to the operator . However, such documents do not illustrate at least one vocal command device for changing the process parameters .

Therefore , the need is felt to have a welding workstation where the manual welding operations can be carried out in an ergonomic manner even for prolonged periods of time .

The obj ect of the present invention is to meet the abovedescribed needs .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The abovementioned obj ect is achieved by a welding workstation, by a vision kit for a welding workstation, by a vision method and by an updating method as claimed in the appended claims .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To better understand the present invention, a preferred embodiment is described in the following, by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein :

• Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a welding workstation according to the present invention;

• Figure 2 illustrates a detail of the welding workstation of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale ; and

• Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the welding workstation of Figure 1 .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure 1 illustrates a welding workstation 1 for manually carrying out welding operations of obj ects 10 of various types.

In the following, welding process means any technology that allows jointing, under the action of heat and/or of pressure, two or more pieces made of the same material or of different materials. Specifically, the welding process can be carried out with or without weld material and with or without the melting of the objects 10 to be welded. On the other hand, the welding process can also be used for repairing a single object 10.

In particular, the objects 10 can be made, for example, of one or more metallic, ceramic or polymeric materials.

In the non-limiting embodiment shown, the welding workstation 1 is specifically used for the welding in the jewelery field. Consequently, the objects 10 can be made of precious or semi-precious materials and comprise precious stones or other minerals.

Alternatively, the welding workstation 1 is used in the prosthodontics/orthodontic fields, for example, for welding prostheses and hooks on skeletons; for jointing bridges, crowns, hooks or attachments; for correcting founding defects or for repairing prostheses.

In particular, the welding workstation 1 comprises a welding device 2 adapted to provide the necessary heat and/or pressure for jointing the objects 10 and a vision system 4 configured to show the objects 10 during the welding process to an operator.

In the embodiment shown, the welding device 2 comprises a laser source. Alternatively or additionally, the welding device 2 could comprise a TIG welding apparatus, an oxyacetylene welding apparatus, an arc welding apparatus, a hydrogen welding apparatus or the like.

In particular, manual welding means a welding process that requires the manual intervention of an operator . However, such welding process could be partially automated . In the embodiment shown, such manual intervention consists in handling the obj ects 10 to be welded with respect to the laser source of the welding device 2 . Alternatively or additionally, the manual intervention can consist , for example , in handling the welding device 2 or the weld material .

The welding workstation 1 further comprises a process chamber 3 within which the welding process of the obj ects 10 is carried out by means of the welding device 2 .

The process chamber 3 comprises , in a known manner, a work platform 11 , a noz zle 12 for inletting protective gases ( argon, helium, carbon dioxide , nitrogen, etc . ) and an extractor 13 for extracting the welding fumes .

In the embodiment shown, the process chamber 3 is closed by a lid 14 and comprises , in a known manner, at least one opening 15 shaped for the insertion of the hands of the operator ( Figure 3 ) . Otherwise , the process chamber 3 could be open, i . e . not comprise the lid 14 .

Advantageously, the vision system 4 comprises , in turn, an image acquisition device 5 and a viewer device 6 wearable by the operator and configured to show the images captured by the image acquisition device 5 to the operator .

In particular, the vision system 4 is configured to show the obj ects 10 arranged inside the process chamber 3 during the welding process to the operator .

The image acquisition device 5 and the wearable viewer device 6 further define a vision kit 100 installable also on existing welding workstations .

Speci fically, the image acquisition device 5 is a digital microscope or a video camera capable of capturing highly magni fied images . In the case of existing welding workstations provided with a microscope , the video camera can be inserted in place of an eyepiece of the microscope .

Preferably, the image acquisition device 5 has a variable magni fying capacity superimposable to that of the optical microscopes .

The image acquisition device 5 is positioned at least partially inside the process chamber 3 . In the embodiment shown, the image acquisition device 5 has an obj ective - not shown - arranged inside the process chamber 3 .

Alternatively, the image acquisition device 5 can be positioned outside the process chamber 3 so as to be able to film the obj ects 10 inside the chamber 3 ( for example , through a transparent portion of the lid 14 ) .

Preferably, the obj ective is further arranged coaxially or substantially coaxial to the laser source of the welding device 2 and, in particular, to the laser beam . Thi s enables the operator to comfortably observe the points of the obj ects 10 to be invested with the laser radiation .

The image acquisition device 5 and the viewer device 6 are electrically connected to each other . In particular, they can be connected by means of a wired connection or , alternatively, by means of an electro-magnetic connection ( for example , Bluetooth, infrared rays , radio waves , etc . ) .

In particular, the viewer device 6 comprises augmented reality glasses .

Such glasses comprise , in turn, a mount 6a and two lens elements 6b carried by the mount 6a . In particular, each lens element 6b is a screen, on which the images captured by the image acquisition device 5 are reproduced .

Similarly to the reading glasses , each lens element 6b is worn so as to be arranged in proximity of a respective eye of the operator .

Furthermore , the lens elements 6b can be arranged in a raised and peripheral position with respect to the field of view of the operator ( as illustrated by the broken line in Figure 2 ) . In thi s manner , the operator can stop looking at the images reproduced by the lens elements 6b without having to take of f the viewer device 6 .

Speci fically, the lens elements 6b can be shi fted with respect to the mount 6a up to being arranged in a raised position . More speci fically, the lens elements 6b can be rotated with respect to the mount 6a around an axis parallel to the ground, i . e . hori zontal with respect to the face of the operator .

The viewer device 6 further compri ses a covering - not illustrated - removably couplable to the augmented reality glasses and, in particular, to the lens elements 6b on the opposite side of the eyes of the operator . Speci fically, the lens elements 6b are transparent and the covering is opaque and its color is dark .

More speci fically, the coupling of the covering to the lens elements 6b, improves the vision of the images reproduced by the lens elements 6b , since the covering acts as background for the images . Vice versa, when the covering is uncoupled from the lens elements 6b, the lens elements 6b - which are transparent - enable the operator to observe the space surrounding and outside the process chamber 3 , without having to take of f the augmented reality glasses .

By way of example , the covering is couplable to the augmented reality glasses by means of a magnetic connection .

Preferably, the two lens elements 6b enable the operator to obtain a stereoscopic vision of the images of the process chamber 3 . Furthermore , as illustrated in Figure 2 , the viewer device 6 is wearable in addition to possible reading glasses worn by the operator .

The viewer device 6 can also be easily adj usted with the aim to correct any vision anomalies of the operator .

The welding workstation further comprises an electronic control unit 20 ( schematically illustrated in Figure 3 ) electrically connected to the welding device 2 for controlling the process parameters thereof . The electronic control unit 20 is also electrically connected to the viewer device 6 .

The electronic control unit 20 and the viewer device 6 are electrically connected by means of a wired connection or an electro-magnetic connection .

In particular, the viewer device 6 is configured to receive a signal associated with the values of the process parameters transmitted by the electronic control unit 20 and to enable the operator to view such parameters while carrying out the process . Speci fically, each of the lens elements 6b can reproduce the values of such parameters in real time .

In the embodiment shown, since the welding device 2 comprises a laser source , the process parameters controllable by means of the electronic control unit 20 can comprise one or more between, for example , the frequency and/or the power of the laser beam, the dimension of the focal spot , the welding speed, the focusing position .

The welding workstation 2 also comprises a process parameters adj ustment device 7 electrically and operatively connected to the electronic control unit 20 for adj usting the process parameters .

In the embodiment shown, the process parameters adj ustment device 7 is a screen 16 arranged outside the process chamber 3 and not wearable . Alternatively, the process parameters adj ustment device 7 could be a j oystick or a pedal operable by the operator .

According to a further embodiment , the process parameters adj ustment device 7 could be integrated in the viewer device 6 . In such case , the operator could adj ust the process parameters by means of the process parameters adj ustment device 7 , for example through several push buttons positioned on the viewer device 6 or a vocal command .

Speci fically, according to such further embodiment , the process parameters adj ustment device 7 comprises a microphone - not illustrated - configured to receive a message uttered by the operator . Additionally, the process parameters adj ustment device 7 is configured to transmit such message to the electronic control unit 20 . The electronic control unit 20 , in turn, is programmed to interpret the message uttered by the operator and consequently adj ust the process parameters .

In particular, the microphone of the process parameters adj ustment device 7 could be arranged at the viewer device 6 .

Furthermore , the image acquisition device 5 is configured to simultaneously transmit the captured images to more than one viewer device 6 and/or to more external screens 16 . Such further viewer devices 6 could be not placed in the workplace .

The operation of the welding workstation 1 is the following .

In use , the operator wears the viewer device 6 on his/her face , so that the two lens elements 6b are positioned at the eyes . Therefore , the operator can observe the images of the obj ects 10 to be welded captured by the image acquisition device 5 in a stereoscopic manner . In particular, the image acquisition device 5 captures the images of the inside of the process chamber 3 .

Subsequently, the operator inserts his/her hands and the obj ects 10 to be welded in the process chamber 3 through the openings 15 ( Figure 3 ) .

At this point , the operator, viewing the obj ects 10 to be welded through the viewer device 6 , moves them in the desired positions , with the aim for them to be invested by the laser radiation of the welding device 2 and to thus make the weld .

During the whole welding process , the operator can freely rotate his/her head or change his/her posture still being able to observe the obj ects 10 during the welding process . Therefore , i f the operator continues to keep his/her hands inside the process chamber 3 through the openings 15 , he/ she can continue to carry out the welding in an ergonomic position .

During the process , the process parameters transmitted to the viewer device 6 by the electronic control unit 20 are shown to the operator on the lens elements 6b . Consequently, the operator can adj ust such process parameters by means of the process parameters adj ustment device 7 .

Speci fically, according to an embodiment not illustrated, the operator can adj ust the process parameters by means of the vocal command device . More speci fically, the operator utters a message relative to the adj ustment of one or more process parameters . The message is thus detected by the microphone of the process parameters adj ustment device 7 and transmitted to the control unit 20 , which interprets the message and adj usts the one or the more process parameters selected depending on the information contained in the message .

The present invention also concerns a vision method for manual welding operations on the welding workstation 1 . Speci fically, the vision method comprises the steps of i ) capturing the images of the obj ects 10 to be welded through the image acquisition device 5 during the welding operations and ii ) transmitting the images captured by the image acquisition device 5 to the viewer device 6 , which is worn by the operator, with the aim to show the latter the captured images of the obj ects 10 to be welded during the welding operations .

More speci fically, the transmission of the images which is performed in the step ii ) is simultaneous with the capturing of the images which is performed in the step i ) . In this manner, the operator can view in real time the obj ects 10 subj ected to the welding operations through the viewer device 6 .

The present invention also concerns an updating method of an existing welding workstation for carrying out manual welding operations comprising :

- a welding device 2 adapted to provide the necessary heat and/or pressure for welding obj ects 10 ;

- a process chamber 3 , within which the welding process is carried out by means of the welding device 2 ; and

- a microscope , which enables the operator to observe the inside of the process chamber 3 during the manual welding operations .

The method comprises the steps of i ) installing in the workstation, i . e . mounting on a portion of the workstation, an image acquisition device 5 , in addition to the microscope present in the workstation, configured to capture images of the obj ects 10 to be welded during the welding operations in the existing welding workstation; and ii ) electrically connecting a viewer device 6 wearable by an operator carrying out the manual welding operations to the image acquisition device 5 .

Speci fically, the image acquisition device 5 comprises a video camera, an obj ective which is positioned at an eyepiece of said microscope of said workstation . More speci fically, the obj ective of the video camera is positioned at the eyepiece , after removing the lens of the eyepiece of the microscope closest to said eyepiece .

Based on the foregoing, the advantages of the welding workstation 1 , of the kit 100 and of the method according to the invention are apparent .

Since the vision system 4 comprises the image acquisition device 5 and the wearable viewer device 6 , which shows the captured images of the obj ects 10 to be welded to the operator, the operator can freely change his/her posture while carrying out the welding . In fact , the operator is not obliged to remain in a fixed pos ition with his/her eyes in contact with the eyepieces of a microscope or in visual contact with a non-wearable and fixed screen . On the contrary, the operator can, for example , freely rotate his/her head without losing the visual contact with the images captured by the image acquisition device 5 or sit with his/her back straight , without having to curve over the eyepieces of the microscope . Consequently, the ergonomic trim of the whole welding workstation 1 is signi ficantly improved . It has been observed, in particular, that a greater comfort of the operator of the welding workstation 1 also corresponds to a greater level of productivity .

Moreover, since the images of the obj ects 10 during the welding operation are shown to the operator through the viewer device 6 and not through a non-wearable fixed screen, the risk of glare due to the light sources present in the surrounding environment is minimi zed .

It has been further observed that the visibility of the work area inside the process chamber 3 is generally improved with respect to the visibility obtainable through a nonwearable fixed screen . In fact , the operator obtains a three- dimensional perception of the obj ects 10 to be welded comparable to that obtainable with the eyepieces of a microscope .

The embodiment wherein the viewer device 6 is electrically connected to the image acquisition device 5 by means of an electro-magnetic connection is even more advantageous , since the operator is not constrained in his/her movements by the length of the wired connection .

It is possible to draw advantage also from the fact that the image acquisition device 5 can be electrically connected to a plurality of viewer devices 6 and/or of screens 16 . In fact , in this manner, the carrying out of the process can be proj ected, for example , for educational purposes .

Moreover, since the viewer device 6 is wearable in addition to possible reading glasses worn by the operator , the operator is not obliged to take of f his/her reading glasses before wearing the viewer device 6 . Consequently, the vision system 4 is remarkably more ergonomic than the known vision systems . In fact , the operator that wears reading glasses will not be obliged to adj ust the focusing settings of the viewer device 6 for adapting it to his/her sight .

Furthermore , the embodiment not illustrated wherein the process parameters adj ustment device 7 comprises a vocal command device is particularly advantageous, since the operator can adjust the process parameters without having to interrupt the vision of the inside of the process chamber 3 and without having to use his/her hands.

Finally, it is clear that modifications and variants can be made to the welding workstation 1, to the kit 100, to the vision method and to the updating method embodied according to the present invention, without thereby departing from the scope of protection defined by the claims.

In particular, the welding workstation could be adapted for carrying out other manual or semi-automated working processes (e.g., laser micro-milling, laser cutting, etc.) . In such case, the welding device would be replaced by a specific device for carrying out the working process at issue .

This could be particularly advantageous, for example, in the case of laser sources adaptable both for carrying out laser welding and for carrying out laser ablation processes. In this case, in fact, the welding workstation could be used for carrying out more processes, without requiring structural modifications.