Patents by Inventor Phillip L. Frey

Phillip L. Frey has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Welding control using fuzzy logic analysis of video imaged puddle dimensions
    Patent number: 5614116
    Abstract: A welding system includes an imaging system that takes frame by frame pictures of a weld puddle. The imaging system is located in the weld torch. From the images puddle length and width are determined. The length and width are applied against stored membership functions that cover a range of different weld current characteristics and the degree of membership of each dimension in those functions is determined, producing an alpha factor for each membership function. This provides a fuzzy current requirement. Stored values for moment and area for each membership function are multiplied by the alpha for the respective function. The total of the moments is divided by the total of the areas to produce a desired weld current. The weld head includes a weld wire feeder that is driven by a servo by which the wire can be feed along either side of the weld joint. The wire feeder is gear driven in such a way that it does not interfere with the optics in the weld torch. The optics include a strobe to illuminate the puddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 25, 1997
    Assignee: United Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Mary A. Austin, Kenneth C. Dunne, Dag Lindland, Phillip L. Frey, Dean G. Hystad, Richard E. Nelson, Bradley D. Warner
  • Welding control using fuzzy logic analysis of video imaged puddle dimensions
    Patent number: RE36926
    Abstract: A welding system includes an imaging system that takes frame by frame pictures of a weld puddle. The imaging system is located in the weld torch. From the images puddle length and width are determined. The length and width are applied against stored membership functions that cover a range of different weld current characteristics and the degree of membership of each dimension in those functions is determined, producing an alpha factor for each membership function. This provides a fuzzy current requirement. Stored values for moment and area for each membership function are multiplied by the alpha for the respective function. The total of the moments is divided by the total of the areas to produce a desired weld current. The weld head includes a weld wire feeder that is driven by a servo by which the wire can be feed along either side of the weld joint. The wire feeder is gear driven in such a way that it does not interfere with the optics in the weld torch. The optics include a strobe to illuminate the puddle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignees: United Technologies Corporation, MTS Corporation
    Inventors: Mary A. Austin, Kenneth C. Dunne, Dag Lindland, Phillip L. Frey, Dean G. Hystad, Richard E. Nelson, Bradley D. Warner