Patents by Inventor Sean A. Vaughan

Sean A. Vaughan 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).

  • Patent number: 9003936
    Abstract: A cutting head of a waterjet cutting system is provided having an environment control device and a measurement device. The environment control device is positioned to act on a surface of a workpiece at least during a measurement operation to establish a measurement area on the surface of the workpiece substantially unobstructed by fluid. The measurement device is positioned to selectively obtain information from within the measurement area indicative of a position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece. A control system is further provided and operable to position the cutting head relative to the workpiece at a standoff distance based at least in part on the information indicative of the position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece obtained by the measurement device. A method of operating a waterjet cutting system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Alex M. Chillman, Kirby J. Eide, Bruce M. Schuman, Aki Tanuma, Sean A. Vaughan, Raymond L. Chenoweth, II, Richard B. Hageman, III, Steven J. Craigen, Mohamed A. Hashish, Charles D. Burnham
  • Publication number: 20130025422
    Abstract: A cutting head of a waterjet cutting system is provided having an environment control device and a measurement device. The environment control device is positioned to act on a surface of a workpiece at least during a measurement operation to establish a measurement area on the surface of the workpiece substantially unobstructed by fluid. The measurement device is positioned to selectively obtain information from within the measurement area indicative of a position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece. A control system is further provided and operable to position the cutting head relative to the workpiece at a standoff distance based at least in part on the information indicative of the position of the cutting head relative to the workpiece obtained by the measurement device. A method of operating a waterjet cutting system is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Alex M. Chillman, Kirby J. Eide, Bruce M. Schuman, Aki Tanuma, Sean A. Vaughan, Raymond L. Chenoweth, II, Richard B. Hageman, III, Steven J. Craigen, Mohamed A. Hashish, Charles D. Burnham
  • Patent number: 7703363
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating and manipulating a high-pressure fluid jet includes an assembly coupled to a motion assembly that imparts motion to the assembly along one or more axes. The motion assembly includes two motors coupled together to form a gimbal wrist, each motor having an axis of rotation. The two axes of rotation of the two motors can be perpendicular to each other, but are not necessarily aligned with the manipulator's axes of motion. The high-pressure fluid assembly incorporates a swivel that can rotate about two axes which may be parallel to the two motors' axes of rotation, allowing the high-pressure tubing contained therein to follow the motion imparted by the gimbal wrist of the motion assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Knaupp, Charles D. Burnham, Mohamed A. Hashish, Robert J. Mann, Mira K. Sahney, C. David Bader, Andreas Meyer, Sean A. Vaughan, Thomas A. Pesek, Jonathan M. Stewart
  • Patent number: 7464630
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating and manipulating a high-pressure fluid jet includes an end effector assembly coupled to a manipulator that imparts motion to the end effector. The end effector assembly includes a cutting head coupled to a source of high-pressure fluid and to a source of abrasive. A motion assembly is coupled to the cutting head via a clamp positioned around the cutting head. A nozzle body assembly is removably coupled to the cutting head assembly, which may be separated from the cutting head assembly to allow access to the orifice, without removing the cutting head assembly from the clamp. The clamp has a quick release mechanism and an alignment member. The motion assembly includes two motors coupled together to form a gimbal wrist, each motor having a horizontal axis of rotation. The two axes of rotation are perpendicular to each other, but are not necessarily aligned with the manipulator's axes of motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Knaupp, Charles D. Burnham, Mohamed A. Hashish, Robert J. Mann, Mira K. Sahney, C. David Bader, Andreas Meyer, Sean A. Vaughan, Thomas A. Pesek, Jonathan M. Stewart
  • Publication number: 20080110312
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating and manipulating a high-pressure fluid jet includes an assembly coupled to a motion assembly that imparts motion to the assembly along one or more axes. The motion assembly includes two motors coupled together to form a gimbal wrist, each motor having an axis of rotation. The two axes of rotation of the two motors can be perpendicular to each other, but are not necessarily aligned with the manipulator's axes of motion. The high-pressure fluid assembly incorporates a swivel that can rotate about two axes which may be parallel to the two motors' axes of rotation, allowing the high-pressure tubing contained therein to follow the motion imparted by the gimbal wrist of the motion assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2008
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicant: FLOW INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Knaupp, Charles Burnham, Mohamed Hashish, Robert Mann, Mira Sahney, C. Bader, Andreas Meyer, Sean Vaughan, Thomas Pesek, Jonathan Stewart
  • Publication number: 20030037650
    Abstract: An apparatus for generating and manipulating a high-pressure fluid jet includes an end effector assembly coupled to a manipulator that imparts motion to the end effector along one or more axes. The end effector assembly includes a cutting head coupled to a source of high-pressure fluid and to a source of abrasive, to generate a high-pressure abrasive fluid jet. A motion assembly is coupled to the cutting head via a clamp positioned around the cutting head. A nozzle body assembly is removably coupled to the cutting head assembly upstream of the orifice. The nozzle body assembly may be separated from the cutting head assembly to allow access to the orifice, without removing the cutting head assembly from the clamp. The clamp has a quick release mechanism, allowing an operator to open the clamp by hand to allow access to the cutting head, and an alignment member is provided on an inner surface of the clamp to accurately locate the cutting head in the clamp.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2001
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: Flow International Corporation
    Inventors: Michael Knaupp, Charles D. Burnham, Mohamed A. Hashish, Robert J. Mann, Mira K. Sahney, C. David Bader, Andreas Meyer, Sean A. Vaughan, Thomas A. Pesek, Jonathan M. Stewart