Laser weld monitor

Patent 6670574 Issued on December 30, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date:

July 31, 2022. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

Unitek Miyachi Corporation

Application

No. 10/210009 filed on 07/31/2002

US Classes:

219/121.64, Methods219/121.63, Welding219/121.83, With monitoring219/121.85Method

Examiners

Primary: Elve, M. Alexandra

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP

International Classes

B23K 26/02 (20060101)
B23K 26/03 (20060101)
G01N 3/08 (20060101)
G01N 3/00 (20060101)
G01N 3/06 (20060101)

Abstract

A laser weld monitoring system capable of assessing a weld quality of welding using a pulsed laser is provided. The system includes at least one sensor capable of capturing a weld characteristic of welding using said pulsed laser. The weld characteristic has multiple attributes. The system also includes data acquisition and processing equipment adapted for storing and analyzing the weld characteristic. A user first performs multiple welds to capture at least one weld characteristic for each weld. The user then determines the weld quality of each weld, and runs at least one of a library of algorithms associated with the attributes on said at least one weld characteristic for each weld to generate a single value output for the associated attribute. The user selects an attribute indicative of the weld quality by correlating the single value outputs of said at least one algorithm with the weld qualities of the welds.