초록 ▼

A system is provided for delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream. The system generally comprises a head assembly for providing a pressurized fluidic stream; a nozzling unit coupled to the head assembly for nozzling the pressurized fluidic stream; and, an adaptive orientatio

A system is provided for delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream. The system generally comprises a head assembly for providing a pressurized fluidic stream; a nozzling unit coupled to the head assembly for nozzling the pressurized fluidic stream; and, an adaptive orientation assembly coupled to the nozzling unit. The nozzling unit is operable to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for cutting about or along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, and includes a nozzle member having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinally extending passage. This passage terminates at an outlet portion which describes in sectional contour a predetermined shape such that, during operation, it serves to generate upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a corresponding sectional contour. The adaptive orientation assembly is operable to displace the nozzle member in a manner adaptive to the position of the nozzling unit relative to the pattern predefined on the workpiece. The adaptive orientation assembly thus maintains the cutting stream within a predefined angular orientation range relative to predefined pattern.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream comprising:(a) a head assembly for generating a pressurized fluidic stream;(b) a nozzling unit coupled to said head assembly fox nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream to expel a high-energy abrasive cuffing stream f

1. A system for delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream comprising:(a) a head assembly for generating a pressurized fluidic stream;(b) a nozzling unit coupled to said head assembly fox nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream to expel a high-energy abrasive cuffing stream for advancing and cutting along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said nozzling unit including a nozzle member having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinal passage, said passage terminating at an outlet portion describing in sectional contour a predetermined shape to generate upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a corresponding sectional contour; and,(c) an adaptive orientation assembly coupled to said nozzling unit for angularly displacing said nozzle member during the advancement of said high-energy abrasive cutting stream along said predefined pattern on the workpiece in a manner adaptive to the position of said nozzling unit relative to said predefined pattern, said adaptive orientation assembly maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern. 2. A system for delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream comprising;(a) a head assembly for generating a pressurized fluidic stream;(b) a nozzling unit coupled to said head assembly for nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for cutting along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said nozzling unit including a nozzle member having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinal passage, said passage terminating at an outlet portion describing in sectional contour a predetermined shape to generate upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a corresponding sectional contour;(c) an adaptive orientation assembly coupled to said nozzling unit for angularly displacing said nozzle member in a manner adaptive to the position of said nozzling unit relative to said pattern predefined on the workpiece, said adaptive orientation assembly maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern; and,(d) an articulation assembly coupled to said nozzling unit for pivotally displacing said nozzle member about a transversely directed pivot axis during said relative displacement of said nozzling unit and workpiece. 3. The system as recited in claim 1 further comprising a controller coupled to said adaptive orientation assembly for automatically actuating said adaptive angular displacement of said nozzle member. 4. The system as recited in claim 3 wherein said controller includes a multi-axis computer numerical control machine. 5. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said nozzle member extends along an angular orientation axis, said adaptive orientation assembly angularly displacing said nozzle member about said angular orientation axis. 6. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein said passage of said nozzle member extends in coaxial manner relative to said angular orientation axis. 7. The system as recited in claim 6 wherein said predetermined shape is a non-circular shape selected from the group consisting of: square, rectangular, curved rectangular, elliptic, segmented annular, diamond-like, oval, oblong, curved oblong, teardrop-like, and keyhole-like shapes. 8. The system as recited in claim 5 wherein said passage of said nozzle member extends in non-coaxial manner relative to said angular orientation axis. 9. The system as recited in claim 8 wherein said predetermined shape is selected from the group consisting of: circular, square, rectangular, curved rectangular, elliptic, segmented annular, diamond-like, oval, oblong, curved oblong, teardrop-like, and keyhole-like shapes. 10. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said adaptive orientation assembly includes a motorized drive mechanism coupled to said nozzling unit for impartin g said angular displacement thereto. 11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein said motorized drive mechanism includes a gear engaged coupling portion. 12. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said passage includes an inlet portion describing in sectional contour an entry shape incongruent to said predetermined shape of said outlet portion. 13. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said predetermined shape defines dimensional length and width extents related by a ratio of at least 1.5 in value. 14. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said nozzle member forms an orifice device. 15. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein said nozzle member is integrally formed. 16. A water jet system for delivering onto a workpiece a high definition abrasive cutting stream comprising:(a) a head assembly for generating a pressurized fluidic stream having a particulate abrasive material suspended therein;(b) a nozzling unit coupled to said head assembly for nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for advancing and cutting along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said nozzling unit including a nozzle member extending along an angular orientation axis, said nozzle member having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinally extended passage, said passage having distal inlet and outlet portions respectively describing in sectional contour incongruent inlet and outlet shapes, said outlet portion passing the high-energy abrasive cutting stream to generate upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a corresponding sectional contour;(c) an adaptive orientation assembly coupled to said nozzling unit for angularly displacing said nozzle member about said angular orientation axis during the advancement of said high-energy abrasive cutting stream along said predefined pattern on the workpiece in a manner adaptive to displacement of said nozzling unit and workpiece one relative to the other, said adaptive orientation assembly maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern; and,(d) a controller coupled to said adaptive orientation assembly for automatically actuating said adaptive angular displacement of said nozzle member. 17. A water jet system for delivering onto a workpiece a high definition abrasive cutting stream comprising:(a) a head assembly for generating a pressurized fluidic stream having a particulate abrasive material suspended therein;(b) a nozzling unit coupled to said head assembly for nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for cutting along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said nozzling unit including a nozzle member extending along an angular orientation axis, said nozzle member having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinally extended passage, said passage having distal inlet and outlet portions respectively describing in sectional contour incongruent inlet and outlet shapes, said outlet portion passing the high-energy abrasive cutting stream to generate upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a corresponding sectional contour;(c) an adaptive orientation assembly coupled to said nozzling unit for angularly displacing said nozzle member about said angular orientation axis in a manner adaptive to displacement of said nozzling unit and workpiece one relative to the other, said adaptive orientation assembly maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern;(d) a controller coupled to said adaptive orientation assembly for automatically actuating said adaptive angular displacement of said nozzle member; and,(e) an articulation assembly coupled to said nozzle unit for pivotally displacing said nozzle member about a transversely directed pivot axis during said relative displacement of said nozzling unit and workpiece. 18. The wate r jet system as recited in claim 16 wherein said outlet shape is a non-circular shape selected from the group consisting of: square, rectangular, curved rectangular, elliptic, segmented annular, diamond-like, oval, oblong, curved oblong, teardrop-like, and keyhole-like shapes. 19. The water jet system as recited in claim 18 wherein said passage of said nozzle member extends in coaxial manner relative to said angular orientation axis. 20. The water jet system as recited in claim 18 wherein said passage of said nozzle member extends in non-coaxial manner relative to said angular orientation axis. 21. The water jet system as recited in claim 16 wherein said adaptive orientation assembly includes a motorized drive mechanism coupled to said nozzling unit for imparting said angular displacement thereto. 22. The water jet system as recited in claim 21 wherein said motorized drive mechanism includes a gear engaged coupling portion. 23. The water jet system as recited in claim 21 wherein said controller includes a multi-axis computer numerical control machine operable to automatically actuate said motorized drive mechanism. 24. The water jet system as recited in claim 16 wherein said predetermined shape defines dimensional length and width extents related by a ratio of at least 1.5 in value. 25. A method of delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream comprising the steps of:(a) establishing a nozzling unit including a nozzle member extending along an angular orientation axis and having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinally extended passage therethrough, said passage terminating at an outlet portion describing in sectional contour a predetermined shape;(b) compressing a fluid and combining therewith an abrasive particulate material to generate a pressurized fluidic stream;(c) nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream through said nozzling unit to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for advancing and cuffing along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said high-energy abrasive cutting stream generating upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a sectional contour corresponding to said predetermined shape;(d) displacing said nozzling unit and workpiece one relative to the other to progressively cut along said predefined pattern on the workpiece; and,(e) automatically maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern by angularly displacing said nozzle member about said angular orientation axis during the advancement of said high-energy abrasive cutting stream along said predefined pattern on the workpiece in a manner adaptive to the position of said nozzling unit relative to said predefined pattern. 26. A method of delivering onto a workpiece a high-energy abrasive cutting stream comprising the steps of:(a) establishing a nozzling unit including a nozzle member extending along an angular orientation axis and having a laminar inner wall surface defining a longitudinally extended passage therethrough, said passage terminating at an outlet portion describing in sectional contour a predetermined shape;(b) compressing a fluid and combining therewith an abrasive particulate material to generate a pressurized fluidic stream;(c) nozzling said pressurized fluidic stream through said nozzling unit to expel a high-energy abrasive cutting stream for cutting along a predefined pattern on the workpiece, said high-energy abrasive cutting stream generating upon the workpiece an instantaneous kerf of cut having a sectional contour corresponding to said predetermined shape;(d) displacing said nozzling unit and workpiece one relative to the other to progressively cut along said predefined pattern on the workpiece;(e) automatically maintaining the instantaneous kerf of cut within a predefined angular orientation range relative to said predefined pattern by angularly displacing said nozzle member about said angular orientation axis in a manner adaptive to the position of said nozzling unit relative to said pattern predefined on the workpiece; and,(f) articulating said nozzle unit for pivotally displacing said nozzle member about a transversely directed pivot axis. 27. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein said predetermined shape is a non-circular shape selected from the group consisting of: square, rectangular, curved rectangular, elliptic, segmented annular, diamond-like, oval, oblong, curved oblong, teardrop-like, and keyhole-like shapes. 28. The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said passage of said nozzle member is established to extend coaxially relative to said angular orientation axis. 29. The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said passage of said nozzle member is established to extend non-coaxially relative to said angular orientation axis. 30. The method as recited in claim 27 wherein said programmable controller executes computer numerical control over said angular displacement of said nozzle member. 31. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein the instantaneous kerf of cut generated by said high-energy abrasive cutting stream defines dimensional length and width extents related by a ratio of at least 1.5 in value.