KR102591502B1 - Welding information providing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention includes a main body provided to be worn by a user, a camera unit mounted on the outside of the main body and including at least one camera for acquiring a welding image frame for a welding operation, and disposed inside the main body; , a display unit that provides a welding image, a path changing unit that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit and guides it to the user's eyes, and the display to display the welding image generated based on the welding image frame. and a processor that controls, wherein a virtual extension line extending from the optical axis of the camera passes through the path change unit.

Description

Welding information providing apparatus}

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a welding information providing device.

Wear protective gear to protect the user from light and high heat generated during the welding process. While wearing protective gear, the user can only check the progress of welding through the protective gear, so it is inconvenient to remove the protective gear and visually check to check various information for welding, such as conditions set in the welding device. There is.

If the user's skill level is not high, especially when wearing an automatic welding surface or a manual welding surface, the user can only see the part adjacent to the welding light, and it is difficult to recognize the specific welding situation, such as the environment around the welding. Accordingly, there is a need to provide users with high-definition images that allow them to visually check the environment surrounding the welding, and to provide users with specific information about welding status information.

Moreover, during welding work, the illuminance/brightness of the welding light spot is very high, so a blackening filter is used to protect the user's eyes from the welding light spot and to ensure smooth welding work. In this case, areas other than the welding light spot are used. becomes completely invisible, making welding work very difficult, and the accuracy of welding may actually deteriorate.

The above problems can cause the same problems to medical staff not only during welding work, but also during skin procedures and/or treatment using high-brightness/high-brightness light such as laser light, and the same problem can occur in work using other high-brightness/high-brightness light. It becomes a problem.

The present invention, in response to the above-described need, aims to provide a welding information providing device that can improve the user's welding accuracy by showing the user not only the welding spot but also the surrounding environment around the welding.

However, these tasks are illustrative and do not limit the scope of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention includes a main body provided to be worn by a user, a camera unit mounted on the outside of the main body and including at least one camera for acquiring a welding image frame for a welding operation, and disposed inside the main body; , a display unit that provides a welding image, a path changing unit that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit and guides it to the user's eyes, and the display to display the welding image generated based on the welding image frame. and a processor that controls, wherein a virtual extension line extending from the optical axis of the camera passes through the path change unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the display unit may be arranged inside the main body, and the direction in which the welding image is provided may be arranged parallel to the virtual extension line.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the path change unit includes a first mirror that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit, and a first mirror that changes the path of the welding image changed from the first mirror to the user's eyes. It may include a second mirror that guides.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the virtual extension line may pass through the second mirror.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the camera unit is parallel to the path of the welding image from the second mirror and is positioned within a range of ±30 mm in the vertical direction based on the virtual first surface passing through the center of the second mirror. can do.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the display unit may be disposed inside the main body, and the direction in which the welding image is provided may be disposed to intersect the virtual extension line.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the path change unit may include a mirror that guides the user's eyes to the path of the welding image provided from the display unit.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the virtual extension line may pass through the mirror.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the camera unit is parallel to the path of the welding image from the mirror and may be positioned within a range of ±30 mm in the vertical direction based on the virtual first surface passing through the center of the mirror.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the distance of the path along which the welding image passes from the display unit through the path change unit to the user's eyes may be determined in a range of 200 mm to 700 mm.

Other aspects, features and advantages in addition to those described above will become apparent from the following drawings, claims and detailed description of the invention.

The welding information providing device according to embodiments of the present invention changes the path of the welding image through a path change unit and provides it to the user, thereby providing a clear welding image and making the main body compact in size.

In addition, the welding information providing device according to embodiments of the present invention obtains images through a camera unit placed at a height similar to the user's field of view, thereby providing welding images to the user by minimizing the sense of heterogeneity or incongruity with the actual work site. can do.

1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a simplified block diagram for explaining the components of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV' of FIG. 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the position of a camera unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a welding information providing device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII' of FIG. 7.
Figure 9 is a diagram for explaining the position of a camera unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, the following embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. When describing with reference to the drawings, identical or corresponding components will be assigned the same reference numerals and duplicate descriptions thereof will be omitted.

Since various transformations can be made to these embodiments, specific embodiments will be illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the detailed description. The effects and features of the present embodiments and methods for achieving them will become clear by referring to the detailed description below along with the drawings. However, the present embodiments are not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various forms.

In the following embodiments, terms such as first and second are used not in a limiting sense but for the purpose of distinguishing one component from another component.

In the following examples, singular expressions include plural expressions, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

In the following embodiments, terms such as include or have mean the presence of features or components described in the specification, and do not exclude in advance the possibility of adding one or more other features or components.

In the following embodiments, when a part of a unit, area, component, etc. is said to be on or on another part, it is not only the case where it is directly on top of the other part, but also when other units, areas, components, etc. are interposed between them. Also includes cases.

In the following embodiments, terms such as connect or combine do not necessarily mean a direct and/or fixed connection or combination of two members, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, and do not mean that another member is interposed between the two members. It's not exclusion.

This means that the features or components described in the specification exist, and does not preclude the possibility of adding one or more other features or components.

In the drawings, the sizes of components may be exaggerated or reduced for convenience of explanation. For example, the size and thickness of each component shown in the drawings are arbitrarily shown for convenience of explanation, so the following embodiments are not necessarily limited to what is shown.

1 is a diagram for explaining the structure of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the welding system 10 of the present invention may include a welding information providing device 100 and a welding torch 200. The welding information providing device 100 and the welding torch 200 are connected to each other through a communication network and can transmit and receive data. The welding information providing device 100 and the welding torch 200 may operate in a one-to-one correspondence, but are not limited to this and may also operate in a one-to-n correspondence. In other words, n welding torches 200 can be connected to one welding information providing device 100, and one welding torch 200 can be connected to n welding information providing devices 100. there is. In addition, the welding information providing device 100 and the welding torch 200 can communicate with a separate server (not shown) to exchange data.

The welding information providing device 100 may provide information about the welding situation to the user. Specifically, the welding information providing device 100 may acquire a welding image using at least one camera mounted on the welding information providing device 100, generate a composite image based on the obtained image, and display it to the user. The welding information providing device 100 can generate a composite image using High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology, and display and provide a high-definition composite image to the user. At this time, the user can visually check the shape of the weld bead and information about the surrounding environment other than the area adjacent to the welding light through the high-definition composite image.

The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can obtain a welding image by placing a camera unit at a position equivalent to the user's field of view. Through this, the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide more accurate welding information to the user by acquiring a welding image similar to that when the user directly looks at the work site.

In addition, the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can synthesize and provide high-definition welding images. To this end, images are acquired through two or more cameras and each image is displayed on at least one display unit. It can be displayed through. For example, the camera unit may include two cameras, which may be placed at positions corresponding to the user's left and right eyes, respectively.

The welding information providing device 100 can synthesize images by repeatedly shooting with different shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain values of each camera. The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can improve image quality by performing contrast processing on a composite image.

Additionally, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a function of displaying welding information in a preferred color (eg, green, blue) using RGB. Additionally, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a magnifying glass power correction function (eg, screen enlargement and reduction). Additionally, the welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can provide a temperature composite image using a separate thermal imaging camera. At this time, the welding information providing device 100 may display the welding temperature in color. The welding information providing device 100 of the present invention can support the function of providing all of the above-described functions with sound (eg, guidance alarm) or guidance voice.

The welding torch 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention monitors the welding situation including welding temperature, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and distance between the base material and the welding torch for real-time welding work through at least one sensor. It can be sensed. The welding torch 200 can monitor the state of the torch and change the torch work setting value depending on the welding situation.

The welding information providing device 100 of the present invention is capable of receiving information about work settings and work status from the welding torch 200 through a communication network connected to the welding torch 200, and provides information to the user based on the received welding information. Task information can be provided through visual feedback.

For example, when the welding information providing device 100 receives sensing information about a welding temperature value, it can output a notification corresponding to the temperature value in various ways, such as light, vibration, or a message. In this case, the notification may be visual feedback provided on the display unit or display of the welding information providing device 100, or may be auditory feedback through a sound (eg, a guidance alarm) or a guidance voice.

Meanwhile, sensing information about the temperature value may include information about whether the temperature value exceeds a preset temperature range. Additionally, the sensing information about the temperature value may include a numerical value, grade, level, etc. corresponding to the temperature value of the welding surface.

If the welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention determines that the temperature values of the torch and the welding surface are outside the preset temperature range, it may guide the user to stop work. In the case of welding outside the preset temperature range, there is a risk of quality deterioration, so the user can be guided to adjust the temperature value of the torch.

At this time, the visual feedback may be providing an icon indicating danger to a portion of the display area of the welding information providing device 100 displaying the work site. As another example, the welding information providing device 100 may provide work stoppage guidance through visual feedback by repeatedly increasing and decreasing the saturation of a specific color (for example, red) on the entire display screen.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 can detect welding information through a sensor included in the welding information providing device 100, in addition to at least one sensor included in the welding torch 200. there is. At this time, the welding information may detect the welding situation, including light intensity related to real-time welding work, welding temperature, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and distance between the base material and the welding torch, etc. through at least one sensor.

Likewise, the welding information providing device 100 may provide guidance corresponding to welding information based on welding information detected through a sensor included in the welding information providing device 100.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 controls the operation of the welding torch 200 by sensing a preset user's movement or a preset Sayohongja's voice, etc., after guidance on the importance of work is provided. You can change it.

As another example, when communication with the welding torch 200 is not smooth, the welding information providing device 100 may acquire temperature values of the torch and the welding surface through image sensing provided by the welding torch 200. For example, the welding information providing device 100 may acquire temperature values of the torch and the welding surface based on image data acquired through a thermal imaging camera.

The above example only describes the case where the information received from the welding torch 200 is welding temperature information, and of course, the welding information providing device 100 can provide guidance for various welding information.

FIG. 2 is a simplified block diagram for explaining the components of a welding system according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a welding information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a diagram of FIG. 3. This is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV'.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 , the welding system 10 may include a welding information providing device 100 and a welding torch 200. The welding information providing device 100 may include a main body 101, a camera unit 110, a display unit 120, a path change unit 130, a processor 140, a sensor unit 150, and a communication unit 190. You can.

In addition, the welding information providing device 100 includes an outer cover unit 160 to protect the camera unit 110, an inner cover unit 170 disposed between the display unit 120 and the user, and the main body 101. It may include a fixing part 180 that is disposed on the back and fixes the welding information providing device 100 to the user's head.

The main body 101 is intended to protect the user's face and may be provided so that the user can wear it. The main body 101 may be made of a material having a certain strength, such as reinforced plastic, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and any material that is resistant to elements such as sparks that may occur during welding can be used.

The main body 101 may be fixed to the user's head through a fixing part 180 provided on the inside of the main body 101. The fixing part 180 may have a structure including a plurality of ribs like a head gear, and an element containing a soft material such as a fiber material or a cushion material may be disposed on at least a portion of the inner surface that is in direct contact with the worker's head. .

The camera unit 110 is mounted on the outside of the main body 101 and may include at least one camera that acquires welding image frames for welding operations. The camera unit 110 may receive a control command from the processor 140 and change settings of shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain in response to the control command to photograph the welding work phenomenon.

As one embodiment, the camera unit 110 may be located on the front part of the main body 101 corresponding to the user's field of view. The camera unit 110 may include one camera to acquire welding image frames for welding operations, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

As another embodiment, the camera unit 110 may place two cameras at positions corresponding to the user's left and right eyes, respectively. As another embodiment, the camera unit 110 may further include a camera that obtains a welding image frame by shooting from a position other than the front part of the main body 101 corresponding to the user's field of view.

The camera unit 110 may be protected by the outer cover unit 160. The outer cover unit 160 may include an outer cover frame 161, an outer cover plate 162, and a light blocking cartridge 163.

The outer cover frame 161 may perform the function of coupling the outer cover unit 160 to the main body 101.

The outer cover plate 162 is disposed in front of the light blocking cartridge 163 and can protect the light blocking cartridge 163. The outer cover plate 162 may include a material that allows light to pass through, for example, a transparent material. The outer cover plate 162 may include a resin material such as polycarbonate or acrylic, and may be molded by injection molding.

The light-shielding cartridge 163 can block welding light generated when welding occurs. That is, the light-shielding cartridge 163 may increase the light-shielding degree of the cartridge based on welding light information detected through the sensor unit 150, for example, a photo sensor. At this time, the light-shielding cartridge 163 may include, for example, a liquid crystal panel (LCD panel) whose blackening degree can be adjusted depending on the alignment direction of the liquid crystal. For example, the light-shielding cartridge 163 may be implemented with various panels, such as a VA (Vertical Align) type LCD, a TN (Twist Nematic) type LCD, and an IPS (In Plane Switching) type LCD.

The blackening degree of the light-shielding cartridge 163 can be automatically adjusted according to the brightness of the welding light. As described above, in the case where the brightness of the welding light is automatically adjusted, the sensor unit 150 can be used. The sensor unit 150 acquires welding light information by detecting the light intensity of the welding light, and transmits the information about the intensity of the welding light included in the welding light information as a predetermined electrical signal to the processor 140, which will be described later. (140) can control the degree of blackening based on the intensity of the welding light.

That is, the light-shielding cartridge 163 can change the light-shielding degree of the panel in real time to correspond to the intensity of light generated at the welding surface at the welding work site, and the camera unit 110 is connected to the light-shielding cartridge 163 installed at the front. It is possible to capture welding images with a certain amount of welding light shielded.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the welding information providing device 100 may not include the light-shielding cartridge 163. In this case, the user can perform welding work only with the welding image acquired through the camera unit 110.

The camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a thermal imaging camera. The welding information providing device 100 may obtain a temperature image by combining a thermal image obtained through a thermal imaging camera with an image of the welding site.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a lighting unit (not shown) electrically connected to the processor 140 may be further included. The lighting unit (not shown) is located outside the welding information providing device 100 and is configured to irradiate light toward at least the welding work area. The lighting unit (not shown) may include a plurality of LED modules, and the output level of light emitted through the lighting unit (not shown) may be adjusted by control of the processor 140. According to one embodiment, the lighting unit (not shown) may operate in conjunction with the operation of the camera unit 110 under the control of the processor 140.

The display unit 120 is disposed inside the main body 101 and can provide a welding image. The display unit 120 may provide the welding image obtained from the camera unit 110 as is or may provide a high-definition composite image including welding information.

The display unit 120 can display a high-definition composite image so that the worker can visually check the surrounding environment (for example, the shape of a previously worked weld bead, etc.) other than the area adjacent to the welding light. Additionally, the display unit 120 may provide visual feedback (eg, welding progress direction) to the operator regarding the welding progress status.

The display unit 120 is implemented with various display technologies such as Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLED), Light-Emitting Diode (LED), Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LcoS), or Digital Light Processing (DLP). It can be.

The display unit 120 is disposed inside the main body 101, but not at a position where the welding image is directly provided to the user's field of view, but at a position where the welding image can be indirectly provided by the path change unit 130, which will be described later. can be placed.

As an example, the display unit 120 may be positioned so that the direction in which it provides a welding image is parallel to the optical axis AX1 of the camera unit 110. In other words, as shown in FIG. 3, the display unit 120 is located near the user's forehead and may provide a welding image toward the path change unit 130.

The path change unit 130 may perform a function of changing the path of the welding image provided from the display unit 120 and guiding it to the user's eyes. For example, the path change unit 130 may be made of a mirror that reflects a welding image. The path change unit 130 according to the embodiment of FIG. 3 includes a first mirror 131 that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit 120 (A → B), and a first mirror 131 that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit 120. It may include a second mirror 132 that changes the path of the welding image (B → C) and guides it to the user's eyes. The drawing shows a case where the path of the welding image is changed using two mirrors, but the technical idea of the present invention is not limited to this, and the path of the welding image can be changed by further including more mirrors or members capable of changing the path. Of course it can be changed.

Here, the first mirror 131 and the second mirror 132 may be made of or coated with a material that reflects the welding image, for example, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA), poly carbonate (PC), polyester, Ag. (silver) or Al (aluminum).

The first mirror 131 is inclined at an angle of 45° to 50° with respect to the path of the welding image, so that the path of the welding image can be changed to be vertical. Likewise, the second mirror 132 is inclined at an angle of 45° to 50° with respect to the path of the welding image changed from the first mirror 131, so that the path of the welding image can be changed vertically. For example, the first mirror 131 and the second mirror 132 may be arranged in an axisymmetric relationship with respect to the center line passing through the path change unit 130, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The welding image provided from the display unit 120 may be reflected by the first mirror 131, inverted, and again inverted by the second mirror 132 and provided to the user. At this time, in order to provide the user with the same image as the actual work site, the display unit 120 must provide a welding image with the upper and lower images reversed, so the welding image provided by the display unit 120 is provided by the camera unit 110. ) may be an image in which the top and bottom and left and right of the image acquired through is reversed. In another embodiment, when the path change unit 130 includes more mirrors, the processor 140 changes the direction of the image obtained from the camera unit 110 to provide the user with the same image as the work site. It can be transmitted to the display unit 120.

Since it is difficult for the human eye to focus on an object that is too close, a clear image can be obtained only when the display unit 120 is placed at the focal distance of the field of view. If the display unit 120 is placed in front of the user, the size of the welding information providing device 100 must be increased to secure this distance. The welding information providing device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention can secure the focal distance of the welding image provided from the display unit 120 through the path change unit 130 and set the display unit 120 to an appropriate location. Since it can be placed in any location, the size of the main body 101 can be configured compactly.

The distance of the path along which the welding image passes from the display unit 120 to the user's eyes through the path change unit 130 of the above-described structure may be 200 mm or more. In addition, the user can work at a distance of approximately 500 mm to 700 mm between the field of view and the site. When the distance of the welding image path provided from the display unit 120 exceeds 700 mm, the user may work There may be a sense of incongruity between the environment and the image. Accordingly, the path of the welding image changed through the path change unit 130 can be determined in a range of 700 mm or less. In other words, the combined distance of path A, path B, and path C in FIG. 3 may be 200 mm or more and 700 mm or less.

The welding information providing device 100 may further include an inner cover unit 170 between the path change unit 130 and the user's eyes, that is, on the path along which the welding image passes.

The inner cover unit 170 may function to prevent foreign substances from penetrating into the interior of the path change unit 130. Although not shown, the inner cover unit 170 may include an inner cover plate (not shown) and a fixing frame (not shown) that secures the inner cover plate to the inside of the main body 101. Additionally, the inner cover unit 170 may be structured to further include a lens member such as a magnifying glass depending on the user's selection.

The processor 140 may synthesize welding image frames received through the camera unit 110 to generate a high-definition composite image. The processor 140 allows the camera unit 110 to set different shooting conditions for each frame and obtain a composite image by synthesizing frames acquired in time order in parallel. Specifically, the processor 140 may control the camera unit 110 to take pictures by changing the shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain of the camera of the camera unit 110.

At this time, the processor 140 may set different shooting conditions depending on conditions such as the sensed welding light at the welding site, ambient light, and the degree of movement of the welding torch 200. Specifically, the processor 140 may set shooting conditions so that the ISO sensitivity and gain decrease as the welding light and/or ambient light at the welding site increases. Additionally, when the movement and/or work speed of the welding torch 200 is detected to be fast, shooting conditions can be set to increase the shutter speed.

The processor 140 may synthesize images of a preset number of frames in parallel. According to an embodiment of the present invention, each image within a preset frame may be captured under different shooting conditions.

If there are two or more cameras in the camera unit 110, the processor 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention may control the shooting by setting different shooting setting conditions for each camera. Even in this case, the processor 140 can synthesize images of a preset number of frames in parallel.

The processor 140 may control the overall operation of the welding information providing device 100 using various programs stored in memory (not shown). For example, the processor 140 may include a CPU, RAM, ROM, and a system bus. Here, the ROM is a configuration in which a set of instructions for system booting is stored, and the CPU copies the operating system stored in the memory of the welding information providing device 100 to RAM according to the instructions stored in the ROM and runs the O/S to run the system. Boot it. Once booting is complete, the CPU can copy various applications stored in memory to RAM and execute them to perform various operations. Although the processor 140 is described above as including only one CPU, it may be implemented with multiple CPUs (or DSP, SoC, etc.).

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the processor 140 may be implemented as a digital signal processor (DSP), a microprocessor, and/or a time controller (TCON) that processes digital signals. However, it is not limited to this, and is not limited to a central processing unit (CPU), a micro controller unit (MCU), a micro processing unit (MPU), a controller, an application processor (AP), or It may include one or more of a communication processor (CP) and an ARM processor, or may be defined by the corresponding term. In addition, the processor 140 may be a System on Chip (SoC) with a processing algorithm embedded, or an LSI (LSI). It may be implemented in the form of large scale integration or in the form of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

The sensor unit 150 may include a plurality of sensor modules configured to detect various information about the welding site and obtain welding information. At this time, the welding information may include welding temperature for real-time welding work, welding direction, welding slope, welding speed, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch. Moreover, the sensor unit 150 may include an optical sensor module configured to detect the level of light within at least the welding work area.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sensor unit 150 may include an illuminance sensor, and at this time, the sensor unit 150 may obtain information about the intensity of welding light at the welding site. In addition to the illuminance sensor, the sensor unit 150 may further include various types of sensors such as a proximity sensor, a noise sensor, a video sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and an RF sensor. , various changes related to the welding work environment can be detected.

The communication unit 190 is configured to receive welding information from the welding torch 200 and transmit commands for controlling the welding torch 200. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the communication unit 190 may transmit the composite image to an external device other than the welding torch 200. At this time, the external device may include various devices including a communication module, such as a worker/third party's smartphone or computer.

The communication unit 190 may be configured to communicate with various types of external devices according to various types of communication methods. The communication unit 190 may include at least one of a Wi-Fi chip, a Bluetooth chip, a wireless communication chip, and an NFC chip. In particular, when using a Wi-Fi chip or a Bluetooth chip, various connection information such as SSID and session key are first transmitted and received, and various information can be transmitted and received after establishing a communication connection using this. A wireless communication chip refers to a chip that performs communication according to various communication standards such as IEEE, Zigbee, 3G (3rd Generation), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), and LTE (Long Term Evolution). An NFC chip refers to a chip that operates in the NFC (Near Field Communication) method using the 13.56MHz band among various RF-ID frequency bands such as 135kHz, 13.56MHz, 433MHz, 860~960MHz, 2.45GHz, etc.

Meanwhile, although not shown, the welding torch 200 may include a communication unit, a sensor unit, and a second processor.

The communication unit transmits and receives data with the welding information providing device 100. The communication unit includes modules capable of short-range wireless communication (e.g., Bluetooth, Wifi, Wifi-Direct) or long-range wireless communication (3G, High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), or Long Term Evolution (LTE)). can do.

The sensor unit or second sensor is included in the welding torch and is configured to sense welding conditions such as welding temperature, welding speed, welding slope, welding direction, and the distance between the base material and the welding torch.

The sensor unit detects at least one of various changes, such as a change in the posture of the user holding the welding torch 200, a change in the illuminance of the welding surface, and a change in acceleration of the welding torch 200, and sends the corresponding electrical signal to the second processor. It can be passed on. That is, the sensor unit can detect a change in state based on the welding torch, generate a detection signal accordingly, and transmit it to the second processor.

In the present disclosure, the sensor unit may be composed of various sensors, and when the welding torch 200 is driven (or based on user settings), power is supplied to at least one preset sensor according to control to detect a change in the state of the welding torch 200. can do.

In this case, the sensor unit may be configured to include at least one device among all types of sensing devices that can detect changes in the state of the welding torch 200. For example, the sensor unit includes an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, an illuminance sensor, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a noise sensor, and a video sensor. It may be configured to include at least one sensor among various sensing devices such as (video sensor), gravity sensor, etc. The light level within the welding work area detected through the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200 may be transmitted to the processor 140 through the communication unit, and the processor 140 may communicate with the sensor unit 150 of the welding information providing device 100. The lighting unit (not shown) and/or the camera 110 can be controlled based on the level of light transmitted through the illuminance sensor of the welding torch 200, rather than through .

Meanwhile, the acceleration sensor is a component for detecting the movement of the welding torch 200. Specifically, the acceleration sensor can measure dynamic forces such as acceleration, vibration, and impact of the welding torch 200, and thus can measure the movement of the welding torch 200.

A gravity sensor is a component that detects the direction of gravity. That is, the detection result of the gravity sensor can be used together with the acceleration sensor to determine the movement of the welding torch 200. Additionally, the direction in which the welding torch 200 is held can be determined through the gravity sensor.

In addition to the above-described types of sensors, the welding torch 200 may further include various types of sensors such as gyroscope sensors, geomagnetic sensors, ultrasonic sensors, and RF sensors, and can detect various changes related to the welding work environment.

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams for explaining the position of a camera unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the camera unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be placed at a position where a virtual extension line extending from the optical axis AX1 of the camera passes the path change unit 130.

As an example, a virtual extension line extending from the optical axis AX1 of the camera unit 110 may pass through the second mirror 132 of the path change unit 130. Specifically, the camera unit 110 is parallel to the path of the welding image from the second mirror 132 and moves in the vertical direction based on the virtual first surface P1 passing through the center O2 of the second mirror 132. It can be located within ±30mm (A1).

In other words, the camera unit 110 can be placed on the front part of the main body 101 so as to be located at a height similar to the user's field of view, and through this, an image can be obtained at the same level as the user's eye level.

Referring to FIG. 6, in another embodiment, the camera unit 110 may include two cameras corresponding to the user's left eye and right eye, respectively. The two cameras may be arranged symmetrically with respect to the center line C1 of the main body 101, and the distance d between the optical axes of each camera may range from 60 mm to 70 mm.

As described above, it may be located within a range (A1) of ±30 mm in the vertical direction based on the virtual first surface (P1) passing through the center (O2) of the second mirror 132.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a welding information providing device according to another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII' of Figure 7, and Figure 9 is a camera unit according to another embodiment of the present invention. This is a drawing to explain the location of .

7 to 9, a welding information providing device 100' according to another embodiment of the present invention includes a main body 101, a camera unit 110, a display unit 120, a path change unit 130, It may include a processor (140, see FIG. 2), a sensor unit (150, see FIG. 2), and a communication unit (190, see FIG. 2). Since another embodiment has the same configuration as one embodiment except that the path change unit 130 includes one mirror, overlapping descriptions will be omitted.

The main body 101 is intended to protect the user's face and may be provided so that the user can wear it. The main body 101 may be fixed to the user's head through a fixing part 180 provided on the inside of the main body 101.

The camera unit 110 is mounted on the outside of the main body 101 and may include at least one camera that acquires welding image frames for welding operations. The camera unit 110 may receive a control command from the processor 140 and change settings of shutter speed, ISO sensitivity, and gain in response to the control command to photograph the welding work phenomenon.

The camera unit 110 may be placed at a location where a virtual extension line extending from the optical axis AX1 of the camera passes the path change unit 130. A virtual extension line extending from the optical axis AX1 of the camera unit 110 may pass through the path change unit 130. Specifically, the camera unit 110 is parallel to the path of the welding image from the path change unit 130 and is within a range of ±30 mm in the vertical direction based on the virtual first surface (P1) passing through the center (O2) of the mirror ( It can be located at A1).

In other words, the camera unit 110 can be placed on the front part of the main body 101 so as to be located at a height similar to the user's field of view, and through this, an image can be obtained at the same level as the user's eye level.

The camera unit 110 may be protected by the outer cover unit 160. The outer cover unit 160 may include a light blocking cartridge. The light blocking cartridge can block the welding light generated when welding occurs. That is, the light-shielding cartridge may increase the light-shielding degree of the cartridge based on welding light information detected through the sensor unit 150, for example, a photo sensor. At this time, the light-shielding cartridge may include, for example, a liquid crystal panel (LCD panel) whose blackening degree can be adjusted depending on the alignment direction of the liquid crystal. For example, the light-shielding cartridge 163 may be implemented with various panels, such as a VA (Vertical Align) type LCD, a TN (Twist Nematic) type LCD, and an IPS (In Plane Switching) type LCD.

The display unit 120 is disposed inside the main body 101 and can provide a welding image. The display unit 120 may provide the welding image obtained from the camera unit 110 as is or may provide a high-definition composite image including welding information.

The display unit 120 is disposed inside the main body 101, but not at a position where the welding image is directly provided to the user's field of view, but at a position where the welding image can be indirectly provided by the path change unit 130, which will be described later. can be placed.

The display unit 120 may be positioned so that the direction in which it provides the welding image is perpendicular to the optical axis AX1 of the camera unit 110. In other words, as shown in FIG. 8, the display unit 130 is located near the user's forehead and may provide a welding image toward the path change unit 130 located below.

Since the welding image provided from the display unit 120 is reflected through one mirror and inverted, the processor 140 changes the direction of the image acquired from the camera unit 110 to correspond to this and provides it to the display unit 120. can do.

The path change unit 130 may perform a function of changing the path of the welding image provided from the display unit 120 and guiding it to the user's eyes. For example, the path change unit 130 may be made of a mirror that reflects a welding image. The path change unit 130 according to the embodiment of FIG. 7 may include one mirror, and changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit 120 (A → B) to guide it directly to the user's eyes. You can.

Here, the path change unit 130 may be made of or coated with a material that reflects the welding image, for example, PMMA (poly methyl methacrylate), PC (poly carbonate), Polyester, Ag (silver), Al (aluminum) ) can be made up of any one of the following. The path change unit 130 is inclined at an angle of 45° to 50° with respect to the path of the welding image, and can vertically change the path of the welding image.

The distance of the path along which the welding image passes from the display unit 120 to the user's eyes through the path change unit 130 of the above-described structure may be 200 mm or more. In addition, the user can work at a distance of approximately 500 mm to 700 mm between the field of view and the site. When the distance of the welding image path provided from the display unit 120 exceeds 700 mm, the user may work There may be a sense of incongruity between the environment and the image. Accordingly, the path of the welding image changed through the path change unit 130 can be determined in a range of 700 mm or less. In other words, the combined distance of path A, path B, and path C in FIG. 3 may be 200 mm or more and 700 mm or less.

The welding information providing device 100 may further include an inner cover unit 170 between the path change unit 130 and the user's eyes, that is, on the path along which the welding image passes.

As described above, the welding information providing device according to embodiments of the present invention changes the path of the welding image through a path change unit and provides it to the user, thereby providing a clear welding image and making it possible to configure the main body to be compact in size. there is. In addition, the welding information providing device according to embodiments of the present invention obtains images through a camera unit placed at a height similar to the user's field of view, thereby providing welding images to the user by minimizing the sense of heterogeneity or incongruity with the actual work site. can do.

As such, the present invention has been described with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings, but this is merely an example, and those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications and variations of the embodiment are possible therefrom. Therefore, the true scope of technical protection of the present invention should be determined by the technical spirit of the attached patent claims.

101: body
110: Camera unit
120: display unit
130: route change unit
140: processor
150: sensor unit
160: Outer cover unit
170: inner cover unit
180: fixing part
190: Department of Communications
200: welding torch

Claims (10)

A main body that can be worn by a user;
a camera unit mounted outside the main body and including at least one camera that acquires welding image frames for welding operations;
a display unit disposed inside the main body and providing a welding image;
a path change unit that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit and guides it to the user's eyes; and
A processor that controls the display to display the welding image generated based on the welding image frame,
A virtual extension line extending from the optical axis of the camera passes through the path change unit,
The display unit is disposed inside the main body, and the direction in which the welding image is provided is parallel to the virtual extension line,
The path change unit includes a first mirror that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit, and a second mirror that changes the path of the welding image changed from the first mirror and guides it to the user's eyes. ,
The virtual extension line passes through the second mirror. delete delete delete According to claim 1,
The camera unit is located within a range of ±30 mm in the normal direction based on the virtual first surface passing through the center of the second mirror,
The virtual first surface is parallel to the path of the welding image from the second mirror. A main body that can be worn by a user;
a camera unit mounted outside the main body and including at least one camera that acquires welding image frames for welding operations;
a display unit disposed inside the main body and providing a welding image;
a path change unit that changes the path of the welding image provided from the display unit and guides it to the user's eyes; and
A processor that controls the display to display the welding image generated based on the welding image frame,
A virtual extension line extending from the optical axis of the camera passes through the path change unit, and the display unit is disposed inside the main body, and the direction of providing the welding image is arranged to intersect the virtual extension line,
The path change unit includes a mirror that guides the path of the welding image provided from the display unit to the user's eyes,
The virtual extension line passes through the mirror. delete delete According to clause 6,
The camera unit is located within a range of ±30 mm in the normal direction based on the virtual first surface passing through the center of the mirror,
The virtual first surface is parallel to the path of the welding image from the mirror. According to claim 1,
A welding information providing device wherein the distance of the path along which the welding image passes from the display unit through the path change unit to the user's eyes is determined in a range of 200 mm to 700 mm.

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