Vanon D Pratt

6621091, Sep 16, 2003

Jun 13, 2001

09/880684

Vanon David Pratt - Blanchester OH
Lorne Weeter - Springboro OH

Motoman, Inc. - West Carrollton OH

G01N 2186

25055933, 901 42, 21912182, 250239

A workpiece enclosure system of the present invention includes a workpiece loading section, a laser workstation cell, and a workpiece unloading section. The workpiece loading section includes a materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from an input conveyor to a light-tight pass-through enclosure in communication with the laser workstation cell. The laser workstation cell includes an additional materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the pass-through enclosure to one of two dual headstock/tailstock positioners for laser operations. Preferably, two sets of laser-cutting robots are arranged to perform laser-cutting operations on workpieces held by the headstock/tailstock positioners. The materials handling robot is further arranged to move workpieces from the headstock/tailstock positioners to an additional pass-through enclosure in communication with the workpiece unloading section. The workpiece unloading section includes a final materials handling robot arranged to move workpieces from the additional pass-through enclosure to an output conveyor.

6649868, Nov 18, 2003

Jun 11, 2001

09/878754

Vanon David Pratt - Blanchester OH
Lorne Weeter - Springboro OH

Motoman, Inc. - West Carrollton OH

B23K 2612

21912186, 21912182

A light-tight laser enclosure system including an enclosure, a robotic laser, first and second pass through partitions, and first and second rotary positioners. The robotic laser is positioned within an interior volume of the enclosure and defines a processing envelope. The first pass through partition defines a first passage in selective communication with interior and exterior volumes of the enclosure, and is configured to maintain a light-tight configuration as the first passage is placed in selective communication with the interior and exterior volumes. The second pass through partition defines a second passage in selective communication with interior and exterior volumes of the enclosure, and is configured to maintain a light-tight configuration as the second passage is placed in selective communication with the interior and exterior volumes. The first and second rotary positioners are configured to secure a workpiece within the first and the second passages, respectively.

54849802, Jan 16, 1996

Feb 26, 1993

8/023453

Vanon D. Pratt - Blanchester OH
Eric J. Whitney - State College PA
Wilbur D. Scheidt - Cincinnati OH

General Electric Company - Cincinnati OH

B23K 2608

21912165

An apparatus for smoothing and densifying or increasing the density of a coating on a workpiece includes a laser for generating a laser beam and a cylindrical lens for focusing the laser beam into a line of light on the coating surface. A manipulator is provided for moving one of the workpiece or the laser and the light line generated thereby relative to one another to cause the light line to scan across the coating to remove any rough portions and provide a smoother surface with a higher density depending upon the nature of the coating material. In one embodiment of the present invention, a mechanism is provided to oscillate the laser light line to homogenize adverse effects caused by any hot spots along the line.