Color Sensing Laser Decoating with Common Optics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional laser-based coating removal systems face challenges in maintaining correspondence between the camera field of view and the laser scanner due to surface curvature or movement, leading to inaccurate stripping of desired locations and unwanted stripping of undesired areas.
Innovation Solution
A coating removal system that uses laser scanning optics as the illumination path, with a color sensing system to ensure accurate alignment by reflecting light off the surface and comparing it to predefined specifications before firing the laser, ensuring precise targeting and uniform coating removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a television camera and computer are used to analyze the field being stripped, then color-based selective stripping capability is achieved, but correspondence between camera field of view and laser scanner is lost due to surface curvature or movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the camera optical path with the laser scanning optical path by using beam splitters and dichroic mirrors to merge the illumination and detection paths with the laser path. This ensures that the camera and laser scanner share a common optical reference frame, maintaining correspondence even on curved or moving surfaces. The color sensor receives light through the same optical components that guide the laser, guaranteeing spatial alignment between sensing and processing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical intermediaries (beam splitters, dichroic mirrors, and waveguides) that mediate between the camera system and the laser scanner. These intermediaries allow both systems to operate independently while maintaining optical path correspondence. The beam splitters and dichroic mirrors act as intermediaries that separate and combine light paths, ensuring that the color sensor and laser remain aligned without requiring direct mechanical coupling.
2Ease of manufacture
If separate optical paths are used for laser scanning and color sensing, then independent optimization of each system is possible, but alignment accuracy between laser and color sensor deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the separate optical paths by integrating them through common optical components. The laser beam and illumination light share the same optical path through the use of beam splitters and dichroic mirrors, ensuring that both the laser scanning and color sensing operate from a common optical reference. This allows independent optimization of each subsystem while maintaining precise alignment through shared optics.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical components in the patent serve multiple functions: beam splitters both separate illumination from detection paths and maintain optical alignment; dichroic mirrors both direct specific wavelengths and preserve spatial correspondence. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain alignment accuracy while enabling independent optimization of laser and sensing subsystems.
3Device complexity
If conventional TV camera systems are used for color detection, then cost-effective color sensing is achieved, but coordinate correspondence with laser scanner cannot be maintained on curved surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional mechanical coordinate mapping system with an optical path merging system. Instead of using complex mechanical transformations to map camera coordinates to laser scanner coordinates, the system uses optical intermediaries to ensure both systems share a common optical reference frame. This substitution maintains coordinate correspondence on curved surfaces while keeping the system cost-effective.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for precise and uniform coating removal by maintaining accurate correspondence between scanning optics and surface color parameters, improving the accuracy and efficiency of the coating removal process.
Implementation Method 1
Delivery of certain wavelengths of radiant energy is facilitated by transmission along flexible silica fibers
Implementation Method 2
The optical lenses typically convert (collimate) the dispersing radiant energy to a second beam with the radiant energy directed more parallel to the input beam axis
Implementation Method 3
The movable reflective media are coupled to transporting mechanisms and are positioned to modify the direction of the collimated beam as a function of time
Implementation Method 4
one or more condensing (focusing) lens can be used to focus the collimated beam energy to a fine point at the target's surface
Implementation Method 5
Laser-based coating removal systems use pulses of light from high power lasers to ablate or vaporize the paint or other coating from a surface
Data Source
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AI summary
A coating removal apparatus utilizing a common optics path to provide laser pulses and light illumination to a coated surface. Reflected light resulting from the light illumination impinging the coated surface is directed to a photosensitive detector and analyzer. The reflected light is either sensed directly from the coated surface by the photosensitive detector or the reflected light is directed along at least a portion of the common optics path to the photosensitive detector. The apparatus is an integrated device including a laser source, a beam splitter, scanning optics, a waste removal apparatus, one or more light illuminators, a photosensitive detector, a comparator, and a control logic circuit. Alternatively, the coating removal apparatus is configured as a head component coupled to a body component.