Wearable Welding Imaging for Masked Visibility and Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Welding operators face difficulties in recognizing surrounding environments and accessing critical welding information due to the high brightness of welding lights, which affects their accuracy and safety, especially when using automatic or manual welding masks.
Innovation Solution
A welding information providing apparatus with a camera unit, image generating unit, display unit, processor, and power supply, including a battery without a wire, that captures and displays high-definition images of the welding process, providing visual feedback and guidance through a wearable device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a darkening filter is used in the welding mask to protect eyes from welding light, then eye protection is improved, but visibility of the welding environment deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a camera as an intermediary device that captures the welding environment and transmits the image to the user. The camera unit is positioned to face the welding area, and the transmitted image allows the user to see the welding environment without directly exposing their eyes to the bright welding light, thus resolving the contradiction between eye protection and visibility.
2Reliability
If a wire-connected power source is used to supply power to the welding information device, then power supply stability is improved, but operational convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the power source from its traditional external wired configuration and integrates a battery directly into the welding information device. This allows the device to be worn without wires connected to external power sources, significantly improving operational convenience while maintaining sufficient power supply for the device's functions.
3Loss of information
If the user takes off the protective equipment to check welding information, then information visibility is improved, but safety protection deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The camera acts as an intermediary that allows the user to view welding information (such as temperature, direction, and other critical parameters) through a display without removing the protective equipment. The camera captures and transmits this information to the user's field of view, enabling continuous protection while maintaining information accessibility.
4Manufacturing precision
If high-definition imaging is implemented to show surrounding environment, then welding accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera unit serves multiple functions: it captures the welding environment for visibility, provides imaging information for accuracy, and can potentially monitor other parameters. By making the camera a multi-functional component, the patent achieves high-definition imaging and environmental monitoring without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A welding information providing apparatus is disclosed. The welding information providing apparatus includes a main body worn by a user, a camera unit provided to an outside of the main body and including at least one camera obtaining welding image frames for a welding process, an image generating unit provided to inside the main body and generating a welding image based on the welding image frames, a display unit displaying the welding image provided from the image generating unit toward a user, a processor for controlling the image generating unit to generate the welding image based on the welding image frames, and a power supply unit provided to the main body and supplying a driving power to at least any one of the camera unit, the image generating unit and the processor.