Patent ID: 6152003
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: B26D,B26F,C14B,D06H,G01S,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
A cutting device for cutting spread out material, said cutting device comprising;a cutting table having a table surface which reflects electromagnetic radiation;a cutting support carried on said table surface, said cutting support being configured to accommodate thereon, spread out material to be cut and to accommodate partial penetration by a cutting tool;a cutting head mounted above said table surface in a manner such that it can be moved over the table surface;at least one cutting tool mounted on the cutting head for engagement by lowering into material on said cutting support to cut the material according to a given pattern, whereby the cutting tool completely penetrates through the material and penetrates slightly into said cutting support;a sensor mounted adjacent said cutting head to move therewith over said table, over said support and over material on said cutting support, said sensor having an electromagnetic radiation transmitter directed at said table surface and an electromagnetic radiation receiver for receiving electromagnetic energy reflected from said table surface, said sensor being arranged to detect, through the cutting support, the distance between the cutting head and the table surface during cutting of material on the cutting support; anda control arrangement arranged to respond to the detected distance between the cutting tool and the table surface as said head moves parallel to said surface during a cutting operation to regulate the position of the cutting head above the table surface thereby to control the penetration of the cutting tool into the material such that said cutting tool penetrates into the cutting support by a predetermined, constant amount, independently of the pressure applied to said cutting tool.