Patent ID: 6132150
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: B23Q,B44B,Y10T

Abstract:
A three-dimensional apparatus for a router for positioning and guiding the router to produce, from a workpiece, at least one of a substantial duplicate of a three-dimensional configuration of a template and a substantial variation of such three-dimensional configuration of such template by routing such workpiece, said three-dimensional apparatus for a router comprising:a workpiece mounting platform for mounting such workpiece;a template mounting platform for mounting such template;a router mounting platform for mounting such router;a router positioning mechanism for positioning said router mounting platform adjacent to said workpiece mounting platform;a probe for tracing such three-dimensional configuration of such template; anda linkage interconnecting said probe and said router mounting platform to move said router mounting platform in response to movement of said probe;said router positioning mechanism comprising three-dimensional movement means for permitting movement of said router mounting platform in each of three mutually orthogonal directions;said three mutually orthogonal directions comprising a substantially vertical direction, a first substantially horizontal direction and a second substantially horizontal direction;said router positioning mechanism comprising a suspension mechanism for suspending said router mounting platform substantially vertically above said workpiece mounting platform;said suspension mechanism comprising:a vertical translation mechanism for simultaneously moving said probe and said router mounting platform in said substantially vertical direction;a first horizontal translation mechanism for simultaneously moving said probe and said router mounting platform in said first substantially horizontal direction; anda second horizontal translation mechanism for simultaneously moving said probe and said router mounting platform in said second horizontal direction;said vertical translation mechanism comprising at least one vertical shaft and at least one vertical bearing engaging said at least one vertical shaft;said first horizontal translation mechanism comprising at least one first horizontal shaft and at least one first horizontal bearing engaging said at least one first horizontal shaft; andsaid second horizontal translation mechanism comprising at least one second horizontal shaft and at least one second horizontal bearing engaging said at least one second horizontal shaft, said at least one second horizontal shaft being disposed at substantially a right angle with respect to said at least one first horizontal shaft.