EP0068418A2 — Distance sensing apparatus and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 100 words

Apparatus for sensing the distance between a pair of indicia on a surface moving relative to said apparatus, comprising: interval means responsive to movement of said surface for producing an interval signal signifying the time elapsing during the passage of an interval on said surface of a predetermined length; sensor means positioned alongside said surface for sensing the arrival times of said pair of indicia at said sensor means; and scale means responsive to said interval and sensor means for producing a distance signal signifying the ratio of the time difference in arrival of said pair to said interval signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 100 words

Apparatus for sensing the distance between a pair of indicia on a surface moving relative to said apparatus, comprising: interval means responsive to movement of said surface for producing an interval signal signifying the time elapsing during the passage of an interval on said surface of a predetermined length; sensor means positioned alongside said surface for sensing the arrival times of said pair of indicia at said sensor means; and scale means responsive to said interval and sensor means for producing a distance signal signifying the ratio of the time difference in arrival of said pair to said interval signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said scale means comprises: a clock means for periodically producing clock pulses; and counting means for counting pulses from said clock means.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 55 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said clock means comprises: a speed sensor responsive to said surface for producing a speed signal signifying the travel speed of said surface; and a controlled oscillator responsive to said sp. ed sensor for producing said clock pulses at a frequency bearing a predetermined relation to said speed signal.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said scale means includes: storage means responsive to said interval and sensor means for storing the counts of said counting means at the arrival of each of the indicia of the pair and at the end of said interval.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 19 words

Apparatus according to claim 4,wherein said storage means comprises: a plurality of latches coupled in parallel to said'counting means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 71 words

Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein said interval means includes: incremental means for producing successive incremental signals upon said surface moving relative to said apparatus by predetermined increments; a counter for counting said successive incremental signals; and . comparision means for providing a first and second signal upon said counter reaching predeterimed first and second counts, respectively, sized to occur prior to the arrival of corresponding ones of said pair of indicia.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

Apparatus according to claim 6,wherein said comparison means comprises: first and second comparator for producing a first and second signal, respectively, upon said counter reaching said first and second counts, respectively; and third comparator for producing a third signal upon said counter reaching a third count.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 73 words

Apparatus according to claim 6,wherein said interval means comprises: a logic means responsive to said comparison means for rendering said sensor means, until the production of said first signal, insensitive to the arrival at said sensor means of one of said indicia, sensitivity to the other one of said indicia being abated until the production of said second signal, whereby said indicia can be localized and distinguished from extraneous marks on said surface.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim 2,wherein said interval means comprises: a disk coupled to said surface and operable to rotate at a speed proportional to the relative speed of said surface, said disk having an indexed periphery; and a transducer coupled to said disk for producing said interval signal as a function of the indexing of said disk.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 22 words

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said sensor means comprises: a phototransistor responsive to passage of at least one of said indicia.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said sensor means comprises: a pair of phototransistors each responsive to a different corresponding one of said pair of indicia.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 45 words

Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said disk has a plurality of equally spaced apertures, said interval means comprising: doubling means for producing a pulse upon the arrival and the departure thereat of each of said apertures, whereby the number of measurable increments is doubled.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 44 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising: manually adjustable means for providing a range signal signifying the magnitude of said predetermined length, whereby the product of said range and distance signal is a function of the distance between said pair of indicia.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 63 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising: control means responsive to said scale means for producing an error signal signifying the difference between a predetermined standard and said ratio. print means for repetitvely printing a pattern on said surface; and actuation means coupled to said control means for. advancing and retarding said surface at said print means in response to said error signal.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 57 words

Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said print means includes a rotatable downstream printing cylinder and wherein said apparatus further includes; a rotatable upstream printing cylinder for repetitively printing a pattern on said surface, said interval means being coupled to said upstream cylinder to produce said interval signal once for each revolution of said upstream printing cylinder.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 133 words

In a system responsive to indicia positioned in pairs within each of a plurality of repeating intervals on a surface moving relative to said apparatus, means for sensing the spacing between the indicia of each of the pairs, comprising: interval means responsive to movement of said surface for producing repeating interval signals signifying the time elapsing during the passage of each of the repeating intervals; sensor means positioned alongside said surface for sensing the arrival times of each of the indicia of each of said pairs at said sensor means; and f scale means responsive to said interval and sensor means for producing repeating distance signals signifying the successive ratios of the time difference in arrival of the indicia of each of said pairs to its corresponding one of said repeating interval signals.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 133 words

In a system responsive to indicia positioned in pairs within each of a plurality of repeating intervals on a surface moving relative to said apparatus, means for sensing the spacing between the indicia of each of the pairs, comprising: interval means responsive to movement of said surface for producing repeating interval signals signifying the time elapsing during the passage of each of the repeating intervals; sensor means positioned alongside said surface for sensing the arrival times of each of the indicia of each of said pairs at said sensor means; and f scale means responsive to said interval and sensor means for producing repeating distance signals signifying the successive ratios of the time difference in arrival of the indicia of each of said pairs to its corresponding one of said repeating interval signals.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

In a system according to claim 16, wherein said scale means includes: control means for producing an error signal signifying the change between an initial one and a current one of said repeating distance signals.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 68 words

In a system according to claim 17 further comprising: rotatable upstream and downstream printing cylinders each for repetitively printing a pattern on said surface, said interval means being coupled to said'upstream cylinder to produce said interval signal once for each revolution of said upstream cylinder; and actuation means coupled to said control means for advancing and retarding said surface at said downstream cylinder inresponse to said error signal.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 63 words

A method for measuring the distance between a pair of indicia on a moving surface, comprising the steps of: timing the passage of an interval on said surface of a predetermined length; timing the arrival of said pair of indicia; and calculating the ratio of the time difference in arrival of said indicia to the time elapsed for the passage of said interval.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 63 words

A method for measuring the distance between a pair of indicia on a moving surface, comprising the steps of: timing the passage of an interval on said surface of a predetermined length; timing the arrival of said pair of indicia; and calculating the ratio of the time difference in arrival of said indicia to the time elapsed for the passage of said interval.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 42 words

A method according to claim 19, wherein said surface is a web moving between two printers, further comprising the step of: advancing and retarding the web in one of said printers depending upon the variation of said ratio from a predetermined standard.

Distance sensing apparatus and method

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