US3786331A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Digital tracer
Assignee: Cleveland Machine Controls Inc
•
Filing: 1972-12-11
•
Granted: 1974-01-15
•
Expires: 1992-12-11
Abstract
Abstract A tracer for use with a profiling machine or the like has a tracer head which is excited with a source of alternating current to produce an output which varies in amplitude and phase in accordance with the direction and magnitude of deflection of the tracer stylus. The a.c. signal from the stylus is converted into a pulse encoded in time to be representative of the direction of stylus deflection. The time position of the pulse is converted into a digital representation of the angle of the stylus deflection, and the sign and cosine of that angle are extracted from memory and separately multiplied by a factor derived from a manually controlled means operative for preselecting a tracing speed in two multipliers, the outputs of which comprise pulse trains each having a separate pulse for each increment of movement along a machine axis. The pulse trains are connected to a conventional motor drive for driving the machine in response to the output of the tracer head.
Inventors
- 👤 M Sommeria
- 👤 D Schaap
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 13:35
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q35/00; B23Q35/04; B23Q35/08; B23Q35/12; B23Q35/121; B23Q35/123; G; G05; G05B; G05B2219/00; G05B2219/30; G05B2219/50; G05B2219/50167
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
A digital tracer adapted to derive a digital signal from a tracer head in response to the deflection angle of the stylus of said tracer head, comprising in combination; means for deriving a pulse occurring at a time in each cycle of the excitation of said tracer head corresponding to the direction of deflection of said stylus, means for converting the time position of said pulse within said cycle into a digital signal representative of the deflection angle, means for producing a trigonometric quantity in response to said angle, and multiplier means for producing an output pulse train representative of the product of said trigonometric function and a manually selected amplitude function.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
A digital tracer adapted to derive a digital signal from a tracer head in response to the deflection angle of the stylus of said tracer head, comprising in combination; means for deriving a pulse occurring at a time in each cycle of the excitation of said tracer head corresponding to the direction of deflection of said stylus, means for converting the time position of said pulse within said cycle into a digital signal representative of the deflection angle, means for producing a trigonometric quantity in response to said angle, and multiplier means for producing an output pulse train representative of the product of said trigonometric function and a manually selected amplitude function.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
92 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for selecting a predetermined pulse repetition rate as an input to said multiplier means, said selecting means comprising a binary multiplier connected to a source of control pulses and to a plurality of switches for furnishing an output pulse train having a pulse repetition rate proportional to the product of the pulse repetition rate of said control pulses and a quantity represented by the position of said switches, and means for connecting the output of said binary multiplier to the input of said multiplier means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for sensing the quadrant of said deflection angle, and means for complementing said binary representation when said deflection angle is in the second and fourth quadrants.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, including means for producing a second trigonometric quantity in response to said angle, and second multiplier means for producing a second output pulse train representative of the product of said second trigonometric function and said manually selected amplitude function.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said means for producing a second trigonometric quantity comprises means for producing a signal representative of the complement of said angle, and means for producing a trigonometric quantity in response thereto which is the same trigonometric function as the first said trigonometric quantity.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for deriving said pulse comprises means for converting the output signal of said tracer head into a pulse train with the leading edge of each pulse bearing a phase relation to said output signal in proportion to said deflection angle.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus according to claim 6 including means for producing a repetitive signal in response to said output signal, said repetitive signal having a sloping waveform, and means for generating said pulse train in response to a predetermined level traversed by said sloping waveform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, including manually operable means for controlling the average level of said sloping waveform.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
167 words
In a tracer mechanism adapted to be employed with a tracer head having a source of an a.c. exciting signal and means for producing an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the magnitude of deflection of the stylus of said tracer, and a phase relative to said a.c. signal proportional to the angle of the direction of deflection of said stylus, the combination comprising; means for producing a first signal representative of the phase of said output signal, means for producing a second signal representative of the magnitude of deflection of said stylus, means for mixing said first and second signals together to form a composite signal, and means responsive to said composite signal for deriving drive signals adapted to control the drive of said tracer mechanism for simultaneous movement in two orthogonal directions, said last named means being responsive to said composite signal for deriving drive signals adpated to control said tracer drive for movement in a direction which is responsive to said second signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
167 words
In a tracer mechanism adapted to be employed with a tracer head having a source of an a.c. exciting signal and means for producing an output signal having an amplitude proportional to the magnitude of deflection of the stylus of said tracer, and a phase relative to said a.c. signal proportional to the angle of the direction of deflection of said stylus, the combination comprising; means for producing a first signal representative of the phase of said output signal, means for producing a second signal representative of the magnitude of deflection of said stylus, means for mixing said first and second signals together to form a composite signal, and means responsive to said composite signal for deriving drive signals adapted to control the drive of said tracer mechanism for simultaneous movement in two orthogonal directions, said last named means being responsive to said composite signal for deriving drive signals adpated to control said tracer drive for movement in a direction which is responsive to said second signal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, including means for generating a repetitive ramp signal in response to said output signal, means for deriving a d.c. voltage in proportion to the magnitude of said deflection, means for summing said ramp signal and said d.c. voltage to produce a composite signal, and means responsive to the transition of said composite signal through a predetermined level for producing said drive signals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-01-14 | 1977-07-16 | 1978-01-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-01-14 | 1981-07-16 | 1982-01-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-01-14 | 1985-07-16 | 1986-01-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |