US3799057A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical control system
Assignee: Buckhorn Material Handling Group Inc
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Filing: 1972-01-26
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Granted: 1974-03-26
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Expires: 1992-01-26
Abstract
Abstract A feedback control system for controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration curve of an automatic material handling apparatus, as for example, an automatic or semi-automatic robot used in conjunction with delivering and retreiving material from a storage warehouse, wherein the distance from a fixed or variably selectable point is sensed and utilized to generate a speed curve for controlling the incremental variation in speed of the material handling device up to a preselected maximum speed or down to zero speed.
Inventors
- 👤 H Cassel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:25
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/18; G05B19/416; B; B65; B65G; B65G1/00; B65G1/02; B65G1/04; B65G1/0407; B65G1/0421; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/60; Y02T10/72
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
In a material handling apparatus for delivering material from one station to another including a robot type material carrier and a motor for driving the carrier, the improvement comprising a control system for controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration of the carrier to an ultimate desired speed comprising signal generating means for continuously generating a digital signal formed of a series of successive pulses, each pulse being representative of distance travelled during at least a selected period of time, controlled conducting means transmitting said digital signal during a portion of said at least a selected period of time, and function generator means for generating a speed versus distance acceleration and/or deceleration continuous curve in response to said transmitted signal for controlling the operation of the motor in response to a characteristic of said curve, said speed versus distance curve being a function of the distance the carrier is at a particular instant from the point at which the ultimate desired speed is to be achieved.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
In a material handling apparatus for delivering material from one station to another including a robot type material carrier and a motor for driving the carrier, the improvement comprising a control system for controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration of the carrier to an ultimate desired speed comprising signal generating means for continuously generating a digital signal formed of a series of successive pulses, each pulse being representative of distance travelled during at least a selected period of time, controlled conducting means transmitting said digital signal during a portion of said at least a selected period of time, and function generator means for generating a speed versus distance acceleration and/or deceleration continuous curve in response to said transmitted signal for controlling the operation of the motor in response to a characteristic of said curve, said speed versus distance curve being a function of the distance the carrier is at a particular instant from the point at which the ultimate desired speed is to be achieved.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein the motion of the carrier is a linear horizontal motion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein said digital signal is generated during a period of time when the carrier is moving.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein said speed versus distance curve which is an analog signal representing a function of the number of input digital pulses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
103 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein said material handling apparatus is an automatic warehousing system which is capable of automatically accelerating or decelerating upon the sensing of a preselected position relative to the storage racks of the warehouse and the carrier is a robot which may be automatically controlled during certain portions of its cycle, the improvement further comprising pulse generating means directly driven in response to travel of the wheels of the robot, said pulse generator being capable, if enabled, of delivering digital pulses, the number of the digital pulses bearing a direct linear relationship with the distance traveled by the robot.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The system of claim 5 wherein said digital pulses represent as increments of position of the robot relative to the warehousing assembly.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The system of claim 6 wherein said function generator means includes a digital to analog convertor for converting the digital pulse signals to an analog signal, the function generator also including means for varying the analog signal as a function of the transmitted pulses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein said analog function signal is utilized to control the motor driving the carrier in response to the amplitude of the analog signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The improvement of claim 8 wherein said controlled conducting means includes gate means for transmitting the digital pulses in response to sensing a particular position of the robot relative to the warehousing system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 9 wherein said gate means, in response to sensing a preselected position, initiates the start of a deceleration cycle, at least a portion of which includes decelerating of the motor along said deceleration curve.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The improvement of claim 10 wherein said digital and analog signal are electrical signals and said gating means is an electrical gate for transmitting the signals.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The system of claim 11 wherein said portion of said at least selected period of time is commenced upon sensing the preselected position relative to a selected bay of the warehousing system and is terminated in response to stopping of the robot.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 11 wherein said portion is initiated upon the start of the acceleration of said robot and is terminated upon the achievement of a preselected maximum speed.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a material handling apparatus for delivering material from one station to another including a robot type material carrier and a motor for driving the carrier to An ultimate desired speed, the method of controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration of the carrier comprising continuously generating a digital signal formed of a series of successive pulses, each pulse being representative of distance travelled during at least a selected period of time, transmitting said digital signal during a portion of said at least a selected period of time, and generating a speed versus distance acceleration and/or deceleration continuous curve in response to said transmitted signal for controlling the operation of the motor in response to a characteristic of said curve, said speed versus distance curve being a function of the distance the carrier is at a particular instant from the point at which the ultimate desired speed is to be achieved.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
149 words
In a material handling apparatus for delivering material from one station to another including a robot type material carrier and a motor for driving the carrier to An ultimate desired speed, the method of controlling the acceleration and/or deceleration of the carrier comprising continuously generating a digital signal formed of a series of successive pulses, each pulse being representative of distance travelled during at least a selected period of time, transmitting said digital signal during a portion of said at least a selected period of time, and generating a speed versus distance acceleration and/or deceleration continuous curve in response to said transmitted signal for controlling the operation of the motor in response to a characteristic of said curve, said speed versus distance curve being a function of the distance the carrier is at a particular instant from the point at which the ultimate desired speed is to be achieved.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 14 wherein the motion of the carrier is a linear horizontal motion.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said digital signal is generated during a period of time when the carrier is moving.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 15 further including generating a speed versus distance curve which is an analog signal representing a function of the number of input digital pulses.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said material handling apparatus is an automatic warehousing system which is capable of automatically accelerating or decelerating upon the sensing of a preselected position relative to the storage racks of the warehouse and the carrier is a robot which may be automatically controlled during certain portions of its cycle, the method further comprising directly driving the pulse generator in response to travel of the wheels of the robot and generating digital pulses; the number of the digital pulses being a direct linear relationship with the distance traveled by the robot.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 18 wherein said digital pulses are represented as increments of position of the robot relative to the warehousing assembly.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 19 further including converting the digital pulse signals to an analog signal, the function generator also varying the analog signal as a function of the transmitted pulses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 20 further including utilizing the function signal to control the motor driving the carrier in response to the amplitude of the analog signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 21 further including initiating the start of a deceleration cycle in response to sensing a preselected position, at least a portion of which includes deceleration of the motors along said deceleration curve.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 22 further including commencing said at least selected period of time upon sensing the preselected position relative to the warehousing system and terminated the period in response to stopping of the robot.
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) | 1977-03-25 | 1977-09-24 | 1978-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-25 | 1981-09-24 | 1982-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-25 | 1985-09-24 | 1986-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |