US3935997A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pleat counter apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-10-29
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Granted: 1976-02-03
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Expires: 1993-10-29
Abstract
Abstract A sheet of pleated material is fed from a roll onto a moving belt. A guide means maintains the sheet in alignment. A light source is reflected off the pleats and the reflections from the peaks of the pleats are detected as pulses. These pulses are counted. When a predetermined number have been counted, the last pleat is marked and the counting is continued for another sequence.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael R. Loje
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:45
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06M; G06M7/00; D; D06; D06H; D06H3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
272 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means including a light source on said support means for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means including a light sensitive element for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said material, and commonly supported and directed light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light source and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said light projecting and receiving means including transmitting means for directing light in one direction toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material in a direction substantially opposite from and generally parallel to said one direction and generally perpendicular to said sheet material so that said reflected light from the corrugation being counted will not be obstructed by an adjacent corrugation to assure exposure of said receiving means to reflected light of said predetermined level of intensity from the corrugations being counted and to enable counting of corrugations of any generally similar configuration, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, and pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any generally similar configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
272 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means including a light source on said support means for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means including a light sensitive element for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said material, and commonly supported and directed light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light source and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said light projecting and receiving means including transmitting means for directing light in one direction toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material in a direction substantially opposite from and generally parallel to said one direction and generally perpendicular to said sheet material so that said reflected light from the corrugation being counted will not be obstructed by an adjacent corrugation to assure exposure of said receiving means to reflected light of said predetermined level of intensity from the corrugations being counted and to enable counting of corrugations of any generally similar configuration, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, and pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any generally similar configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said light sensing means includes an adjustable sensitivity means for controlling the magnitude of said first output signal to establish said predetermined level of intensity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said feed means includes an adjustable-speed drive means, and feed speed control means is operably connected to said drive means for adjusting the speed thereof and controlling the rate of movement of said sheet material relative to said light producing means to achieve an optimum operating speed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein said feed speed control means includes interval timing means for initiating and terminating movement of said sheet material, said pulse counting means comprises an impulse counter for producing a second output signal after counting a predetermined number of pulses, and said interval timing means is operably connected between said impulse counter and said drive means for receiving said second output signal to terminate movement of said sheet material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said impulse counter includes reset means for resetting the count thereon, and said interval timing means includes a first time delay assembly having a first time delay period to provide time for resetting said impulse counter while said sheet material is not moving.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said interval timing means includes another time delay assembly having another time delay, which is less than said first time delay period and commences after and terminates prior to said first time delay period to assure that said sheet material will not move while resetting said impulse counter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said support means comprises a bench, said feed means includes an endless belt supported for movement along said bench, and drive means operably connected to said belt for moving said belt relative to said bench.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, including a roller assembly having a pair of roller members mounted for rotation on said bench, said flat belt includes an upper run and a lower run, said bench includes a top, and said roller members are supported in laterally spaced relation adjacent said top for rollingly supporting said upper run for movement along the top of said bench.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, wherein said drive means is mounted on said bench below said top, said top has an opening therein, one of said roller members is mounted within said opening, and said upper run extends from said one roller member and downward through said opening for connection to said drive means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7, wherein said drive means comprises an adjustable-speed motor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, including material supply means mounted on said bench having a supply of sheet material thereon, said material supply means including guide means for directing said sheet material toward said belt for movement along said top of said bench, and said guide means includes a guide surface slidably engaging said sheet material and to urge said sheet material onto said belt.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 8, including a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said bench, said corrugation detection assembly includes a detection head supported between said rollers in overlying relation with respect to said top, and said detection head is movable relative to said top forming a space for receiving said sheet material therethrough.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
295 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means including a light source on said support means for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means including a light sensitive element for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said sheet material, and light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light source toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said light projecting and receiving means including transmitting means for directing light from said light source toward said sheet material and for directing reflected light from said sheet material to said light sensitive element, said transmitting means comprising fiber optic strands including, one set of strands having one end operably connected to said light source and the opposite end supported for projecting light onto said material, and another set of strands having one end operably connected to said light sensitive element and the opposite end supported for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said opposite ends of said sets of strands being disposed in close proximity to one another for projecting and receiving light in a generally common path, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, and pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any generally similar configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
295 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means including a light source on said support means for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means including a light sensitive element for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said sheet material, and light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light source toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said light projecting and receiving means including transmitting means for directing light from said light source toward said sheet material and for directing reflected light from said sheet material to said light sensitive element, said transmitting means comprising fiber optic strands including, one set of strands having one end operably connected to said light source and the opposite end supported for projecting light onto said material, and another set of strands having one end operably connected to said light sensitive element and the opposite end supported for receiving reflected light from said sheet material, said opposite ends of said sets of strands being disposed in close proximity to one another for projecting and receiving light in a generally common path, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, and pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any generally similar configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein said corrugation detection assembly includes a detection head having an aperture therein, and said projecting and receiving means includes a common projecting and receiving end connected to said detection head in axial alignment with said aperture for positioning said projecting and receiving end in closer proximity to the peak of the corrugation being counted than the remainder of the sheet material for projecting and receiving light through said aperture to avoid obstruction of reflected light.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
82 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said detection head includes a contact surface, said projecting and receiving end being positioned a predetermined distance from said contact surface, and said contact surface is supported for contact with said sheet material in confronting relation to the peaks of said corrugations for positioning said projecting and receiving end within a predetermined distance in close proximity to said peaks for sensing light of said predetermined level of intensity when counting corrugations of varying height.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein said detection head comprises a plate, said projecting and receiving end is exposed to said space through said aperture for directing light onto and receiving reflected light from said sheet material through said aperture, and said corrugation detection assembly includes a resilient means for biasing said plate into sliding engagement with said sheet material as it moves relative to said support means.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means on said support for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said material, and light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light producing means in one direction toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material in a direction substantially opposite to said one direction to assure exposure of said receiving means to reflected light of said predetermined level of intensity, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly, said light producing means comprises a light source, said light sensing means comprises a photocell, said light projecting and receiving means comprises a bundle of fiber optic strands for transmitting light from said light source to said sheet material and for transmitting reflected light from said sheet material to said photocell, and said bundle having a common projecting and receiving end for sensing light reflected in a direction substantially opposite to the direction in which it is projected.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
268 words
An apparatus for counting corrugations of any configuration in a sheet material, comprising support means for supporting said sheet material thereon, a corrugation detection assembly mounted on said support means in confronting relation to the peak of each corrugation and including, light producing means on said support for delivering light toward said sheet material for reflection therefrom, light sensing means for sensing light of a predetermined level of intensity reflected from each corrugation and for producing a first output signal when light of said predetermined level of intensity is reflected from said material, and light projecting and receiving means for projecting light from said light producing means in one direction toward said sheet material and for receiving reflected light from said sheet material in a direction substantially opposite to said one direction to assure exposure of said receiving means to reflected light of said predetermined level of intensity, feed means mounted on said support means for moving said sheet material relative to said support means, pulse counting means for counting said first output signal to indicate the number of corrugations of any configuration moving relative to said corrugation detection assembly, said light producing means comprises a light source, said light sensing means comprises a photocell, said light projecting and receiving means comprises a bundle of fiber optic strands for transmitting light from said light source to said sheet material and for transmitting reflected light from said sheet material to said photocell, and said bundle having a common projecting and receiving end for sensing light reflected in a direction substantially opposite to the direction in which it is projected.
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) | 1979-02-02 | 1979-08-04 | 1980-02-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-02-02 | 1983-08-04 | 1984-02-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-02-02 | 1987-08-04 | 1988-02-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |