Patent US4047025A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4047025A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Position indicating system and methods
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1974-05-17
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Granted: 1977-09-06
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Expires: 1994-05-17
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method are provided for indicating the location of a device such as a machine tool component or an inspection probe so as to permit the automatic control thereof or the derivation of information defining its position for automatically measuring the dimensions of a work piece. The apparatus includes a scale containing digital information recorded along its length and a photo-optical scanning means for the scale operable to generate a parallel code on its output, such as a binary code, which is indicative of the relative location of the scanning means and the scale. In one form, the scale is connected to a machine tool component and a photoelectric scanning means is held stationary while the component moves relative thereto wherein the output of the scanning means is indicative of the relative position between the component and the scanning means or the degree of movement of the component from a home location. In another form, the scanning means moves with the machine component and scans the digital scale which is fixed relative thereto. The output of the scanning means may be gated to a receiver connected to a recorder, a digital display or a comparator for receiving signals when a sensor in the component senses the surface of the work so as to indicate if the surface is or is not located at a desired location.
Inventors
- 👤 Jerome H. Lemelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 20:04
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01B; G01B11/00; G01B11/02; H; H03; H03M; H03M1/00; H03M1/12; H03M1/22; H03M1/24; H03M1/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
208 words
An apparatus for measuring an indicating machine component position comprising: a base, a machine component movably supported by said base, means for guiding and controllably driving said machine component on said base in a predetermined path to effect relative controlled movement of said component and said base with respect to each other, a digital code scale fixedly supported by said machine component and movable therewith so as to permit said code scale to move with respect to said base when said component is driven on said base, scanning means supported adjacent said machine component and operatively located to scan said digital code scale as the machine component and scale and said base relatively move with respect to each other, said scanning means being operable to generate digital information as code signals as said scanning means said digital code scale, which code signals are indicative of the degree of relative movement of said component with respect to said base, and transducing means operatively connected to receive said code signals generated by said scanning means and operable to effect a transducing operation with respect to the signals generated by said scanning means, and means connected to said transducing means for receiving and utilizing the information generated by said transducing means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
208 words
An apparatus for measuring an indicating machine component position comprising: a base, a machine component movably supported by said base, means for guiding and controllably driving said machine component on said base in a predetermined path to effect relative controlled movement of said component and said base with respect to each other, a digital code scale fixedly supported by said machine component and movable therewith so as to permit said code scale to move with respect to said base when said component is driven on said base, scanning means supported adjacent said machine component and operatively located to scan said digital code scale as the machine component and scale and said base relatively move with respect to each other, said scanning means being operable to generate digital information as code signals as said scanning means said digital code scale, which code signals are indicative of the degree of relative movement of said component with respect to said base, and transducing means operatively connected to receive said code signals generated by said scanning means and operable to effect a transducing operation with respect to the signals generated by said scanning means, and means connected to said transducing means for receiving and utilizing the information generated by said transducing means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
95 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said digital code scale contains discrete parallel digital code recordings provided along the length of said scale and wherein each of said digital code recordings is indicative of a predetermined increment in distance along the code scale over the previous recording, and said scanning means is operable to selectively scan each of said digital code recordings as the component moves with respect to said base and operatively generates digital code signals which are indicative of the degree of relative movement between said machine component and said base.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
70 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said scale is composed of separate parallel tracks of information and said scanning means includes a bank of photoelectric cells each of which photoelectric cells is operable to simultaneously scan a separate track of said scale and generate discrete code signals in sequence, each of which code signals is indicative of the degree of relative movement between said component and said base.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said transducing means is operable to record said digital information on a record member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 including control means in the form of a gating means for gating digital code signals therethrough to said transducing means, and signal generating means associated with said apparatus, said signal generating means being connected to said said gating means and operable to generate signals for activating said gating means in accordance with relative movement of said machine component with said base.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said signal generating means comprises a work sensing means operable to generate a signal for closing said gating means upon sensing the surface of a unit of work disposed in alignment with said machine component.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said signal generating means is a sensor supported at one end of said machine component and said machine component is controlled to move in a fixed direction towards work disposed adjacent said base.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 wherein said sensing means is operable to generate a signal upon contact with a surface of said work disposed adjacent said machine component.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises a bank of photoelectric cells and said digital scale comprises a plurality of photo-optically scannable record tracks extending parallel to each other and each located on said scale to be scanned by a respective photoelectric cell of said bank of cells, said digital scale being constructed such that the simultaneous outputs of said photoelectric cells will generate a digital code indication of the degree of relative movement of said base and said machine component with respect to each other.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 9 wherein the tracks of said digital code scale extend in concentric circular paths and wherein each of said photoelectric cells scans a respective circular track of said digital scale.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
67 words
An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said scanning means comprises a bank of magnetic reproduction transducers and said digital scale comprises a plurality of magnetic recording tracks extending parallel to each other, said transducers being of the flux sensitive type and operable to generate signals on their outputs when sensing magnetic recordings on said tracks even if relative movement between the machine components has terminated.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-09-05 | 1981-03-07 | 1981-09-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-09-05 | 1985-03-07 | 1985-09-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-09-05 | 1989-03-07 | 1989-09-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |