US4096424A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electrical circuit for controlling the feed rate of parts
Assignee: NDT Laboratories Inc
•
Filing: 1976-07-12
•
Granted: 1978-06-20
•
Expires: 1996-07-12
Abstract
Abstract Disclosed is a circuit for automatically controlling the feed rate of parts that is particularly adapted for controlling inductive loads. Disposed on either side of a passageway is a light source and a photo-sensing device which emits a signal pulse whenever a part interrupts the light beam between the light source and the photo-sensor. The pulses from the photo-sensing device are supplied to a monostable multivibrator which converts the pulses to uniform width, fixed amplitude pulses that are integrated and provided to a control circuit which controls the charge on a capacitor. When the charge on the capacitor exceeds a predetermined level an SCR is triggered, operating the motive means of the circuit. In addition to a first discharge path for controlling the charge on the capacitor in accordance with the frequency of the signal pulses from the photo-sensing device, the control circuit provides an additional discharge path for resetting the charge level on the capacitor to its quiescent state after each cycle of the power supply signal. In this manner, the motor can be operated at low speed control settings without causing erratic operation due to "skip-cycling". Also disclosed is circuitry which permits the system to be used to control inductive motors such as vibratory feeders without causing overheating of the motors after a continuous period of use.
Inventors
- 👤 George J. Hysler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:28
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05D; G05D7/00; G05D7/06; G05D7/0605
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
In an electronic circuit for automatically controlling the feed rate of parts including: motive means for causing movement of said parts along a passageway; and detector means for detecting the passage of parts past a given point and producing a detector signal in response thereto; the improvement comprising circuit means connected to said detector means for producing a rate signal related to said detector signal, including capacitance means adapted to be charged by a voltage source of varying magnitude and first switching means for controlling the charge on said capacitance means in accordance with said detector signal; control means connected to said circuit means for controlling the operation of said motive means in accordance with said rate signal, including second switching means connected in circuit with said motive means for changing the operative state of said motive means whenever the charge on said capacitance means exceeds a predetermined level; and reset means connected to said capacitance means for rapidly discharging said capacitance means whenever the magnitude of the signal from said voltage source decreases below said predetermined level.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
In an electronic circuit for automatically controlling the feed rate of parts including: motive means for causing movement of said parts along a passageway; and detector means for detecting the passage of parts past a given point and producing a detector signal in response thereto; the improvement comprising circuit means connected to said detector means for producing a rate signal related to said detector signal, including capacitance means adapted to be charged by a voltage source of varying magnitude and first switching means for controlling the charge on said capacitance means in accordance with said detector signal; control means connected to said circuit means for controlling the operation of said motive means in accordance with said rate signal, including second switching means connected in circuit with said motive means for changing the operative state of said motive means whenever the charge on said capacitance means exceeds a predetermined level; and reset means connected to said capacitance means for rapidly discharging said capacitance means whenever the magnitude of the signal from said voltage source decreases below said predetermined level.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein said motive means comprises an inductive motor, and said control means further includes means for preventing said inductive motor from overheating when operated under the control of said electronic circuit by substantially dissipating the heating spikes generated by said inductive motor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The circuit of claim 2 wherein said means comprises a high wattage, low resistance resistor connected in circuit with said inductive motor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein said control means further includes threshold means connected in circuit between said capacitance means and said second switching means for preventing said second switching means from changing the operative state of said motive means until the charge on said capacitance means exceeds said predetermined level.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The circuit of claim 4 wherein said second switching means comprises a silicone controlled rectifier having a turn-on bias voltage less than said predetermined level.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The circuit of claim 5 wherein threshold means comprises a Shockley diode having a breakover voltage equivalent to said predetermined level.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
The circuit of claim 1 wherein said reset means comprises a low resistance discharge circuit connected between said capacitance means and ground potential, including a diode that is back-biased whenever the magnitude of the signal from said voltage source is greater than said predetermined level.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
The electronic circuit of claim 1 wherein said circuit means further includes delay means for controlling the spacing between the parts passing said given point by controlling the duration of the slow-down period of said motive means following the detection by said detector means of a part.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electronic circuit of claim 8 wherein said detector means is adapted to provide an output pulse whenever a part passes said given point, and said delay means is adapted to control the decay time of each of said output pulses.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The electronic circuit of claim 9 wherein said first switching means is adapted to discharge said capacitance means below said predetermined level whenever the amplitude of said output pulses is greater than a second predetermined bias level.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
The electronic circuit of claim 10 wherein said first switching means comprises a transistor connected across said capacitance means having its control terminal connected to receive said output pulses, and said delay means comprises a capacitance/resistance timing network for controlling the decaying slope of each of said output pulses so as to control the period of time during which the amplitude of each of said output pulses exceeds said second predetermined bias level.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an electronic circuit for automatically controlling the feed rate of parts including: motive means for causing movement of said parts along a passageway; detector means for detecting the passage of parts past a given point and producing a detector signal in response thereto; circuit means connected to detector means for producing a rate signal related to said detector signal, including capacitance means adapted to be charged by a voltage source of varying magnitude and first electronic switching means for controlling the charge on said capacitance means in accordance with the amplitude of said detector signal; and control means connected to said circuit means for controlling the operation of said motive means in accordance with said rate signal, including second electronic switching means connected in circuit with said motive means for changing the operative state of said motive means whenever the charge on said capacitance means exceeds a predetermined level; the improvement comprising delay means connected between said detector means and said circuit means for controlling the spacing between the parts passing said given point by controlling the amplitude of said detector signal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an electronic circuit for automatically controlling the feed rate of parts including: motive means for causing movement of said parts along a passageway; detector means for detecting the passage of parts past a given point and producing a detector signal in response thereto; circuit means connected to detector means for producing a rate signal related to said detector signal, including capacitance means adapted to be charged by a voltage source of varying magnitude and first electronic switching means for controlling the charge on said capacitance means in accordance with the amplitude of said detector signal; and control means connected to said circuit means for controlling the operation of said motive means in accordance with said rate signal, including second electronic switching means connected in circuit with said motive means for changing the operative state of said motive means whenever the charge on said capacitance means exceeds a predetermined level; the improvement comprising delay means connected between said detector means and said circuit means for controlling the spacing between the parts passing said given point by controlling the amplitude of said detector signal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The electronic circuit of claim 12 wherein said detector means is adapted to provide an output pulse whenever a part passes said given point, and said delay means is adapted to control the decay time of each of said output pulses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The electronic circuit of claim 13 wherein said first electronic switching means is adapted to discharge said capacitance means below said predetermined level whenever the amplitude of said output pulses is greater than a second predetermined bias level.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
74 words
The electronic circuit of claim 14 wherein said first electronic switching means comprises a transistor connected across said capacitance means having its control terminal connected to receive said output pulses, and said delay means comprises a capacitance/resistance timing network for controlling the decaying slope of each of said output pulses so as to control the period of time during which the amplitude of each of said output pulses exceeds said second predetermined bias level.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2966253A
Cited
US3200932A
Cited
US3546555A
Cited
US3780297A
Cited
US3921047A
Cited
US3919612A
Cited
US3845375A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-19 | 1981-12-19 | 1982-06-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-19 | 1985-12-19 | 1986-06-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-19 | 1989-12-19 | 1990-06-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |