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US4456864A
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US
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Clamping tracer control system
Assignee: Fanuc Corp
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Filing: 1981-12-04
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Granted: 1984-06-26
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Expires: 2001-12-04
Abstract
Abstract A clamping tracer control system which performs a tracing feed and a pick feed alternately and effects a clamping feed at a preset clamp level and in which, between the pick feed position where the clamping feed is carried out first and the pick feed position where the clamping feed has been completed, tracer control is repeated while changing the clamp level sequentially, and when the clamping feed has been completed in the repeated tracer control, the clamp level is restored to its area of initial value to resume tracer control of the tracing feed and the pick feed alternately in the next area.
Inventors
- 👤 Ryoji Imazeki
- 👤 Etsuo Yamazaki
- 👤 Takao Sasaki
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:38
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q35/00; B23Q35/04; B23Q35/08; B23Q35/12; B23Q35/121; B23Q35/123
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
259 words
In a control system for controlling the tracing operation of a tracer head over a predetermined portion of the surface of a model, said tracing operation proceeding by alternately feeding said tracer head along respective pick and tracing feed axes to pass between respective starting and end points corresponding to said model surface portion, said tracing operation being limited along a respective clamp feed axis to a successively incremented clamp limit until a predetermined final clamp position is attained or until the clamp limit does not occur, the improvement comprising detection means (1) for detecting each position on the pick feed axis where a first clamp limit is reached during a respective tracing feed, and (2) for detecting the subsequent position on the pick feed axis, after each said reaching of the first clamp limit, where said clamp limit first does not occur during a subsequent tracing feed, repetition means for repeatedly moving back and forth between said two detected positions, prior to continuing said tracing operation between said start and end points, at successively incremented clamp limits until the respectively incremented clamp limit does not occur or a predetermined maximum clamp limit is obtained, and for subsequently continuing with said tracing operation between said start and end points of said tracing operation at said first clamp limit, wherein said tracing operation involves only a single tracing between said start and end points at said first clamp limit and the repeated moving between each respective pair of said detected positions on the feed axis at said incremented clamp limits.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
259 words
In a control system for controlling the tracing operation of a tracer head over a predetermined portion of the surface of a model, said tracing operation proceeding by alternately feeding said tracer head along respective pick and tracing feed axes to pass between respective starting and end points corresponding to said model surface portion, said tracing operation being limited along a respective clamp feed axis to a successively incremented clamp limit until a predetermined final clamp position is attained or until the clamp limit does not occur, the improvement comprising detection means (1) for detecting each position on the pick feed axis where a first clamp limit is reached during a respective tracing feed, and (2) for detecting the subsequent position on the pick feed axis, after each said reaching of the first clamp limit, where said clamp limit first does not occur during a subsequent tracing feed, repetition means for repeatedly moving back and forth between said two detected positions, prior to continuing said tracing operation between said start and end points, at successively incremented clamp limits until the respectively incremented clamp limit does not occur or a predetermined maximum clamp limit is obtained, and for subsequently continuing with said tracing operation between said start and end points of said tracing operation at said first clamp limit, wherein said tracing operation involves only a single tracing between said start and end points at said first clamp limit and the repeated moving between each respective pair of said detected positions on the feed axis at said incremented clamp limits.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
269 words
The control system of claim 1, said detection means comprising a memory having as inputs (1) a clamp limit signal op, produced during a respective feed along said tracing axis, to indicate when the respective clamp limit has been reached and that said repeated moving is to begin or is not completed, (2) a pick feed signal pf to indicate when said tracer head is to be fed along said pick feed axis, (3) a non-repetition signal nop for indicating that said repeated moving is completed between the respective paid of detected points, (4) a signal fbp corresponding to the change in position of the tracer head along said pick feed axis, and (5) a tracing feed signal trc for indicating that said tracer head is to be fed along said tracing feed axis, and having as outputs (1) the values of each said pair of detected positions, and (2) a signal LCZP that indicates the respective clamp limit was reached during the last tracing feed, and said repetition means comprising a discriminator having as inputs (1) said LCZP signal and (2) inputs indicating when the respective one of each of said pair of detected positions is reached during each said repeated moving therebetween, and as outputs (1) said signal op, and (2) said signal nop, a direction change circuit having as input said signal op, and a means for providing said first clamp limit and each said respectively incremented clamp limit corresponding to each said repeated moving between each said pair of detected points, and for providing again said first clamp limit after completing each said repeated moving.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
305 words
The system of claim 2, said memory comprising a first flip-flop FF1 that is set by said cp signal, that is reset by said trc signal, and the Q output of which is ANDed with said pf signal to produce said LCZP output, a second flip-flop FF2 which is set by said nop signal, reset by a signal indicating the detection of each said feed axis position where said first clamp limit is reached, and which supplies its Q output to an OR gate, a third flip-flop FF3 which is set by the output of an AND gate having as inputs the output of said OR gate and a signal corresponding to said cp signal, which is reset by said nop signal, and which supplies as its Q output a signal for storing the current pick feed axis position as said first detected point, a fourth flip-flop FF4 which is set by the output of an AND gate A4 which has as inputs said Q output of FF3 and the output of an AND gate A3 having as inputs of Q output of FF1 and said pf signal, a counter ACNT having as inputs said Q output of FF3 and said fbp signal, wherein the value of the first of each said pair of detected points along said pick feed axis is consecutively stored, a counter BCNT having as inputs said fbp signal and the Q output of FF4, wherein the value of the second of each said pair of detected points along said pick feed axis is consecutively stored, and a preset circuit PSET having as inputs said nop signal and an output of said counter BCNT, wherein the value in said counter BCNT is placed into said ACNT counter at the conclusion of said repeated moving between each said pair of detected positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
114 words
The control system of claim 2 or 3, said repetition means comprising means for comparing the positions stored in said counters ACNT and BCNT with said fbp signal for producing respective signals cpa and cpb when the current position on the pick feed axis is the same as the respective stored detected position, and said discriminator comprising a flip-flop FF5 which is set by said LCZP signal, whose Q output is ANDed with the output of an OR gate having said cpa and cpb signals as inputs to produce said op signal, whose Q output is ANDed with said cpb signal to produce said nop signal, and FF5 being reset by said op signal.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3174089A
Cited
US4157679A
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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) | 1987-06-26 | 1987-12-26 | 1988-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-06-26 | 1991-12-26 | 1992-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-06-26 | 1995-12-26 | 1996-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |