US5026989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System for monitoring material dispensed onto a substrate
Assignee: Nordson Corp
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Filing: 1988-02-25
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Granted: 1991-06-25
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Expires: 2008-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate. As disclosed, an infrared sensor is positioned to receive infrared energy radiated by a substrate and by a heated adhesive applied to the substrate, with the resistance of the sensor varying in dependence upon the amount of infrared energy received. An amplifier has an input capacitively coupled to the sensor, and the voltage at the amplifier input varies in dependence upon the resistance of the sensor. The output voltage of the amplifier varies in dependence upon the amplifier input voltage, and hence upon the amount of infrared energy reaching the sensor. In order to prevent inaccuracies in the amplifier output signal due to, for example, temperature-related resistance variations of the sensor, the amplifier input is grounded during intervals when the sensor receives infrared energy from the substrate and ungrounded shortly before the sensor begins to receive infrared energy from the heated adhesive.
Inventors
- 👤 Stephen L. Merkel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 19:29
CPC Classifications
C; C23; C23C; C23C14/00; C23C14/22; C23C14/52; G; G01; G01J; G01J1/00; G01J1/42; G05; G05D; G05D5/00; G05D5/02; G05D5/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
155 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input capacitively coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier to a particular voltage level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
155 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input capacitively coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier to a particular voltage level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
The system of claim 1 in which the means for clamping the input of the amplifier includes means for coupling the amplifier input to electrical ground.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The system of claim 2 in which the amplifier is a non-inverting operational amplifier having a non-inverting input which is capacitively coupled to the sensor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The system of claim 3 in which the means for coupling the amplifier input to ground includes a field effect transistor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The system of claim 4 in which the sensor is an infrared sensor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
201 words
A dispensing arrangement for dispensing a material onto a substrate comprising: dispensing means responsive to a dispenser control signal for dispensing a material onto a substrate; means for producing a dispenser control signal at an output which is coupled to the dispensing means; a sensor positioned near the dispensing means to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from material dispensed onto a substrate by the dispensing means, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input capacitively coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; and means, coupled to the means for producing a dispenser control signal, for clamping the input of the amplifier to a particular voltage level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from a substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto a substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
201 words
A dispensing arrangement for dispensing a material onto a substrate comprising: dispensing means responsive to a dispenser control signal for dispensing a material onto a substrate; means for producing a dispenser control signal at an output which is coupled to the dispensing means; a sensor positioned near the dispensing means to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from material dispensed onto a substrate by the dispensing means, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input capacitively coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; and means, coupled to the means for producing a dispenser control signal, for clamping the input of the amplifier to a particular voltage level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from a substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto a substrate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The arrangement of claim 6 in which the sensor is an infrared sensor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The arrangement of claim 7 in which the amplifier is a non-inverting operational amplifier having a non-inverting input which is capacitively coupled to the sensor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The arrangement of claim 8 in which the means for clamping the amplifier input to a particular voltage level includes a field effect transistor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
The arrangement of claim 9 which further comprises means, coupled to the output of the amplifier, for comparing said output signal to high and low set point values when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed on a substrate and for producing an alarm if said output signal falls outside of a range of values between said set points.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; means, coupled to the sensor and responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for coupling to the amplifier input a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and keying means for coupling a keying signal to the means for coupling when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate so that the means for coupling is responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
246 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; amplifier means electrically connected to the sensor for producing an output signal which varies in dependence upon the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor, the amplifier means including an amplifier (a) having an input coupled to the sensor and (b) producing said output signal at an output; means, coupled to the sensor and responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for coupling to the amplifier input a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and keying means for coupling a keying signal to the means for coupling when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate so that the means for coupling is responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
181 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; means, coupled to the sensor and responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for producing a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and means for clamping the sensor signal to a particular level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the sensor signal before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
181 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: a sensor positioned to receive radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor having an electrical characteristic whose value varies in part in dependence upon the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor; means, coupled to the sensor and responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for producing a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and means for clamping the sensor signal to a particular level when the sensor is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the sensor signal before the sensor receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
The system of claim 12 in which the sensor is an infrared sensor and said electrical characteristic also varies in dependence upon the temperature of the sensor.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: sensor means for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; a capacitor connected between the output of the sensor means and the input of the amplifier means; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular voltage level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
146 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed onto a substrate comprising: sensor means for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; a capacitor connected between the output of the sensor means and the input of the amplifier means; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular voltage level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 14 in which the capacitor has at least two terminals, one terminal being connected directly to the output of the sensor means and another terminal being directly connected to the input of the amplifier means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
194 words
A dispensing arrangement for dispensing a material onto a substrate comprising: dispensing means responsive to a dispenser control signal for dispensing a material onto a substrate; means for producing a dispenser control signal at an output which is coupled to the dispensing means; sensor means, positioned near the dispensing means, for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from material dispensed onto a substrate by the dispensing means, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input, for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; a capacitor connected between the output of the sensor means and the input of the amplifier means; and means, coupled to the means for producing a dispenser control signal, for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular voltage level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from a substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier means before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto a substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
194 words
A dispensing arrangement for dispensing a material onto a substrate comprising: dispensing means responsive to a dispenser control signal for dispensing a material onto a substrate; means for producing a dispenser control signal at an output which is coupled to the dispensing means; sensor means, positioned near the dispensing means, for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from material dispensed onto a substrate by the dispensing means, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input, for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; a capacitor connected between the output of the sensor means and the input of the amplifier means; and means, coupled to the means for producing a dispenser control signal, for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular voltage level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from a substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier means before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto a substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
63 words
The arrangement of claim 16 which further comprises means, coupled to the output of the amplifier means, for comparing said output signal to high and low set point values when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed on a substrate and for producing an alarm if said output signal falls outside of a range of values between said set points.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The arrangement of claim 17 in which the capacitor has at least two terminals, one terminal being connected directly to the output of the sensor means and another terminal being directly connected to the input of the amplifier means.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
217 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed unto a substrate comprising: sensor means for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input, for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; coupling means, responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for coupling to the input of the amplifier means a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the signal provided at said output of the sensor means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the signal provided at said output of the sensor means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
217 words
A system for monitoring energy radiant from a material dispensed unto a substrate comprising: sensor means for receiving radiant energy from a substrate and from a material dispensed onto the substrate, the sensor means having an output providing a signal correlated to the amount of energy, in at least a given energy band, received by the sensor means; amplifier means, having an input, for producing an output signal at an output corresponding to a signal at the input of the amplifier means; coupling means, responsive to the value of said electrical characteristic of the sensor when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate, for coupling to the input of the amplifier means a sensor signal representative of the difference between (a) the signal provided at said output of the sensor means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate and (b) the signal provided at said output of the sensor means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate; and means for clamping the input of the amplifier means to a particular level when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate and for unclamping the input of the amplifier before the sensor means receives radiant energy from material dispensed onto the substrate.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
The system of claim 19 in which the coupling means includes a capacitor connected between the output of the sensor means and the input of the amplifier means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
39 words
The system of claim 20 in which the capacitor has at least two terminals, one terminal being connected directly to the output of the sensor means and another terminal being directly connected to the input of the amplifier means.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 20 which further comprises keying means for coupling a keying signal to the clamping means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate so that the amplifier means is responsive to the signal provided at said output of the sensor means when the sensor means is receiving radiant energy from the substrate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
38 words
The system of claim 22 in which the capacitor has at least two terminals, one terminal being connected directly to the output of the sensor means and another terminal being directly connected to the input-of the amplifier means.
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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) | 1994-06-24 | 1994-12-24 | 1995-06-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-06-24 | 1998-12-24 | 1999-06-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-06-24 | 2002-12-24 | 2003-06-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |