Patent US5048816A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5048816A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Workpiece registration system and method for determining the position of a sheet

Assignee: Murata Wiedemann Inc
•
Filing: 1990-07-09
•
Granted: 1991-09-17
•
Expires: 2010-07-09
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A system is disclosed for registering a sheet in punch press or other apparatus having a control system carrying out a programmed position of the sheet during punching operations, in which a movable locator plate is urged into an advanced position along an axis of movement so as to be displaced when the sheet is moved a fixed distance along one axis. A distance transducer generates a continuously varying electrical signal corresponding to the displacement of the locator plate from its advanced position, which signal is transmitted to the control system to modify the part program in accordance with the actual location of the sheet.

Inventors

  • 👤 Victor L. Chun
  • 👤 Gerard J. Schorn

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 19:20
CPC Classifications
B; B21; B21D; B21D43/00; B21D43/003; B21D28/00; B21D28/24; B21D28/26; B21D28/265; B21D43/02; B21D43/04; B21D43/10; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/525; Y10T83/538

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim 219 words
A system for providing sheet registration in a sheet handling apparatus having a control system for precisely moving a sheet in a plane defined by X and Y axes by means of grippers included in said apparatus adapted to hold a sheet loaded therein, a cross slide having said grippers mounted thereo; and a carriage mounting said cross slide moved along said respective X and Y axes under the guidance of said control system to carry out a part program, said system including an arrangement comprised of a locator plate positionable along said X-axis so as to have a face engaged by the edge of a sheet upon continued movement of said cross slide in one direction; slider means mounting said locator plate for free movement away from an advanced position; means lightly urging said locator plate towards said advanced position; stop means precisely locating said locator plate in said advanced position; distance transducer means generating a continuously variable electrical signal corresponding to the position of said locator plate away from said advanced position; means transmitting said displacement transducer signals to said control system, whereby upon driving said sheet a fixed distance so as to displace said locator plate from said advanced position, said part program can take into account the exact position of said sheet in said grippers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 219 words
A system for providing sheet registration in a sheet handling apparatus having a control system for precisely moving a sheet in a plane defined by X and Y axes by means of grippers included in said apparatus adapted to hold a sheet loaded therein, a cross slide having said grippers mounted thereo; and a carriage mounting said cross slide moved along said respective X and Y axes under the guidance of said control system to carry out a part program, said system including an arrangement comprised of a locator plate positionable along said X-axis so as to have a face engaged by the edge of a sheet upon continued movement of said cross slide in one direction; slider means mounting said locator plate for free movement away from an advanced position; means lightly urging said locator plate towards said advanced position; stop means precisely locating said locator plate in said advanced position; distance transducer means generating a continuously variable electrical signal corresponding to the position of said locator plate away from said advanced position; means transmitting said displacement transducer signals to said control system, whereby upon driving said sheet a fixed distance so as to displace said locator plate from said advanced position, said part program can take into account the exact position of said sheet in said grippers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 26 words
The system for providing sheet registration according to claim 1 wherein said distance transducer comprises an LVDT having an input rod fixed to said locator plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 34 words
The system for providing sheet registration according to claim 1 further including fixed stop means for alternatively fixing said locator plate in an intermediate location within the range of movement of said distance transducer.
Claim 5
Independent Claim 30 words
The system for providing sheet registration according to claim wherein said control system moves said cross slide a predetermined fixed distance on the order of one inch during sheet registration.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 25 words
The system for providing sheet registration according to claim 4 wherein said distance transducer has a range of motion on the order of one inch.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 24 words
The system for providing sheet registration according to claim 1 wherein said arrangement is mounted on said carriage by means allowing selective registration thereof.
Claim 8
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of registering a sheet loaded into initial positions in a gripper means of a sheet handling apparatus at indeterminate locations within a limited range of positions along one axis in said gripper means, said apparatus having a control system and actuators for positioning the sheet in a plane defined by X and Y axes, including the steps of: positioning a movable locator structure along the path of movement of said sheet in at least one of said axes at a precisely located advanced position; moving said sheet by operation of one of said actuators a fixed distance sufficient to displace at least slightly said locator structure for all positions of said sheet through said range of loaded positions of said sheet in said gripper means; generating continuously varying electrical signals corresponding to the displacement of said locator structure from said advanced position; and transmitting said signal to said control system and modifying said part program to reflect the atual sheet location as determined by the magnitude of said signal.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 171 words
A method of registering a sheet loaded into initial positions in a gripper means of a sheet handling apparatus at indeterminate locations within a limited range of positions along one axis in said gripper means, said apparatus having a control system and actuators for positioning the sheet in a plane defined by X and Y axes, including the steps of: positioning a movable locator structure along the path of movement of said sheet in at least one of said axes at a precisely located advanced position; moving said sheet by operation of one of said actuators a fixed distance sufficient to displace at least slightly said locator structure for all positions of said sheet through said range of loaded positions of said sheet in said gripper means; generating continuously varying electrical signals corresponding to the displacement of said locator structure from said advanced position; and transmitting said signal to said control system and modifying said part program to reflect the atual sheet location as determined by the magnitude of said signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method according to claim 7 wherien said sheet is moved a fixed distance on the order ofone inch.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 28 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein said locator plate is lightly urged to said advanced position at a force level below that causing bending of said sheet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 7 further including the step of retracting said locator structure whenever said registration method is not being conducted.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method according to claim 7 including the step of alternatively fixing said locator structure in a position away from said advanced position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein the machine control maintains a position reference datum of said sheet along said at least one axis for processing control, and wherein said modifying step, said reference datum is shifted to reflect the actual sheet position.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3244418A Cited
US4095512A Cited
US4303152A Cited
JPS5643148A Cited
US4533239A Cited
US4708759A Cited
US4674738A Cited
US4922773A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1994-09-16 1995-03-18 1995-09-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1998-09-16 1999-03-18 1999-09-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2002-09-16 2003-03-18 2003-09-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag