Golden Gate Microsystems, Inc.

Colter & Peterson, Inc.

Wayne T Smith

Jonathan B Proudfoot

An automated knife change adjustment on dual-gearbox paper cutting machines employs servo motors driving, with great gear reduction, turnbuckle nuts on a pair of pull arms. A graphic user interface automatically controls the knife adjustment on a replacement knife, the interface computer being connected to position sensors for the knife, to main motors driving gearboxes that cycle the knife down and up, to the servo motors and other sensors. The system avoids tedious manual steps typically in setting a replacement cutting knife to a correct cutting position.

Automated knife change adjustment on dual-gearbox paper cutting machines

A method for counting conveyed workpieces, such as on a variable speed conveyor belt, includes sensing interruptions via an object sensor such as an optical sensor with a light beam, and with a computer, applying a mathematical comparison between duration of interruptions to the light beam path and gaps that separate these interruptions. The comparison determines which interruptions are caused by the passage of conveyed workpieces and which interruptions are caused by the passage of other objects such as components of the conveyor belt. The method described involves the selection of a preset factor used in a ratio comparison between the duration of interruptions to the light beam and the gaps that separate these interruptions such that the computer is able to accurately count objects such as sheets of paper pulled by gripper bars and distinguishing between sheets of paper and gripper bars such that gripper bars and clips are not incorrectly counted as sheets of paper. Accuracy is not compromised by changes in speed of the conveyor. The gripper bars are fully filtered from the product count value.

Method for accurately counting conveyed workpieces regardless of

A system for accurately controlling the start and stop positions for operations on conveyor-moved products, such as for applying glue lines, perforations or slits on sheets of paper, uses product position rather than timing to accurately control 'on' and 'off' operation positions on the product. The entry of a sheet of paper, for example, onto the conveyor path is noted by detecting the leading edge of the paper moving past an optical sensor. The location of the sheet is always known in a computer, due to conveyor position information continually fed to the computer. Distances which will be involved in the compensation times for the operating devices (e.g. glue heads) are calculated so that the gluing or other operation will be accurately located, but because the speed of the conveyor may vary, the 'on' and 'off' compensation distances are not calculated until just before the paper reaches the glue head, with current speed determined and applied to the known compensation times to calculate compensation distances.

System for accurately positioning operations on conveyed products

An infinitely adaptive motor control positioning system is disclosed which uses a calculated variable velocity curve while tracking deceleration and acceleration before and after application of a power pulse so as to anticipate movement for continuing adjustable power cycles. This enables the system to optimize positioning accuracy and minimize elapsed time positioning a driven mechanism. Up to seven phases of drive occur in any positioning move. Each phase consists of drive cycles when the motor receives power (and thus accelerates) and then is void of power (and thus decelerates). During each drive cycle, different sets of equations are implemented to calculate an 'ideal speed' based upon the system response, actual speed, previously used power, and the distance still required to reach the target. The appropriate power computing equation is selected from a set of equations based upon a combination of factors: comparison of actual speed to 'ideal' speed; pattern of speed change during the previous cycles; previous powers used; the velocity error; proximity to a phase transition; and the general trend of the mechanism response. The final target approach uses current position, speed, and deceleration to project the stopping point if no more power is supplied. Then a new velocity curve is calculated in reference to the target position and remaining distance to evaluate how the next power cycle should be controlled. Initially, power is applied in varying degrees to obtain broad information on the acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the driven mechanism. With this data, the power is adjusted to control the speed so that the driven mechanism can eventually coast to a stop within the defined settling tolerance of the target.

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San Rafael, CA, United States of America

Wayne T Smith