The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 15, 1998
Filed:
Nov. 07, 1996
Steven F Rasmussen, Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Robert F Rasmussen, South Euclid, OH (US);
Steven G Belovich, Hinckley, OH (US);
Angstrom Corporation, Euclid, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus (20) for press operation data acquisition comprises a tie rod (45a) for bearing a load during a press cycle. The rod (45a) has a load bearing portion (76) and a non-load bearing portion (78). An elongated, axially extending bore (75) is formed in one end (62) of the rod (45a) such that the bore (75) extends from the non-load bearing portion (78) into the load bearing portion (76). A linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) (24), includes a core portion (114) movably disposed relative to a coil portion (118), such that magnetic flux generated by current impression on the coil portion (118) is influenced by a position of the core portion (114) relative thereto. The core portion (114) is secured to a shaft (80). The shaft (80) is adapted for axial movement within the bore (75) in response to deformation of the rod (45a) during press operation. The coil portion (118) is adapted to receive an electric signal current from an associated electric source. The magnetic flux induced by operation of the associated press is regularly sensed by monitoring of the electric signal in a sensing coil portion (120). A position signal is periodically generated (126) that is representative of a relative position of the core portion (114) to the coil portion (118) in accordance with sensed magnetic flux. The apparatus is adapted for automatically calibrating the position signal (304, 306) to a base level prior to initiating a press cycle of the associated press. A press deflection signal is generated (320, 322) in accordance with the position signal.