Pulse-counting Systems Patents (Class 318/603)
  • Patent number: 11400680
    Abstract: A system that converts sheet material into packaging templates includes a converting assembly that performs conversion functions, such as cutting, creasing, and scoring, on the sheet material as the sheet material moves through the converting machine in a first direction. The converting assembly may be mounted on a frame such that the converting assembly is elevated above a support surface. One or more longhead converting tools performs conversion functions on the sheet material in a first direction and a crosshead converting tool performs conversion functions on the sheet material in a second direction in order to create packaging templates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: PACKSIZE LLC
    Inventors: Niklas Pettersson, Ryan Osterhout
  • Patent number: 11383621
    Abstract: A method of controlling tilting movement of a headrest of a seating arrangement of a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving a request for tilting movement of the headrest; determining if the headrest is attached to the seat by checking for the presence of at least one electrical component that is located within the headrest; and operating a tilt motor to commence tilting movement of the headrest in response to the request only if the or each component is found to be present.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED
    Inventors: Nigel Rose, Sheraz Ahmed, Vinay Vaidya
  • Patent number: 11353341
    Abstract: A detection device which detects a state of a moving member such as an origin position of the moving member in a short time, is provided with a dog which includes the multiple slits, in which at least one of a separation distance between adjacent slits and a width of the slits themselves is formed in multiple kinds, a sensor which detects the presence or absence of the slits, a count position acquisition section which acquires a count start position and a count end position corresponding to the separation distance between the adjacent slits or the width of the slits themselves based on detection results of the sensor, and a state detection section which acquires a count value increase or decrease number from the count start position to the count end position and detects a state of the moving member based on the acquired count value increase or decrease number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: FUJI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Nomura, Joji Isozumi
  • Patent number: 11243101
    Abstract: A method for calibrating a rotary encoder for measuring a rotary angle position of a machine shaft. The method includes rotating a machine shaft; measuring a start measuring point with a sensor unit; activating a timer module to measure a time value; measuring an intermediate measuring point with the sensor unit; storing the actual rotary angle position of the intermediate measuring point and the time value associated therewith; measuring an end measuring point with the sensor unit; recording a time value incremented by the timer module which reflects a runtime for a rotary motion of the start to the end measuring point; calculating at least one time-dependent reference rotary angle position; calculating a deviation between the actual rotary angle position measured and the at least one time-dependent reference rotary angle position calculated for at least one time value; and correcting an output signal from the rotary encoder via the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: FRABA B.V.
    Inventor: Uwe Kettering
  • Patent number: 11123891
    Abstract: A blade holder (1) for a longitudinal cutting machine includes a rotatably mounted blade head (3) for holding a circular blade (4) and at least one locking device (2). At least one actuator actuates an element of the blade holder (1), and a moveably mounted adjusting slide (5) positions the blade head (3) on the longitudinal cutting machine. The adjusting slide (5) for positioning of the blade head (3) is moveable from a starting position to a positioning point. With the blade holder, materials can be cut perfectly with high precision. In particular, materials such as tissue, non-woven materials, paper, OLED film, displays, battery film, lithium batteries, aluminum, copper film, anodes, and cathodes can be cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: Dienes Werke für Maschinenteile GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventor: Rudolf Supe-Dienes
  • Patent number: 10913363
    Abstract: A vehicle includes an electric machine and a controller configured to inject a voltage into the electric machine. The controller measures the currents caused by the voltage and processes the currents using a discrete Fourier transform to determine positive and negative sequence currents. A phase rotation sequence is identified by comparing the sequence currents to expected positive and negative sequence currents that are associated with possible phase rotation sequences. The electric machine may be controlled according to the identified phase rotation sequence. A cable swapped diagnostic may be output when the phase rotation sequence is different than an expected phase rotation sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Wei Xu, Fazal Urrahman Syed
  • Patent number: 10889003
    Abstract: A robot system includes a robot, a robot work environment in which the robot works, and a robot controller including circuitry that stores position information indicating a position of each of measured robot postures in the robot work environment, obtains a measured position of each of the measured robot postures based on a detection result obtained by a sensor, and corrects a movement position of the robot based on the measured position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventors: Takuya Fukuda, Yukio Hashiguchi, Noriko Abe
  • Patent number: 10866386
    Abstract: A lens control apparatus having an imaging optical system including a focus lens includes a lens control unit configured to control a position of a lens of the imaging optical system based on a control driving amount of the lens, an acquisition unit configured to acquire driving information including an actual driving amount of the lens controlled by the lens control unit, and a first correction unit configured to correct the position of the lens based on a difference between the control driving amount and the actual driving amount. The first correction unit corrects the position of the lens by adding or subtracting an amount of correction to or from the control driving amount when the lens control unit next performs the control of the position of the lens, such that the difference decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Chino, Toshiyuki Dobashi
  • Patent number: 10673368
    Abstract: A pulse-width modulation control circuit includes a first transistor and a signal generator. The first transistor includes a first terminal coupled to a power source and a second terminal coupled to a first input of a controlled component. The signal generator includes a first node coupled to a gate of the first transistor. The signal generator is configured to receive a comparison value and a comparison criterion and to compare the comparison value to a counter value based on the comparison criterion. In response to the comparison value satisfying the comparison criterion with respect to the counter value, the signal generator is configured to send a control signal to the gate of the first transistor to generate a pulse edge of a pulse of a pulse-width modulated signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
    Inventors: Douglas C. Cameron, Dwayne C. Merna
  • Patent number: 10623213
    Abstract: A method of determining a direction of rotation of a shaft is disclosed, as well as an integrated circuit chip that uses the disclosed method. The method includes receiving a first binary signal and a second binary signal from a transducer attached to the shaft, with the first and second binary signals being in quadrature. A present quadrant identification number, QIDPRESENT, is determined as a two-digit binary number by left-shifting a value of the first signal and adding a value of the second signal. After a sampling interval has elapsed, the method sets a past quadrant identification number, QIDPAST, to the value of said QIDPRESENT, determines a new value of QIDPRESENT and calculates a value of a transition code using an equation that operates on QIDPRESENT and QIDPAST. The method uses the transition code to determine a direction of rotation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Richard Mark Poley
  • Patent number: 10615728
    Abstract: In a motor control device, a two-phase/three-phase converter is configured to convert a d-axis voltage instruction and a q-axis voltage instruction into voltage instructions in UVW phases. A PWM circuit is configured to generate drive pulse signals having undergone power width modulation, in accordance with the voltage instructions. An inverter is configured to generate drive voltages for driving coils based on the drive pulse signals. A position detector is configured to detect a rotational position. A rotational speed calculator is configured to calculate a rotational speed. A current detector is configured to detect drive currents flowing into the coils. A three-phase/two-phase converter is configured to convert detected drive current values into a d-axis current value and a q-axis current value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2020
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Daisuke Sato
  • Patent number: 10576002
    Abstract: An adjustable wheelchair headrest system to provide wheelchair users with the ability to control their headrest without assistance form another individual. Some wheelchair users are unable to adjust their headrests without assistance, and as a result, have no control over their head and neck positioning throughout the day. The system provides wheelchair users with a multi-directional adjustable headrest that may be controlled through a mobile device. The system includes a universal mounting system and manually adjustable starting positions for each linear translation and rotational assembly, which allows the system to easily mount to any existing wheelchair. The system enables users to adjust their headrest to suit any situation (driving, watching a movie, eating, etc.). Wheelchair reliant individuals can now enjoy day-to-day comfort, control their own upper body posture, and perform additional tasks without assistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: University of South Florida
    Inventor: Kyle Evan Stottlemyer
  • Patent number: 10579038
    Abstract: A method, according to the present invention, of adjusting control parameters used in a control apparatus of an electric motor includes the steps of: computing a first frequency characteristic (Step 1); computing a present speed-proportional gain range (Step 2); computing a present mechanical-system characteristic constant (Step 3); computing a present proportional gain range (Step 4); computing a secular characteristic (Step 5); computing a secular speed-proportional gain range (Step 6); computing a secular proportional gain range (Step 7); and selecting proportional gain values (Step 8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Tazawa, Hiroshi Fujiwara, Masaru Nishizono
  • Patent number: 10514474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for synchronizing continuous seismic survey. In particular, the present invention employs a semaphore scheme for the vibes to autonomously and continuously initiate sweeps, thereby decoupling the vibratory source subsystem from the recording subsystem. By using a continuous recorder and the method of the present invention, the recording trucks and the observers can be eliminated, and the vibratory sources can be initiated more efficiently than conventional systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventors: Peter M. Eick, Joel D. Brewer
  • Patent number: 10494228
    Abstract: Elevator car guiding devices including a roller guide frame including a mounting base to be mounted to an elevator car, a first roller supported on the mounting base, the first roller having a first roller wheel configured to engage with and rotate along a guide rail and prevent movement of the elevator car in a first direction, a second roller supported on the mounting base, the at least one second roller having a second roller wheel configured to engage with and rotate along the guide rail and prevent movement of the elevator car in a second direction, and a motion state sensing assembly mounted to the roller guide frame and configured to measure a motion state of the elevator car within an elevator shaft of the elevator system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY
    Inventors: Bruce P. Swaybill, Randy Roberts, Patricia Derwinski, Philip R. James
  • Patent number: 10401192
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for counting events occurring during a period T carried out by a mechanical counter including two toothed wheels with the same pitch, the occurrence of an event causing the rotation of each wheel by an angle corresponding to the pitch of the teeth thereof, the method including: counting or calculating, for each wheel at the end of T, the difference in the number of teeth between the initial and final position thereof, the step being at least partially carried out either by an optical unit, requiring the presence on each wheel of at least one marker, or by a unit for measuring the angular displacement of each wheel and associated calculation unit; and calculating the number of occurred events N in accordance with the difference between the values counted or measured and in accordance with the number of teeth of the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignees: ETAT FRANCAIS REPRESENTE PAR LE DELEGUE GENERAL POUR L'ARMEMENT, SILMACH
    Inventors: Pierre-Francois Louvigne, Patrice Minotti, Vianney Sadoulet, Pascal Girardin, Charles Haye
  • Patent number: 10320594
    Abstract: A method of determining a direction of rotation of a shaft is disclosed, as well as an integrated circuit chip that uses the disclosed method. The method includes receiving a first binary signal and a second binary signal from a transducer attached to the shaft, with the first and second binary signals being in quadrature. A present quadrant identification number, QIDPRESENT, is determined as a two-digit binary number by left-shifting a value of the first signal and adding a value of the second signal. After a sampling interval has elapsed, the method sets a past quadrant identification number, QIDPAST, to the value of said QIDPRESENT, determines a new value of QIDPRESENT and calculates a value of a transition code using an equation that operates on QIDPRESENT and QIDPAST. The method uses the transition code to determine a direction of rotation of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventor: Richard Mark Poley
  • Patent number: 10317479
    Abstract: A sensor unit for detecting an encoder at a predefined position, having a circuit device and a threshold signal present at the circuit device, and a magnetic field sensor. The magnetic field sensor has a supply and ground terminal and first and second outputs, and outputs an analog sensor signal that is dependent on the distance of the encoder, and a supply unit connected to the supply terminal of the magnetic field sensor, the supply unit having a control input, and the circuit device is connected to the magnetic field sensor. The circuit device is configured to provide the sensor signal as an amplified signal value, and the circuit device is configured to determine an amount from the difference between the amplified signal value and the threshold signal and to control the amplification of the signal value and the supply unit as a function of the magnitude of the amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: TDK—Micronas GmbH
    Inventor: Joachim Ritter
  • Patent number: 10299359
    Abstract: The lighting control console and a control method using the lighting control console are disclosed. The lighting control console includes an operation device, a control device that controls a lighting fixture, and a storage that stores position information of a plurality of points. The storage stores a plurality of paths connecting two points. The operation device accepts first and second operation inputs. The control device controls the lighting fixture so as to move a lighting position along a first path determined out of the plurality of paths in accordance with the first operation input at a speed in accordance with an input amount of the first operation input. The control device controls the lighting fixture so as to change the lighting position onto a second path adjacent to the first path upon the second operation input exceeding a predetermined threshold while the lighting position is moving along the first path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akane Matsuo
  • Patent number: 10267691
    Abstract: A system and method determines torque applied to a rotating shaft by a load. Two sensors determine the rotation of the shaft at two spaced-apart axial positions. Controller(s) analyze two pulse trains associated with signals received from the sensors corresponding to rotation of the shaft at the respective axial positions under the load. The controller(s) determine a delta phase value for each pulse of one pulse train with respect to a corresponding pulse of another pulse train, and aggregate each delta phase value for a prescribed period of pulses to determine an aggregate delta phase value. The controller(s) determine a load phase value as a ratio of the aggregate delta phase value to the prescribed period, a total delta phase value as a difference between the load phase value and a reference phase value, and a torque value from the load based on the total delta phase value and physical parameters of the shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Deere & Company
    Inventors: Jared F. Leonard, Robert J. White
  • Patent number: 10238917
    Abstract: A plurality of belt/pullet sets. Each belt/pulley set has a weight set. Each weight set is based on a formula of (2)n-power(X) where X is a basic weight and n is integral number for selecting a weight by a user. Each weight uses a different n-power. A carrier plate is utilized for bearing a weight set during a movement of an exercise. A clamping mechanism is utilized to couple each belt/pulley set to the carrier plate. In addition, the weight system includes an exercise device for a user to exercise, such as a bar or handle. A cable is coupled to the carrier plate, weight set, and the exercise device. In another embodiment, the formula may be utilized in a variable distance system or robotic arm where a plurality of cylinders moves an object, such as a travel arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Inventor: Arto Kojayan
  • Patent number: 10210042
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a memory system includes a decoder configured to correct an error of the data stored in a memory based on result of the first read and the second read, and output a first signal of a first value indicating corrected data and a second signal of a second value indicating corrected data; a generator configured to count the first and second signals for first data items based on the result of the first and second read for generating count numbers of the first and second signals for each of the first data items; and a controller configured to compare a magnitude relation of the count numbers in order of read levels, determine the first data item when the magnitude relation changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: TOSHIBA MEMORY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenji Sakurada
  • Patent number: 10126734
    Abstract: A servo control apparatus which includes: a difference calculation unit that calculates difference between an integral value of speed deviation of a master axis and an integral value of speed deviation of a slave axis; a filter unit that performs filtering of the difference by way of a low-pass filter; and an addition unit that adds a result of the filtering to the integral value of the speed deviation of the slave axis, in which a current command for driving the master-axis motor is calculated for the master axis by using the integral value of the speed deviation of the master axis; and a current command for driving the slave-axis motor is calculated for the slave axis by using an integral value after addition by way of the addition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FANUC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Naoto Sonoda
  • Patent number: 9899945
    Abstract: A motor driving apparatus included in a home appliance may include an inverter to convert a direct current (DC) power into an alternating current (AC) power through a switching operation and to output the converted AC power to a motor, an output current detector to detect an output current flowing through the motor, a controller to control the inverter, wherein, during a first interval after the motor stops, the controller controls a phase current of a predetermined frequency to flow through the motor to estimate a position of a rotor of the motor, and estimates the position of the rotor of the motor based on the detected output current while the phase current of the predetermined frequency flows through the motor. Thereby, the sensorless motor driving apparatus can easily estimate the position of the motor rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: LG ELECTRONICS INC.
    Inventors: Minho Jang, Junho Lee, Chungill Lee
  • Patent number: 9819288
    Abstract: A motor drive system configured to detect and prevent undesired movement of an item that is configured to be driven by the motor drive system. The motor drive system having: an electronic control unit operatively coupled to a rotor of the motor drive system, the electronic control unit being configured to detect undesired rotation of a shaft of the rotor, wherein the undesired rotation of the shaft is not caused by a force applied by the rotor; and wherein the electronic control unit of the motor drive system is configured to short windings of the motor drive system after a predetermined amount of undesired rotation of the shaft is detected by the electronic control unit such that further rotation of the rotor is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: INTEVA PRODUCTS FRANCE SAS
    Inventor: Stéphane Barbier
  • Patent number: 9802430
    Abstract: The ink discharge unit includes a biasing member. The biasing member is fixed to a fixing member immovably fitted to a carriage body that moves relative to a recording medium. The biasing member, while being thus fixed, biases an inkjet head in a direction illustrated with an arrow and in a direction illustrated with another arrow for position alignment of the inkjet head relative to the fixing member. The inkjet head, while being biased by the biasing member, is fixed to the fixing member. The fixing member has curved portions that regulate movements of the inkjet head in the directions illustrated with the arrows by way of contacts with the inkjet head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: MIMAKI ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tomomi Igawa
  • Patent number: 9796084
    Abstract: An electric gripper system includes a motor driving a gripper mechanism, a sensor, and a controller. The sensor is assembled onto the motor for generating a current position of the gripper mechanism. The controller has a control segment, a transceiver segment, an accessible segment, and a driving segment. The control segment generates a target position according to a relative-position command value of the transceiver segment and an absolute cumulative position of the accessible segment. The control segment generates a driving datum based on a difference between the current position and the target position, and on a rotation rate of the motor. The driving segment uses the driving datum to drive the motor to move the gripper mechanism. With calculation among the relative-position command value, the absolute cumulative position, and the current position, the motor is prevented from accumulating positional deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: HIWIN TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
    Inventors: Wei-Shao Chen, Kai-Hsiang Huang, I-Hsiang Tseng
  • Patent number: 9742330
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus includes a high-resolution encoder for position control and a low-resolution encoder for velocity control, position control means for generating a velocity command in accordance with a difference between a given position command and the output of the high-resolution encoder, and velocity control means for generating a current command in accordance with a difference between the velocity command and a detected velocity that is based upon the output of the low-resolution encoder. A velocity control cycle based upon the velocity control means is made faster than a position control cycle based upon the position control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: IAI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akihiro Yamada, Ryoma Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9383231
    Abstract: A photoelectric encoder includes an absolute scale provided with an absolute pattern based on pseudo-random data, and a detection head including a light source that emits light to the absolute pattern of the absolute scale, and a light receiving unit that receives light from the absolute pattern, and it detects an absolute position of the detection head with respect to the absolute scale. In the photoelectric encoder, the absolute pattern is composed of a grating part and a dark part arranged in a repetitive manner. The photoelectric encoder further includes an interference pattern generation means that generates an interference pattern in combination with the grating part, and an interference pattern signal processing unit that detects the pseudo-random data of the absolute pattern based on the interference pattern received by the light receiving unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: MITUTOYO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toru Yaku, Yoshiaki Kato
  • Patent number: 9369068
    Abstract: Multipliers 21a and 21b output values, which are obtained by multiplying a total drive command value Es by first and second gains G1 and G2, respectively, as first and second drive command values E1 and E2. Controllers 23a and 23b control first and second actuators (motors) 5 and 7, respectively, on the basis of the first and second drive command values. The detection values of the drive amounts of the actuators are denoted by Ef1 and Ef2, respectively, and the detection value of the drive amount of a driven body is denoted by Ef. A gain calculator 27 calculates the gains G1 and G2 on the basis of Ef1, Ef and Ef2. An upper limit value of Ef, which denotes the drive amount of the driven body, is denoted by Lmax. When Ef1, Ef2 or Ef approaches zero, the first gain G1 is brought close to (Ef1?Lmax/2)/(Ef?Lmax).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignees: IHI AEROSPACE CO., LTD., SINFONIA TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Oyori, Yoshito Ohta, Keisuke Onishi
  • Patent number: 9343896
    Abstract: A safety circuit arrangement for the failsafe monitoring of a movement variable of a moving machine part has a signal input for supplying an encoder signal, with the encoder signal being representative of the movement variable to be monitored. The arrangement also has a reference signal path for supplying a reference signal, a tap connected to the signal input and to the reference signal path in order to provide a superposition signal by superposing the reference signal on the encoder signal, and a measuring unit which is connected to the tap and is designed to detect whether the superposition signal reaches at least one predefined signal level or is within a predefined signal level range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2016
    Assignee: PILZ GMBH & CO. KG
    Inventor: Andre Laturner
  • Patent number: 9298177
    Abstract: A machine tool according to an embodiment includes a drive mechanism configured to move a control target; a motor configured to operate the drive mechanism; a first encoder configured to detect a position of the control target; a second encoder configured to detect a position of the motor; a servo control unit configured to control the motor; and a numerical control unit configured to receive or calculate an error between the position of the control target obtained from a detection result of the first encoder and a position of the control target obtained from a detection result of the second encoder from the servo control unit, and to estimate a transmission error of the drive mechanism based on a change amount of the error between before and after inversion of a moving direction of the control target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Toshiba Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun Fujita, Chihiro Saga
  • Patent number: 9252691
    Abstract: One embodiment includes a back-electromagnetic force (BEMF) sense system. The system includes a sense amplifier configured to measure an amplitude of a selected one of a plurality of phase voltages relative to a center tap voltage associated with a servo motor for the calculation of an associated BEMF voltage. The plurality of phase voltages can be provided to the sense amplifier via a respective plurality of control nodes. The selected one of the plurality of phase voltages on a respective one of the control nodes can be selected based on coupling the other of the plurality of control nodes associated with the other of the plurality of phase voltages to a voltage source configured to provide a predetermined voltage magnitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Qunying Li, Joao Carlos Felicio Brito
  • Patent number: 9230593
    Abstract: A data storage device is disclosed comprising a spindle motor configured to rotate a disk, wherein the spindle motor comprises a plurality of windings. The windings are commutated based on a commutation sequence while applying a driving voltage to each winding, wherein the driving voltage comprises an operating amplitude during normal operation. When a supply voltage falls below a threshold, the spindle motor is configured into a power generator by at least reducing the amplitude of the driving voltage to substantially zero and then incrementally increasing the amplitude of the driving voltage by at least two steps toward the operating amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Western Digital Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael T. Nicholls
  • Patent number: 9199387
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an order change in a corrugator uses a minimum slit head configuration with all slit heads carried on two sides of a single tool support structure. A single robot is operable on the support structure to independently reset the positions of slit heads during a running order to prepare for subsequent order change in a most efficient manner, utilizing order scheduling that eliminates order changes that cannot be formed with the minimum slit head configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 1, 2015
    Assignee: Marquip, LLC
    Inventors: James A. Cummings, John J. Kondratuk, Ronald H. Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9132624
    Abstract: A contact pressure adjusting method and a contact pressure adjusting apparatus for a printing press, which can adjust a contact pressure automatically and always highly accurately without the influence of mechanical oscillations (disturbance such as noise), are provided. For this purpose, the contact pressure (load) of a wiping roll on an intaglio cylinder is converted into the torque value (electric current value) of a wiping roll drive motor, and given as feedback to a wiping roll contact pressure adjusting motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: KOMORI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenzo Otake, Norihiro Kumagai, Hideki Mori, Hiromitsu Numauchi, Soichi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9128073
    Abstract: The invention provides a needle moving device which can detect a fault in a signal provided by a system controller to a performing device. An X-direction driving motor (4a) and a Y-direction driving motor (4b) in a driving portion (4) of an autosampler (1a) are provided with encoders (12a, 12b) for measuring moving distances of a needle (2) in respective directions from rotation numbers of the respective driving motors (4a and 4b). A determining portion (20) provided to a system controller (1b) locates a position of the needle (2) after the movement based on signals from the encoders (12a, 12b) and determines whether the position is a position of a designated sample vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takafumi Nakamura
  • Patent number: 9110458
    Abstract: A positioning control apparatus has a moving body, a feed device having a guide mechanism for guiding the moving body in the direction of its feed axis and a drive mechanism for moving the moving body, a structural body supporting the feed device and a controller for controlling a moving position of the moving body with respect to a reference position on a machine tool by controlling the operation of the drive mechanism, and further has a calculating section calculating displacement of the feed device in the feed-axis direction with respect to the reference position caused by displacement of the structural body and a compensating section receiving the displacement data measured by the calculating section and adding modification data for eliminating the displacement to a control signal in the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: DMG Mori Seiki Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akira Kimura, Koji Yamamoto, Katsuhiko Ono, Kimiyuki Nishimura, Kenichiro Ueno, Keiichi Nakamachi
  • Publication number: 20150130387
    Abstract: A motor controller includes a motor, an encoder, and a control circuit. The motor drives a target object to be controlled. The encoder outputs a pulse signal synchronously with rotation of the motor. The control circuit rotates the motor based on a count value of the pulse signal. The control circuit switches to a sleep mode when making sure that a rotation position of the motor is stable after finishing rotating the motor or when a predetermined time necessary for the rotation position of the motor to be stable elapses after finishing rotating the motor. When a change in the pulse signal during a period of time where the control circuit is in the sleep mode is not smaller than a predetermined amount, the control circuit performs a learning process to learn a reference position of the motor when returning to a wakeup mode from the sleep mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Jun TARUI
  • Patent number: 8963470
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus that controls rotation of a rotor of an electric motor powered from an electric power source includes a learning portion that executes an initial drive learning process, and a controller that executes a normal drive operation to sequentially change an exciting phase of the electric motor based on a count value of a counter which is corrected by a correcting portion such that the rotor is rotated to a target position after an initial drive operation is finished. The learning portion re-executes the initial drive learning process after a predetermined condition is satisfied, when the initial drive learning process is failed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Kimura, Jun Yamada, Masaaki Shinojima
  • Patent number: 8963453
    Abstract: An inverter executing a PWM routine is configured to synchronize the switching periods of the PWM routine to an external signal. The external signal is generated, for example, by another inverter, a converter, or a high level controller. The external signal is preferably generated periodically, and the switching period is resynchronized to the external signal each time the external signal is received. Optionally, either the start time or the midpoint of the switching period may be aligned with external signal. Further, the external signal may be sent to multiple inverters. Preferably, a first portion of the inverters align the start time of their respective switching period to the external signal and a second portion of the inverters align the midpoint of their respective switching period to the external signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Bok Young Hong, Craig R. Winterhalter
  • Patent number: 8890449
    Abstract: A lock state occurrence determination apparatus includes a counter, a reset device, a reference time changing device, a lock state determination device, and an invalidation device. The invalidation device performs, in a case where a false determination of occurrence of a lock state of a motor is caused by the lock state determination device due to an operation input to operate a rotation speed of the motor, at least one of a first invalidation operation to invalidate the lock state determination device and a second invalidation operation to invalidate continuation of a counting operation by the counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Makita Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Suzuki, Takuya Kusakawa
  • Patent number: 8866427
    Abstract: When it is determined that the number of times that motor rotation-indicative quantity has been detected has exceeded a measurement interval, a feedback speed value is calculated from a motor rotation-indicative quantity detected immediately before, a motor rotation-indicative quantity detected immediately before the last time a measurement interval determination means determined that the number of times had exceeded the measurement interval, and time that has elapsed since the last time the measurement interval determination means determined that the number of times had exceeded the measurement interval, and the measurement interval having a length calculated from a greater one between the calculated feedback speed value and a speed command value is set for the measurement interval determination means to refer to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignees: IHI Aerospace Co., Ltd., Sinfonia Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Oyori, Masaaki Monte
  • Patent number: 8847538
    Abstract: An electric motor includes at least one first brush and at least one second brush, which are arranged in a stationary fashion and arranged to contact a commutator that rotates with a rotor. The commutator includes at least one cylindrical section with a circumferential surface on which a plurality of segments are arranged with insulating sections interposed between them. In order to detect the rotating speed and position of the rotor, the motor includes brushes with asymmetric circumferential widths or angles or a stator with an uneven magnetization. The motor is arranged to detect only one signal when the rotor rotates for an angle between two adjacent segments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Nidec Motors & Actuators (Germany) GmbH
    Inventors: Rainer Bruhn, Thomas Voegerl, Andrè Ebel, Che sakre Bin Shamsol
  • Patent number: 8836268
    Abstract: A pulse signal output unit sends three-phase pulse signals according to movement of the movable member. A counter unit adds a first predetermined value or a second predetermined value to a count value or subtracts the first predetermined value or the second predetermined value from the count value, according to a combination of the pulse signals appearing when all the pulse signals are normal and a combination of the pulse signals appearing when one of the pulse signals malfunctions. A position detection unit detects the position of the movable member according to the count value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Takuya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8810183
    Abstract: A PWM-signal-output circuit includes a detecting unit to detect periods in which a speed signal with logic level changing alternately and having a period corresponding to a motor-rotation speed is at one and the other logic levels, a dividing unit to divide each of the periods into first to third periods; a first output unit to change a PWM-signal duty-cycle in a stepwise manner toward an input-signal duty-cycle in the first period, a second output unit to cause a PWM-signal duty-cycle to become equal to an input-signal duty-cycle, to maintain a current flowing through the motor coil constant, in the second period; and a third output unit to change a PWM-signal duty-cycle in a stepwise manner from an input-signal duty-cycle, to decrease a current flowing through the motor coil, in the third period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventor: Takashi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 8786240
    Abstract: The invention realizes a method for controlling an electric cylinder and a control system for the cylinder that can prevent a load for pressurizing from significantly exceeding a target load and can shorten the time for the pressurization. A servo controller 17 can set the speed of the rod 11 and a load for stopping Ps that is used for determining whether the rod 11 should be stopped so that the load for pressurizing Pm does not significantly exceed the target load Pt. The servo controller 17 drives the rod 11 under the position control mode and determines whether the load for pressurizing Pm that is detected by a load detector 13 is bigger than or equal to the load for stopping Ps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Sintokogio, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Shirai, Masahiko Nagasaka
  • Publication number: 20140167671
    Abstract: A motor position controller includes a temporary setting portion, a position command generating device, a motor controlling part, and a second conformity determination portion. The motor position controller drives a motor based on an input of a command pulse signal and a setting of a desired pulse form. The temporary setting portion is configured to consecutively temporarily set a plurality of the pulse form settings following a predetermined order. The position command generating device is configured to generate a position command signal from the command pulse signal in accordance with the desired pulse form setting. The motor controlling part is configured to supply power to the motor based on the position command signal. The second conformity determination portion is configured to input the command pulse signal, input the pulse form setting temporarily set by the temporary setting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: June 19, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA YASKAWA DENKI
    Inventor: Tadashi OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20140139171
    Abstract: A range switching device provides a feedback control for rotating a motor toward a target rotation position. When a target shift range is switched, the range switching device rotates the motor toward a target rotation position by sequentially switching power supply phases of the motor based on an encoder count value. When the motor rotates within a predetermined stop range, the feedback control ends and a power supply to the motor is stopped. However, if the motor has not rotated to the target rotation position after a predetermined time has elapsed from the stopping of the power supply to the motor, an open drive is performed, in which the power supply phase of the motor is sequentially switched by open-loop control and the motor is rotated in small and/or minute steps toward the target rotation position. In such manner, position accuracy of the shift range switching is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro YOSHIDA, Jun YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8729849
    Abstract: When a servo device receives the frequency setting signal as a control signal through the receiver from the transmitter, it select the information in conformity with the received frequency setting signal among the driving frequency setting information as stored in advance. When the handling signal is input as the control signal by the transmitter, the servo device is configured to transform the difference data taken synchronously with the difference data timing signal from the pulse width comparison part into the selected driving frequency. The servo device is configured to generate the driving signal from the transformed difference data signal of the desired corresponding count value range, and to perform drive control the driving feature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignees: Futaba Corporation, Semiconductor Components Industries, LLC
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Tsuchiya, Yoshihisa Yamada