Abstract: A method of reconnecting a motor to a motor drive comprises controlling a current which flows through the motor using a current regulator. The current regulator produces a voltage command output based on a current command input. A current is commanded at the current command input of the current regulator. Back EMF measurements are acquired at different instants in time by monitoring the voltage command output of the current regulator. Back EMF phase angles are determined for a plurality of the instants in time based on a respective plurality of the back EMF measurements. A frequency of the back EMF is determined based on the back EMF angles determined for the plurality of instants in time. The motor drive is reconnected to the motor based on the frequency of the back EMF.

Abstract: A sensor comprises a magnetic flux divider and a winding. The magnetic flux divider comprises first and second magnetic paths through which magnetic flux flows. The magnetic flux divider divides the magnetic flux between the first and second magnetic paths as a function of a total amount of magnetic flux flowing through the magnetic flux divider. The winding produces a signal that is indicative of the total amount of magnetic flux flowing through the flux divider based on the operation of the flux divider. A method of sensing a parameter comprises providing a material with a permeability that varies in accordance with an amount of magnetic flux passing through the material; and acquiring information indicative of the permeability of the material, the permeability of the material being indicative of the parameter. The sensor and method can be utilized to acquire information pertinent to another parameter of ultimate interest, such as information pertaining to a current flow in an electrical circuit.

Abstract: An industrial control system comprises a first motion control system including a first motor and a first motion controller, a second motion control system including a second motor and a second motion controller, and a user program. The user program is executable by the industrial control system to control the first and second motion control systems. When the user program is displayed to a user, the user program comprises the following graphical elements. In particular, the user program includes a first icon which represents the first motion control system, a second icon which represents the second motion control system, and a third icon which represents a physical relationship between the first and second motion control systems. Finally, also displayed to the user is a plurality of data flow lines that connect the first, second, and third icons and that represent a flow of data between the icons. The various icons are all preferably implemented in an object-oriented programming environment.

Abstract: A method of encapsulating a phototransducer comprises mounting the phototransducer on a substrate, depositing a surfactant on the substrate, and depositing an encapsulant on the substrate over the surfactant. The surfactant alters a surface tension of the substrate. The encapsulant forms a protective structure that protects the phototransducer.

Abstract: A programmable analog I/O circuit for use in an industrial control system has a first mode of operation as an input circuit and a second mode of operation as an output circuit. In the first mode of operation, a device-side I/O terminal is adapted for receiving an analog input status signal from an analog input device. In the second mode of operation, the device-side I/O terminal is adapted for transmitting an analog output control signal to an analog output device. According to another aspect, a programmable I/O circuit that drives an output device in an industrial control system comprises a plurality of configurable gain stages and a plurality of programmable isolating links. The plurality of programmable isolating links are coupled to the plurality of configurable gain stages and are programmable to determine a series or parallel arrangement of the plurality of configurable gain stages.

Abstract: A method of controlling a motor comprises providing a motion control system and causing the shaft of the motor to move from an initial state to a new state, such as from an initial position or velocity to a new position or velocity. Coefficients for each of a plurality of polynomial segments of a motion profile are determined. The plurality of polynomial segments and the corresponding coefficients for each respective segment characterize planned movement of the shaft through each respective segment. In a particularly preferred aspect, each segment is defined by a plurality of polynomials, which include a first polynomial that describes shaft position with respect to time, a second polynomial that describes shaft velocity with respect to time, and a third polynomial that describes shaft acceleration with respect to time.

Abstract: A programmable analog I/O circuit for use in an industrial control system has a first mode of operation as an input circuit and a second mode of operation as an output circuit. In the first mode of operation, a device-side I/O terminal is adapted for receiving an analog input status signal from an analog input device. In the second mode of operation, the device-side I/O terminal is adapted for transmitting an analog output control signal to an analog output device. According to another aspect, a programmable I/O circuit that drives an output device in an industrial control system comprises a plurality of configurable gain stages and a plurality of programmable isolating links. The plurality of programmable isolating links are coupled to the plurality of configurable gain stages and are programmable to determine a series or parallel arrangement of the plurality of configurable gain stages.

Abstract: A tool for programming non-volatile memory is embedded in the form of an object in a programmable controller module, and can be used to transfer a firmware program to a plurality of different modules connected by a common network. The tool can be placed in any type of module, and can be used to transfer a firmware program to any type of module, regardless whether the two module types are the same or different types. The firmware program is received in a first module from a user interface by way of a communication link, which may be relatively slow. The object is embedded in the first module and has a plurality of services and attributes which are adapted for transferring the firmware program to a plurality of target modules. The first module and the plurality of target modules are connected by way of the common network, which is preferably a high speed network.

Abstract: A programmable analog I/O circuit for use in an industrial control system has a first mode of operation as an input circuit and a second mode of operation as an output circuit. In the first mode of operation, a device-side I/O terminal is adapted for receiving an analog input status signal from an analog input device. In the second mode of operation, the device-side I/O terminal is adapted for transmitting an analog output control signal to an analog output device. According to another aspect, a programmable I/O circuit that drives an output device in an industrial control system comprises a plurality of configurable gain stages and a plurality of programmable isolating links. The plurality of programmable isolating links are coupled to the plurality of configurable gain stages and are programmable to determine a series or parallel arrangement of the plurality of configurable gain stages.

Abstract: An electromechanical device comprises a stator and a rotor which is capable of rotating relative to the stator. The rotor has a sensor embedded therein. In a preferred embodiment, the sensor is disposed within a plurality of laminations that are stacked one on top of another. For example, one of the plurality of laminations may be a sensor lamination, in which case the sensor is at least partially disposed within a cavity formed in the sensor lamination. Advantageously, the sensor may be used to directly measure rotor-associated operating conditions, such as rotor current (including the magnitude, frequency and phase of the rotor current), rotor fatigue, rotor temperature, rotor airgap, rotor flux and rotor torque. The sensor is especially well-suited for measuring current in the rotor of an induction motor.

Abstract: In a method of measuring a current, the current is received at a winding and permitted to flow through the winding, which is wound about a core. The flow of the current through the winding induces a first magnetic flux that flows through the core and that tends to drive the core into saturation. The core is actively reset to prevent the core from being saturated at least during selected time intervals. The current is then measured during at least a plurality of the selected time intervals. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the winding is a primary winding and the resetting step includes applying a reset voltage to a secondary winding using a source that is coupled to the secondary winding. The reset voltage determines a rate at which a net magnetic flux that flows in the core changes in a direction away from saturation. Advantageously, the current sensing method has a tremendous dynamic range.

Abstract: A quick mount base provided to attach electrical components to a mounting rail features a housing composed of plastic. At least one retainer spring wire is inserted in a hollow space of the housing that faces the mounting rail. An end area of the retainer spring wire terminates as a sharp edge that rests in a self locking manner with one tip on an edge strip of the mounting rail, whereby the retainer spring wire is secured from longitudinal movement in the direction facing away from the end area at the edge strip of the mounting rail, but permits outward bending.

Abstract: A method of calibrating a thermal trigger for an electrical switching device starts with fastening bimetal strips (1) for each phase in the housing of the trigger. Thereafter, the bimetal strips (1) are heated-up with a predetermined calibration current for a predetermined time, and are thus brought into a calibrated position. In the calibrated position, the positioning of each of the free end sections of each bimetal strip (1) is measured on both folded ends opposite each other. Then, two slides (3,4) are fitted with two hinged drive arms (5,6) and are retained in a calibration device. Stops (9) bring the drive arms (5,6) into the previously measured calibrated position of the assigned bimetal strip (1) by sluing. In the calibrated position, the other single-piece arms (8) with the trigger arms (5,6) are attached to the slide (3,4).

Abstract: A method of maintaining cross reference information regarding a user program comprises the steps of determining that an aspect of a first referencee has been modified, notifying a first referencer that the aspect of the first referencee has been modified, and updating cross reference information. The notifying step is performed by the first referencee, and the updating step is performed by the first referencer. The cross reference information is stored in a database comprising an entry for each reference made by a referencer to a referencee. Each entry stores a unique identifiers which identify a respective referencer and referencee. The cross reference information is automatically updated through a notification procedure in which referencees are responsible for notifying referencers when an aspect of the referencee changes, and the referencers are thereafter responsible for updating the cross reference information.

Abstract: The arrangement for mechanically coupling an overload relay (1) to a contactor (2, 15) is suitable for use with a contactor (2) having connection terminals (11) with wire cages (17) as well as with a contactor (15) having connection terminals (16) with pressure plate claws (12). In order to allow mechanical coupling for both types of connection terminals (11, 16), the coupling cutout in the base of the contactor (2, 15) contains a central cutout (7) and two slots (8, 9) on both sides of the central cutout (7), which are aligned in the pick-up direction of the connection terminals (11, 16). The central cutout (7) is provided to accept the entire end section of the hook (3), and both the slots (8, 9) accept only the flat end section (4) that lies behind the latch element (5) of the hook (3).

Abstract: A latching mechanism comprises a stationary chamber (1), a spring-loaded main slide (2) which is guided along the stationary chamber (1) in a first direction, a spring-loaded message slide (3) disposed inside the stationary chamber (1) which is guided in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a spring-loaded snap lever (4) which is pivotally mounted inside the stationary chamber (11) and which supports the switch lock's toggle linkage during the switched-on position of an overload protection switch. The main slide (2) is mechanically coupled to a manual actuator. During switching-on, the main slide (2) is moved in the direction of the message slide (3), such that the message slide (3) is moved via interacting bevels (19, 28), and locks the main slide (2). During tripping, the trip latch moves the message slide (3), causing the main slide (2) to be locked into a tripped position and causing the snap lever (4) to be released.

Abstract: A worm gear assembly for a medical mobility apparatus, such as a motorized wheelchair or scooter, comprises a worm and a worm gear. The worm is operatively coupled to a motor shaft of a drive motor of the medical mobility apparatus. The worm gear, which is disposed on an intermediate shaft, is adapted for being driven by the worm and is adapted for driving a drive wheel of the medical mobility apparatus. The worm gear and the worm have a gear ratio of less than 10:1 and the worm has a lead angle in the range of about 20-30.degree.. This arrangement permits the worm gear to selectively drive the worm and permits manual reverse mobility of the medical mobility apparatus.

Abstract: A motor is reconnected to a motor drive by exciting the motor to induce a back EMF, determining a speed of rotation of the motor based on the induced back EMF induced, and reconnecting the motor drive to the motor based on the speed determined. In order to induce the back EMF, current which flows through the motor is controlled using first and second regulators. The outputs of the first and second current regulators are separated from each other in phase by approximately 90.degree.. A positive feedback loop is established by using the output of one of the first and second regulators to generate an input for the other one of the first and second regulators. The positive feedback loop advantageously causes the back EMF to continually increase as the motor continues to be excited, or at least not decay so rapidly that the speed of the motor cannot be accurately determined.

Abstract: A communication-efficient change log historian allows workstations having images of a shared memory to remain correlated to the shared memory. The system comprises one or more workstations connected to a microprocessor-based device which includes a memory device. The memory device includes the shared memory, and also stores a memory change list and a memory change index. The memory change list forms a list of changes which have been made to the information stored in the shared memory area, and the change index is indicative of the location of the most recent entry to the memory change list. The workstations maintain an image of the shared memory area, and store workstation change indexes which are indicative of the most recent entry to the memory change list which has also been implemented to respective images of the shared memory area in the workstations.

Abstract: A contactor includes an upper housing (1) for contact parts and a lower bobbin (5) that bears a coil and can be placed therein in an initial position or in a position displaced by 180 degrees. The coil terminals (6, 7) lie next to each other on one side of the bobbin (5). Before the assembly of the bobbin (5) in the housing (1, 4), at least two male parts (2, 3) comprising terminal pins, and at least one female part (8, 9) comprising a hole that is intended to receive one of the male parts (2 or 3), are molded on at the areas that will subsequently border each other. In order to arrange the coil terminals (6, 7) on one side of the contactor, the male part (2 or 3) that does not act in conjunction with a female part (8, 9) in this position must be broken off prior to assembly. In order to arrange the coil terminals (6, 7) on the other side of the contactor that is turned away by 180 degrees, the other male part (2 or 3) must be broken off.