Abstract: An auxiliary switch arrangement is located inside a housing (1) and is equipped with at least two fixed contact pieces (2, 3, 4), with one connecting contact bridge (9, 10) which can be uncoupled in pairs from the contact bridge. The contact bridge (9, 10) is formed onto one end of a U-shaped curved leaf spring strip (11), transverse to the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring strip (11). The other, free end (12) of the leaf spring strip (11), is fastened inside the housing (1). The leaf spring strip (11) is pre-tensioned by the amount of contact pressure in the contact-making position of the contact bridge (9, 10). A slide (14) equipped with linear cams (15, 18, 19, 20, 21), which moves in a guide inside of the housing (1), lifts the movable contact pieces (17) off the fixed contact pieces (2, 3, 4) in the switched-off position. The slide (14) is actuated through an extension (16) by a switching device.

Abstract: An output circuit has multi-stage protection circuitry for protecting against different fault current conditions. The protection circuitry operates by detecting voltage changes across the output transistor of the output circuit. The output circuit comprises first, second and third switching devices. The first switching device is connected to the output device and power conditions the output signal. The second and third switching devices override the output signal and turn off the first switching device when a magnitude of current through the first switching device exceeds predetermined magnitudes for predetermined amounts of time. A protection circuit is also disclosed which has a sensing device that senses a current flow condition by sensing a voltage drop produced across two terminals of the first power conditioning transistor, the two terminals being the terminals through which the current flows. Advantageously, the output circuit utilizes highly flexible two-stage protection circuitry.

Abstract: A photoelectric sensor has its own cleaning system which accommodates different possibilities for mounting the photoelectric sensor, so that it is no longer necessary to custom design cleaning systems. The photoelectric sensor includes an optical lens and a cleaning device which cleans the optical lens. The cleaning device further includes a fluid chamber coupled to a source of fluid, and a fluid dispenser in fluid communication with the fluid chamber and disposed adjacent the optical lens. The fluid dispenser is operative to dispense fluid on the optical lens to clean the optical lens. In a preferred embodiment, the cleaning system uses a pulse of air to remove dust from the optical lens of the photoelectric sensor.

Abstract: A method and system for manufacturing units of production enables the location of a splice to be accurately determined, so that only the unit of production containing the splice can be rejected without requiring additional units of production which are entirely free of defects to also be rejected. According to the method, first and second webs of material are spliced together so as to create a splice. The splice is marked with a magnetic marker. After the units of production are assembled, including a unit of production which contains the splice, the magnetic marker is magnetized. The magnetizing step occurs after the assembling step so that the orientation of the magnetic field remains parallel to the sensing direction until the magnetic field is detected. The magnetic marker is detected with a detector which has a plurality of closely spaced magnetic sensors.

Abstract: A resistance arrangement for an electromagnetic switching device (1) is useable for switching capacitive loads with main contact pieces (3) and auxiliary contact pieces (4). One terminal (7) of the auxiliary contact pieces (4) and one terminal (6) of the main contact pieces (3) of the same phase lie on the same side of the switching device (1) stacked on top of each other. The auxiliary contact pieces (4) switch on before the main contact pieces (3) and switch off after them. Between the terminals (6) and (7) of each phase, an ohmic resistance (8) located in a nonconductor housing (13) is connected. The resistance (8) is placed immediately under the terminal (7) of the auxiliary contact piece (4) in the existing cavity (14) of a nonconductor housing (13) expanding into the direction of the terminal (6) of the main contact piece (3). This arrangement can be easily installed and is space-saving.

Abstract: A brake time measurement and brake control system measures the brake time of a subassembly, such as an upper die of a press, with the programmable controller already used to control the press. The programmable controller has a selectable time interrupt which causes an interrupt routine inside the programmable controller to be executed at regular time intervals. By varying the duration of the interval, the precision of the brake time measurement may be varied. Also, since the system is implemented with the programmable controller already present on the press, no additional equipment is needed to measure brake time. The brake time monitor and brake control system also implements a top stop control capability with improved precision. The improved precision results from dynamically determining a top stop zone which is appropriately sized given the speed of the die.

Abstract: A soft touch switch comprises a switch housing, a first soft touch sensor, and a second soft touch sensor. The switch housing has an outer surface which is curved and an inner surface. The first sensor is disposed inside the switch housing adjacent a first portion of the inner surface, and the second sensor is disposed inside the switch housing adjacent a second portion of the inner surface. The first and second sensors are disposed in different planes inside the switch housing. The soft touch switch is especially suited for industrial applications such as punch presses and has enhanced safety, ergonomic, and freedom of installation features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for simulating a microprocessor-based system produces simulations which are fast and which are accurate in terms of timing information produced. The source code is first compiled so as to produce a first program for a target microprocessor. Timing information is then extracted from the first program. The source code is compiled so as to produce a second program for a simulation microprocessor. The timing information is inserted into the second program, either directly or indirectly by way of the original source code. The second program thus has the timing information embedded therein and available for use by the simulation microprocessor, such that an output based on the timing information may be generated during the execution of the second program. A simulator which simulates execution of a first program by a target microprocessor comprises a simulation microprocessor and a second program. The second program is derived from a same source code program as the first program.

Abstract: A method of handling a fault which occurs during execution of an executable program comprises the steps of designating a first sequence of instructions of the executable program as visible and designating a second sequence of instructions of the executable program as invisible. According to this scheme, for the first visible sequence of instructions, faults are reported in a manner which designates an instruction at which the fault occurred. For the second invisible sequence of instructions, faults are reported in a manner which designates the invisible sequence of instructions as a whole. The invention permits fault handling for instructions added by a user to be performed in the same way as fault handling for built-in functions, and is usable with compiled machines.