Abstract: To the primary winding of a synchronous electric machine, a polyphase a.c. excitation signal from an excitation circuit is applied. Thus, an induced voltage signal, the phase of which varies by an angle proportional to a rotational position of a rotary body, is produced on the secondary winding of the synchro. A phase difference produced between the a.c. excitation signal and the induced voltage signal is detected by a phase difference detecting circuit. This phase difference detecting circuit detects not only a phase difference itself, but also detects the time at which the phase difference has been detected. On the basis of the phase difference and the time thus detected, a predictive computation circuit predicts a rotational position of the rotary body at an arbitrary time.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a sliding vehicle mounted roof panel controls the movement of the sliding roof panel between fully opened and fully closed positions within a window opening in the vehicle and predetermined intermediate, partially opened positions. The control apparatus includes a sensor for detecting the position of the sliding roof panel and a control apparatus, responsive to the output from the sensor, for activating or de-activating the drive motor controlling the movement of the sliding roof panel. A plurality of sensors may be spaced longitudinally along the longitudinal edge of the roof opening to provide a plurality of intermediate, partially opened stop positions for the sliding roof panel between the fully opened and fully closed positions.

Abstract: In a method for visually inspecting a sample through an objective lens of a microscope, a slide carrier attached to the microscope stage is automatically shiftable relative to a frame and to the stage along a predetermined meander path. A microscope slide and the slide carrier are provided with cooperating elements for positioning the slide at a predetermined position and orientation with respect to the carrier. The slide is further provided with a reference mark for enabling an automatic monitoring of the position of the slide relative to the frame of the carrier during an inspection of the slide. The x and y coordinates relative to the slide carrier frame of a detected microscopic object are recorded.

Abstract: A control circuit for adjusting current to a direct current motor that has a free wheeling diode connected in parallel with the armature winding includes a controllable switching element connected in series with the armature winding, a comparator that has a control voltage corresponding to a desired rotational speed of the motor applied to one input of the comparator and an integrating circuit connected to the other input of the comparator. An electronic switch is connected across the integrating circuit, and the output of the comparator controls the controllable switching element and the electronic switch.

Abstract: A PTC motor starting device is disclosed including a PTC resistor body having a pair of electrodes disposed on the PTC body and a lead terminal extending outwardly from each of the electrodes. A heat sink material is disposed about the PTC resistor body to absorb the heat generated by the PTC resistor body to reduce the temperature of the PTC resistor body to a temperature below the anomalous or reset temperature. A casing is disposed about the heat sink material.

Abstract: The motor control for a universal or D.C. electric motor controlled by opposing SCRs in parallel includes a comparator for controlling timing of firing of the SCRs based on a comparison of a sensed motor speed error signal and a synchronous ramp and also includes a circuit for sensing motor current as representative of motor torque and generating a motor shut-down signal when the sensed torque or current is greater than a setpoint value. When the shut-down signal is generated, the sensed speed error signal is overridden or prevented from being input to the comparator by deactivation (reverse biasing) of a current switch (diode) and results in the SCRs being deactivated. When the motor is restarted, a soft start circuit provides an alternate gradually increasing speed signal to the comparator in lieu of the sensed speed error signal for a selected short time after restart to gradually increase motor speed.

Abstract: In a screened inductance sensor system having a drive winding energizable to set up an alternating magnetic drive field, a sense winding links the drive field and a screening element modulates the spatial distribution of the drive field, when in the vicinity of the sense winding. Variations in voltage induced in the sense winding provide an indication of the relative position of the screening element and the sense winding. The drive winding and the sense winding are accommodated in a displaceable portion of the sensor, and the screening element is fixedly located relative to the movable sensor portion. Modulation of the spatial distribution of the drive field occurs when the displaceable sensor portion is moved into the vicinity of the screening element.

Abstract: A motor control method and apparatus employing a speed control loop and a phase control loop, each of which receives a clock signal (F.sub.-- TACH) indicative of the motor's measured phase and rotational frequency, and a synchronizing clock signal (F.sub.-- SYNC) indicative of the desired motor operating speed control loop generates two analog voltage signals, V.sub.-- TACH and V.sub.-- SYNC, from frequency signals F.sub.-- TACH and F.sub.-- SYNC, and generates an error voltage signal proportional to the difference between these two voltage signals. Each frequency signal is first converted into a binary number signal proportional to the associated motor period (inverse frequency). Each such binary number signal is then converted to an analog voltage signal having magnitude proportional to the motor frequency. Each analog voltage signal is thus produced by a two-step process employing the successive reciprocal (division) elements.

Abstract: A tool position compensation method for correcting a tool position when an old tool (16) mounted on a hand (15) of a robot is replaced. Information on the axes of the robot after the new tool is mounted is obtained based on information on the axes of the robot taught before the old tool is replaced, tool position information (TCP1) at that time, and tool position information TCP2) after the new tool is mounted.

Abstract: A phase-locked loop filter applicable to a motor speed control of an optical disk apparatus and others counts a difference in phase between an input signal to a phase-locked loop and an output signal of the loop, integrates the resulting counts modulo a predetermined value which is dependent upon the period of a clock, produces an overflow signal every time an overflow occurs, and generates the output signal by dividing the frequency of the overflow signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for handling and moving a plurality of objects such as containers each holding a sample to be analyzed by an analytical instrument contains the following:a. a robotic arm assembly capable of vertical, horizontal and rotational movement;b. gripper mechanism for holding objects attach to the arm of the assembly;c. stepper motors for driving the robotic arm assembly;d. a power source that drives the stepper motors electrically coupled to the motors;e. a sensing system with a feedback loop that monitors the movement of arm assembly, the objects being manipulated by the arm assembly and the force applied to the objects by the gripper mechanism;f. a computer electrically interfaced with the linear stepper motors, the power means and the sensing system with the feedback loop andg. a means for providing operating data input to the computer;operating data is provided to the computer for operation of the autosampler and the autosampler moves the object as directed.

Abstract: A brushless DC motor is self-starting using only one magneto-sensitive element because the motor is of a two-phase type and is provided with a detection device which detects towards which of the two phases the rotor is mainly directed. A presetting circuit compares the detected rotor position with the state of an energizing circuit in order to set this circuit so that the energizing circuit energizes the stator phases for said specific rotor position in such a way that starting of the motor is guaranteed, although initially with an undefined direction of rotation. By presetting the commutating direction of the energizing circuit the rotor subsequently locks onto the field and rotates in the correct direction if it has started in the incorrect direction.

Abstract: A servo loop control for the dither drive of a Coriolis rate sensor is provided. The dither drive includes a pair of electromagnetic coils (70), which are alternately energized to dither a parallelogram frame (50), on which first and second accelerometers (20 and 22) are mounted with their sensitive axes antiparallel to each other. An LVDT position sensor (106) provides a feedback signal indicating the relative position of the two accelerometers or displacement of the parallelogram frame as it is dithered back and forth. The position signal is summed with a driving signal, amplified and summed with a velocity aiding signal and a velocity signal derived by differentiating the position signal. The resulting sum is amplified and again summed with an acceleration aiding input that includes compensation for a phase shift in the motion of the parallelogram frame relative to the driving force applied by the electromagnet coils, and for (I.sup.2 and 1/D.sup.

Abstract: In a numerical control feed device, an objective velocity signal is produced from the difference between command pulses from a numerical controller, which indicative of an objective feed amount and an objective feed rate for a slide of a machine tool, and a feedback feed amount from a pulse generator driven by a servomotor. A subtraction circuit calculates a difference signal based on the objective velocity signal and a feedback velocity signal from a tachogenerator also driven by the servomotor and applies the difference signal to a drive amplifier for driving the servomotor. A frequency-voltage converter generates a feedforward velocity signal depending on the frequency of the command pulses. A gain adjustable amplifier amplifies the feedforward velocity signal at the amplifying ratio designated by the numerical controller and outputs the amplified feedforward velocity signal to the subtraction circuit for addition.

Abstract: A machine positioning apparatus and method are disclosed in which motor control values are established by causing intentional overshoot of the destination, and automatically reducing the motor control values each time an overshoot occurs. The system disclosed is a three stage system in which: (1) the first stage is a continuation motion relatively fast stage wherein the motor control values relate to the distance traveled; (2) the second stage is a much slower stage in which a series of interim targets are set, each of which is at a distance from current position which is a fraction of the remaining distance to destination, the motor control values during the second stage being motor duty cycle values; and (3) the third (final) stage is the slowest and involves setting a series of interim targets to be passed, each of which is substantially the current position, the motor control values during the third stage being motor duty cycle values.

Abstract: A control apparatus for a linear motor includes a linear motor having a moving coil to be moved in response to a drive signal, a position detector for generating a present position signal representing a present position of the moving coil, a target position setter for generating a target position signal representing a target position of the moving coil, a position deviation detector for generating a position deviation signal representing a difference between the target position signal and the present position signal, an inclination angle detector for generating an inclination angle signal representing an angle between a moving direction of the moving coil and a horizontal plane of the earth, a control instruction circuit for amplifying the position deviation signal with characteristics corresponding to the magnitude of the inclination angle signal, and for generating a control instruction signal, and a driver circuit for generating the drive signal corresponding to the control instruction signal.

Abstract: The invention employs a stabilization circuit including a longitudinal branch with a series connection of a Zener diode and a resistor and in the other longitudinal branch with the series connection of a transistor and where the motor winding of the driving electric motor and the cross-branch is provided with a transistor and a corresponding series resistor. In the case of such an operating circuit without current control, the connection of the two modes of operation is advantageously achieved by operating a voltage divider, which comprises a series connection of a temperature dependent resistor element with a relatively small series resistor and a larger adjustable resistor, and in addition in each case again with a smaller series resistor, where this voltage divider influences directly the transistor which is connected in series with the winding.

Abstract: The electromagnetic device comprises at least one compensation ring placed in the vicinity of the fluid bearing and mounted relative to the rotor by means of an active radial magnetic bearing whose electromagnet windings are powered as a function firstly of the signals delivered by a position detector for detecting the position of the compensation ring relative to the rotor, and secondly of the signals delivered by at least two vibration detectors disposed on the casing of the machine and having nonparallel sensitivity axes which are perpendicular to the axis of the rotor. The signals delivered by the vibration detectors are applied to a high-gain narrow-band selective feedback circuit whose central frequency is synchronized with a reference frequency fo. The compensation ring is of relatively small mass and serves to exert a rotary compensation force on the rotor via the radial magnetic bearing, which force is equal to the centrifugal force due to the out-of-balance mass of the rotor but which is 180.degree.

Abstract: A joystick controller includes three gravity sensing switches, the outputs of which can be used in the assignment of joystick transducer outputs in six different ways depending on controller orientation. This permits intuitive control of a robot arm in that translational motions can always be effected by moving the joystick in the direction the arm is to move. Thus, a controller which is economical, reliable and intuitive multiplies the functions available from what is basically a two or three dimensional controller.

Abstract: A stock feed apparatus for feeding strips of stock to or from a stock processing machine to maintain a loop in the stock. The feed means is arranged to feed stock to or from the loop at speed correlative with the amplitude of a control voltage applied to the motor control. The stock loop sensor produces a first digital signal when the loop exceeds a first limit and a second digital signal when the loop exceeds a second limit. A loop control circuit is operative in response to the first digital signal to apply a control voltage of a first preselected amplitude to the motor control to drive the feed apparatus at a first speed until the loop moves away from the first limit and responsive to the second digital signal to apply a control voltage of a second preselected amplitude to drive the feed apparatus at a second speed until the loop moves away from the second limit.