Abstract: A speed controller for a DC motor includes a semiconductor switching device connected in series with it in a DC power circuit. The switching circuit is turned on and off with a duty ratio variable as a function of motor load. A time constant circuit including a capacitor is connected in parallel with the switching device to develop a voltage which is compared with a reference variable between high and low levels in response to the exceedance of the varaible reference. The switching device is turned on when the voltage developed by the capacitor is higher than the lower reference voltage to energize the motor, and is turned off when the capacitor voltage is lower than the higher reference voltage to de-energize the motor.

Abstract: A magnetic isolation and pointing gimbal apparatus provides support functions and multidegree of freedom pointing capability and simultaneous six degree of freedom bi-directional disturbance isolation. This is accomplished by integrating the support, isolation and pointing functions within one contiguous gimbal assembly. The apparatus comprises a housing having a shaft rotatably mounted therein such that the centroidal axis of the shaft is coaxial with that of the housing. A linear, two-axis, large gap, radial magnetic actuator is mounted in the housing concentrically with the shaft. A radial armature is mounted on the shaft adjacent the radial magnetic actuator. A set of linear, large gap, axial magnetic actuators are mounted in the housing. An axial armature is connected to the shaft and extends between the axial magnetic actuators. A torque motor is also connected to the shaft. A large gap, rotational position sensor has a first portion connected to the shaft and a second portion connected to the housing.

Abstract: An electrical power interrupting tether system for a multiple-joint, anthropomorphic robot arm that substantially improves robot arm operational safety. The tether system includes a robot arm and auxiliary equipment power-interrupting electrical robot arm member by a set of braided steel wires. A pair of conventional robot arm and auxiliary equipment power-interrupting limit switches actuated by excessive rotational robot arm movement are also provided. Movement of the robot arm beyond a predetermined safety zone defined by each arm-member-tethering wire and the limit switch pair will cause electrical power interruption to both the robot arm and to auxiliary equipment associated therewith to thereby preclude potentially unsafe movement of the robot arm beyond the above-defined safety zone.

Abstract: A high-accuracy position detection apparatus comprises a position detector for detecting a position signal indicating the rotation position of a motor; a coupler for coupling the motor to the position detector with a certain eccentricity; a coupling eccentricity detector, connected to the position detector, for detecting an eccentricity signal, corresponding to a coupling eccentricity of the coupler, from the position detection signal; and a true position signal synthesizer, connected to the position detector and the coupling eccentricity detector, for combining the position signal with the eccentricity signal so as to produce a true position signal which indicates the true position of the motor and is independent of the coupling eccentricity of the coupler.

Abstract: An offset compensating circuit in a fine control servo. When the servo loop for an error signal is opened, the error signal is sampled and its positive and negative peaks are found. The average of the positive and negative peaks is determined as an offset signal to be subtracted from the error signal when the loop is closed.

Abstract: A method of generating a sampling signal succesion for use in a control system utilizing pulse-length modulated control signals, especially for controlling the tension or position of a continuously advancing web, such as in rotary printing machines, includes sampling and storing an error signal after a time interval having a duration approximately equal to an equalization time of the controlled system and commencing with the termination of a preceding adjustment step while the control system is out of operation, generating a binary signal of a length in time which is proportional to the error signal, sampling and storing a sum of the error signal and a deviation error signal during an additional time interval considerably shorter than the time constant of the controlled system, and extending the binary signal proportionally to the deviation control signal.

Abstract: A motor control method and apparatus incorporated in a feeding system. Information on a distance which an object is fed after the motor is commanded to stop and before it is actually stopped is determined in advance. Based on the distance information, a rotation stop signal is applied to the motor to stop the object in a desired position.

Abstract: A speed motor control circuit for an electric motor of the type which drives a louvered sign assembly between predetermined rotational positions. The speed control includes a silicon controlled rectifier which is connected in series between the motor and the power supply. A unijunction transistor has one of its bases connected to the gate of the silicon controlled rectifier to switch on, or activate, the silicon controlled rectifier whenever the unijunction transistor becomes conductive. A variable resistor controls the bias to the emitter for the unijunction transistor in order to vary the time period or duty cycle that the unijunction transistor conducts and thus the time period or duty cycle that the silicon controlled rectifier is in its conductive state. A switch assembly and timing module are also employed to activate the motor at predetermined time intervals and for a predetermined angular rotation of the motor shaft.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel guiding method for autonomous traveling vehicle in which the number of the rotation of wheels mounted on both the right and left sides are individually detected when guiding the vehicle along the predetermined route by independently controlling the rotation of the wheels mounted on both the right and left sides, and then based on the number of the rotation of these wheels, the position and the azimuth of the vehicle are computed. Then, based on the computed position and the azimuth of the vehicle by referring to the predetermined route, the target position is set, and then, by the vehicle is made to travel toward the set target position. Setting the target positions and making the vehicle travel toward the target position are repeated so that the autonomous vehicle is guided to the route having been set. When marks are detected during the travel, fixed point correction in reference to the detected marks is executed.

Abstract: A reciprocatable shuttle employed to advance a variable number of article carriers through successive work stations is driven on forward and return movements by a plurality of energizable linear motor stators for which the shuttle forms a common reactor. Energization of the stators is controlled by a programmable logic contoller in response to inputs from velocity measuring circuits which determine the difference in the actual velocity of the shuttle relative to a desired maximum forward velocity, return velocity and creep velocity; to inputs from distance measuring curcuits which determine the distance travelled by the shuttle relative to a forward deceleration point and to a return deceleration point; to inputs which establish the return or forward position of the shuttle; and, to inputs which count the number of article carriers to be advanced.

Abstract: An electronic controller for a therapeutic table with a shaft encoder for sensing the angular position of a movably mounted patient support and means for controlling the movement in accordance with a comparison between the sensed angular position and an angular limit reference. The left and right preselected tilt angles are alternately automatically selected as the reference. Fault conditions, such as a jam condition, occurs when the drive mechanism to briefly reverse to automatically correct the condition prior to power termination. In the event of excessive tilt, actuation of limit switches results in reversal and movement of the patient support to a horizontal position before power termination. The jam condition is sensed by a strain gauge for detecting the work required for movement of the patient support and comparing it to a preselected work reference. In the event of drive clutch disengagement, power to the motor is terminated.

Abstract: In a system for controlling a synchronous drive system suitable for use in a machining center of the type comprising a first and second servosystems wherein it is necessary to cause the outputs of the first and second servosystems to coincide with each other, there are provided a target setter for supplying a target value to the first and second servosystems, a compensation system inputted with the difference between the outputs of the first and second servosystems, and circuit means for inputting the output of the compensation system to the second servosystem. The compensation system is constituted by one, two or three of a proportionality element, a differentiating element, and an integrating element.

Abstract: A device for regulating the RPM of an electromotor with an RPM generator coupled to it for generating pulses, measures the intervals between the pulses of a measure of the RPM of the motor. The device includes an oscillator for generating clock signals, which are transmittable to a counter, which counts the number of clock signals between successive pulses of the oscillator, a register, which accepts the counter indication and a device for generating a control value for correcting the RPM of the electromotor over a digital-to-analog converter connected in series to the motor. To generate the control value for regulating the RPM, and RC network containing a manually adjustable control resistance is provided, the capacitor of which can be short-circuited by a switch, which can be activated by an oscillator-driven contact mechanism. The capacitor is additionally connected to a circuit element for switching on the counter, whose switching off can be activated by the oscillator-driven contact mechanism.

Abstract: A pulse width modulation control system for an electronically commutated motor (ECM) adapted to be energized from a DC power source includes a power switching system coupled in circuit with each winding stage terminal of the ECM for selectively coupling each terminal to the DC power source for applying a DC voltage to selected ones of the winding stages of the ECM in a preselected sequence to effect energization of the ECM. The control system includes signal processing circuitry for generating switching signals for identifying selected power switching devices for energization in order to connect each terminal of the ECM to the power source in the preselected sequence. A pulse width modulation (PWM) circuit generates PWM enables signals for energizing the selected power switching devices and includes a clock for generating periodic clock signals defining sequential clock intervals of predetermined duration.

Abstract: Method and means for a regulator for the servo control of a marine craft, for instance a torpedo, with variable speed and angle of attack. A first sensor (1) monitors the angle of attack, while a second sensor (8) monitors the depth of the craft. A revolution counter (3) and a filter (4) create an acceleration-compensating signal which is subtracted from an angle-of-attack signal emitted by the first sensor (1), whereupon the signal is transmitted to a rudder servo system.

Abstract: In a thermostatic control system a solid state motor controller is provided by reproducing a potentiometer tracking with a CPU producing appropriate complimentary square wave signals having the duty cycle thereof proportional to a sensed temperature. The square wave signals are fed to circuits which are disposed across two output resistors and the effective resistance of the two resistors are varied in response to the duty cycle.

Abstract: A servomotor drive control system in which current control of a servomotor is performed by a microprocessor on the basis of a current feedback signal of the servomotor an interrupt generating circuit interrupts the microprocessor a circuit for storing an interrupt period and a current command applied to the servomotor are also included in the system. The arrangement is such that an interrupt period is set in dependence upon the rating of the servomotor being driven and controlled.

Abstract: An automatic guidance device for an electrically driven vehicle inductively coupled by a power receiver core to a roadway core connected to power source. The device which is attached to the power receiver core or to a ferrous bar connected to the underside of the vehicle comprises at least two sensor coils equally spaced from the midpoint of the power receiver core which is on the vehicle centerline. End portions of the vehicle core or bar which extend beyond the coils comprises magnetic poles which receive flux from the roadway inductor. Flux through the coils produces voltages which vary in proportion to their distance from the roadway inductor centerline and are compared to produce error signals used to control a steering servo on the vehicle. In event of roadway power failure a circuit is provided to enable the utilization of battery power to produce sufficient flux to maintain the production of error signals and thus steering control.

Abstract: There is disclosed herein a servo data decoder which can decode both quadrature and non quadrature servo data. The decoder is comprised of a servo data amplitude demodulator to generate position error signals and a position error signal processor to generate a GPES signal to serve as a position error signal during the track following mode and a velocity signal and a track crossing signal for use in the seek mode. The user system may have either single or double pulse sync, and double pulse sync spacing, pulse window time and sync to first data pulse delay are user definable. The user may adjust the gain of the system in two manners and may program the frequency response characteristics of the phase locked loop. Many other user definable or user alterable features are provided.

Abstract: In a thermal cutting machine provided with an NC system of the type having a manual pulse generator allowing the operator to manually adjust the working head height from a workpiece a profile control apparatus is provided to maintain a reference distance between the head and a non-flat workpiece. The profile control apparatus is installed in the cutting machine, by adding only a head distance sensor and a Z-axis controller in parallel with the manual pulse generator via a selector switch. The Z-axis controller generates a pulse signal having a frequency proportional to a differential voltage between a reference head height determined by the NC system and an actual head height detected by the head distance sensor to correct the reference head height from the non-flat workpiece. The V-F conversion characteristics of the Z-axis controller are of Z-type, in particular, to reduce the profile error.