Abstract: A mobile robotic device capable of collision detection includes a base frame, two connecting rods pivotably mounted to the base frame for contact with the switches, two gearboxes slidably mounted at bilateral sides of the base frame respectively, two driving mechanisms connected with the gearboxes, two switches mounted to the base frame for generating signals, two springy members connected with the base frame and the connecting rods for keeping the gearboxes rebounding backward, two wheels mounted to the two gearboxes respectively, and a control system mounted to the base frame for receiving the signals from the switches and driving the driving mechanisms and thus driving clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the wheels.

Abstract: A pair of pull rolls unwind web material from a roll and advance the web at a preselected linear feed rate to a web cutting mechanism. The pull rolls are rotated at a preselected speed to generate the desired linear speed rate for cutting the web at selected intervals to produce blanks of a preselected length. The feed rolls are driven by a servo-motor which is operated by a controller that is microprocessor controlled. The controller is electrically connected to an encoder that is drivingly connected to a rotating knife cylinder of the web cutting mechanism. A selected length of blank to be cut from the web is inputted by the operator through a keypad to transmit a corresponding signal to the controller. In addition, the controller receives a signal from the servo-motor that drives the pull rolls, which signal is representative of the rate of rotation of the pull rolls.

Abstract: The thickness of slices cut by an automatic slicing machine is controlled to produce a draft of slices having a predetermined weight. Desired thickness is determined in accordance with the cross-sectional density of the food product being sliced, which is obtained from the weight and thickness of the most recently cut slice or slices. This information is combined with a desired weight for each of the remaining slices to be cut in the draft to control the rate of advance of the food product into a continuously rotating knife so as to obtain the proper thickness.