Abstract: Motion controlling includes a combining network having an acceleration input for receiving an acceleration signal representative of acceleration of a movable element and a position input for receiving a position signal representative of position of the movable element and an output for providing an inferred position signal representative of an inferred position of the movable element. The network includes a first signal processor for processing the acceleration signal to provide modified acceleration signal, a second signal processor for processing the position signal to provide a modified position signal and a combiner for combining the modified acceleration signal with the modified position signal to provide the inferred position signal.

Abstract: An electromagnetic transducer includes a first member and a second member which are relatively slidable along a path having spaced endpoints and which are electromagnetically coupled. The second member has at least one winding which produces a magnetic field which penetrates the second member. The second member has a plurality of contiguous permanent magnets of alternate polarity along the path which establish a periodic magnetic field which reacts with the magnet field created by the first member so as to produce force along the path. The plurality of contiguous permanent magnets are disposed along the path such that transition lines dividing adjacent ones of the magnets are formed at a non-perpendicular angle to the path to allow gradual transition between flux directions.

Abstract: A digital absolute position encoder is provided for determining absolute position of a first member with respect to a second member. The absolute position is determined within a resolution cell of L/2.sup.n, where n is an integer and L is a predetermined span. One of the members has a plurality of, m, tracks of binary indicia distributed over the predetermined span, L, where m is an integer less than n. The other member has a plurality of indicia detectors disposed on the second member for detecting the binary indicia. With such an arrangement, an encoder is provided having "a unit-distance code", yet uses less tracks than that used with a conventional Gray code encoder. Further, the encoder has a reduced number of transitions than that required on the track used with a conventional Gray code encoder. Both of these features simplify the design and fabrication for a given encoder resolution.

Abstract: In a vehicle having a chassis and at least one wheel assembly, where the wheel assembly includes a wheel support member, a damping mass, a damping spring for connecting the damping mass to the wheel support member, and a mechanical resistive member in parallel with the damping spring, a suspension connecting the wheel assembly to the chassis, the suspension supporting the weight of the vehicle and isolating the wheel motion from the chassis motion, and at least one actuator for providing force between the wheel assembly and the chassis, the improvement provides a linear electric motor connected between the wheel assembly and the chassis, where the linear electric motor provides force between the wheel assembly and the chassis.

Abstract: A nonlinear control system adapted to drive and control the speed, stroke, phase and center position of a reciprocating linear motor by means of phase locked loop techniques and the electromechanical filtering properties of linear motors. The control system comprises a tri-state switching amplifier in conjunction with 3 distinct feedback control loops to accurately determine the amplitude, center position and phase of the motor. The first feedback control loop includes a low pass averaging circuit and compares the motor position with a reference signal to achieve the desired motor position. The second feedback control loop includes a peak detector and determines the stroke of the reciprocating motor. The third feedback control loop operates as a phase locked loop to control the phase of the motor. The control system provides high efficiency, high reliability and low cost.

Abstract: A nonlinear control system adapted to drive and control the speed, stroke, phase and center position of a reciprocating linear motor by means of phase locked loop techniques and the electromechanical filtering properties of linear motors. The control system comprises a tri-state switching amplifier in conjunction with 3 distinct feedback control loops to accurately determine the amplitude, center position and phase of the motor. The first feedback control loop includes a low pass averaging circuit and compares the motor position with a reference signal to achieve the desired motor position. The second feedback control loop includes a peak detector and determines the stroke of the reciprocating motor. The third feedback control loop operates as a phase locked loop to control the phase of the motor. The control system provides high efficiency, high reliability and low cost.

Abstract: A combined magnetic sensor and actuator device for applying a magnetic force to a magnetizable body and for sensing the distance between the device and the magnetizable body. The device includes a magnetizable pole piece separated from the magnetizable body by gaps. The pole piece, gaps, and magnetizable body form a magnetic circuit with the gaps preferably being the major reluctance of the circuit. Separate means are provided for generating a relatively large time-varying magnetic actuating flux in the magnetic circuit and for generating a relatively small time-varying magnetic sensing flux in the magnetic circuit. Each magnetic flux follows a flux path, such that the two flux paths have at least a portion in common. Detection means measure the relatively small magnetic flux in the magnetic circuit, and thereby measure the distance between the device and the magnetizable body.

Abstract: An ultrasonic scanning apparatus includes a rotor, first and second electromagnetic stators, and an ultrasonic transducer mounted on the rotor. Each electromagnetic stator has two curved pole faces arranged opposite pole faces on the rotor. The electromagnetic stators are arranged on opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the rotor. The stator pole faces are tapered such that on rotation of the rotor in one direction, the gaps between the rotor and a first stator decrease while the gaps between the rotor and the other stator increase. On rotation of the rotor in the opposite direction, the gaps between the rotor and the first stator increase and the gaps between the rotor and the second stator decrease. Means are provided for alternately energizing the first and second electromagnetic stators to cause the rotor to oscillate about the axis of rotation.