Abstract: In an actuator, an unnecessarily large load is prevented from being applied to a shaft and a workpiece. There are included a force sensor, an output of which is according to a force applied to a connecting member connected to the shaft, an amplifier that amplifies the output of the force sensor, and a low-pass filter, and a load applied to the shaft is detected based on an output from the amplifier until the shaft or a member associated with the shaft comes in contact with another member, and thereafter, the load applied to the shaft is detected based on an output from the low-pass filter.

Abstract: Techniques for interpolating two voltages without loading them and without requiring significant power or additional area are described. The techniques include specific topologies for the buffering amplifiers that offer accuracy by cancelling systematic error sources without relying on high gain, thus simplifying the frequency compensation, and reducing power consumption. This can be achieved by biasing the amplifiers from the load current by an innovative feedback structure, which can remove the need for high impedance nodes inside the amplifiers.

Abstract: A magnetic tape device; a magnetic tape; and a magnetic tape cartridge, in which the magnetic tape is caused to run between a winding reel and a cartridge reel in a state where a tension is applied in a longitudinal direction and a maximum value of the tension is 0.50 N or more, and the magnetic tape after running in a state where the tension is applied is wound around the cartridge reel by applying a tension of 0.40 N or less in the longitudinal direction of the magnetic tape, and the number of recesses having an equivalent circle diameter of 0.20 ?m to 0.50 ?m existing on a surface of the magnetic layer of the magnetic tape is 10 to 500 per 40 ?m×40 ?m area.

Abstract: A drawing machine comprising: a first drawing unit that includes a first drawing die, a first upstream capstan that is provided before the first drawing die so as to deliver the metal tube to the first drawing die, and a first downstream capstan that is provided after the first drawing die so as to draw the metal tube from the first drawing die; a second drawing unit that includes a second drawing die that draws the metal tube delivered from the first drawing unit, a second upstream capstan that is provided before the second drawing die so as to deliver the metal tube to the second drawing die, and a second downstream capstan that is provided after the second drawing die so as to draw the metal tube from the second drawing die; and a tension applying section that applies a predetermined tension to the metal tube between the first drawing unit and the second drawing unit.

Abstract: A cable tension control device includes a pair of first active rollers clamping a cable therebetween, a first driver driving the first active rollers, a pair of second active rollers clamping the cable therebetween at an upstream position from the first active rollers, a second driver driving the second active rollers, a floating roller arranged between the first active rollers and the second active rollers and exerting a pushing force on the cable, and an actuator driving the floating roller to move vertically to adjust the pushing force exerted on the cable. A tension force applied on the cable is controlled to be equal to a predetermined tension force by controlling the pushing force and by controlling a speed difference between a first speed at which the first active rollers convey the cable forward and a second speed at which the second active rollers convey the cable forward.

Abstract: A derivation device is a device that derives a reading path by a reading element in a case where plural pieces of data to be read are read from a recording medium, and includes a first derivation unit that derives a value representing a recording density of the data for each of plural areas in which the plural pieces of the data to be read are recorded, and a second derivation unit that derives a path for sequentially reading the data as the reading path for an area in which the value representing the recording density is equal to or larger than a predetermined threshold value and derives the reading path according to a predetermined path determination method for an area in which the value representing the recording density is less than the threshold value.

Abstract: An approach for improving the tape storage media by optimizing tape drives in a tape library. Embodiments manage, by a web interface provided by a tape library, an inventory of one or more tape drives and the one or more tape media in the tape library, and record high tension discharge and distance measurement after formatting in a cartridge memory of the one or more tape media in the tape library. Further, embodiments manage the high tension discharge and the distance measurement after formatting in the cartridge memory of the one or more tape media by measuring a distance between servo bands utilizing one or more unused tape drives and one or more low frequency tape drives in the tape library, and execute a rewind at low tension using the one or more unused tape drive and the one or more low frequency tape drives.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for rolling a metal composite plate/strip, comprising the following steps: 1) selecting a metal base plate and a metal cladding plate, cleaning the surfaces of the base plate and the cladding plate to be composited until the metal matrixes are exposed; 2) sequentially laminating the base plate and the cladding plate to obtain a composite plate slab; 3) rolling the composite plate slab through a composite rough rolling mill having a corrugated roll to obtain a composite plate having a corrugated mating surface on its composite surface; and 4) flattening the composite plate having a complete corrugated cladding plate by a composite finish rolling mill to a desirable thickness to obtain a composite plate/strip.

Abstract: Provided is a vehicle running control apparatus capable of controlling a vehicle comfortably while inhibiting an uncomfortable feeling of a driver in consideration of dimensions of longitudinal acceleration requirements for the vehicle. This vehicle running control apparatus includes: a first control command value calculation unit configured to calculate a first control command value that controls vehicle longitudinal acceleration; a second control command value calculation unit configured to calculate a second control command value that controls longitudinal acceleration according to a lateral jerk that acts on the vehicle; a correction determination processing unit configured to determine whether to make correction based on the first control command value and the second control command value; and a correction processing unit configured, when the correction determination processing unit determines that correction is needed, to correct the first control command value based on the second control command value.

Abstract: Described embodiments provide a magnetic field sensor has a circular vertical Hall (CVH) sensing element with a plurality of vertical Hall elements disposed over a common implant region in a substrate. The magnetic field sensor generates output signals responsive to a magnetic field generated by a multi-pole magnet having a plurality of north poles and also a plurality of south poles. An angle sensor generates an angle signal representative of an angle of a direction component of the magnetic field. A pole pair counter generates a count signal representative of a count of a number of the pole pairs of the multi-pole magnet that move past the CVH sensing element. An angle interpolation module generates a reconstructed angle signal representative of an angular position of the multi-pole magnet relative to the CVH sensing element based upon the count signal and the angle signal. Corresponding methods are also described.

Abstract: A magnetic field sensor has a circular vertical Hall (CVH) sensing element with a plurality of vertical Hall elements disposed over a common implant region in a substrate. The plurality of vertical Hall elements is disposed in an x-y plane. The magnetic field sensor is responsive to a magnetic field generated by a multi-pole magnet having a plurality of north poles and also a plurality of south poles arranged in a plane parallel to the x-y plane, and, in some embodiments, arranged in the x-y plane. A corresponding method is also described.

Abstract: A method for setting up and/or operating a web-fed printing press includes winding a material web onto a roller, printing a portion of the material web, then unwinding and removing an unprinted part of the material web located before from the roller, and then fixing a cut start of the printed material web to the take-up roller. During the method, the material web is first conveyed backward for the unprinted part to be cut off, then a drive of the material web is switched to a holding mode, in which the material web stands still while maintaining web tension, the material web is drawn from a web start in direction of the take-up roller with little tensile force and the web start is fixed to the take-up roller. A web-fed printing press for carrying out the method is also provided.

Abstract: A motor control device includes: a feedforward computing section for computing a motion reference value and a feedforward driving force based on a motion command; a deviation compensation computing section for outputting a deviation compensation driving force by a control computation for reducing a control deviation; a driving-force command synthesizing section for outputting a driving-force command based on the feedforward driving force and the deviation compensation driving force; a reaction-force compensation computing section for computing a motion correction value based on a predetermined reaction-force reference value and the deviation compensation driving force; and a control-deviation computing section for computing the control deviation based on a deviation between the motion reference value and a motor motion detection value, and the motion correction value.

Abstract: A dual electromotive furniture drive has a housing with a drive motor, which is drive-coupled to a rotation speed reduction gear mechanism, which moves rotation-locked spindles longitudinally, wherein the rotation speed reduction gear mechanism and the spindles are arranged in the housing. An end switch limits the end positions of the spindles. A pressure piece is arranged on the spindles on the side facing away from the rotation speed reduction gear mechanism. The pressure piece is operatively connected to an adjusting element which is fixedly mounted on a moving furniture component. The spindles are inclined relative to the horizontal at an obtuse angle. The dual electromotive furniture drive is configured to adjust the back rest and/or the foot rest of a slatted frame. This design has a low parts count, and optimally transfers the internal forces, in particular through the housing walls.

Abstract: A truckle for a mobile medical device is provided. The truckle includes at least one electromagnetism torque balancing motor mounted on the truckle and configured to balance out friction generated by the truckle.

Abstract: An electric vehicle accomplishes speed changes through the use of electronically controlled, multiple electric motor configurations that are coupled to an output drive shaft instead of a speed change transmission. A parallel-coupled motor configuration includes at least two motors that are each coupled to the output drive shaft through respective gear arrangements, each gear arrangement having a respective gear ratio. In a serially-coupled motor configuration, the stator of the second motor is coupled to the rotor of the first motor, where the rotor of the second motor is coupled to the output drive shaft. The required torque to reach or maintain a desired vehicle speed can be obtained by selective energization of either one or both of the motors (in both multi-motor configurations). Two motors are also coupled to a differential gear so that the rotational speed contributed by both motors are additive at the output shaft.

Abstract: A driving instability determination device is provided to improve the precision in detecting the driving instability. The driving state determination section determines whether the state is a prescribed driving state by determining whether the information of the operation state of the driving operation unit and the vehicle state as the running state data is disturbed. Based on the running state data for detecting the unstable state of the driver, the running state distribution computing section excludes the running state data when the state is determined to be the prescribed driving state, and the running state distribution computing section computes the first and second running state distributions in different time ranges. The driving instability determination section determines the instability of the driving from the difference between the two computed running state distributions.

Abstract: An electromotive furniture drive (2) for displacing parts of an item of furniture in relation to one another comprises a base body (16) on which a first drive unit (4) and a second drive unit (6) are held. When the furniture drive (2) is mounted, each drive unit (4, 6) is actively connected to a part of the item of furniture to be displaced. According to the invention, the drive units (4, 6) are each accommodated in a separate housing (8 or 10), whereby the base body (16) is provided in the form of a brace and connects the housings (8, 10) of the drive units (4, 6) to one another. The inventive model significantly simplifies the production of furniture drives whereby rendering it more economical.

Abstract: A treater oven for drying a prepreg includes: a pipe conduit configured such that the prepreg is able to pass therethrough; a the first structure connected to one side of the pipe conduit and supplying heated air to the pipe conduit; and the second structure connected to the other side of the pipe conduit and discharging the heated air from the pipe conduit. The first structure includes: an air supply portion connected to a heat exchanger and supplying the heated air; an air distribution discharge portion discharging the heated air supplied from the air supply portion through a pair of discharging outlets in both sides of the prepreg; and at least one perforated plate symmetrically disposed in air passageways of the air distribution discharge portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a controller for restraining vibration of a driven element driven by a servomotor. The driven element driven by the servomotor is provided with acceleration detecting means. A correction value is obtained by multiplying a detected acceleration value detected by the acceleration detecting means by a coefficient. Correction is made by subtracting the correction value from a velocity command, and velocity feedback control is executed in a velocity control processing section to obtain a current command. Further, the servomotor is driven by current control processing, whereupon the driven element is moved. If the detected acceleration value is increased by vibration of the driven element, the velocity command is corrected to restrain the vibration, so that the vibration of the driven element can be restrained.

Abstract: A multiple axis servo control implements a multi-tasking PWM control unit to provide PWM signals for multiple axes in a single unit. A time slice mechanism provides axis selection signals based on a system clock signal to permit control parameters of the selected axis to be processed to control the selected motor drive axis. The single unit PWM control mechanism eliminates complex and costly multiple axis networks typically associated with independent servo motor controls for each axis in a multi-axis system. A single PWM unit implementation also permits the reduction of components for closed loop current control and closed loop velocity control in the multi-axis servo control system.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for stabilizing the motion of an articulated chain of a chain block, especially to prevent the formation of resonance oscillation of the chain, in which an articulated chain is led across a polygonal chain wheel with non-uniform pitch, which is driven by an electric motor. In order to create a method to prevent the formation of a resonance oscillation of the articulated chain, it is proposed that a periodic and/or stochastic and dampening actuating variable is superimposed on the velocity of the chain wheel (4) and the dampening actuating variable produces a change in the chain velocity so as to prevent a formation of a resonance oscillation. The chain drive with reduced polygon effect is characterized in that an electronic damper (8) is hooked up in front of the electric motor (2), which produces a control of the electric motor (2) such that a formation of a resonance oscillation of the articulated chain (5) is prevented.

Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in festoon systems by connecting corresponding movably mounted festoon rolls to an actuator, sensing parameters such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the movably mounted festoon rolls to control tension in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. The festoon control system can be used to attenuate tension disturbances, in the alternative to create controlled tension disturbances.

Abstract: A control for DC motors, in particular actuators driven by a DC motor for adjustment of furniture, such as tables, beds, chairs, etc. includes a pseudomotor which is capable of supplying a voltage that corresponds to the motor speed on the basis of the current and voltage supplied to the motor. The voltage of the pseudomotor is supplied to an adjustable power supply, where it is compared with an internal reference voltage and adjusts the voltage difference down to the smallest possible difference between the voltage of the pseudomotor and the internal reference voltage. For greater accuracy, the control additionally includes a compensation circuit configured to evaluate a dominating frequency in the commutator noise. Thus, there is provided a simple and low cost control for parallel running of two or more actuators.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the controlled dynamic braking of a DC motor in a tape transport device are provided. A PWM state device includes a plurality of state transition paths, each path having an initial state, representative of a tape profile, including a predetermined range of tape velocities, relative amounts of tape on each reel and an initial tape tension, and at least one subsequent state. When a low power event is detected, one of the state transition paths is selected, based upon a current tape profile, and an associated PWM signal is transmitted to the motor. An energy storage device provides power to the PWM state device during the low power event. The PWM signals follow the selected transition path to modulate the current generated by the motion of the motor and thereby create a decelerating force while substantially maintaining the initial tape tension.

Abstract: A device for monitoring the state of relay contacts is especially useful for controlling motor windings in air conditioning systems. When a first relay switch, which is operative to supply power to a first motor winding does not open as desired, a switch monitoring module responsively controls the second relay switch energization to prevent the second relay switch from being closed. This prevents power that would be supplied to a second motor winding from being also supplied to the first motor winding and causing potential damage to the first motor winding. A disclosed example includes an opto isolator that is energized only when the first relay switch is open as desired. The opto isolator controls an output signal to a second relay control portion, which only operates the second relay if the first relay has opened as required.

Abstract: A string drawing electrical device for a racquet has a casing, a string holder, an actuating device and a control unit. The string holder is rotatably attached to a panel of the casing. The actuating device is mounted in the casing and provides two functions, feeding and reversing, to the string holder. The control unit is mounted in the casing for controlling the actuating device to act. Accordingly, the string drawing electrical device can tighten and loosen the string, and the tensile force of the string of the racquet can be accurately controlled.

Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to accumulating limited lengths of such continuous webs and to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Both tension control and limited accumulations are achieved in a festoon system by connecting a corresponding festoon to actuator or the like, sensing variables such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration parameters related to the web and the festoon, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the upper festoon rolls to control tension disturbances in the web while providing limited accumulation of a length of the web. In some applications of the invention, the festoon control system is used to attenuate tension disturbances.

Abstract: This invention pertains to processing continuous webs such as paper, film, composites, and the like, in dynamic continuous processing operations. More particularly, it relates to controlling tension in such continuous webs during the processing operation. Tension is controlled in a dancer control system by connecting a corresponding dancer roll to an actuator apparatus or the like, sensing variables such as position, tension, velocity, and acceleration parameters related to the web and the dancer roll, and providing active force commands, in response to the sensed variables, to cause translational movement, generally including a target acceleration, in the dancer roll to control tension disturbances in the web. In some applications of the invention, the dancer control system is used to attenuate tension disturbances. In other applications of the invention, the dancer control system is used to create tension disturbances.

Abstract: The dual power unit includes an elongate housing having mounted therein adjacent opposite ends thereof two power units, one of which is drivingly connected to the movable back of an armchair, and the other unit is connected to a movable footrest of an armchair. Each unit includes a pivotal shaft connected to the back or footrest of the armchair. Each such shaft is connected to the output shaft of an electronic motor reducer through a transmission-gear in the form of a screw extending transversely of the respective pivotal shaft. The screw is drivingly connected through a threaded slider which is in engagement with a pair of cam elements mounted on a respective pivotal shaft to impart pivotal movement thereto, and consquent movement to the portion of the armchair connected thereto.

Abstract: In a tape transport for recording and/or reproducing signals by means of a recording medium using separate winding motors for driving the winding plates, the drive of the winding motors servo units is constructed as open-loop control devices and/or closed-loop control devices. Such servo units can advantageously be used for open-loop control and/or closed-loop control of the drive of the winding motor even during a braking operation.

Abstract: Commutators on a direct current motor run at low speed for an extended period of time get covered with a coating that makes the interface between the commutator and the brushes unreliable especially with the low speed, low current operation. This is especially true for drive motors in a data processing tape drive unit where speed control is critical. The brush to commutator interface can be cleaned by applying a very high electrical current to the motor and varying the polarity of the current with a variable duty cycle to obtain the maximum cleaning currents in a relatively short time without dismantling the motors.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling energization of a take-up motor driving a take-up spool of used ink ribbon in thermal printing apparatus. Prior to a printing cycle, the take-up motor is energized to rotate the take-up spool until ternsion in the ink ribbon caused rotation of an ink ribbon supply spool. The take-up spool is then rotated a predetermined amount and resultant rotation of the supply spool is determined by sensing means. A function dependent upon the rotation of the supply spool is determined and used during subsequent operation of the apparatus to control energization of the take-up motor such as to wind the used riobbon onto the take-up spool with a desired amount of tension in the used ribbon.

Abstract: An oven for continuously heating a cord, which oven has a housing defining an internal space for treatment of a cord. The housing has an inlet and an outlet communicating with the internal housing space and between which a cord being heated passes in a predetermined path. A heating chamber is defined within the internal housing space through which a cord being heated travels between the housing inlet and outlet. A first partition within the internal housing space is located beneath at least a part of the predetermined path and defines an upper wall of a hot air supply chamber within the internal housing space. The first partition has an elongate slit therethrough that resides beneath, and extends parallel to, the part of the predetermined path through which slit air in the hot air supply chamber is communicated to the heating chamber. An inlet opening in the housing communicates heated air to the hot air supply chamber.

Abstract: A power output apparatus (20) of the present invention includes a clutch motor (30), an assist motor (40), and a controller (80) for controlling the clutch motor (30) and the assist motor (40). The clutch motor (30) includes an outer rotor (32) linked with a crankshaft (56) of a gasoline engine (50) and an inner rotor (34) connecting with a drive shaft (22). The assist motor (40) includes a rotor (42) connecting with the drive shaft (22). An electric current flowing through three-phase coils (36) in the clutch motor (30) enables the outer rotor (32) to be coupled with the inner rotor (34) with a certain slip. Electrical energy corresponding to the certain slip is recovered as an electric power via a first driving circuit (91). The assist motor (40) is controlled with the electric power via a second driving circuit (92) so as to apply a torque to the drive shaft (22).

Abstract: An electrodynamic motor drive system, for generating enhanced rotational output, is comprised of a pair of flywheel mechanisms that are integrally connected to an output shaft. Each flywheel mechanism is energized by its own motor and is operable to temporarily engage a weighted mass that travels a path defined by the housing of the system. A pair of mass accelerators rapidly advances each flywheel mechanism during the transfer of the masses from one flywheel mechanism to the other. A component of the force generated by the continuously rotating masses is transferred through each flywheel mechanism to an output system which, in turn, causes rotation of an output shaft.

Abstract: An anti-backlash gearing system which includes first and second drive gears hich mesh with a driven gear to provide torque and rotational motion to the driven gear. The drive gears are each driven by a motor, while the driven gear drives a load. The anti-backlash gearing system uses a microprocessor to control the command voltage R to each of the drive motors. The command voltage R provided to each drive motor also includes an offset .delta. which may be positive for one motor and negative for the other motor. The torque provided by one motor and its associated drive gear to the driven gear may be in the positive direction (clockwise direction), while the torque provided by the other motor and its associated drive gear to the driven gear is in the negative direction (counterclockwise direction). The motors are driven in opposite directions to control the backlash on the gears.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for controlling a brushless DC motor (100), the motor being of the type having a plurality of coils (25, 26, 27) and a switching amplifier coil driving circuit (25A, 26A, 27A) including a plurality of transistors (21, 22, 29, 30, 33, 34). Current application to the plurality of transistors is controlled to obtain, near a commutation point of the motor, a simultaneous rise in current applied to a first of the transistors and a fall in current applied to a second of the transistors. Controlling application of current to the plurality of transistors involves, for each of the transistors, generating a PWM gate drive signal by selectively switching between a nominal PWM signal and a constant signal. The selective switching is in response to a synthesized state signal, the synthesized state signal being generated to alternate variably between the two states in accordance with a desired ramping of current to the first and second transistors.

Abstract: A process for reducing the friction between a rotating head drum and a tape-shaped recording medium which surrounds the head drum for recording and/or playing back information. In order to shorten access time to information stored on the tape-shaped recording medium, some recorders have the recording medium mounted in a cassette which remains threaded even during rewinding, and surrounds the head drum in the same way as in the play and search modes. Because the tape remains threaded during rewinding, such recorders, also called full-loading recorders, suffer from increased friction between the rotating head drum and the tape moving in the reverse direction. To reduce friction, the speed of rotation of the head drum is increased by a factor, preferably a factor of 2, during rewinding.

Abstract: A magnetic tape transport having a pair of reel motors for bidirectionally driving a tape between a pair of reels within a cassette housing, and a pair of tension control transistors for controllably varying supply voltages across the respective reel motors. For holding the tape under tension when it is at rest, against the possibility of tape displacement regardless of varying tape roll diameters on both reels, the output pulses of a tape speed sensor are directed through a bidirectional counter into a digital to analog converter, so that the latter provides a voltage output that varies linearly in magnitude as the tape travels from one extremity toward the other. This variable voltage output from the converter is applied through a tension control circuit to the pair of tension control transistors whenever the tape is stopped. Standstill tape tension is thus controlled by varying the voltages impressed to both reel motors according to the current ratio of tape roll diameters on both reels.

Abstract: A motor control system for controlling a plurality of drive motors in a web tensioning system includes individual motor control circuits for each motor in the system. The web tensioning system includes a main exit drive motor and a plurality of helper drive motors. A single tensiometer is positioned near the exit motor to sense web tension at this point. Each helper motor control circuit is connected to this exit tensiometer to receive the exit tension as a tension feedback. Based solely upon this feedback value and a speed feedback from the associated motor, each motor control circuit is programmed to independently provide tension based control for its associated helper motor to compensate for its proportionate share of system induced drag on the web, resulting in uniform tension on the web throughout its path. Each motor control circuit can be switched between the tension based control and a speed based control format.

Abstract: A servo-mechanism control system calculates an operation value to be applied to a control object from a desired value of a control output and a detected control output of the control object, and drives the control object based on the calculated operation value so that the control output becomes equal to the desired value. The control system is less sensitive to the variation of characteristics of the control object and disturbances, and stable control is accomplished by a simple circuit arrangement. A mathematical model and its inverse function, which are based on the assumption that the control system is not subjected to the variation of characteristics of the control object and disturbances, are used to calculate a model-based control output.

Abstract: This invention discloses a method and an apparatus for winding a cord continuously. A rotation of a winding bobbin around which a cord to be a tension member of a belt, is detected directly or indirectly. A cord is forwarded in an axial direction of a winding bobbin at a pitch, which corresponds to a diameter of the cord, in relation to a rotation of a winding bobbin. The bobbin axis of the winding bobbin is rotated at a constant speed by rotation driving means so that the cord is wound around the winding bobbin. The rotation of the bobbin axis is detected by rotation detection means directly or indirectly. The cord is forwarded in the axial direction of the winding bobbin in relation to the rotation of the winding bobbin at a pitch which corresponds to the diameter of the cord by receiving signals from the rotation detection means.

Abstract: A device for running a tape-like medium between a pair of reels in accordance with one of a plurality of tape-running modes having different tape running speeds has the following constituents, a reel driving apparatus for rotating the reels; a circuit for detecting the states of rotation of the reels and for generating reel rotation data; an instruction circuit for giving an instruction for changing the tape running mode; a holding device or memory for holding the reel rotation data when the tape running mode is changed in response to the instruction given by the instruction circuit; and a control circuit for controlling the reel driving apparatus in accordance with the reel rotation data held by the memory, for a predetermined period after the changing of the tape running mode effected by the instruction circuit.

Abstract: A strip storage arrangement with a strip storage unit in strip treatment plants. The strip storage unit is divided into two or more storage sections. Each strip storage section has its own tension drive. Speed-controlled intermediate strip drives are arranged between the storage sections. The intermediate strip drives apply the bending and friction forces of the preceding storage section, so that the tension input value of the first loop strand of each storage section is equal. The resulting strip storage unit can have any storage capacity and is of simple and operationally safe construction.

Abstract: A batcher has a brake (E) connected to the packing roll (B) for slowing the packing roll as during an unwinding phase to vary the packing ratio between the packing roll (B) and the drive roll (A). A drive mechanism (D) utilizes a single drive clutch for imparting a free wheeling action to the packing roll during unwinding so as to facilitate operation of the brake in effecting the proper packing ratio.

Abstract: A tension control apparatus for a tape player comprising a motor for driving a reel table on which a tape reel is installed, a tension detector which is pressed by a biasing force of a spring to contact with a tape extending from the tape reel, a sensor for detecting a shifting amount of the tension detector, and a servo circuit which controls a load of the motor in response to an output of the sensor. The tension control apparatus further comprises a switching device which controls the load of the motor by a voltage supplied from an electric power source other than an output voltage supplied from the servo circuit until the output voltage from the servo circuit is stabilized when shifted to a tape travelling mode. And further the tension control apparatus comprises a limiter which suppresses the output voltage from the servo circuit to be equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Abstract: A tape takeup system includes a tensiometer which outputs a numerical value which changes in proportion to the tension applied to the tape. The numerical value is converted into a value of tension according to a predetermined formula. The rotational torque of the takeup reel is controlled so that the tension applied to the tape converges on a target tension on the basis of comparison of the value of tension represented by the numerical value output from the tensiometer and the target tension. When a known tension is applied to the tape, the value of the known tension and the numerical value which is output from the tensiometer upon application of the known tension are stored in a memory, and the predetermined formula is changed on the basis of the value of the known tension and the numerical value corresponding to the known tension stored in the memory. When a first switch is depressed, the torque control is interrupted, and a second switch is depressed, the change of the formula is permitted.

Abstract: A speed control method and apparatus for a motor driven by output of a power conversion unit, wherein a first current command value is inputted to derive a drooping variable, a deviation between a detected speed value of the motor and a speed command value is derived, the first current command value is derived on the basis of a value obtained by compensating the deviation with the drooping variable, the speed command value is inputted to derive an acceleration or deceleration current value for accelerating or decelerating the motor, and the first current command value and the acceleration or deceleration current value are added together to derive a second current command value and control the output current of the power conversion unit on the basis of the second current command value.

Abstract: A feedforward circuit applies a capstan drive current, or its equivalent, to the reel tension servo circuits whose associated reels are transporting the tape. The additional drive current to the reel drive motors increases the rotational velocity of the reels to maintain the same resultant acceleration between the tape driven by the capstan and the tape being transported between reels. Since the tape pack affects the gain of the feedforward circuit, a preselected average gain corresponding to the mean tape pack diameter is used to match different cassette sizes. A microprocessor may be used to provide the various signals and may vary the gain of the feedforward circuit not only in response to reel size but also in response to instantaneous reel tape pack diameter.