Mechanical sense of touch in a control system
US5040159A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 20, 1989 |
| Grant date | Aug 13, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 20, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P90/02
- WIPO fieldControl
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Disclosed is an optical disk handling system, called an autochanger, having two control systems to provide the six motions necessary to move optical disk cartridges from storage holding cells to an optical drive. The system uses shaft encoders on the motors of the two control systems, and current or votlage feedback from the motors, for all positioning, and for detecting the location of the mechanisms during and at the end of moves. The shaft encoders are used to position a mechanism close to the eventual move location, then motor current or voltage feedback is used to determine opposition to the movement to the mechanism, which informs the control system as to whether the mechanism has reached its destination. An important aspect of the invention is that the motor current or voltage feedback is used by one control system to provide five of the six motions.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.