Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for driving and controlling an improved solenoid impact printer

US5204802A · kind A · utility

4Cited by
31References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateAug 19, 1991
Grant dateApr 20, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 2011

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01H47/325
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus for a two-pulse solenoid embossing system implementing an amplitude feedback circuit, i.e., current monitor (48), to provide precise amplitude and timing control over two current pulses (4, 5), and thereby provide precision control over the position and velocity of the embossing system's print elements (64a, 64b). To maintain the current amplitude during the second current pulse (5), the method and apparatus alternatively switches the power on and off to the solenoid coils (55) with a frequency such that a substantially constant current amplitude is maintained in the solenoid coils (55). The embossing system provides an improved solenoid body assembly (61) including a first stack of steel laminations (93), a center block (82) and a second stack of steel laminations (81). A plunger (62) is slidably connected to the solenoid body assembly (61) by shaft (63). Cavities (79) receive dowel pins (71) which are attached to plunger (62). The cavity and dowel pin arrangement (79, 71) prevents the plunger (62) from rotating.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.