Electromechanical drives for franking machines
First Claim
1. A franking machine including an electromechanical drive assembly comprising a printed circuit board consisting of an electrically insulating substrate of planar form carrying a plurality of electrically conductive tracks;
- electronic components mounted on said substrate and electrically interconnected by said electrically conductive tracks;
an electric motor mounted on one face of the substrate;
a power output shaft of the motor extending through the thickness of the substrate and projecting from the other face of the substrate; and
electrical connections between said electric motor and conductive tracks of said plurality of conductive tracks.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electromechanical drive for a franking machine comprises a module in which an electic motor controlled by an electronic circuit formed on a printed circuit board is manufactured as a modular unit by mounting the motor, mechanical drive components and a position sensor on the substrate of the printed circuit board. This module is mounted on a further module consisting solely of mechanical components and the drive components of the two modules are thereby drivingly engaged. This construction leads to economies in manufacture and ease of servicing because no electrical connections are required between the modules and hence assembly and dis-assembly of the circuit board and mechanical component module are made easier.
95 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A franking machine including an electromechanical drive assembly comprising a printed circuit board consisting of an electrically insulating substrate of planar form carrying a plurality of electrically conductive tracks;
- electronic components mounted on said substrate and electrically interconnected by said electrically conductive tracks;
an electric motor mounted on one face of the substrate;
a power output shaft of the motor extending through the thickness of the substrate and projecting from the other face of the substrate; and
electrical connections between said electric motor and conductive tracks of said plurality of conductive tracks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
- electronic components mounted on said substrate and electrically interconnected by said electrically conductive tracks;
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6. A franking machine including a first assembly comprising mechanical components including at least one printing element settable to print a selected franking value;
- means operable to set said printing element;
a second assembly secured to said first assembly and comprising a printed circuit board consisting of an electrically insulating substrate of planar form carrying a plurality of electrically conductive tracks;
electronic components mounted on said substrate and electrically interconnected by said electrically conductive tracks;
an electric motor mounted on one face of the substrate;
a power output shaft of the motor extending through the thickness of the substrate and projecting from the other face of the substrate;
electrical connections between said electric motor and conductive tracks of said plurality of conductive tracks; and
a mechanical drive connection between the motor power output shaft and said means to set the printing elements whereby the printing elements on the first assembly are set to print a selected franking value by operation of the motor on the second assembly. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- means operable to set said printing element;
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12. A franking machine including an electromechanical drive assembly comprising a printed circuit board consisting of a planar substrate of electrically insulating material carrying a plurality of electrically conductive tracks;
- a plurality of electronic components mounted on said substrate;
an electric motor mounted on said substrate;
mechanical power output means for said motor;
a position sensor carried by said substrate and comprising a first element secured to said substrate and a second element operatively coupled to said power output means and movable relative to the first element by energisation of said motor;
said electrically conductive tracks interconnecting said electronic components, said motor and said first element of said sensor.
- a plurality of electronic components mounted on said substrate;
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13. A franking machine including:
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a first assembly comprising mechanical components including mechanical means settable to print a selected franking value;
a second assembly comprising a printed circuit board consisting of an electrically insulating substrate and a plurality of electrically conductive tracks carried by said substrate;
electronic components mounted on said substrate;
an electric motor mounted on said substrate;
mechanical power transmission means operatively coupled to said motor;
a position sensor mounted on said substrate operatively coupled to said power transmission means;
said electrically conductive tracks electrically interconnecting said motor, said electronic components and said sensor to form a control circuit for said motor;means mounting said second assembly on said first assembly; and an operative coupling between said first and second assemblies, said operative coupling consisting solely of mechanical elements for transmitting drive from said power transmission means of the second assembly to said mechanical means settable to print a selected franking value of the first assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A franking machine including franking value setting means comprising a first assembly mounted on a second assembly;
- said second assembly comprising mechanical means for setting print means to print a selected value of franking;
said first assembly comprising a printed circuit board consisting of an electrically insulating substrate carrying a plurality of electrically conductive tracks;
electronic components, an electric motor and a position sensor mounted on said substrate and electrically interconnected by said electrically conductive tracks;
an operative mechanical drive connection between said position sensor and said motor;
said first and second assemblies being operatively interconnected solely by mechanical power transmission means operative to transmit drive from said motor to said mechanical means for setting print means.
- said second assembly comprising mechanical means for setting print means to print a selected value of franking;
Specification