Sheet feeder synchronization system having error correction means
First Claim
1. A method for measuring a series of predetermined lengths along a web moving past a stationary location to enable registered positioning of at least one repetitive operation on the web in accordance with said predetermined lengths, the method comprising the steps of:
- generating a data signal in response to rotation of an element synchronously with any advance of the web past said stationary location, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation;
converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments;
adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments;
determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting;
defining a first of said lengths along the web as corresponding to advance of the web past said stationary location sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said first integer number of said count pulses within said data signal;
converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments;
adjusting said second real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments;
determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting;
adding said second error amount to said first error amount to produce a cumulative error amount;
in the event said cumulative error exceeds one, incrementing said second integer number to an adjacent corrected second integer number and decreasing said cumulative error amount by one; and
defining a second of said lengths along the web as corresponding to further advance of the web past said stationary location sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said corrected second integer number of said count pulses within said data signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and corresponding apparatus for identifying a series of lengths along a moving web are disclosed, especially for use in registering sheets with the web. The method is used with a device operating on the web including an element rotating synchronously with advance of the web. The method includes generating a data signal in response to rotation of the element, the signal including a series of pulses, with each pulse corresponding to an increment of rotation. A first of the lengths is converted to a first real number of increments, which number is adjusted to a first integer number of increments. The error is retained. A first length is then identified as corresponding to the first integer number of increments within the data signal. A second length is then converted to a second real number of increments. This value is adjusted to an integer number, and the cumulative error is used to correct the value if necessary. The second length is identified along the web as corresponding to the second integer number of increments within the data signal.
17 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for measuring a series of predetermined lengths along a web moving past a stationary location to enable registered positioning of at least one repetitive operation on the web in accordance with said predetermined lengths, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a data signal in response to rotation of an element synchronously with any advance of the web past said stationary location, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments; adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments; determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting; defining a first of said lengths along the web as corresponding to advance of the web past said stationary location sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said first integer number of said count pulses within said data signal; converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments; adjusting said second real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments; determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting; adding said second error amount to said first error amount to produce a cumulative error amount; in the event said cumulative error exceeds one, incrementing said second integer number to an adjacent corrected second integer number and decreasing said cumulative error amount by one; and defining a second of said lengths along the web as corresponding to further advance of the web past said stationary location sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said corrected second integer number of said count pulses within said data signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for measuring a series of predetermined lengths along a web moving past a stationary location to enable registered positioning of at least one repetitive operation on the web in accordance with said predetermined lengths, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a data signal in response to rotation of an element synchronously with any advance of the web past said stationary location, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments; adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments; determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting; defining a first of said lengths along the web as corresponding to advance of the web sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said first integer number of said count pulses within said data signal; converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments; adding to said second real number said first error amount to produce a second corrected real number of said increments; adjusting said second corrected real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments; determining a second error amount resulting form said adjusting; and defining a second of said lengths along the web as corresponding to further advance of the web sufficient to cause generation of said signal so as to include said second integer number of said count pulses within said data signal.
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10. A method for positioning sheets fed from a sheet supply onto a moving web in registration with predetermined nominal lengths along the web, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a data signal in response to rotation of an element synchronously with any advance of the web past a stationary location said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; converting a first of said predetermined nominal lengths to a first real number of said increments; adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting; advancing the web a first distance with respect to said stationary location to generate said data signal so as to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first integer number; defining a first of said nominal lengths along the web as corresponding to said first distance advance of the web; feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said first length as defined along the web; converting a second of said predetermined nominal lengths to a second real number of said increments; adjusting said second real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments; determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting; adding said second error amount to said first error amount to produce a cumulative error amount; in the event said cumulative error exceeds one, incrementing said second integer number to an adjacent corrected second integer number and decreasing said cumulative error amount by one; advancing the web a second distance with respect to said stationary location to generate said data signal so as to include a number of said pulses equal to said corrected second integer number; defining a second of said nominal lengths along the web as corresponding to said second distance advance of the web; and feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said second lengths as defined along the web. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for positioning sheets fed from a sheet supply onto a moving web in registration with predetermined nominal lengths along the web, the method comprising the steps of:
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generating a data signal in response to rotation of an element synchronous with any advance of the web past a stationary location, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; converting a first of said predetermined nominal lengths to a first real number of said increments; adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments; determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting; advancing the web a first distance with respect to said stationary location to generate said data signal so as to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first integer number; defining a first of said nominal lengths along the web as corresponding to said first distance advance of the web; feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said first length as defined along the web; converting a second of said predetermined nominal lengths to a second real number of said increments; adding to said second real number said first error amount to produce a second corrected real number of said increments; adjusting said second corrected real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments; determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting; advancing the web a second distance with respect to said stationary location to generate said data signal so as to include a number of said pulses equal to said second integer number; defining a second of said nominal lengths along the web as corresponding to said second distance advance of the web; and feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said second length as defined along the web.
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20. Apparatus for measuring a series of predetermined lengths along a web moving past a stationary location, to enable registered positioning of at least one repetitive operation on the web in accordance with said predetermined lengths, said apparatus for use with a device for operating rotation synchronously with advance of the web past said stationary location, said apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a data signal in response to rotation of said element, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; means for storing data; processing means connected to said data signal generating means and to said data storing means for converting a first of said increments, adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments, determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting, and storing said first error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a first of said lengths long the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first number; said processing means being further for converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments, adjusting said second real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments, determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting, retrieving from said data storing means and adding to said second error amount said first error amount to produce a cumulative error amount, incrementing said second integer number in the event said cumulative error exceeds one to an adjacent corrected second integer number and decreasing said cumulative error amount by one, and storing said cumulative error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a second of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said corrected second integer number. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. Apparatus for measuring a series of predetermined lengths along a web moving past a stationary location, to enable registered positioning of at least one repetitive operation on the web in accordance with said predetermined lengths, said apparatus for use with a device for operating on the web, which device includes an element rotating synchronously with advance of the web past said stationary location, said apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a data signal in response to rotation of said element, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; means for storing data; processing means connected to said data signal generating means and to said data storing means for converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments, adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a first of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first number; said processing means being further for converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments, retrieving from said data storing means and adding to said second real number said first error amount to produce a second corrected real number of said increments, adjusting said second corrected real number to a second integer number of said increments, determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting, and storing said second error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a second of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said second number.
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27. Apparatus for positioning sheets fed from a sheet supply onto a moving web in registration with predetermined nominal lengths along the web, said apparatus for use with a device for operating on the web, which device includes an element rotating synchronously with advance of the web past a stationary location, said apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a data signal in response to rotation of said element, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each of said pulses corresponding to identical increments of rotation; means for storing data; processing means connected to said data signal generating means and to said data storing means for converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments, adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments, determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting, and storing said first error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a first of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first number; feed means for feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location in response to said processing means such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said first length as defined along the web; said processing means being further for converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments, determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting, retrieving from said data storing means and adding to said second error amount said first error amount to produce a cumulative error amount, incrementing said second integer number in the event said cumulative error exceeds one to an adjacent corrected second integer number and decreasing said cumulative error amount in said data storing means, said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a second of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said corrected second integer number; said feed means further feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location in response to said processing means such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said second length as defined along the web. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. Apparatus for positioning sheets fed from a sheet supply onto a moving web in registration with predetermined nominal lengths along the web, said apparatus for use with a device for operating on the web, which device includes an element rotating synchronously with advance of the web past a stationary location, said apparatus comprising:
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means for generating a data signal in response to rotation of said element, said data signal including a series of count pulses, each said pulse corresponding to a predetermined increment of rotation; means for storing data; processing means connecting to said data signal generating means and to said data storing means for converting a first of said predetermined lengths to a first real number of said increments, adjusting said first real number to an adjacent first integer number of said increments, determining a first error amount resulting from said adjusting, and storing said first error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a first of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said first number; feed means for feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location in response to said processing means such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said first length as defined along the web; said processing means being further for converting a second of said predetermined lengths to a second real number of said increments, retrieving from said data storing means and adding to said second real number said first error amount to produce a second corrected real number of said increments, adjusting said second corrected real number to an adjacent second integer number of said increments, determining a second error amount resulting from said adjusting, and storing said second error amount in said data storing means; said processing means further receiving said data signal and defining a second of said lengths along the web upon sufficient advance of the web past said stationary location to cause generation of said data signal to include a number of said count pulses equal to said second integer number; said feed means further feeding a sheet onto the web at said stationary location in response to said processing means such that a leading edge of the sheet aligns with said second length as defined along the web.
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Specification