Apparatus for optically monitoring and controlling a moving fiber of material
First Claim
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1. A dispensing system comprising:
- a dispensing means having a discharge opening for dispensing a fiber of material and a means for causing the dispensed fiber of material to propagate in a moving pattern through a space between the discharge opening and a substrate;
a transmitting means for transmitting a beam of light;
a receiving means, aligned with the beam of light for generating a signal in response thereto, and the transmitting and receiving means positioned such that under normal operating conditions, the fiber of material will pass through the beam of light at least twice as it propagates in the moving pattern;
a means, responsive to the signal generated by the receiving means for generating an edge signal when an edge of the fiber bears a predetermined relationship to the beam of light;
a means for generating a symmetry signal indicative of, or proportional to, either a time interval between a first said edge signal and a second edge signal or a time interval between the second said edge signal and a third edge signal;
a means, generating a period signal indicative of, or proportional to, the time interval between said first edge signal and said third edge signal; and
a means, responsive to said period and symmetry signals for determining a motion status of the pattern.
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Abstract
A beam of light is transmitted from a transmitter (30) which is broken as the moving fiber (22) passes through the beam. A receiver (32) receives the light and generates a signal in response thereto. The signal is processed to determine the status of the pattern generated by the moving fiber (22) of material. In response to changes in the status of the pattern, the rate at which the fiber is dispensed and/or the movement of the pattern can be adjusted as well as alarm conditions noted.
49 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A dispensing system comprising:
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a dispensing means having a discharge opening for dispensing a fiber of material and a means for causing the dispensed fiber of material to propagate in a moving pattern through a space between the discharge opening and a substrate; a transmitting means for transmitting a beam of light; a receiving means, aligned with the beam of light for generating a signal in response thereto, and the transmitting and receiving means positioned such that under normal operating conditions, the fiber of material will pass through the beam of light at least twice as it propagates in the moving pattern; a means, responsive to the signal generated by the receiving means for generating an edge signal when an edge of the fiber bears a predetermined relationship to the beam of light; a means for generating a symmetry signal indicative of, or proportional to, either a time interval between a first said edge signal and a second edge signal or a time interval between the second said edge signal and a third edge signal; a means, generating a period signal indicative of, or proportional to, the time interval between said first edge signal and said third edge signal; and a means, responsive to said period and symmetry signals for determining a motion status of the pattern. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus comprising:
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a) a means for dispensing a bead of adhesive from a discharge opening at a flow rate; b) a means for causing the dispensed bead of adhesive to propagate in a rotating pattern through a space between the discharge opening and a substrate; c) a means for transmitting a beam of light such that, under normal operating conditions, the bead of adhesive will pass through the beam of light at least twice as it moves in said pattern; d) a means for detecting said beam of light and generating in response to the presence or absence of said beam of light a signal indicative of the presence or absence of the bead of adhesive; and e) a means responsive to said signal, corresponding to the passage of the bead of adhesive through the beam of light at least twice, for generating a control signal which is effective to perform at least one of the following; i) to cause the flow rate at which the bead of adhesive is dispensed from the discharged opening to vary in a relationship to said control signal, ii) to cause the rate at which the bead of adhesive rotates in said pattern to vary in a relationship to said control signal, and iii) to cause a motion status of the pattern to be indicated by an indicating means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus comprising:
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a dispenser having a discharge opening for dispensing a fiber of material and wherein the dispenser is adapted for causing the dispensed fiber of material to propagate in a rotating pattern through a space between the discharge opening and a substrate; a transmitter and a receiver adapted from being located between the discharge opening of the dispenser and the substrate, the transmitter transmitting a beam of light through the rotating pattern and the receiver receiving the beam of light and generating a signal corresponding to the presence or absence of the fiber in the beam of light; a means coupled to said receiver and adapted for performing at least one of the following in response to the passage of the fiber through the beam of light a plurality of times; i) determining a period or frequency of the rotating pattern; and ii) determining a relative placement of the fiber of material on the substrate. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification