US 11,293,798 B2Granted

Method for length measurement of a flat good in a goods processing system, and arrangement for implementation of the method

AssigneeFrancotyp-Postalia GmbH

InventorsFrank Geserich, Volker Baum

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Abstract

In a method and apparatus for length measurement of a flat good in a goods processing system having first and second stations, each having a sensor in the transport direction of the flat good, a control processor implements a path control and counts encoder pulses of an encoder in the first station. An event is determined by the sensor of the second station, and an associated numerical value Z1 of the encoder pulses is stored in the control processor, as is a numerical value Z2 for a distance between the two sensors is also stored. An additional event is determined by the sensor of the first station, and an associated numerical value Z3 of the encoder pulses is stored. As soon as both events are present, Z2 and the difference Δ=Z3−Z1 are added by the control processor, and the sum is used to designate the length.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method for length measurement of a flat good in a goods processing system comprising a first station and a second station that is downstream of said first station in a transport direction of the flat good, wherein each of the first and second stations comprises a motor, an encoder that produces encoder pulses representing operation of the motor, an event sensor, and a control processor configured to implement path control of the flat good proceeding through the respective station, said method comprising:

in an encoder pulse counter of the control processor of the first station, counting encoder pulses produced by the encoder of the first station;
detecting an event relating to transport of the flat good in the second station with the event sensor in the second station, and storing an associated numerical value Z1 of the encoder pulse counter, which exists upon detection of said event, in a first register of the control processor of the first station;
storing a numerical value Z2 in a second register of said control processor of said first station representing a distance between the respective event sensors of said first and second stations;
detecting an event in said first station with the event sensor of said first station, and storing an associated numerical value Z3 of the encoder pulse counter that exists upon occurrence of the detection of said event in said first station;
and
forming a difference Δ=Z3-Z1 in said processor of said first station, and generating a sum Z2+Δ in said control processor of said first station, as soon as said event in said first station and said event in said second station are both detected, and emitting said sum from said control processor of said first station as a representation of the length of said flat good.

3 more elements

An apparatus for length measurement of a flat good in a goods processing system comprising a first station and a second station that is downstream of said first station in a transport direction of the flat good, wherein each of the first and second stations comprises a motor, an encoder that produces encoder pulses representing operation of the motor, an event sensor, and a control processor configured to implement path control of the flat good proceeding through the respective station, said apparatus comprising:

an encoder pulse counter of the control processor of the first station that counts encoder pulses produced by the encoder of the first station;
said control processor of the first station being configured to detect an event relating to transport of the flat good in the second station with the event sensor in the second station, and to store an associated numerical value Z1 of the encoder pulse counter, which exists upon detection of said event, in a first register of the control processor of the first station;
said control processor of the first station being configured to store a numerical value Z2 in a second register of said control processor of said first station representing a distance between the respective sensors of said first and second stations;
said control processor of the first station being configured to detect an event in said first station with the event sensor of said first station, and storing an associated numerical value Z3 of the encoder pulse counter that exists upon occurrence of the detection of said event in said first station;
and
said control processor of the first station being configured to form a difference Δ=Z3-Z1 in said processor of said first station, and to generate a sum Z2+Δ in said control processor of said first station, as soon as said event in said first station and said event in said second station are both detected, and to emit said sum from said control processor of said first station as a representation of the length of said flat good.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/795,645Filed 27 Oct 2017
Priority: DE 202016106125.31 Nov 2016
Published: US 2018/0120092 A13 May 2018
Granted: 5 Apr 2022
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

G01G 19/002
Weighing apparatus or methods adapted for special purposes not provided for in the preceding groups: for postal parcels and letters
B65H 7/14
By feelers or detectors: by photoelectric feelers or detectors
G01B 11/043
Specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving: for measuring length
G01B 11/046
Specially adapted for measuring length or width of objects while moving: for measuring width