Imbalance determining apparatus and method

Apparatus for determining the amount of location of imbalance in an article to be balanced about an axis thereof comprising means for receiving the article and for positioning its axis, a base, means for substantially freely movably supporting the article receiving means relative to said base, means for sensing the orientation of the article receiving means relative to the base, and means for applying a force to the article receiving means at at least one selected location about the axis to bring the article receiving means into a substantially neutral orientation, said force applying means acting between the article receiving means and said base, the force applying means comprising first and second force coils for exerting first and second neutralizing forces, respectively, between the article receiving means and base, the second force coil being positioned 90.degree. away from the first force coil about the axis.

Apparatus for determining the amount and location of imbalance in an article to be balanced about an axis thereof comprising means for receiving the article and for positioning its axis, a base, means for substantially freely movably supporting the article receiving means relative to said base, means for sensing the orientation of the article receiving means relative to the base, and means for applying a force to the article receiving means at at least one selected location about the axis to bring the article receiving means into a substantially neutral orientation, said force applying means acting between the article receiving means and said base, the orientation sensing means comprising four proximity transducers spaced 90.degree. apart about the axis and equidistantly therefrom, and the force applying means comprising first and second force coils responsive to the outputs of the proximity transducers for exerting first and second orienting forces, the first and second force coils being spaced 90.degree. apart about the axis between the article receiving means and the base.

A method for determining the amount and location of imbalance in an article having an axis about which it is to be balanced comprising the steps of positioning the article on an article receiving means with the axis at a predetermined location thereon, applying at least first and second forces to the article receiving means at at least first and second locations about the axis to bring the article receiving means into a neutral orientation, and determining the amount and location of the force required to bring the article receiving means into neutral orientation, the determining step comprising the steps of generating outputs representative of the amount and location of each applied force and combining these force-representative outputs into an output representative of a composite force at a single location.

A method for determining the amount and location of imbalance in an article which is to be balanced about an axis comprising the steps of positioning the article on an article receiving means with the axis at a predetermined location thereon, measuring the displacement of the article receiving means from a neutral orientation, generating at least first and second signals in response to such displacement, applying at least first and second forces to the article receiving means at at least first and second locations about the axis in response to the first and second signals, respectively, to bring the article receiving means to neutral orientation, and determining the amount and location of the force required to bring the article receiving means to neutral orientation, the determining step comprising the steps of generating signals representative of the amount and location of each applied force, combining the signals representative of the applied forces, and generating a signal representative of a signal composite force at a single location.

Apparatus comprising a base defining a generally vertically extending axis, a table, means for supporting the table for substantially free tilting movement about the axis relative to the base, means for indicating displacement of the table relative to the base, means for applying force to the table to hold it in a substantially neutral position, the indicating means and force applying means providing outputs representing, respectively, displacement and force, and means for computing the amount and location of imbalance of an article placed on the table, the computing means being connected to, and responsive to, the indicating means output.

Apparatus for determining the amount and location of imbalance in an article to be balanced about an axis thereof comprising a base, a table defining a vertical axis, the table holding the article and positioning the axis of the article to coincide with the table axis, means for supporting the table for substantially free tilting movement on the base, at least a pair of means for indicating the position of the table relative to the base, the indicating means having an electrical output representative of table displacement, the indicating means being spaced about the table axis, at least one means for applying a force to the table to hold the table in a substantially neutral orientation of the base, the force applying means having an electrical output representative of the force necessary to hold the table in the neutral position, and means for combining the displacement outputs of the indicating means to register the amount and location of the imbalance.