US 4,224,559 A · Remote position control method and means

Abstract

Conventional mechanical positioning in which an input member is moved in a position field which is an enlarged representation of the output position field and conventional motorized positioning in which distance is represented by time of travel are modified and combined. The result is a method, and apparatus, in which movement but not position are represented mechanically on a field which represents any portion of the output field at which the output element is positioned. Input motion and direction are converted to digital or time duration signals. The result is apparent motion of the output element along whatever line is traversed mechanically by an input element. Input motion may be introduced at variable velocity. The input is introduced much as it is in a pantograph system but, unlike the pantograph system, the field of input motion is not a reproduction of the output motion field but represents, instead, any portion of the output field. That makes it possible to alter the ratio of input to output motion with ease.

Claims17

Dependent claims

The method of changing the relative position of two relatively movable elements from an unspecified initial position in response to movement of a detectible element over a set of coordinates formed by detector elements arranged in a pattern of lines in each of two directions which method comprises the steps of:

(a) displacing the detectible element relative to the coordinate set;
(b) detecting the degree of displacement and the direction of displacement of the detectible element relative to the coordinate set;
(c) moving said movable elements from said unspecified initial position relative to one another in the direction of displacement detected through a distance proportional to the degree of displacement detected.

The method of controlling the relative position of a work piece and a bonding tool in a bonding machine which includes a motive means for moving a movable one of the work piece and tool in each of two mutually perpendicular directions by moving a sensor activator relative to a coordinate system formed of lines and columns of sensors which method comprises the steps of:

(a) observing the initial position of the movable one of said work piece and tool relative to the other;
(b) moving the sensor activator to a position in which its position is sensed by said sensor;
(c) moving the sensor activator in a direction corresponding to the direction in which said movable one of said work piece and tool must be moved to accomplish positioning them in a given second relative position;
(d) causing the motive means to move said movable one of the work piece and tool in a predetermined degree in one of said two directions when the sensor activator first causes activation of a sensor of a line after previously having caused activation of a sensor of an adjacent line;
and
(e) causing the motive means to move said movable one of the work piece and tool when the sensor activator first causes activation of a sensor of a column after previously having caused activation of a sensor in an adjacent column.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Remote position control method and means

Life of this patent

Remote position control method and means

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17