US 4,958,111 AGranted

Tension and web guiding system

OwnerNoel J. Gagoinventor

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Abstract

A system including a self-contained electromechanical control mechanism and method of operation is provided for controlling the tension and lateral position of a web or tape as it is motor driven to pass over a series of rollers. This device comprises mechanical means in which two pairs of rollers are mounted in upper and lower positions on a metal frame, the upper rollers being disposed on a pivotted plate having cantilever projections to which piezoelectric load cells are attached. Changes in the tension of the web or tape is sensed by the load cells connected in a bridge circuit, which sends a signal to a microprocessor, the output of which controls the driving motor or a clutch to compensate for the change in tension. Simultaneously, the position of the tape is controlled by another device, whereby the edge of the tape or a line on the tape passes through additional sensing means. This sends another signal to the microprocessor which energizes a linear actuator to correct the misalignment of the tape.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A system for controlling the tension of a tape or web as it passes over a series of rollers, said system comprising in combination an unwind roller for accommodating a spool of tape or web in unwinding relation at unwind end of said system, and a windup roller for winding up said tape or web at the windup end;

means for controlling the tension of said web or tape on said unwind rollers at said unwind end;
and means comprising a windup motor for controlling the rate of rotation of said windup roller at said windup end;
a frame comprising at least one pair of bearing arms supporting a pair of freely rotating rollers interposed in the path of said tape or web as it passes between said unwind roller and said windup roller;
a flexible plate disposed in fixed relation at two of its opposite edges to said bearing arms in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said passing tape or web and in substantially tangential relation to the underside of said freely rotating rollers, said plate being suspended to flex in response to the pressure exerted by said web or tape as it passes over said freely rotating rollers;
a control circuit mounted in said frame and connected in energy transfer relations with said windup motor and said means for controlling tension at said unwind end;
pressure sensitive means connected to said plate and responsive to the changes in pressure to send a signal to said control circuit to change the rotational speed of said windup motor and to control the tension at said unwind end.

3 more elements

For use in an overall system for controlling the tension of a tape or web as it passes over a series of rollers, wherein said overall system comprises in combination an unwind, roller for accommodating a spool of tape or web at the unwind end of said overall system, in unwinding relation, and a windup roller for winding up said tape or web at the windup end of said overall system;

means for controlling the tension of said web or tape, on said unwind roller, at said unwind end of said overall system;
a windup motor for controlling the rate of rotation of windup roller at said windup end of said overall system;
a self-contained electro-mechanical control mechanism comprising in combination a frame comprising at least one pair of bearing arms supporting a pair of freely rotating rollers constructed and arranged to be interposed in the path of said tape or web as it passes between said unwind roller and said windup roller;
a flexible plate disposed in fixed relation at two of its opposite edges to said bearing arms in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said passing tape or web and in substantially tangential relation to the underside of said freely rotating rollers, said plate being suspended to flex in response to the pressure exerted by said web or tape as it passes over said freely rotating rollers;
an electronic control circuit mounted in said frame and constructed and arranged to be connected in energy transfer relation with said windup motor and said means for controlling tension at the unwind end of said system;
pressure sensitive means connected to said plate and responsive to the changes in pressure to send a signal to said electronic control circuit to change the rotational speed of said windup motor and to control the tension at the unwind end of said system.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.