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US 5,430,360 AGranted
Multiple head positioning apparatus for woodworking machine and the like
AssigneeKohler General Corporation
InventorsBruce C. Rosenthal, Kevin L. Zill
Life of this patent
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AssigneeKohler General Corporation
InventorsBruce C. Rosenthal, Kevin L. Zill
Estimating the term…
Spaced cutting tools, each having a plurality of linear axes and a rotational axis, are supported with a conveyor carrying successive parts past the tools. The tools include positioning motors and are positioned by a computer driven system including a controller and a tool program for positioning the tools to sequentially cut each part. Separate computer boards each include a memory unit and a CPU for coupling to individual positioning motors for each tool. The controller downloads the program for particular axes to the board for the tools. A positioning sensor is coupled to each tool axes and connected to the computer input for monitoring each tool position. All tools are simultaneously positioned using an initial fast constant speed feed followed by a varying slow speed, with a closed loop control, within a fixed time period. The positioning sensor includes a fixed magneto-strictive rod and a magnet coupled to the tool slide providing an absolute positioning signal, which is compared with a programmed positioned signal to control the feed. For angular tool orientation, a curved sensor rod is used with a correction table which corrects sensor output to an actual angle. The table is generated with a calibrating unit and the magnet applied to the angled positioning motor and stored in the memory unit. Other offset and zero tables are also downloaded from and to the boards for each tool.
A multiple tool working apparatus including a substantial number of tools for sequentially working upon series of work members comprising a conveyor means including support means for fixedly supporting work members to be worked, said conveyor means sequentially moving the support means past a substantial plurality of longitudinally spaced tools, support structure holding each of said tools in position for movement on a plurality of axes including linear axes and including a separate drive motor unit for each tool, motors coupled to said tools for moving and positioning of said tools along each tool axis for alignment with a portion of the work members to be worked, a measuring unit mounted to said support structure for each tool axis and including a readout unit and a relatively moveable position sensing unit coupled to said tool and moving therewith relative to said readout unit and thereby establishing position signals of the corresponding tool along each axis, a multiplexing control board system for controlling of said motors, said board system including a plurality of multiplexing boards, each said board including a computer processing unit and a memory system secured to each board and having a plurality of input-output units for controlling a plurality of said tool motors, a central computer controller adapted to store information related to said work members and operable to load said memory systems with data for the tool positions for the plurality of tools, said computer processing units of said multiplexing boards operating simultaneously to simultaneously energize all of said motors whereby the set-up time for positioning of all said tools is controlled by the tool having the greatest positioning requirements.
A tool position apparatus for a multiple head working machine having at least one work station having a movable part support for moving apart through said work station, comprising a working tool having a support unit adapted to be mounted within said work station and having a plurality of positioning axes for positioning the tool relative to said movable part support and thereby said part, said tool having a rotational axis for tilting of said tool within said work station along a selected radius, an absolute position measuring unit having an output rod member mounted on said support unit adjacent said tool and having a sensing unit moveable along said rod member, said rod member being curved with a radius generally corresponding to said selected radius, said sensing unit connected to said tool and moving along said rod member in accordance with the tilting of said tool and generating a position signal related to the position of said sensing unit along said rod member, and a programmed table identifying the difference between a signal of the actual tilt of said tool and the output of said measuring unit, and a processing circuit having a memory unit including said programmed table and connected to said measuring unit to modify said position signal to the true position signal for all locations of said sensing unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.