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US 7,185,519 B2Granted
Methods and apparatus for monitoring and conditioning strip material
AssigneeThe Bradbury Company, Inc.
InventorJohn Dennis Clark
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and an apparatus for monitoring and conditioning strip material are disclosed. The disclosed methods and apparatus receive encoder signals and sensor data to monitor a condition of a strip material. If an undesired material condition is detected, a material conditioner is adjusted to achieve a desired material condition. Each time a sheet is cut, flatness data associated with that sheet is recorded. Each time a bundle is finished, certification data associated with that bundle is printed.
Claims73
A method for modifying a condition of a material, comprising:
- obtaining a plurality of sensor readings associated with a plurality of longitudinal zones along a length of the material as the material moves;
- acquiring travel length information associated with the material as the material moves;
- determining a difference between a first wave height of the material in a first one of the longitudinal zones and a second wave height of the material in a second one of the longitudinal zones based on at least some of the plurality of sensor readings;
- and
- adjusting a load applied to the material as the material moves based on the travel length information and the difference between the first and second wave heights to modify the condition of the material toward a desired condition.
2 more elements
A system for modifying the flatness properties of a continuously moving material, the system comprising:
- a processor system;
- and
- a memory communicatively coupled to the processor system, the memory including stored instructions that enable the processor system to:
- obtain a plurality of sensor readings associated with a plurality of longitudinal zones along a length of the material as the material moves;
- acquire travel length information associated with the material as the material moves;
- determine a difference between a first wave height of the material in a first one of the longitudinal zones and a second wave height of the material in a second one of the longitudinal zones based on at least some of the plurality of sensor readings;
- and
- adjust a load applied to the material as the material moves based on die travel length information and the difference between the first and second wave heights to modify the condition of the material toward a desired condition.
5 more elements
A machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:
- obtain a plurality of sensor readings associated with a plurality of longitudinal zones along a length of the material as the material moves;
- acquire travel length information associated with the material as the material moves;
- determine a difference between a first wave height of the material in a first one of the longitudinal zones arid a second wave height of the material in a second one of the longitudinal zones based on at least some of the plurality of sensor readings;
- and
- adjust a load applied to the material as the material moves based on the travel length information and the difference between the first and second wave heights to modify the condition of the material toward a desired condition.
2 more elements
A system for conditioning a moving material, the system comprising:
- a first sensor corresponding to a first longitudinal zone of the moving material and separated by a first distance from a surface of the moving material;
- a second sensor corresponding to a second longitudinal zone of the moving material and separated by a second distance from the surface of the moving material;
- a controller communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors and configured to compare the first distance to the second distance;
- and
- a roller operatively coupled to the controller, wherein the controller varies a position of the roller based on die comparison to vary a load applied to the moving material to condition the moving material.
2 more elements
A method of leveling strip material, the method comprising:
- moving the strip material past a first sensor associated with a first longitudinal zone along a length of the strip material and a second sensor associated with a second longitudinal zone along the length of the strip material;
- obtaining a first plurality of readings from the first sensor;
- obtaining a second plurality of readings from the second sensor;
- determining a first wave height value based on at least one of the first plurality of readings and a second wave height value based on at least one of the second plurality of readings;
- and
- generating an electrical signal to cause an adjustment of a load applied to the strip material in response to comparing the first and second wave height values.
3 more elements
An apparatus to condition a material, comprising:
- a roller configured to condition the material;
- a first sensor corresponding to a first longitudinal zone of the material and positioned to measure a first height value of a surface of the material;
- a second sensor corresponding to a second longitudinal zone of the material and positioned to measure a second height value of the surface of the material;
- and
- a controller operatively coupled to the roller and the first and second sensors, wherein the controller is configured to generate an electrical signal in response to a comparison of the first height value and the second height value to condition the material.
2 more elements
A method of modifying a condition of a material, comprising:
- obtaining a first deviation value of a first wave height value associated with a first longitudinal zone of the material as the material moves;
- obtaining a second deviation value of a second wave height value associated with a second longitudinal zone of the material as the material moves;
- and
- adjusting a load applied to the first longitudinal zone of the material based on a comparison of the first and second deviation values.
1 more element
A method of modifying a condition of a material, comprising:
- obtaining a first plurality of sensor readings associated with a first zone of the material as the material moves;
- obtaining a second plurality of sensor readings associated with a second zone of the material as the material moves;
- determining a first height value based on the first plurality of sensor readings;
- determining a second height value based on the second plurality of sensor readings;
- and
- adjusting a load applied to the material in the second zone to condition the material in the first zone as the material moves based on a comparison of the first and second height values.
3 more elements
A method of modifying a condition of a material, comprising:
- determining a peak value based on an average deviation value associated with a first zone of the material as the material moves;
- dividing the peak value by a length of the first zone to determine a quotient value;
- determining a first I-unit value indicative of the condition of the material based on the quotient value;
- comparing the first I-unit value to an I-unit threshold value associated with a desired condition of the material;
- and
- adjusting a load applied to a second zone of the material as the material moves based on the comparison of the first I-unit value to the I-unit threshold value.
3 more elements
An apparatus to condition a material, comprising:
- a workroll having a plurality of workroll zones spaced along a length of the workroll, wherein the length of the workroll is configured to traverse a width of the material, and wherein the workroll is configured to engage a surface of the material;
- a first backup bearing configured to engage the workroll at a first workroll zone;
- a second backup bearing configured to engage the workroll at a second workroll zone, wherein a first plunge of the first backup bearing is controllable independent of a second plunge of the second backup bearing;
- a first sensor configured to obtain a first measurement value corresponding to a first wave height value associated with a first longitudinal zone of the surface of the material;
- a second sensor configured to obtain a second measurement value corresponding to a second wave height value associated with a second longitudinal zone of the surface of the material;
- and
- a controller configured to compare the first wave height value to the second wave height value and vary the first plunge of the first backup bearing by a first amount and the second plunge of the second backup bearing by a second amount based on the comparison to condition the material along the first longitudinal zone differently from the material along the second longitudinal zone.
4 more elements
An apparatus to condition a material, comprising:
- a sensor configured to obtain a first measurement value corresponding to a first zone of the material as the material moves;
- and
- a controller configured to:
- determine an average deviation value associated with the first zone of the material based on the first measurement value,
- determine a peak value based on the average deviation value associated with a first zone,
- divide the peak value by a length of the first zone to determine a quotient value,
- determine a second value indicative of the condition of the material based on the quotient value,
- compare the second value to a threshold value associated with a desired condition of the material, and
- generate an electrical signal to adjust a load applied to a second zone of the material as the material moves based on the comparison of the second value to the threshold value.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.