Systems and methods for controlling actuator force as a controllable replacement for a common spring in sheet article processing and related sheet article processing apparatuses
AssigneeBell & Howell Company
InventorChristopher A. Peterson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for registering and moving a sheet article along a path that can use an actuator to mimic a biased device such as a spring-loaded device. The actuator can include a solenoid and an arm. The movement of the arm with the solenoid can be done by pulse-width modulation by providing a high pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a resistive force on the arm and providing a low pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a less resistive force on the arm. Inserting stations use in sheet article inserting system that employ the actuator are also provided.
Claims20
A method for registering and moving a sheet article along a process path, the method comprising:
- providing an actuator comprising a solenoid and an arm;
- controlling movement of the arm with the solenoid by pulse-width modulation;
- moving a sheet article along a process path;
- providing a pulse-width modulation having a high pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a resistive force on the arm to position the arm in the process path;
- registering the sheet article against the arm to align the sheet article in a predetermined position;
- and
- providing a pulse-width modulation having a low pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a less resistive force on the arm to permit the sheet article to push past the arm along the process path.
A system for registering and moving a sheet article along a process path, the system comprising:
- a process path for conveying a sheet article from an upstream position to a downstream position;
- an actuator comprising a solenoid and an arm positioned at a predetermined location proximate to the process path;
- and
- a controller for controlling movement of the arm with the solenoid by pulse-width modulation, the controller providing a pulse-width modulation having a high pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a resistive force on the arm to position the arm in the process path to register the sheet article against the arm to align the sheet article in a predetermined position, and the controller providing a pulse-width modulation having a low pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a less resistive force on the arm to permit the sheet article to push past the arm along the process path.
An inserting station for a sheet article processing system, the inserting station comprising:
- a process path for conveying a sheet article from an upstream position to a downstream position;
- an envelope feeder for feeding an envelope onto the process path;
- an actuator comprising a solenoid and an arm positioned at a predetermined location proximate to the process path;
- a support carriage for holding the actuator in a position relative to the process path to permit the arm of the actuator to rotate into the process path;
- a controller for controlling the movement of the arm with the solenoid by pulse-width modulation, the controller providing a pulse-width modulation having a high pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a resistive force on the arm to position the arm in the process path to register the envelope against the arm to align the envelope for insertion of insert material into the envelope, and the controller providing a pulse-width modulation having a low pulse-width modulation duty cycle to the solenoid to provide a less resistive force on the arm to permit the envelope to push past the arm along the process path after insertion of the insert material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.