Patent EP0086097A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0086097A1
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EP
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Detecting apparatus and method
Assignee: Watkiss Automation Ltd
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Filing: 1983-02-04
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2003-02-04
Abstract
Abstract Changes in number of an object or objects are detected by sensing (at 10) a parameter of one or a predetermined number of such objects, generating a digital signal (at 18) from the analogue value, setting up a reference level within digital processing means (20), repeating the sensing step for further such objects, updating the reference level to reflect changes in the sensed parameter value over a period of time, and actuating an indicator or controller (25, 26, 27) whenever the sensed value falls outside a tolerance band based on the reference level. Preferably, the sensed parameter is the change in capacitance between two plates (12a, 12b) produced by the presence or absence of the object or objects. The system is especially appropriate for detecting misfeeds in the supply of sheets of paper, card or like material.
Inventors
- 👤 Michael C. Watkiss
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 22:41
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06K; G06K13/00; G06K13/02; G06K13/06; G06K13/067; B; B65; B65H; B65H7/00; B65H7/02; B65H2701/00; B65H2701/10; B65H2701/19; B65H2701/1912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of detecting a change in number of an object or objects, characterised by sensing a parameter of one or a predetermined number of such objects, from the sensed information generating a digital signal representing the parameter value, using the digital signal to set up a reference level within digital processing means (20), repeating the sensing step for further such objects, using the digital processing means (20) to determine for each sensing step whether the sensed parameter value lies within predetermined limits relative to the reference level, updating the reference level in said digital processing means to reflect changes in the sensed parameter value for said one or said predetermined number of said objects, and actuating indicating and/or control means (25, 26, 27) whenever the sensed parameter value falls outside said predetermined limits.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
A method of detecting a change in number of an object or objects, characterised by sensing a parameter of one or a predetermined number of such objects, from the sensed information generating a digital signal representing the parameter value, using the digital signal to set up a reference level within digital processing means (20), repeating the sensing step for further such objects, using the digital processing means (20) to determine for each sensing step whether the sensed parameter value lies within predetermined limits relative to the reference level, updating the reference level in said digital processing means to reflect changes in the sensed parameter value for said one or said predetermined number of said objects, and actuating indicating and/or control means (25, 26, 27) whenever the sensed parameter value falls outside said predetermined limits.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the sensed parameter is the change in capacitance between a pair of plates (12a, 12b) produced by the presence or absence of said object or objects adjacent to said plates.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the updating of the reference level in the digital processing means (20) is effected by computing the average sensed parameter value over a predetermined number of sensing steps and using this computed average as a new reference level.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the object or objects is/are one or a plurality of sheets of paper, card or like material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for detecting a change in number of an object or objects, comprising sensing means to sense a parameter of one or a predetermined number of such objects located in a sensing zone, characterised by converter means (18) to generate from the sensed information a digital signal representing the parameter value, digital processing means (20) arranged to receive said digital signal and in accordance therewith to set up a reference level with tolerance limits, said digital processing means (20) also being arranged to update the reference level at predetermined intervals to reflect changes in the sensed parameter value, and output means to carry signals indicative of whenever the sensed parameter value falls outside said predetermined limits.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus for detecting a change in number of an object or objects, comprising sensing means to sense a parameter of one or a predetermined number of such objects located in a sensing zone, characterised by converter means (18) to generate from the sensed information a digital signal representing the parameter value, digital processing means (20) arranged to receive said digital signal and in accordance therewith to set up a reference level with tolerance limits, said digital processing means (20) also being arranged to update the reference level at predetermined intervals to reflect changes in the sensed parameter value, and output means to carry signals indicative of whenever the sensed parameter value falls outside said predetermined limits.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, characterised in that the sensing means is arranged to sense changes in capacitance produced by the presence or absence of said object or objects in the sensing zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the sensing means comprises a plate (10) having two spaced areas (12a, 12b) of electrically conductive material on one face thereof, with said two areas being arranged to be connected to respective different electrical potentials.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that the sensing means comprises two parallel spaced plates (31, 32) arranged to be connected to respective different electrical potentials thereby to define the sensing zone therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8, characterised by screening means (16a, 16b) adjacent to the sensing means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, characterised in that said converter means (18) is a capacitance-to-frequency analogue-to-digital converter.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to lO, characterised in that said digital processing means (20) comprises a microprocessor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
A collating machine arranged to collate sheets of paper, card or like material from a plurality of stacks of such sheets and equipped with detecting apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 11 to detect misfeeding of sheets from said stacks.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
A collating machine as claimed in claim 12, comprising a circular table (34, 35) on which said stacks are positioned, said table being provided with one or more slots therethrough down through which the bottommost sheet of each stack is caused to travel, and said detecting apparatus being fitted with said sensing means (10) in at least one surface of the or each slot.
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