U.S. patent application number 11/063512 was filed with the patent office on 2006-08-24 for actuator system for use in control of a sheet or web forming process.
This patent application is currently assigned to ABB.. Invention is credited to Christoffer Apneseth, David C. Doerschuk, Rudolph B. Elfrink, Jan Endresen, Ralph S. Lorenz, Guntram Scheible.
Application Number | 20060185809 11/063512 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36572121 |
Filed Date | 2006-08-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060185809 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Elfrink; Rudolph B. ; et
al. |
August 24, 2006 |
Actuator system for use in control of a sheet or web forming
process
Abstract
One or more actuator driven devices on a sheet forming machine
receive power and engage in bi-didrectional communications with one
or more quality control systems either by having no physically
connected cables to transmit the power to the actuators and no
physically connected cables used for the bi-directional
communications; or contactless power and communication on a power
cable; or a cable connected from the power source to the actuators
to provide both power and bi-directional communications; or power
is provided to the actuators by a cable and the bi-directional
communications are wireless.
Inventors: |
Elfrink; Rudolph B.;
(Columbus, OH) ; Doerschuk; David C.; (Columbus,
OH) ; Lorenz; Ralph S.; (Columbus, OH) ;
Apneseth; Christoffer; (Olso, NO) ; Endresen;
Jan; (Asker, NO) ; Scheible; Guntram;
(Hirschberg, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Michael M. Rickin, Esq.;ABB Inc.
Legal Department - 4U6
29801 Euclid Avenue
Wickliffe
OH
44092-1832
US
|
Assignee: |
ABB.
|
Family ID: |
36572121 |
Appl. No.: |
11/063512 |
Filed: |
February 23, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
162/198 ;
700/127 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D21G 9/0009
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
162/198 ;
700/127 |
International
Class: |
D21F 13/00 20060101
D21F013/00 |
Claims
1. A sheet forming system comprising: one or more quality control
systems for use in forming said sheet; at least one actuator driven
device having a plurality of actuators each associated with
formation of said sheet; a module for providing power to said
plurality of actuators without having a cable connected between
said power providing module and said plurality of actuators; and a
drive signal module connected to at least one of said one or more
quality control systems for providing bi-directional communications
between said at least one quality control system and each of said
plurality of actuators.
2. The system of claim 1 wherein power is provided from said power
providing module to each of said plurality of actuators by a
transformer arrangement comprising a primary side associated with
said power providing module and a secondary side associated with
each of said plurality of actuators.
3. The system of claim 2 wherein said transformer arrangement
primary side runs from said power providing module adjacent to each
of said plurality of actuators and said secondary side is embedded
in each of said plurality of actuators.
4. The system of claim 1 wherein power is provided by said power
providing module to each of said plurality of actuators by a closed
magnetic path from said power providing module to each of said
plurality of connectors.
5. The system of claim 4 wherein said closed magnetic path
comprises a primary wire providing a magnetic field from said power
providing module to each of said plurality of actuators and each of
said plurality of actuators comprise means connected to said
actuator to intercept said magnetic field provided by said primary
wire.
6. The system of claim 1 wherein said bi-directional communications
is provided by a cable connecting said drive signal module and each
of said plurality of actuators.
7. The system of claim 1 wherein said drive module provides
bi-directional wireless communications between said at least one
quality control system and each of said plurality of actuators.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein said bi-directional wireless
communications is provided by an antenna arrangement comprising a
primary signal antenna associated with said drive signal module
that is in close proximity to each of said plurality of actuators
and an antenna located in each of said plurality of actuators.
9. A sheet forming system comprising: a quality control part
comprising: one or more quality control systems for use in forming
said sheet; a modulator/demodulator associated with at least one of
said one or more quality control systems; an actuator driven part
comprising: at least one actuator driven device having a plurality
of actuators each associated with formation of said sheet, each of
said actuators comprising a modulator/demodulator; a cable for
providing an electric power signal from said quality control part
to said actuator driven part, said cable connected to said
modulator/demodulator associated with said at least one of said one
or more quality control systems for modulating said electric power
signal to carry communication signals from said quality control
part for said actuator driven part; and each of said plurality of
actuators further comprising means for receiving said modulated
electric power signals from said quality control part without
having said cable physically connected to each of said plurality of
actuators, said modulator/demodulator associated with each of said
plurality of actuators for demodulating said communications
signals.
10. The sheet forming system of claim 9 wherein said means for
receiving said modulated electric power signals in each of said
plurality of actuators comprises a magnetic core embedded in each
of said actuators and a magnetic core adjacent to each of plurality
of actuators, said cable passing through each of said magnetic
cores adjacent to each of said plurality of actuators.
11. A sheet forming system comprising: a quality control part
comprising: one or more quality control systems for use in forming
said sheet; a power and communications module including a
modulator/demodulator associated with at least one of said one or
more quality control systems; an actuator driven part comprising:
at least one actuator driven device having a plurality of actuators
each associated with formation of said sheet, each of said
actuators comprising a modulator/demodulator; and a cable for
providing an electric power signal from said quality control part
to said actuator driven part, said cable connected to said
modulator/demodulator associated with said at least one of said one
or more quality control systems for modulating said electric power
signal to carry communication signals from said quality control
part for said actuator driven part and to each of said actuator
modulator/demodulators.
12. A sheet forming system comprising: one or more quality control
systems for use in forming said sheet; at least one actuator driven
device having a plurality of actuators each associated with
formation of said sheet; a module for providing power to said
plurality of actuators; a cable physically connecting said power
providing module to each of said plurality of actuators; and a
drive signal module connected to at least one of said one or more
quality control systems for providing bi-directional wireless
communications between said at least one quality control system and
each of said plurality of actuators.
13. The system of claim 12 wherein said bi-directional wireless
communications is provided by an antenna arrangement comprising a
primary signal antenna associated with said drive signal module
that is in close proximity to each of said plurality of actuators
and an antenna located in each of said plurality of actuators.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to systems for controlling the
cross-directional profile of sheet and web materials and more
particularly to a cross-directional profile system that uses
actuators and in which the power and/or communication to the
actuators may be wireless or contactless and/or on the same
cable.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] It is well known that on-line measurements can be made to
detect properties of sheet and web materials during manufacture
thereof. For ease of description the term "sheet" is used herein
including in the claims to refer to either a sheet or a web.
Generally speaking, on-line measurements are made to enable prompt
control of sheet and web making processes and, thus, to enhance
sheet quality while reducing the quantity of substandard sheet
material which is produced before undesirable process conditions
are corrected. In the papermaking industry, for example, on-line
sensors can detect variables such as basis weight, moisture
content, caliper, coating weight, finish, color, and converting of
paper sheets during manufacture.
[0003] To detect cross-directional variations in sheet materials,
it is well known to use scanning sensors that travel back and forth
across the sheet in the cross direction while detecting values of a
sheet property along each scan. The term "cross direction" (or
"CD") refers to the direction across the surface of the sheet
perpendicular to the machine direction, that is, the direction of
travel of the sheet material.
[0004] Measurement information provided by the scanning sensors is
assembled for each scan to provide a "profile" of the detected
property of the sheet in the cross direction. Each profile thus
comprises a succession of sheet measurements at adjacent locations
or slices, the profile extending generally in the cross direction.
From such profiles, cross directional variations in sheet
properties can be detected. Based upon the detected cross
directional variations, appropriate control adjustments can be made
to the sheet making machine. Such adjustments are made by
pluralities of cross directional actuators, such as motor driven
slice lip profile control actuators located at the discharge of the
headbox of a paper machine; inductive heaters for controlling the
diameters of calender and/or other paper machine rollers along the
length thereof; and coating blade actuators for controlling the CD
weight profiles of coatings applied to one or both surfaces of the
paper. Pluralities of cross directional actuators are also used in
other industrial sheet forming processes such as plastic extrusion,
metal rolling, etc.
[0005] As can appreciated in all of these sheet forming processes
the actuators are used to adjust, flatten and shape the cross
direction properties, such as density, moisture content, thickness,
and optical properties, of the sheets that are being manufactured.
In many cases these cross direction actuators will number from 20
to over 200 at one location on the sheet forming machine. There may
be several actuator systems at various locations along the sheet
formation process.
[0006] Most of these industrial sheet forming processes operate
under severe environments that require actuator designs to be
waterproof, corrosion resistant, vibration resistant, high
temperature resistant, extremely reliable, as small as possible,
and very easy to maintain and service. A critical and expensive
portion of any actuator system is the power and communication
distribution cables and connectors for the 20 to 200 actuator zones
in a typical system extending across the sheet forming machine.
Presently only special cables and sealed, industrially hardened,
pinned connectors can be used to meet this requirement. Two
examples of actuator systems that use power and communication
distribution cables and connectors for the actuator zones are shown
in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,771,174 and 5,381,341.
[0007] Thus in order to substantially increase the reliability and
serviceability of an actuator system it is desirable to either
reduce the number of or eliminate the actuator system cables and
connectors. Further reducing the number of or eliminating the
actuator system cables and connectors will greatly reduce the cost
of the system and the cost and time for system installation.
[0008] There is described in C. Apneseth et al,
"Wireless--Introducing wireless proximity switches", ABB Review
2/2002, pp. 42-49, a wireless proximity switch for use in a cell on
an engine assembly line. As is shown in the figure on page 44,
there is installed around the cell four primary loops that are fed
by two power supplies that set up an alternating current in the
loops to thereby produce a magnetic field throughout the cell.
Inside the cell is a robot with several wireless proximity switches
clustered at the robot gripper. The switches each have small coils
that pick up the energy from the magnetic field and convert it to
electric power. The switches each also have small radio
transceivers and low power electronics that handle the wireless
communication link between the switches and an input module outside
of the cell. The switches communicate with the input module by way
of antennas mounted in the cell.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] A sheet forming system that comprises:
[0010] one or more quality control systems for use in forming the
sheet;
[0011] at least one actuator driven device having a plurality of
actuators each associated with formation of the sheet;
[0012] a module for providing power to the plurality of actuators
without having a cable connected between the power providing module
and the plurality of actuators; and
[0013] a drive signal module connected to at least one of the one
or more quality control systems for providing bi-directional
communications between the at least one quality control system and
each of the plurality of actuators.
[0014] A sheet forming system that comprises:
[0015] a quality control part that has:
[0016] one or more quality control systems for use in forming the
sheet;
[0017] a modulator/demodulator associated with at least one of the
one or more quality control systems;
[0018] an actuator driven part that has:
[0019] at least one actuator driven device having a plurality of
actuators each associated with formation of the sheet, each of the
actuators comprising a modulator/demodulator;
[0020] a cable for providing an electric power signal from the
quality control part to the actuator driven part, the cable
connected to the modulator/demodulator associated with the at least
one of the one or more quality control systems for modulating the
electric power signal to carry communication signals from the
quality control part for the actuator driven part; and
[0021] each of the plurality of actuators further comprising means
for receiving the modulated electric power signals from the quality
control part without having the cable physically connected to each
of the plurality of actuators, the modulator/demodulator associated
with each of the plurality of actuators for demodulating the
communications signals.
[0022] A sheet forming system that comprises:
[0023] a quality control part that has:
[0024] one or more quality control systems for use in forming the
sheet;
[0025] a power and communications module including a
modulator/demodulator associated with at least one of the one or
more quality control systems;
[0026] an actuator driven part that has:
[0027] at least one actuator driven device having a plurality of
actuators each associated with formation of the sheet, each of the
actuators comprising a modulator/demodulator; and
[0028] a cable for providing an electric power signal from the
quality control part to the actuator driven part, the cable
connected to the modulator/demodulator associated with the at least
one of the one or more quality control systems for modulating the
electric power signal to carry communication signals from the
quality control part for the actuator driven part and to each of
the actuator modulator/demodulators.
[0029] A sheet forming system that comprises:
[0030] one or more quality control systems for use in forming the
sheet;
[0031] at least one actuator driven device having a plurality of
actuators each associated with formation of the sheet;
[0032] a module for providing power to the plurality of
actuators;
[0033] a cable physically connecting the power providing module to
each of the plurality of actuators; and a drive signal module
connected to at least one of the one or more quality control
systems for providing bi-directional wireless communications
between the at least one quality control system and each of the
plurality of actuators.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a typical sheet forming machine such as a
papermaking machine and various actuator driven profilers that may
be used on the machine.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows in block diagram form one or more quality
control systems connected to a machine for making a sheet such as
paper, one or more scanners and various special function machines
associated with the making of the sheet.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment for the present invention in
which there are a wireless connection of power and two way
communications between a quality control system and one or more
actuator driven devices and FIG. 3a shows an embodiment in which
the connection of power is contactless.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment for the present invention where
power is supplied to the actuators and bi-directional communication
between the control quality systems and the actuators are both
accomplished in a contactless manner over a power cable.
[0038] FIG. 5 shows an embodiment for the present invention where a
single cable is connected to the actuators to provide both electric
power and bi-directional communication between the control quality
systems and the actuators.
[0039] FIG. 6 shows an embodiment for the present invention where
electric power is provided to all of the actuators over a cable and
bi-directional communication between the control quality systems
and the actuators is provided by the wireless antenna system of
FIG. 3.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
[0040] Referring now to FIG. 1, there is shown a typical
papermaking machine 10 and various actuator driven profilers 12,
14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 that may be use on machine 10. More
specifically, machine 10 as is well known to those of ordinary
skill in the art will include an actuator driven dilution profiler
12 and an actuator driven slice profiler 14 associated with headbox
10a. The headbox 10a feeds a pulp suspension onto the initial part
of a lower wire (not shown in FIG. 1). The actuator driven
profilers 12 and 14 and others of the actuator driven profilers
described herein are used to control the transverse profile of the
suspension.
[0041] Papermaking machine 10 also includes a Fourdrinier table 10b
and a press section 10c that may include one or more actuator
driven steam profilers such as profiler 16 of FIG. 1. The moisture
profile in the cross-machine direction (CD) is one of many
important qualities of paper products. It is not only important
that the overall moisture level be controlled, but also that the
moisture distribution throughout the sheet be controlled both in
the direction that the sheet is moving known as the machine
direction (MD) and in the CD. Variation in moisture content of the
sheet will often affect paper quality as much or even more than the
absolute moisture content.
[0042] Steam showers profilers such as profiler 16 are conventional
profiling systems that work by selectively delivering steam onto
the paper web during production. Profiling steam showers deliver a
variable distribution of steam in zones across the paper web. The
amount of steam passing through each zone of a steam shower is
adjusted through an actuator located in that zone.
[0043] Steam showers are widely used on the Fourdrinier table 10b
to help drainage and increase production. In the press section 10c,
steam is added before the press nips to increase the temperature of
the web. The added temperature makes the water removal by pressing
much more effective as the added moisture removal is much greater
than the added moisture due to steam condensation.
[0044] Further downstream machine 10 may also include an actuator
driven air water profiler 18, a calender profiler 20, a coat weight
profiler 22, a finishing profiler 24 and an induction profiler 26.
Profiling steam showers, such as calender profiler 20, are also
used in the calendering process to improve gloss and smoothness of
the paper products. Moisture spray systems, such as air water
profiler 18, are also conventional profiling systems normally used
in the evaporating sections of papermaking machines. The water
spray systems are designed to apply a profile of moisture spray in
the cross-machine direction to counter an undesirable moisture
profile in the paper web. These systems consist of a series of
flow-controlling actuators capable of independently adjusting the
amount of spray in discrete adjacent zones in the CD. The induction
profiler 26 is used for heating the paper roll to provide caliper
and gloss control.
[0045] While FIG. 1 shows a papermaking machine 10 with various
actuator driven profilers 12 to 26 it is well known to those of
ordinary skill in the art that some of those actuator driven
profilers may be used on special functions machines other than
machine 10, such as a blade coater or a supercalender or a slitter
winder, that are also associated with papermaking. This use is
shown in block diagram form in FIG. 2.
[0046] As is shown in FIG. 2 one or more quality control systems
(QCS) 30a and 30b are connected by suitable means 32 which may be a
physical cable or a wireless connection as described below to a
paper machine 34, a blade coater 36, a supercalender 38, one or
more scanners 40a and 40b and a converter 42. Paper machine 34 may
have edge control actuators and various actuator driven profilers
such as the slice profiler, dilution profiler, steam profiler, air
water profiler, coat weight profiler and induction profiler shown
in FIG. 1. Blade coater 36 has an actuator driven coat weight
profiler, supercalender 38 has actuator driven steam and induction
profilers, and converter 42 has an actuator driven slitter
winder.
[0047] In accordance with the various embodiments of the present
invention described below the actuators of each of the one or more
actuator driven profilers in papermaking machine 10 or the various
actuators described in connection with the machines shown in block
diagram form in FIG. 2 receive power and engage in bi-directional
communications with the QCS system such as systems 30a and 30b of
FIG. 2 as follows: [0048] a. instead of a cable physically
connected to the actuators to transmit power to the actuators and a
cable physically connected to the actuators for bi-directional
communication between the actuators and with the one or more QCSs
30a, 30b this embodiment uses as, is described below, a technique
hereinafter referred to as "wireless" to transmit power to the
actuators and to provide bi-directional communications between the
actuators and with the one or more QCSs--alternatively this
embodiment may use a closed magnetic path, hereinafter referred to
as "contactless" to transmit power to each of the actuators--a
subset of this embodiment is a cable physically connected between
the one or more QCSs and the actuators for bi-directional
communications between the actuators and wireless or contactless
power; [0049] b. contactless power and communication on a power
cable; [0050] c. a cable physically connected from the power source
to the actuators to provide power to the actuators and
bi-directional communication between the one or more QCSs and the
actuators using the power cable; [0051] d. power provided to the
actuators through a power cable physically connected to each of the
actuators and wireless communication.
[0052] Referring now to FIG. 3 there is shown in simplified block
diagram form the embodiment where no cables are physically
connected to the actuators are used to transmit power to the
actuators and no cables are physically connected to the actuators
are used for bi-directional communication between the actuators and
one or more QCSs.
[0053] The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 uses a technique referred to
as "wireless" for both the transmission of power and the
bi-directional communications and thus the embodiment as a whole is
said to be wireless.
[0054] Bi-directional communication with one or more QCSs such as
QCS 30a and/or QCS 30b of FIG. 2 takes place through a primary
signal antenna 44 which is in close proximity to the array 46 of
actuators 46a, 46b, 46c . . . 46n and by an antenna (not shown in
FIG. 3) which is located in each of the actuators. The primary
signal antenna 44 interfaces with the one or more QCSs through a
signal drive antenna module 48. Power is transmitted to each of the
actuators 46a to 46n from power drive module 49 by a transformer
arrangement where the secondary side of the transformer is embedded
in each actuator 46a to 46n and the primary side 47 of the
transformer is located outside of the actuator.
[0055] Alternatively as is shown in FIG. 3a, a closed magnetic path
may be used to transmit power to each of the actuators by using
small ring types cores 45 that consist of two half circle parts 45a
and 45b. One of the half circle parts carries the secondary winding
45c and the half circle parts can be clipped together around the
primary coil wire 45d. The arrangement shown in FIG. 3a uses a
technique referred to as "contactless" for the transmission of
power.
[0056] Therefore the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is wireless as to
both transmission of power and bi-directional communications and
the embodiment of FIG. 3a is wireless as to bi-directional
communications and contactless as to the transmission of power as
in both embodiments power supplied to and bi-directional
communication with each of the actuators 46a to 46n does not
require the physical connection of a communication cable and a
power cable to each of the actuators as in the systems of the prior
art.
[0057] A subset of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is where the
power is supplied to each of the actuators in the wireless or
contactless manner shown in FIGS. 3 and 3a and the bi-directional
communications between the one or more QCSs and the actuators is
accomplished through a cable that is connected to each actuator as
is shown in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,771,174 and
5,381,341 the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein
by reference.
[0058] Referring now to FIG. 4 there is shown in simplified form an
embodiment for the present invention wherein power is supplied to
all of the actuators and bi-directional communication between the
one or more QCSs and all of the actuators are both accomplished in
a contactless manner over a power cable. The simplified diagram of
FIG. 4 shows a single actuator such as for example actuator 46a of
FIG. 3 which has included therein a part of a magnetic core 50 that
may be made from ferrite or a similar material with a wire 52 wound
on the core. The actuator also includes a modulator/demodulator
54.
[0059] External to and not connected to the actuators is a power
and communication cable 56. At that end of the system not shown in
FIG. 4 where the one or more QCSs are located and the system for
providing power to all of the actuators is also located a
modulator/demodulator (not shown in FIG. 4) that modulates the AC
signal on the power and communication cable 56 to provide
communication to all of the actuators and demodulates the
communication signals modulated on the AC power signal at the
actuators to receive communications from the actuators.
[0060] As is shown in FIG. 4, the communication and power cable 56
includes adjacent to each actuator a magnetic core 58 that may be
made from ferrite or a similar material which core in combination
with the magnetic core 50 embedded in each actuator forms a
transformer that allows the modulated AC power signal on cable 56
to be received and demodulated by each actuator. Thus the
embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is also contactless as power supplied to
and bi-directional communication with each of the actuators such as
actuators 46a to 46n of FIG. 3 does not require the physical
connection of a communication cable and a power cable to each of
the actuators as in the systems of the prior art.
[0061] Referring now to FIG. 5, there is shown in simplified form
an embodiment 60 for the present invention wherein a cable 62 is
physically connected from the source of power to each of the
actuators 64a, 64b, 64c in a manner well known in the art to
provide power to all of the actuators and the bi-directional
communications between the actuators and the one or more QCSs also
occurs using cable 62. Each actuator 64a, 64b, 64c includes an
associated embedded modulator/demodulator 66a, 66b, 66c for
bi-directional communications over cable 62 with the one or more
QCSs.
[0062] Upstream from the actuators 64a, 64b and 64c is a power and
communications module 68 that includes a modulator/demodulator (not
shown in FIG. 5) that allows power to be transmitted over cable 62
to each of the actuators and the cable to also carry the
bi-directional communications between the actuators and the one or
more QCSs.
[0063] Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown in simplified form
an embodiment 70 for the present invention wherein power is
provided to each of actuators 72a, 72b . . . 72n over a cable 74
that is physically connected by associated connector 76a, 76b . . .
76n to each of an associated one of the actuators in a manner well
known in the art. A power drive module 78 provides the power to
cable 72.
[0064] Bi-directional communication between each of the actuators
72a, 72b . . . 72n and the one or more QCSs is provided wirelessly
by the antenna system described above for the embodiment shown in
FIG. 3. As previously described a signal drive antenna module 80 is
connected between the one or more QCSs and the communication
antenna 82. Antenna 82 is in close proximity to each of the
actuators 72a, 72b . . . 72n and each of the actuators include an
antenna.
[0065] While the present invention is described herein in
connection with a paper making machine it should be appreciated
that the present invention in all of the embodiments described
herein can be used with any process that uses actuators in
connection with a moving sheet or web. Examples of such processes
are the forming of textiles and machines that printing on sheets or
webs.
[0066] It is to be understood that the description of the preferred
embodiment(s) is (are) intended to be only illustrative, rather
than exhaustive, of the present invention. Those of ordinary skill
will be able to make certain additions, deletions, and/or
modifications to the embodiment(s) of the disclosed subject matter
without departing from the spirit of the invention or its scope, as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *