Triple loop control system

Abstract

A method for precisely controlling the tension of a cabling assembly includes applying a triple-feedback-loop to allow the manufacture of a large number of cable pairs. The control loop may be used with any take-up and payoff assemblies and compensate for wide variations in take-up reel weight, cable weight, process line speeds, and pay-off tension. One of the loops of the triple-feedback-loop is under-damped and unstable and allows the control loop to compensate for the wide variations without changing control systems or cabling apparatus.

1 - 32 . (canceled)  
   
   
       33 . A method of controlling cabling equipment comprising applying a triple-loop feedback mechanism to a cabling controller.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the applying the triple-loop comprises compensating for weight variations in a take-up reel by feeding back motor armature current of a take-up reel drive motor with an underdamped first feedback loop.  
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the applying a triple loop further comprises compensating for cable line speed, take-up reel speed, or both, by feeding back take-up reel motor speed with a neutrally stable second feedback loop.  
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the neutrally stable second feedback loop comprises critically damping or slightly underdamping a signal indicative of the take-up reel motor speed.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the applying a triple loop further comprises compensating for tension differences between a wire input side of a dancer and a wire output side of the dancer by feeding back dancer position with an overdamped third feedback loop.  
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising providing an overall loop damping ratio of 0.74 across all combinations of variations in reel weight, reel fill, and line speed.  
   
   
       39 . A method of controlling a cabling assembly comprising providing a triple-loop feedback mechanism.  
   
   
       40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprising conditioning a first loop of the triple-loop feedback mechanism with an underdamped transfer function.  
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the first loop monitors take-up reel motor armature current and compensates for variations in take-up reel weight.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , further comprising conditioning a second loop of the triple-loop feedback mechanism with a critically damped-to-slightly underdamped transfer function.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein the second loop monitors take-up motor speed and compensates for variations in line speed, reel speed, or both as a take-up reel fills with cable.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 42 , further comprising conditioning a third loop of the triple-loop feedback mechanism with an overdamped transfer function.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the third loop monitors a dancer assembly position and compensates for differences in tension between a wire input side of the dancer and a cable output side of the dancer.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 45 , further comprising applying torque to a take-up reel to balance the differences in tension.  
   
   
       47 . A method of creating a cable comprising: 
 unreeling multiple wires to a dancer assembly at a constant rate;    applying a constant tension to the multiple wires; and    cabling the elements onto a take-up reel;    wherein the constant tension of the elements is precisely controlled by a triple-feedback-loop.    
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein the triple-feedback loop comprises an underdamped first loop feeding take-up motor armature current back to a controller and compensating for variations in take-up reel weight.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein the triple-feedback loop comprises a critically damped second loop feeding take-up motor speed to the controller and compensating for variations in line speed, reel speed, or both.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein the triple-feedback loop comprises an overdamped third loop feeding dander position to the controller and compensating for differences in tension between a wire input side of the dancer assembly and a wire output side of the dancer assembly.  
   
   
       51 - 54 . (canceled)  
   
   
       55 . A method for compensating for variations in take-up reel weight, cable weight, process line speeds and pay-off tension, comprising applying a triple loop feedback control system.  
   
   
       56 . The method of  claim 55 , further comprising applying a fourth feedback control loop to monitor jerk.  
   
   
       57 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein said triple loop comprises 
 an underdamped first feedback loop;    a critically damped to slightly underdamped second feedback loop; and    an overdamped third feedback loop.