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.

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.