Electrical pulse counters – pulse dividers – or shift registers: c – Applications – Measuring or testing
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-30
2001-04-24
Spyrou, Cassandra (Department: 2872)
Electrical pulse counters, pulse dividers, or shift registers: c
Applications
Measuring or testing
C377S016000, C385S134000, C242S485000, C250S559260
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222899
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a system for determining the deployed length of a flexible tension element such as cable, and more particularly, to a system which correlates the periodic displacement of a center wrap of a precision wound flexible tension element to a deployed length of the element.
The Navy has many applications which require the deployment of small diameter cables in the ocean. For example, the Navy deploys sensor arrays linked by fiber optic cables for monitoring ocean temperatures, salinity, current strength, and other physical properties. In order to optimize the life of the cable, the cable should conform to the sea floor so that it is not suspended over valleys. To achieve such conformance, it is desirable to know the deployed length of the cable.
In the past, deployed cable length was measured by feeding the cable through an odometer type mechanism that includes two wheels which counter-rotate as the cable is fed between them. An important limitation of the two-wheel type odometer system is that it generally cannot feed cable splices between the wheels. Therefore, the odometer type system is generally not suitable for applications requiring deployed lengths of cable in excess of that available from a single pack where cable from one pack, or spool must be spliced to cable from another pack. Also, this type of counter tends to be inaccurate and is cable specific. Another type of system for measuring deployed cable length relies on markers positioned at regular intervals along the cable. Such markers may include bar codes, magnetic spots, or metallic bands. A significant disadvantage of this type of system is that it requires additional manufacturing steps with associated costs to affix the markers along the cable.
A need therefore exists for a method for measuring the deployed length of a cable that can accommodate cable splices, is highly accurate, can be used on a wide range of cable diameters and designs, and which does not require markers. A non-contact method for determining the deployed length of a cable would be preferred.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a system for determining the deployed length of a flexible tension element such as cable which is wrapped in a pack. The present invention provides a system for determining the deployed length of a flexible tension element such as cable which is wrapped in a pack and fed through a funnel. The element may be sensed using different types of sensors such as optical, acoustical or magnetic sensors. A sensor is mounted in a funnel flush with the inside funnel surface. As wraps of the flexible tension element are deployed, or pulled off from the pack, individual wraps of the flexible tension element pass across the face of a detector as the flexible tension element is displaced in a generally circular pattern around the inside of the funnel. Signal processing circuitry produces a signal indicating the presence of the flexible tension element within a predetermined distance of the sensor. For example, when a wrap of the flexible tension element is within a predetermined distance of the sensor, a signal representing a first logic level, having a logic 1 value generally in the form of a pulse is produced; when the flexible tension element is beyond a predetermined range of the sensor head, a signal representing a second logic level such as a logic zero is produced. A computer counts the number of pulses and employs a software program to determine information about the pack, such as the deployed length of the flexible tension element.
An important advantage of the invention is that by accounting for missing pulses, the system provides more accurate values for the deployed length of the element by minimizing accumulation error due to missing pulses.
Another advantage of the invention is that it provides a non-contact system for determining the deployed length of a cable. Therefore, the system may be used to determine the deployed lengths of cables which are spliced together.
These and other advantages of the invention will become more apparent upon review of the accompanying drawings and specification, including the claims.
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Marn William H.
Pryor John T.
Young Christopher M.
Cherry Euncha
Fendelman Harvey
Kagan Michael A.
Lipovsky Peter A.
Spyrou Cassandra
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