A torque-sensing rotary tool for use in bottle-capping, and other such applications. The tool (10) is characterized by independent motors (30 and 40) means for gripping and rotating bottles or the like and a rotation-counter which forms means, with associated circuitry (FIG. 9), to determine when an object, e.g. a bottle cap, may be safely lifted by automatic machinery, e.g. by robot means.
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of the U.S. Ser. No. 646,445 filed by Abrahams and Carll on Aug. 31, 1984 and entitled "Lab Bottle Capper" now abandoned.
A stepper motor control circuit having a reduced number of discrete components is provided by using an on-chip analog to digital converter of a single chip microcomputer to control the waveforms of chopped winding currents. Four power MOSFET's, four diodes and two sense resistors can be added to the circuitry of a board populated by the single chip microcomputer to implement a full step motor controller. The addition of a holding current circuit frees the computer for servicing other tasks when the motor is idle.
A load state decision apparatus of a servomotor where a load current value of a servomotor during operation is sampled and compared with a prescribed value and then the load state is decided based on the result, a motor current value is detected by adding the function to the existing apparatus and the detected motor current value is sampled at prescribed time intervals and stored in a memory, and an effective current value is calculated from the current value data and the calculated effective current value is compared with the rated current value and the load state of the servomotor is decided, thereby a converting or detecting apparatus need not be installed externally but the load state can be decided automatically.
A base housing, having a base housing top wall rotatably mounts a chuck assembly through the base housing top wall, with a support member mounted to the top wall having a track, with the track slidably positioning a mounting plate, with the mounting plate including a plurality of confronting first and second arcuate jaws to secure a jar lid, with the first and second arcuate jaws arranged in a position extending over the chuck, with the chuck including a plurality of arcuate chuck jaws in an annular array operative to engage a jar within the chuck jaws.
A stepper motor control circuit having a reduced number of discrete components is provided by using an on-chip analog to digital converter of a single chip microcomputer to control the waveforms of chopped winding currents. Four power MOSFET's, four diodes and two sense resistors can be added to the circuitry of a board populated by the single chip microcomputer to implement a full step motor controller. The addition of a holding current circuit frees the computer for servicing other tasks when the motor is idle.
An improved gripping and pinching device particularly useful with laboratory glassware and adaptable for use with a robot or automated system, is disclosed. The device uses flexible tubing as a gripper, eyedropper pincher and as a pinch valve which biases and releases test tubes, vials or the like upon removal and application of a vacuum or pressurizing means.
