1. A tunable capacitance control circuit comprising:
a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor;
a plurality of field effect transistor (FET) switches connected in series with the MIM capacitor; and
a control unit applying switch on or off control signals to each of the gate terminals of the plurality of FET switches,
wherein the control unit outputs the control signals allowing only one of the plurality of (n) FET switches to be switched on and the remaining (n\u22121) FET switches to be switched off, thereby obtaining a desired tunable capacitance value.
2. The tunable capacitance control circuit according to claim 1, wherein in obtaining the desired tunable capacitance value (Cmim), the control unit adjusts and obtains a \u201cCmim2\u201d value and a Coff value according to the switch off the FET by the following Equation.
C
MIM
\ue8a0
(
Ctotal
)
=
Coff
n
–
1
*
C
MIM
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
Coff
n
–
1
+
C
MIM
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
3. The tunable capacitance control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the MIM capacitor and the plurality of FET switches connected in series with the MIM capacitor constitute a single unit circuit in themselves, and the unit circuits are increased in a form of 2n\u22121 (n=1,2,3 . . . ) to form a plurality of unit circuit groups that are connected in parallel with each other.
4. The tunable capacitance control circuit according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of FET switches are metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).
5. A tunable capacitance control method by a tunable capacitance control circuit including an MIM capacitor, a plurality of FET switches, and a control unit, wherein the control unit outputs control signals allowing only one of the plurality of (n) FET switches to be switched on and the remaining (n\u22121) FET switches to be switched off to the plurality of FET switches, thereby obtaining a desired tunable capacitance value.
6. The tunable capacitance control method according to claim 5, wherein in obtaining the desired tunable capacitance value (Cmim), the control unit adjusts and obtains a \u201cCmim2\u201d value and a Coff value according to the switch off the FET by the following Equation.
C
MIM
\ue8a0
(
Ctotal
)
=
Coff
n
–
1
*
C
MIM
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
Coff
n
–
1
+
C
MIM
\ue89e
\ue89e
2
7. The tunable capacitance control method according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of FET switches are metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-35. (canceled)
36- A method for preparing capping objects aligned in slots of battens of an endless conveyor of a sealing element preparation machine, comprising the steps consisting of modifying, by means of said battens, the position of rows of objects taken in said slots so as to cause said rows to successively move from a horizontal position to a position that is sufficiently inclined to cause unloading of said slots due to gravity, sending said objects towards a receiving and transit area where said objects enter, single file, into a chute of a conveying device.
37- The method for preparing objects, according to claim 36, comprising a step of unloading said slots of said battens by applying a combination of means comprising, in addition to gravity, a propulsion of said objects by jet(s) of compressed air.
38- The method for preparing objects, according to claim 36, further comprising a preparation step of preparing objects aligned in each slot of said battens prior to unloading said objects from said each slot, said preparation step consisting of moving a corresponding row of objects upwards, in said each slot, so as to establish a head start to the ejection, said head start allowing said corresponding row of objects to begin to assume velocity, due to gravity, before exiting the corresponding slot.
39- The method for preparing objects, according to claim 36, comprising the steps consisting of:
gathering into a single line said objects coming from a batten unloading station, in a first portion of a feed chute that delivers said objects to said conveying device, in order to force feed said conveying device,
in a lower portion of said feed chute, passing control of said objects to a propulsion system including a star wheel with notches, arranged in a U-shaped semi-circular channel,
raising said objects in a second chute portion, referred to as a rising chute, to above a level of said receiving and transit area, in order to deliver said objects to an entrance to a further chute feeding a capping station.
40- The method for preparing objects, according to claim 39, further comprising the step consisting of carrying out a complementary operation of selecting, checking, and sorting said objects at said propulsion module, in order to eliminate objects which are non-compliant or still incorrectly oriented, said complementary operation consisting of using, during a passage of said objects in a guide channel of said propulsion module, means associated with said star wheel in order to:\u2014maintain correctly oriented and compliant objects in respective notches of said star wheel during the time said notches pass in front of an ejection window arranged in a lower portion of said guide channel, or\u2014abandon incorrectly oriented or non-compliant objects in front of said window where these incorrectly oriented or non-compliant objects are discharged automatically.
41- A sealing element preparation machine having an endless conveyor comprising battens in which slots are intended to contain objects that are stoppers, caps, or similar objects, comprising, in order to prepare said objects:
a loading station for loading said slots with objects, said loading station comprising a hopper which is supported by a chassis and which contains said objects to be prepared,
a selecting station for selecting and sorting said objects, said selecting station being installed above said hopper in order to eliminate objects being at least one of incorrectly positioned and incorrectly oriented objects in said slots,
a preparation station for successively preparing said objects in each slot into a compact series or objects in said slot,
an unloading station for successively unloading said slots, said unloading station comprising a receiving and transit area where said series of objects is directed towards a feed chute) of a conveying device,
and a conveyance system consisting of:
said endless conveyor with battens, which comprises an endless chain extending between two shafts, said battens being attached to said chain, and said chain being able to curve in a plane passing through an axis of chain links,
driving means for driving said chain so that an active side of said conveyor successively travels into said hopper, then to the selecting station), and lastly to the unloading station,
an arching path supported by said chassis and which can be broken down into several portions on a side of an active object collection part, including:\u2014a first straight rising portion which extends from said loading station to a level located above said selecting station, and\u2014a curving planar portion in which said battens swing and fan out in order to bring together and add load to each series of objects to prepare said objects for gravitational ejection at said unloading station, said path consisting of side rails that are extended, at said shafts located at ends of said endless chain, by flanges respectively ensuring continuity of said side rails, said side rails and flanges cooperating with each batten in order to guide and orient said batten along an entire length of said path.
42- The preparation machine according to claim 41, comprising two combined unloading means which are unloading means that make use of gravity, and additional unloading means that use air jets aimed in a same direction as said slots.
43- The preparation machine according to claim 41, wherein said endless conveyor comprises, at said unloading station, a second straight portion at the end of said curving planar portion, said second straight portion extending horizontally in a substantially vertical plane at said unloading station, in order to vertically orient said slots of said battens, opposite said receiving and transit area where object unloading occurs.
44- The preparation machine according to claim 41, wherein means for guiding and orienting said battens comprise:
side rails arranged at sides of said chassis in order to establish a surface on which said battens travel and to control a batten pitch motion, said battens comprising guide elements arranged at batten ends that cooperate with said side rails, and,
a rail acting as a cam in order to control an angular orientation of said battens relative to each other, said battens comprising at least one pair of cam followers which are guided by grooves in said cam rail in order to adapt an orientation of said battens according to said battens position on said arching path and cause said battens to assume a horizontal position at said loading station and at said selecting station, and a substantially vertical position at said unloading station with, between said horizontal position and substantially vertical position, an evolving fanned-out position at said preparation station that prepares for the unloading of said battens.
45- The preparation machine according to claim 41, comprising means for preparing for said unloading operation, said means being arranged upstream from said receiving and transit area and consisting of a ramp-like arrangement, forming a shoulder which acts as a guide and ends in a spillway, said ramp-like arrangement being placed between said battens and a front panel that retains the caps arranged within said slots of said battens, said ramp-like arrangement raising said objects in each slot by a height which substantially corresponds to twice the width of a slot.
46- The preparation machine according to claim 41, wherein said battens are in the form of rectangular plates, each plate being equipped, on a visible face, with at least one slot for capturing objects and, on an hidden face, perpendicularly to said at least one slot, said plate comprises a recess which is arranged to house said endless chain, said recess comprising, on a side of a small radius of curvature of said preparation station, a curved edge with a radius substantially corresponding to a mean radius of curvature of said endless chain at said preparation station, said endless chain comprising links of a length on the order of a third of the width of said batten and said endless chain being integrally attached to each batten by means of a pin extending between edges of said recess and passing through a central link of a portion of endless chain located within said recess.
47- The preparation machine according to claim 46, wherein each of said battens has corners each of which comprises guide means for cooperating with said side rails integrally attached to said chassis and for following said arching path imposed by said side rails of which certain parts are straight and other parts are curved, either within a plane, or over a cylinder section, said guide means comprising pockets arranged in said corners of said battens, for positioning guide elements in the form of studs made of thermoplastic material, said studs being cylindrical in shape and centered on an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of a corresponding batten, in order to be able to pivot in a pocket, and said studs comprising a slot into which an active portion of a corresponding guiding side rail fits, said active portion being in the form of a continuous tongue.
48- The preparation machine according to claim 41, comprising a feed chute which receives said objects, an entrance of said feed chute being placed at said unloading station, in said receiving and transit area for said objects, said entrance being of a size less than or equal to 1.5 times the width of said slot of said battens, and said entrance is located at a lower end of a guide of said receiving and transit area, said receiving and transit area comprising a bypass channel for recycling any object that miss said entrance.
49- The preparation machine according to claim 41, wherein said conveying device for conveying said objects exiting said unloading station consists of:\u2014a feed chute for receiving and delivering said objects, which acts as an accumulator downstream from said unloading station,\u2014a rising chute which extends to an entrance to a further chute feeding a capping station, and, between said feed and rising chutes,\u2014a propulsion module which comprises a U-shaped semicircular guide channel, said guide channel establishing a connection between said feed and rising chutes and partially enveloping a star wheel with notches which propels said objects into said rising chute.
50- The preparation machine according to claim 49, wherein said propulsion module has, in said guide channel, two arc sections which continuously guide said objects and, between said two arc section, an open arc section forming an ejection window, which allows conducting an additional selection and sorting operation on said objects, said propulsion module becoming a propulsion and selection module and comprising complementary means for selecting said objects, said complementary means consisting of a support system for said objects which is organized to retain compliant and properly oriented objects in said guide channel and to release non-compliant or improperly oriented objects at said ejection window, said complementary means being located at said guide channel in which said star wheel is housed.
51- The preparation machine according to claim 50, wherein said support system for the objects comprises a plurality of pins arranged opposite each notch of said star wheel, each pin being movable between two stable positions:\u2014a first stable position in which said pin is placed in a hollow of an object held within a corresponding notch, in order to maintain said object in said corresponding notch as said corresponding notch passes in front of said ejection window, and\u2014a second stable position which results from a backwards movement of said pin caused by an obstacle or by contact with an improperly oriented object which prevents said pin from entering said hollow of said object.
52- The preparation machine according to claim 51, wherein said propulsion and selection module comprises:
a motor that drives said star wheel,
a flange arranged at a distance from said star wheel, integrally attached to a drive shaft of said star wheel,
pins corresponding to each notch, said pins being mounted on said flange in a manner such that all retaining ends of said pins are positioned along a circle of reference which is coaxial to said drive shaft of said star wheel.
53- The preparation machine according to claim 51, wherein said propulsion and selection module comprises, at said star wheel, two parallel coaxial disks of magnetic material, at least one of said disks acting as a guide for said object retaining pins, said pins each consisting of a rod of non-magnetic material and said pins being mounted to freely move translationally within at least one of said disks, in an axial direction, and a permanent magnet attached to said rod of each pin, allowing said pin to float between said disks, between a stable active position which retains said objects and a stable inactive position which leaves the objects free during passage of said objects in front of said ejection window.
54- The preparation machine according to claim 51, wherein said propulsion and selection module comprises a reset cam for said pins, said reset cam being able to return said pins, when said pins are located outside said ejection window, from an inactive retaining position to an active retaining position for the objects.
55- The preparation machine according to claim 49, comprising, at said conveying device and at said rising chute extending to a further chute feeding a capping station, an endless belt extending between two pulleys spaced vertically apart, said endless belt acting as a moving wall for said rising chute and traveling at a travel speed that is on the same order as the speed at which the objects advance in said rising chute.