Patent ID: 6360136
Filing Date: 2002-03-19
Classification: G05B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for distinguishing and automatically classifying rotating tools comprising the steps of:a) rotating a rotating tool having more than two coding elements, before its first use, through such an angle that all coding elements are moved past a reading unit; wherein said coding elements are arranged one after another in the circumferential direction, at a prescribed radial distance from the axis of said rotating tool, wherein said coding elements have equal dimensions in circumferential directions, and wherein said coding elements are arranged with a prescribed pitch spacing at different circumferential distances from one another; b) sensing said coding elements by said reading unit; c) producing said output signals from the sensing of step b); d) feeding said output signals to a processing unit; and then e) selecting the pair of coding elements with the smallest circumferential interval; wherein, from said selected pair of coding elements, the coding elements which moves past said reading unit during rotation of said rotating unit is the reference coding element.