Abstract:
A manual pulse generator includes an operating region receiving contact to generate a contact signal, a touch sensor, and a programmable chip. The touch sensor is capable of generating electrical signals according to the contact signal. The programmable chip is electrically connected to the touch sensor to receive electrical signals from the touch sensor and generate pulse signals to control a motor accordingly.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to manual pulse generators, and particularly to a manual pulse generator used in a computer numerical control device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Manual pulse generators are device normally associated with computer numerical control (CNC) or other devices involved in positioning. The manual pulse generator generates electrical pulses sent to a CNC device controller. The controller moves a functional part of the CNC device a predetermined distance for each pulse. 
         [0005]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , a conventional manual pulse generator is used in a CNC device tool. The conventional manual pulse generator includes a rotor  11 , an axis selector  12  selecting one of the axes X, Y, and Z, and a magnification selector  13  to control speed of the CNC device tool, such as X 1 , X 10 , and X 100 . The rotor  11  is configured to generate pulse signals to control the CNC device tool. Inclusion of the rotor  11 , along with other elements, requires considerable size and weight for the manual pulse generator, making it difficult to use for prolonged periods. 
         [0006]    Therefore, what is needed, is a functional yet compact and light manual pulse generator addressing the described limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a manual pulse generator in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure, the manual pulse generator including functional keys and an operating region; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of the manual pulse generator of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the functional keys and the operating region of the manual pulse generator of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the manual pulse generator of  FIG. 1  in a first deployment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the manual pulse generator of  FIG. 1  in a second deployment; and 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of a conventional manual pulse generator. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0013]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a manual pulse generator  100  in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure includes a plurality of functional keys  110 , a plurality of corresponding key indicators  120 , an operating region  130 , a plurality of corresponding operating indicators  135 , a buzzer  140 , a printed circuit board (PCB)  410 , a first signal line  420 , a second signal line  430 , a touch sensor  440 , a serial peripheral interface (SPI)  450 , a programmable chip  460 , a communication interface  470 , and a power unit  480 . The functional keys  110 , the key indicators  120 , the operating region  130 , the operating indicators  135 , and the buzzer  140  are located on a front surface of the manual pulse generator  100 . The PCB  410  is arranged inside the manual pulse generator  100 . The first signal line  420 , the second signal line  430 , the touch sensor  440 , the serial peripheral interface (SPI)  450 , the programmable chip  460 , the communication interface  470 , and the power unit  480  are arranged on a rear surface of the manual pulse generator  100 . 
         [0014]    The functional keys  110  include a first axis selector X, a second axis selector Y, a third axis selector Z, a fourth axis selector “4”, a fifth axis selector APP, a sixth axis selector CUT, a switch ON/OFF, and a lock LOCKED. The functional keys  110  are configured to select a drive axis in a CNC device to be controlled by the manual pulse generator  10 . 
         [0015]    The key indicators  120  are configured to show the processing function when a corresponding functional key  110 , such as the first axis selector X, is activated. The operating region  130  is divided into a plurality of parts, each for a different wave band. The operating indicators  135  are configured to display the magnification of the pulse correspondingly when the operating region  130  is operated in different wave bands. The buzzer  140  generates audio signals with different frequencies according to pulse signals from the programmable chip  460 . 
         [0016]    The first signal line  420  is configured to transmit electrical signals from the functional keys  110  and the operating region  130  to the touch sensor  440 . In the current embodiment, the touch sensor  440  is a capacitive touch sensor. 
         [0017]    The SPI  450  is configured to transfer electrical signals from the touch sensor  440  to the programmable chip  460 . The programmable chip  460  is programmed in hardware description language (HDL). In the current embodiment, the programmable chip  460  is a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , the programmable chip  460  includes a SPI module  461 , a control module  462 , and a pulse generator module  463 . The SPI module  461  is configured to transfer electrical signals from the SPI  450  to the control module  462 . The control module  462  is configured to receive electrical signals from the SPI module  461  and convert electrical signals to frequency signals. The pulse generator module  463  is configured to receive the frequency signals, and convert the frequency signals to pulse signals. The communication interface  470  is configured to receive the pulse signals. The pulse signals are directly related to the wave band rate of the operating region  130 . The communication interface  470  is also configured to receive the pulse signals from the programmable chip  460 , and output differential pulse signals correspondingly. In the current embodiment, the communication interface  470  is an RS-232 interface, an RS-422 interface, or an RS-485 interface. 
         [0019]    The second signal line  430  includes a direct current line  433  and a pulse line  435 . The direct current line  433  is configured to supply a direct current to the power unit  480 . The pulse line  435  is configured to receive the pulse signals from the communication interface  470 , and transfer the pulse signals to a motor (not shown). 
         [0020]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , when one of the functional keys  110 , such as the first axis selector X, is activated, an electrical signal is transferred to the touch sensor  440  via the first signal line  420 . The touch sensor  440  transfers the electrical signal to the pulse generator module  463  via the SPI  450 , the SPI module  461 , and control module  462  in series. The pulse generator module  463  converts the electrical signal to a pulse signal, and transfers the pulse signal to the communication interface  470  to control an axis X of the motor. The pulse signal from the pulse generator module  463  is also transferred to the buzzer  140 , and the buzzer  140  generates a corresponding audio signal. 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , when the operating region  130  is activated, such as being contacted in a clockwise motion, a clockwise signal is transferred to the programmable chip  460  via the first signal line  420 , the touch sensor  440 , and the SPI  450  in series. In the current embodiment, the programmable chip  460  is set to output a positive rotation signal when receiving the clockwise signal. The positive rotation signal is transferred to the motor via the SPI module  461 , the control module  462 , the pulse generator module  463 , the communication interface  470 , and the pulse line  435 . As a result, the motor rotates in a clockwise motion. The buzzer  140  generates a positive pulse audio signal according to the positive rotation signal. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , similar to  FIG. 4 , when the operating region  130  is active, such as being contacted in a counter-clockwise motion, a counter-clockwise signal is transferred to the programmable chip  460  via the first signal line  420 , the touch sensor  440 , and the SPI  450  in series. The programmable chip  460  outputs a negative rotation signal to the motor via the SPI module  461 , the control module  462 , the pulse generator module  463 , the communication interface  470 , and the pulse line  435 . As a result, the motor is rotated in a counter-clockwise motion. The buzzer  140  generates a negative pulse audio signal according to the negative rotation signal. 
         [0023]    The operating region  130  generates electrical signals with different magnification when different parts of the operating region  130  are in operation. In the current embodiment, the operating region  130  includes five parts and the skip signals include five magnifications, “X1”, “X10”, “X20”, “X50”, and “X100” correspondingly. When a first part of the operating region  130  is in operation, the operating region  130  generates a skip signal with the magnification of X 1 . 
         [0024]    The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope. Accordingly, the scope of the disclosure is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and the exemplary embodiments described therein.