Patent ID: 8384332

Claim:
An integrated gearbox/encoder and control system, comprising: a gearbox with a first output shaft that couples to a mechanical load; a first sensor integrated into said gearbox, said first sensor detecting a rotary position of said first output shaft of said gearbox; a motor with a second output shaft that couples to said gearbox; motor drive electronics connected to said motor controlling motive power supplied to said motor to control motion of said motor; a second sensor coupled to said second output shaft of said motor detecting rotary position of said second output shaft of said motor; and a system controller connected to said motor drive electronics, said first sensor and said second sensor, said system controller controlling motion of said motor through said motor drive electronics, said system controller operable to measure a gearbox backlash by controlling said motor to advance at a low velocity and a low acceleration until detecting motion at said first sensor, thereafter storing a first detected rotary position of said first sensor and a first detected rotary position of said second sensor, controlling said motor to reverse direction and advance at said low velocity and said low acceleration until detecting motion at said first sensor, thereafter storing a second detected rotary position of said first sensor and a second detected rotary position of said second sensor, and calculating a backlash from a difference between a difference between said second and first detected rotary positions of said second sensor and a difference between said second and first detected rotary positions of said first sensor.