Part feeder systems may be used to transport such items as widgets. The prior art systems for feeding pans may include a hopper which contains and empties the parts, a bowl feeder for orienting the parts, and a linear feeder for providing the parts to a different location. In the past, relay logic and timers were used to activate the hopper, the bowl feeder, and the linear feeder. However, relay logic and timers may wear in time due to the mechanical nature of the parts and may be rather expensive in cost. Therefore, it is desirable to employ a device for activating the hopper, bowl feeder, and linear feeder which may be more reliable and cheaper in cost.
It is further desirable to employ a circuit which is flexible enough so that it may control the activation of a hopper, bowl feeder, and linear feeder despite the operating voltage or operating frequency of the part feeder system. That is, it is desirable to employ a circuit which can control a part feeder system which may operate at either 60 Hertz (i.e., machines designed for U.S. electrical specifications) or 50 Hertz (i.e., machines designed for European electrical specifications). Further, it is desirable to have a single controller circuit which can control a machine which may operate at either 115 Volts or 230 Volts. Typical prior art relay logic and timers used to control a given part feeder system may not have such a flexibility because the respective relay logic and timers may be designed for that given part feeder system.
It is also desirable to employ a circuit which is capable of turning on components down the conveyor line prior to turning on components up the conveyor line of a part feeder system. Specifically, it is desirable to turn on the linear feeder, bowl feeder, and hopper in a sequential manner. That is, the linear feeder is started before the bowl feeder is started by a given amount of time and the bowl feeder is started before the hopper is started by a given amount of time. This helps prevent the unwanted backlogging of parts along the feeding system.
It is also desirable to employ a circuit which indicates that a fuse has blown for the various components of the part feeder system. In addition, it is desirable that such a circuit will not allow machines at the load to be powered when the associated fuse has blown