US3593324A

US3593324A - Rod memory solenoid weaving construction

Info

Publication number: US3593324A
Application number: US786224A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donal A Meier
Original assignee: NCR Corp
Current assignee: NCR Voyix Corp; National Cash Register Co
Priority date: 1968-12-23
Filing date: 1968-12-23
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13

Abstract

A memory array comprised of a plurality of parallel bistable magnetic rods, arranged upright in rows and columns of a plane, and a solenoid weaving pattern of insulated conductive wires woven perpendicular to the rods and from rod to rod of each column and of each row. A solenoid is formed about the magnetic rods by a first wire passing adjacent rods on opposite sides and a second wire woven in the same manner as the first, except that it passes by each rod on the opposite side of the first. A plurality of first coordinate drives are formed by the solenoid wires woven about the rows of rods and a plurality of second coordinate drives are formed by the solenoid wires woven about the columns of rods, so that a different combination of first and second coordinate drives is formed by the solenoid weaving pattern for each rod.

Description

United States Patent [72] inventor Donal A. Meier lnglewood,Cnlil. [21] App], Nov 786.224 221 Filed Dec.23, 1968 I231 Division of Ser. No. 477.794. Aug. 6. 1965,

Pat. No. 3.440.719

July [3, 1971 The National Cash Register Company Dayton, Ohio [45) Patented [731 Assignee [54] R01) MEMORY SOLENOID WEAVING CONSTRUCTION 9 Clallne, ll Drnwlng Figs.

[50] Field of Search (56] 7 References Clted UNITED STATES PATENTS Primary Examiner- Stanley M. Urynowicz, Jr. Attorney: Louis A. Kline and Joseph R. Dwyer ABSTRACT: A memory array comprised of a plurality of parallel bistable magnetic rods, arranged upright in rows and columns of a plane, and a solenoid weaving pattern of insulated conductive wires woven perpendicular to the rods and from rod to rod of each column and of each row. A solenoid is formed about the magnetic rods by a first wire passing adjacent rods on opposite sides and a second wire woven in the same manner as the first, except that it passes by each rod on the opposite side of the first. A plurality of first coordinate drives are formed by the solenoid wires woven about the rows of rods and a plurality of second coordinate drives are formed by the solenoid wires woven about the columns of rods. so that a different combination of first and second coordinate drives is formed by the solenoid weaving pattern for each rod.

PATENTED JUL 1 319?;

SHEET 1 [1F 5 INVENTOR norm. A. MEIER HUS ATTORNEYS FIG. I

PATENTEU JUL] 3:911 3.593; 324

SHEEI 2 {IF 5 ENTOR DONAL EIER (xii 4:4; BY zflax.

HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJULIBIQYI 3593324 SHEET 3 BF 5 INVENTOR DONAL A. M EIER HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEUJULIIHQH 3.593324 sum u m 5 12 0 8 0 a. Mag a. w Ww nW NV \k/w/ q-fl l8 F|G.B

12 FIG.9 32 A 34 O 1 & 1 b 71/) INVENTOR DONAL A. MEIER aiwmwi %1 J61? m; J

HIS ATTORNEYS PATENTEB JUL 1 3 |97i SHEU 5 0F 5 FIG. IO

FIG. ll

INVENTOR DONAL A. MEIER [I l {X 7 zg dww o 4%; 2

HIS ATTORNEYS ROD MEMORY SOLENOID WEAVING CONSTRUCTION This is a division of copending US. application Ser. No. 477.794, filed Aug. 6, I965 now Pat. No. 3,440,719.

This invention relates generally to magnetic memories, and more particularly to improvements in rod memories of the type illustrated, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,l34,965, issued May 26, I964 and Pat. No. 3,228,012, issued Jan. 4, 1966.

In the magnetic memories disclosed in the aforementioned patents, an array of suitable interconnected solenoids is provided with magnetic rods passing through bores in the solenoids. Each rod has a rodlilte inner conductive substrate on which is suitably deposited on a thin film magnetic coating having bistable magnetic switching properties, a discrete portion of which is capable of being switched from either state to the other in response to current applied to the solenoids respectively coupled thereto. The importance of such a magnetic memory construction and arrangement resides not only in the case of fabricating relatively compact high density magnetic memories, but also, in the very high speed switching capability of such memories achieved because, unlike other known memory constructions and arrangements (such as those using twistors"), these rod memories as disclosed in the aforementioned patent and application permit the use of rods with thin magnetic films of less than l0,000 Angstroms.

Although such rod memories as disclosed in the aforementioned patent and application permit the construction of relatively compact high speed rod memory structures, the increasing emphasis on size reduction has resulted in acontinuing search for means and methods for constructing even more compact rod memories, while at the same time maintaining, and if possible, improving their performance characteristics. It is towards these ends that the present invention is directed.

Accordingly, it is the broad object of this invention to provide improved rod memory construction methods and arrangements whereby a significantly more compact memory construction can be achieved.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved rod memory construction whereby one or more solenoid windings are provided for each of a plurality of magnetic rods in a manner which permits a rod array of high density to be obtained.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved winding construction for the rod memory system disclosed in the aforementioned copending patent application and patent, whereby significantly higher rod density arrays can be achieved.

A further object of this invention is to provide a magnetic memory, in accordance with the foregoing objects, which provides a high density rod array as well as being capable of better noise cancellation and faster operation.

Briefly, the above objects are accomplished, in accordance with the present invention, by substituting for the individual separately formed solenoid windings in each array disclosed in the aforementioned patent and application, a solenoid weaving pattern in which the solenoids and the interconnections therebetween are formed for a particular group of rods together, each rod solenoid being formed one portion at a time. The weaving pattern is such that each rod is provided with the desired number of solenoids having the desired number of turns in each solenoid, while at the same time permitting a high density rod array to be obtained.

The specific nature of the invention, as well as other objects, uses and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view, in disassembled relationship, of a rod array having a solenoid weaving pattern formed thereon in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view illustrating a typical magnetic rod.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the solenoid weaving technique of the invention as applied to a single row.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of a woven solenoid rod array. having a multiturn row solenoid and a multitum column sole-- noid formed at each rod position using the solenoid weaving; technique of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a pictorial view illustrating a typical row in the array of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view illustrating how two separate solenoid weavings can be provided in a row of a rod array in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating how a solenoid weaving pattern can be provided for a digit plane of a rod array.

FIG. 8 is a pictorial view illustrating one way of providing a multiturn solenoid at each rod position in the array of FIGS. 7, 9 and I0.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are plan views illustrating two ways of providing a solenoid weaving pattern for a digit plane of a rod array suitable for use in obtaining common mode rejection.

FIG. 11 is a view illustrating how a three-dimensional rod memory matrix can be provided employing solenoid weaving in each array in accordance with the invention.

Like numerals designate like elements throughout the figures of the drawings.

Referring initially to FIG. 1, illustrated therein, in disassembled relationship, is a solenoid weaving pattern for a rod array in accordance with the invention. Although only a relatively small number of rods are illustrated in FIG. I, it will be understood that the array may be as large as desired. Also, the spacing between rows and columns in FIG. I is exaggerated for the sake ofclarity.

Typically, fabrication begins with the provision of a support in the form of a plate 10 of suitable material upon which the solenoid weaving pattern is to formed. The plate 10 is provided with an array of apertures 100, each aperture being spaced, dimensioned, and adapted to receive a respective one of rigid pins 15a fixedly mounted in a supporting plate 15. The pins 15a are of sufficient length and so disposed as to extend through respective ones of the apertures 10a and protrude above the upper surface of plate 10 when the two plated l0 and [5 are brought into juxtaposition. Pins 15a are thereby permitted to serve as dummy rods or mandrels about which the solenoid weaving pattern may be formed. The solenoid weaving pattern may then be cemented or otherwise affixed to plate 10, after which the pins 15a can be removed, and the magnetic rods 12 inserted in their place. The magnetic rods 12 may be cemented to retain them in place, or else, strips or a sheet of adhesive film I6 may be applied to the lower face of plate It} for retention of the magnetic rods.

The specific nature of a typical magnetic rod 12 is illustrated in FIG. 2, it being understood that the present invention is also applicable to any other type of rod memory where the features of the present invention may be used to advantage. The rod I2 comprises an inner conductive substrate which may typically be a beryllium copper rod of about 0.010 inch in diameter, but preferably less than 0.050 inch, on which is electrodeposited a thin bistable magnetic film 12b which may typically be a film of 97 percent iron and 3 percent nickel with a thickness of 10,000 Angstroms or less. The bistable magnetic thin film lZb may also be a bilayer film of the type disclosed in Pat. No. 3,2l3,43l issued Oct. 19, 1965 -namely, a first adherent iron-nickel layer electrodeposited on the beryllium copper rod 120 and composed of from about 30 percent to 90 percent nickel and from about 70 percent to 10 percent iron, and a second adherent iron-nickel layer electrodeposited on the first layer and composed of from about 93 percent to 99 percent iron and from about 7 percent to l percent nickel, the composite thickness typically ranging from about 2,000 to 5,000 Angstroms.

The solenoid weaving pattern illustrated in FIG. I will now be considered in detail along with FIGS. 3 and 4. It will be understood that an insulated conductive wire 18 is employed for weaving. In weaving a particular row (or column), the wire 18, beginning with a respective guide pin 19, is woven back and forth between the dummy pins (which are ultimately replaced by rods I2 as described previously) until the end of the row (or column) is reached, as illustrated by the solid line in FIG. 3. This produces the equivalent of a one-half solenoid turn for each rod position. Then, by bringing the wire I8 around the last pin at the end of the row in the reverse direction, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. 3, the weaving pattern shown in FIG. I is obtained for each row (or column), producing the equivalent of a one-turn solenoid at each rod position.

Although FIG. 1 illustrates a solenoid weaving pattern having only a one-turn row solenoid and only a one-turn column solenoid at each rod position, it is to be understood that additional solenoid turns may be provided simply by repeating the weaving shown in FIG. 3 for each row and/or column as many times as desired, and connecting the weavings for respective rows and columns in series. FIG. 4, for example, illustrates a portion of a woven solenoid rod array having a three-turn row solenoid and a three-turn column solenoid formed at each rod position using the solenoid weaving technique of the present invention. The spacing between weavings is exaggerated in FIG. 4, as is also done in other figures, for the sake of clarity. Preferably, the multiple row and column weavings are intermixed as illustrated in FIG. 4. Also, the multiple weavings for each row (or column) may be connected in series using a single unbroken wore I8 merely by using the wire from each previous row (or column) to form the weaving for the next row, as illustrated by the wire portions 180 in FIG. 4, and as illustrated in FIG. 5 for a typical row.

It is also to be understood that additional solenoid windings for a row or column may be provided in the same manner as additional turns, except that, in this case, the additional weavings would be connected to their appropriate respective circuitry, rather than being connected in series with the other weavings, as illustrated in FIG. 6 for a typical row in which numerals 23 and 24 indicate two separate row weavings, each weaving providing a one-turn solenoid at each rod position.

From the description so far it should be evident that the use of the solenoid weaving pattern for providing solenoids for the rods, as just described, permits the rods to be placed very much closer together than if the solenoids were wound individually, as in the aforementioned patent and patent applications. This is because, with presently known winding techniques (as disclosed, for example, in US. Pat. No. 3,279,708 issued Oct. I8, 1966 a relatively large spacing must be provided in order to permit solenoids to be individually wound at each rod position. 0n the other hand, as will be apparent from FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the solenoid weaving pattern of the present invention requires a rod spacing very little more than the diameter of the wire l8, so that rod spacing is now dictated primarily by electrical and magnetic considerations, rather than by winding limitations.

An additional advantage of the solenoid weaving pattern of the present invention is that the more compact rod array made possible thereby permits higher speed operation, first, because the rows and columns are closer together and thus reduce line inductance and propagation times, and second, because a more uniform array results which permits better noise cancellation.

So far, the solenoid weaving technique of this invention has been illustrated only in connection with providing the series connected solenoids for a row or column. However, this solenoid weaving technique is also applicable for providing the solenoid windings for an array constituting a digit plane in which all solenoids are connected in series, as illustrated, for example, in FIG. 7 in which a single unbroken wire 18 is used throughout the array. FIG. 8 illustrates one way in which a two-turn solenoid can be provided at each rod position in the array of FIG. 7 by forming a double weaving in each row before proceeding to the next row, whereby the entire weaving for the array can be accomplished using the single unbroken wire 18.

It will be understood that the digit plane solenoid weaving pattern illustrated in FIGS. 7 and B may be substituted for either of the row and column weavings in the array of FIG. I, or added thereto, without detracting from the rod density capability, since this digit plane weaving pattern may merely be woven over the row and column weavings, or intermixed therewith, as desired.

FIGS. 9 and I0 also illustrate possible digit plane solenoid weaving patterns in accordance with the invention, with the additional feature that the digit plane weaving is divided into two like weaving patterns (32 and 34 in FIG. 9 and 42 and 44 in FIG. 10) suitable for use in obtaining common mode rejection by suitable connection to a sense amplifier transformer 50. It will be understood that multiturn solenoid windings can be provided for the arrays of FIGS. 9 and II] by using the row weaving arrangement of FIG. 8.

It will also be understood that although only single rod arrays have so far been considered herein, the solenoid weaving technique of the invention may also be employed in connection with a three-dimensional rod matrix, such as disclosed in the aforementioned US. Pat. No. 3.l34,965. The manner in which this may be accomplished in illustrated in FIG. 11, which illustrates a three-dimensional matrix comprised of a plurality of similar plates 10 stacked with their apertures 10a aligned and suitably spaced by spacers 2B. Pins 30 and nuts 31 pass through suitably provided aligned holes in plates 10 and spacers 28 to hold the matrix together. Each of the magnetic rods 12 (only one of which is illustrated in FIG. II for the sake of clarity) is made of sufficient length to pass through its respective aligned apertures 10a in all of the stacked plates 10, and each rod 12 may or may not have a coaxial winding 25 provided thereon, depending on the memory organization employed.

Each of the plates I0 in FIG. II is constructed as illustrated in FIG. I and may contain any desired combination of the various possible solenoid weaving patterns previously illustrated herein. For example, each plate 10 may contain the row and column three-turn solenoid weavings for coincident selection, as illustrated in FIG. 4, with the addition of the digit plane winding of FIG. 9 for sensing purposes. Alternatively, each plate 10 may contain merely the three-turn solenoid row weavings illustrated in FIG. 5, with digit windings being provided by the coaxial winding 25 on each rod I2, in which case the coaxial windings serve as both digit and sense windings. As a further example, each plate 10 may merely contain the digit plane solenoid weaving illustrated in FIG. 9 with multiple turns provided as in FIG. 8, and the coaxial winding on each rod 12 may then be used as the remaining winding. These examples are merely exemplary, and others are possible, depending on the particular memory organization employed.

Accordingly, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed herein, but is intended to include all modifications, variations, and uses coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a rod memory array, a plurality of spaced parallel bistable magnetic rods arranged in a line, and a solenoid weaving pattern coupling said rods and formed in a plane perpendicular to the axis thereof, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising: a first insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod in a given line starting with an initial rod at one end of said line to a rod at the other end of said line and returning to the initial rod of said line and repeating this pattern for other lines of rods, so that said wire passes by adjacent rods in a given line on opposite sides thereof to produce a half-turn solenoid for each rod in said given line which is in series with the solenoids of all of the other rods in said given line; and a second insulated conductive wire woven in the same manner as said first insulated conductive wire said woven pattern being composed of at least two circuits per plane, each of said two circuits having terminals connected to separate coils of a sense amplifiertransformer; and said magnetic rods having at least one sensedigit line coupled to said magnetic rods over the length of each magnetic rod.

2. In a rod memory array, a plurality of spaced parallel bistable magnetic rods, and a solenoid weaving pattern coupling said rods and formed in a plane perpendicular to the axes thereof, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising at least one insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod forming a series string so that said wire passes by adjacent rods in a row on opposite sides thereof to produce a plurality of series-connected half-turn solenoids coupled to respective ones of said plurality of rods,

said magnetic rods having at least one sensedigit line coupled to each of said magnetic rods over the length of each magnetic rod, a first plurality of rows of solenoids are connected in series to form a first series string and a second plurality of rows of solenoids are connected in series to form a second series string, and a transformer to which said first and second series strings are connected in common mode fashion.

3. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel bistable magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils and arranged in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern coupling said rods and formed in a plane perpendicular to the axis thereof, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row solenoid weavings and a plurality of column solenoid weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising a first insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod so that said wire passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof and a second insulated conductive wire woven in the same manner as said first wire except that said second wire passes by each rod on the opposite side from said first wire.

4. ln a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable magnetic film deposited thereon, a supporting plate perpendicular to the axis of said rods and having apertures in which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising an insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod starting with a rod at one end and ending with a rod at the other end so that said wire passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof and after being looped around the rod at said other end being woven in the reverse direction back to said first end, the weaving in each direction being such that said wire passes adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof with the wire for weavings in different directions being on opposite sides of each rod.

5. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable magnetic film deposited thereon, a supporting plate perpendicular to the axes of said rods and having apertures in which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising an insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod starting with a red at one end and ending with a rod at the other end and after being looped around me rod at said other end being woven in the reverse direction back to said first end and then being looped around the rod at said first end and being woven to said other end and then being woven back to said first end, the weaving in each direction being such that said wire passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof with the wires for weavings in different directions being on opposite sides of each rod.

6. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel bistable magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable m netic film de osited thereon, a su ortin late er endigi ilar to the axe; of said rods and hatfi g ape rti tres iii which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising a first plurality of insulated conductive wires woven from rod to rod so that each wire of said first plurality passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof and a second plurality of insulated conductive wires woven in the same manner as said first plurality except that the wires of said second plurality pass by each rod on the opposite side from the wires of said first plurality.

7. The invention in accordance with claim 6, wherein the wires of said first plurality are connected to corresponding wires of said second plurality at the ends of each row and column so as to form a plurality of series-connected multiturn solenoids for each row and column in which each rod has a corresponding multiturn row solenoid and a corresponding multiturn column solenoid coupled thereto.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 6, wherein the wires of said row weavings are intermixed with the wires of said column weavings.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, wherein the intermixing of row and column wires is in an alternating manner.

Claims

2. In a rod memory array, a plurality of spaced parallel bistable magnetic rods, and a solenoid weaving pattern coupling said rods and formed in a plane perpendicular to the axes thereof, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising at least one insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod forming a series string so that said wire passes by adjacent rods in a row on opposite sides thereof to produce a plurality of series-connected half-turn solenoids coupled to respective ones of said plurality of rods, said magnetic rods having at least one sense-digit line coupled to each of said magnetic rods over the length of each magnetic rod, a first plurality of rows of solenoids are connected in series to form a first series string and a second plurality of rows of solenoids are connected in series to form a second series string, and a transformer to which said first and second series strings are connected in common mode fashion.

4. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable magnetic film deposited thereon, a supporting plate perpendicular to the axis of said rods and having apertures in which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising an insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod starting with a rod at one end and ending with a rod at the other end so that said wire passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof and after being looped around the rod at said other end being woven in the reverse direction back to said first end, the weaving in each direction being such that said wire passes adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof with the wire for weavings in different directions being on opposite sides of each rod.

5. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable magnetic film deposited thereon, a supporting plate perpendicular to the axes of said rods and having apertures in which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising an insulated conductive wire woven from rod to rod starting with a rod at one end and ending with a rod at the other end and after being looped around the rod at said other end being woven in the reverse direction back to said first end and then being looped around the rod at said first end and being woven to said other end and then being woven back to said first end, the weaving in each direction being such that said wire passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof with the wires for weavings in different directions being on opposite sides of each rod.

6. In a rod memory array, a plurality of parallel bistable magnetic rods each having a diameter of less than 50 mils, each rod comprising an inner substrate having a thin bistable magnetic film deposited thereon, a supporting plate perpendicular to the axes of said rods and having apertures in which respective rods are disposed in closely spaced rows and columns, and a solenoid weaving pattern affixed to said plate and formed in a plane parallel thereto, said solenoid weaving pattern comprising a plurality of row weavings and a plurality of column weavings coupling respective rows and columns in said array, each row and column weaving comprising a first plurality of insulated conductive wires woven from rod to rod so that each wire of said first plurality passes by adjacent rods on opposite sides thereof and a second plurality of insulated conductive wires woven in the same manner as said first plurality except that the wires of said second plurality pass by each rod on the opposite side from the wires of said first plurality.