Actuator with start-stop operation
| Title: | Actuator with start-stop operation |
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| Patent Number: | 6,121,735 |
| Publication Date: | September 19, 2000 |
| Appl. No: | 08/694,372 |
| Application Filed: | August 08, 1996 |
| Abstract: | The present invention relates to an electronically adjustable actuator for actuating a plurality of actuating elements, such as valves. A control unit is provided for generating actuating signals to cause each of the valves to move with one another in a start-stop motion in accordance with a predetermined moving pattern. The control unit would measure each potential at the outermost lowest position of the valve and at the outermost highest position of the valve. A device is provided for determining the present potential percentage value of the different valve between the maximum potential as well as the minimum potential. This different value is used to determine whether an actuating signal would be used to drive each of the actuating elements in the start-stop motion. |
| Inventors: | Igeta, Tamotsu (Iruma-shi, Saitama, 358, JPX); Uchino, Hideaki (Akishima-shi, Tokyo, 196, JPX); Shimizu, Ken-ichi (Kunitachi-shi, Tokyo, 185, JPX) |
| Claim: | We claim |
| Claim: | 1. A system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements in a machine, comprising |
| Claim: | a plurality of housings, each housing containing a motor controller, a motor electrically coupled to the motor controller, and means for mechanically coupling said motor to one of the mechanical elements, an uncoordinated motion initializing means electrically connected to each of said motor controllers, for instructing said motor controllers to operate the associated motor subsequent to the time an initialization command is received and until the associated mechanical element reaches an initialization position, such that each of said motors moves the associated mechanical element in uncoordinated motion until each mechanical element reaches the associated initialization position, the improvement comprising; |
| Claim: | memory means associated with said uncoordinated motion initializing means provided with at least one predetermined pattern relating to the movement of said mechanical elements; |
| Claim: | wherein each of said mechanical elements moves in an operating range between an upper limit (P.sub.max) and a lower limit (P.sub.max) in accordance with said predetermined operating pattern and further wherein each of said mechanical elements starts from a predetermined starting position and simultaneously reaches a target position moving in a start-stop motion with the other mechanical elements, said memory means further recording an initial potential at P.sub.max and P.sub.min for each of said mechanical elements; |
| Claim: | a slide resistance connected to each of said mechanical elements including a slider generating a potential corresponding to the distance each of said mechanical elements has traveled from said starting position, said potential received by said uncoordinated motion initializing means; |
| Claim: | means associated with said uncoordinated motion initializing means for determining the present potential percentage value corresponding to the present potential (P.sub.x) measured by said slide resistance for each of said mechanical elements at a shifted position from said predetermined starting position with respect to said target position on the basis of said predetermined operating pattern, said potential percentage value being the ratio of P.sub.x to the difference between P.sub.min and P.sub.max ; |
| Claim: | wherein each of said motor controllers generates and supplies signals to operate its respective motor in harmony in a start-stop motion in accordance with said predetermined operation pattern between P.sub.max and P.sub.min, and further wherein each of said motor controllers generates a signal to its respective motor to gradually alter said start-stop motion based upon a comparison of said present potential percentage value and an ideal percentage value determined by said predetermined operating pattern. |
| Claim: | 2. The system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements, as claimed in claim 1; |
| Claim: | wherein said motor is an AC or step motor driven by an alternating or pulsed current. |
| Claim: | 3. The system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements, as claimed in claim 1; |
| Claim: | wherein said plurality of the mechanical elements are one of the following combination: a fuel valve and an air intake valve for a fuel combustion furnace; a main throttle flap and a sub throttle flap for an air conditioning apparatus, or a main valve and a bypass valve. |
| Claim: | 4. The system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements, as claimed in claim 1; |
| Claim: | wherein the value of the initiating signals for moving said mechanical element is selected so as to cause said mechanical element to drive at highest torque. |
| Claim: | 5. The system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements, as claimed in claim 2; |
| Claim: | wherein when the motor is an AC motor, the initiating signals are generated by regulating a wave number of the alternating current to be applied to said AC motor, and said plurality of mechanical elements are a main element and a sub element. |
| Claim: | 6. The system for initiating a plurality of mechanical elements, as claimed in claim 5; |
| Claim: | wherein said comparison of said present potential percentage value at said ideal percentage value ranges between .+-.1 to 5%. |
| Current U.S. Class: | 318/101; 318/35; 318/112; 318/625; 318/466 |
| Current International Class: | H02P 154 |
| Patent References Cited: | 5285757 February 1994 Entenmann et al. 5298845 March 1994 DeBoer et al. 5420485 May 1995 Campbell |
| Primary Examiner: | Martin, David |
| Attorney, Agent or Firm: | Hoffman, Wasson & Gitler, PC |
| Accession Number: | edspgr.06121735 |
| Database: | USPTO Patent Grants |
| Language: | English |
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