Plug and play universal input actuator

• US 10,199,962 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2016
• Issued: 02/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Alexander, Robert K., Clement, Bernard P., Romanowich, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dhakal, Bickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laughlin, Charles S
• Application Number:
  US15/065,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20160308473A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/83 by controlling the supply of heat-exchange fluids to heat-exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/84 using valves
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 3/044 Systems in which all treatment is given in the central station, i.e. all-air systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 4/00 Arrangements specially adapted for regulating or controlling the speed or torque of electric motors that can be connected to two or more different electric power supplies vector control H02P21/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating

Abstract

An actuator in a HVAC system includes a motor and a drive device driven by the motor. The drive device is coupled to a movable HVAC component for driving the movable HVAC component between multiple positions. The actuator includes an input connection configured to receive an input signal and a processing circuit coupled to the motor. The processing circuit is configured to determine whether the input signal is an AC voltage signal or a DC voltage signal. The processing circuit is configured to operate the motor using an AC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is an AC voltage signal and configured to operate the motor using a DC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is a DC voltage signal.

Claims

1. An actuator in a HVAC system, the actuator comprising:

a motor;

a drive device driven by the motor and coupled to a movable HVAC component for driving the movable HVAC component between multiple positions;

an input connection configured to receive an input signal, the input connection having an ON/OFF wiring configuration comprising;

a clockwise input connection comprising a clockwise input switch, wherein the clockwise input connection is configured to receive a steady AC or DC voltage when the clockwise input switch is closed and to receive zero voltage when the clockwise input switch is open; and

a counterclockwise input connection configured to receive the steady AC or DC voltage; and

a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to;

determine whether the input signal is an AC voltage signal or a DC voltage signal;

operate the motor using an AC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the AC voltage signal; and

operate the motor using a DC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the DC voltage signal.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the processing circuit comprises:

a controller;

an AC voltage detector configured to provide an AC detection signal to the controller in response to determining that the input signal is the AC voltage signal; and

a DC voltage detector configured to provide a DC detection signal to the controller in response to determining that the input signal is the DC voltage signal;

wherein the controller is configured to;

operate the motor using the AC motor control technique in response to receiving the AC detection signal from the AC voltage detector; and

operate the motor using the DC motor control technique in response to receiving the DC detection signal from the DC voltage detector.

3. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the AC motor control technique is an ON/OFF control technique comprising:

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a maximum rotational position in a clockwise direction when the clockwise input switch is closed and the steady AC or DC voltage is received by the clockwise input connection; and

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a minimum rotational position in a counterclockwise direction when the clockwise input switch is open and zero voltage is received by the clockwise input connection.

4. A method for controlling a HVAC actuator that includes a motor and a drive device driven by the motor and coupled to a movable HVAC component, the method comprising:

receiving an input signal at an input connection of the actuator;

determining, by a processing circuit of the actuator, whether the input signal is an AC voltage signal or a DC voltage signal;

operating, by the processing circuit, the motor using an AC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the AC voltage signal; and

operating, by the processing circuit, the motor using a DC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the DC voltage signal;

wherein receiving an input signal at an input connection of the actuator comprises;

receiving a steady AC or DC voltage at a clockwise input connection and zero voltage at a counterclockwise input connection when a switch is toggled to a first position; and

receiving zero voltage at the clockwise input connection at the steady AC or DC voltage at the counterclockwise input connection when the switch is toggled to a second position.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

providing an AC detection signal from an AC voltage detector to a controller in response to determining that the input signal is the AC voltage signal, wherein operating the motor using the AC motor control technique occurs in response to the controller receiving the AC detection signal from the AC voltage detector; and

providing a DC detection signal from a DC voltage detector to the controller in response to determining that the input signal is the DC voltage signal, wherein operating the motor using the DC motor control technique occurs in response to the controller receiving the DC detection signal from the DC voltage detector.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein operating the motor using an AC motor control technique comprises:

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a maximum rotational position in a clockwise direction when the switch is in the first position and the steady AC or DC voltage is provided to the clockwise input connection; and

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a minimum rotational position in a counterclockwise direction when the switch is in the second position and zero voltage is provided to the clockwise input connection.

7. An actuator in a HVAC system, the actuator comprising:

a motor;

a drive device driven by the motor and coupled to a movable HVAC component for driving the movable HVAC component between multiple positions;

an input connection configured to receive an input signal, the input connection having a floating incremental wiring configuration comprising;

a clockwise input connection comprising a clockwise input switch, wherein the clockwise input connection is configured to receive a steady AC or DC voltage when the clockwise input switch is closed and to receive zero voltage when the clockwise input switch is open; and

a counterclockwise input connection comprising a counterclockwise input switch, wherein the counterclockwise input connection is configured to receive a steady AC or DC voltage when the counterclockwise input switch is closed and to receive zero voltage when the counterclockwise input switch is open; and

a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to;

determine whether the input signal is an AC voltage signal or a DC voltage signal;

operate the motor using an AC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the AC voltage signal; and

operate the motor using a DC motor control technique in response to determining that the input signal is the DC voltage signal.

8. The actuator of claim 7, wherein the AC motor control signal technique is a floating incremental control technique comprising:

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a maximum rotational position in a clockwise direction when the clockwise input switch is closed and the steady AC or DC voltage is provided to the clockwise input connection;

operating the motor to drive the drive device to a minimum rotational position in a counterclockwise direction when the counterclockwise input switch is closed and the clockwise input switch is open such that the steady AC or DC voltage is provided to the counterclockwise input connection and zero voltage is provided to the clockwise input connection; and

preventing the motor from driving the drive device when the clockwise input switch and the counterclockwise input switch are both open such that zero voltage is provided to both the clockwise input connection and the counterclockwise input connection.