FLUID PRESSURE CONTROL DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED PRESSURE SENSOR

• US 20100269632A1
• Filed: 04/27/2009
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Dlugoss, Randall B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,408,516 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/732.100
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2059/683 Sensing pressure in control systems or in fluid controlled devices, e.g. by pressure sensors for hydrostatic transmissions F16H2059/6861
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 59/68 Inputs being a function of gearing status
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0251 Elements specially adapted for electric control units, e.g. valves for converting electrical signals to fluid signals
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 16/2024 the throttling means being a multiple-way valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7754 Line flow effect assisted
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7761 Electrically actuated valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7762 Fluid pressure type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19158 with one or more controllers for gearing, fluid drive, or clutch

Abstract

Provided is a fluid pressure control device that includes an actuator and a body configured to house the actuator. The body has an opening arranged to receive pressurized fluid. The fluid pressure control device additionally includes a pressure sensor incorporated into the body relative to the opening to sense fluid pressure and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the sensed pressure. Furthermore, the fluid pressure control device includes an integrated circuit incorporated into the body, and operatively connected to the pressure sensor. The integrated circuit includes a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device by transmitting the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure to the external device and receiving a control signal from the external device. The integrated circuit additionally includes a driver configured to power the actuator in response to the control signal.

Claims

1. A fluid pressure control device, comprising:

an actuator;

a body configured to house the actuator, and having an opening arranged to receive pressurized fluid;

a pressure sensor incorporated into the body relative to the opening to sense fluid pressure and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure; and

an integrated circuit incorporated into the body, and operatively connected to the pressure sensor, including;

a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device, wherein the transceiver transmits the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure to the external device and receives a control signal from the external device; and

a driver configured to power the actuator in response to the control signal.

2. The fluid pressure control device of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a face plate for covering the opening, and wherein the pressure sensor and the integrated circuit are incorporated into the face plate.

3. The fluid pressure control device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with the external device via a serial communication arrangement.

4. The fluid pressure control device of claim 3, wherein the transceiver uses a power line technique to communicate via the serial communication arrangement.

5. The fluid pressure control device of claim 1, wherein the transceiver uses a wireless arrangement for communication with the external device.

6. The fluid pressure control device of claim 1, wherein the control signal from the external device is generated based on the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure in a feed-back control loop.

7. The fluid pressure control device of claim 1, wherein the integrated circuit further comprises one of an analog to digital signal converter and a digital to analog signal converter.

8. A transmission for a motor vehicle having a fluid valve and a fluid pressure control device, the fluid pressure control device comprising:

an actuator operable to translate the fluid valve for regulating fluid pressure inside the transmission;

a body configured to house the actuator, and having an opening arranged to receive pressurized fluid;

a pressure sensor incorporated into the body relative to the opening to sense fluid pressure and to generate an electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure;

an integrated circuit incorporated into the body, and operatively connected to the pressure sensor, including;

a transceiver configured to communicate with an external device, wherein the transceiver transmits the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure to the external device, and to receive a control signal from the external device; and

a driver configured to power the actuator in response to the control signal.

9. The transmission of claim 8, wherein the body of the fluid pressure control device further comprises a face plate for covering the opening, and wherein the pressure sensor and the integrated circuit are incorporated into the face plate.

10. The transmission of claim 8, wherein the transceiver is configured to communicate with the external device via a serial communication arrangement.

11. The transmission of claim 10, wherein the transceiver uses a power line technique to communicate via the serial communication arrangement.

12. The transmission of claim 8, wherein the transceiver uses a wireless arrangement for communication with the external device.

13. The transmission of claim 8, wherein the control signal from the external device is generated based on the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure in a feed-back control loop.

14. The transmission of claim 8, wherein the electrical circuit further comprises one of an analog to digital signal converter and a digital to analog signal converter.

15. A method for regulating fluid pressure inside a motor vehicle transmission, the method comprising:

providing a fluid pressure control device having a body, an actuator, and a pressure sensor and an integrated circuit incorporated into the body, the integrated circuit having a transceiver and a driver;

receiving pressurized fluid via the fluid pressure control device;

sensing fluid pressure via the pressure sensor;

generating an electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure via the pressure sensor;

receiving the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure via the integrated circuit;

transmitting the electrical signal indicative of the sensed fluid pressure to an external device via the transceiver;

receiving a control signal indicative of desired fluid pressure from the external device;

determining whether the sensed fluid pressure corresponds to the desired fluid pressure; and

powering the actuator via the driver to regulate fluid pressure inside the transmission in response to the control signal, if the sensed fluid pressure does not correspond to the desired fluid pressure.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing the body of the fluid pressure control device with an opening and a faceplate to cover the opening, and incorporating the integrated circuit into the face plate.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said transmitting the electrical signal and receiving the control signal via the transceiver are accomplished via a serial communication arrangement.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising employing a power line technique within the serial communication arrangement.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a wireless arrangement for said transmitting the electrical signal and said receiving a control signal via the transceiver.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising generating a fluid pressure feed-back control loop by sensing regulated fluid pressure inside the transmission via the pressure sensor.