ACTUATOR HAVING AN ADJUSTABLE AUXILIARY OUTPUT

• US 20130113402A1
• Filed: 11/08/2011
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Grabinger, Cory, Waseen, Daniel, Thomle, Adrienne, McMillan, Scott, McNallan, Torrey William
• Granted Patent: US 8,749,182 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 318/400.26
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 5/74 controlling two or more ac dynamo-electric motors H02P5/46, H02P5/60 take precedence

Abstract

An actuator system having an actuator with an auxiliary switch. Make and break connection positions of the auxiliary switch relative to a rotative position of an output shaft coupling may be adjusted electronically according to an adjustment signal. The adjustment signal may be conveyed to the actuator from a computer or controller via a two-wire polarity insensitive bus. The adjustment signal may instead be provided an auxiliary potentiometer.

Claims

1. An actuator system for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

a motor having an output;

a gear train having an input connected to the output of the motor and having an output shaft coupling for an HVAC actuator;

a shaft rotation position sensor proximate to the output shaft coupling; and

an auxiliary switch having a make-connection position and a break-connection position relative to a rotation position of the output shaft coupling;

and

wherein;

the make-connection position and the break-connection position are separately adjustable electronically relative to a rotation position of the output shaft coupling; and

the make-connection position and the break-connection position are separately adjustable electronically according an adjustment signal external to the actuator.

2. The actuator system of claim 1, further comprising:

a communications bus connected to the auxiliary switch; and

a controller connected to the communications bus; and

wherein;

the controller is remote from the auxiliary switch;

the make-connection position and the break-connection position of the auxiliary switch, relative to the rotation position of the shaft, are entered at the controller; and

the make-connection position and the break-connection position entered at the controller are sent as adjustment signals electronically via the communications bus to the auxiliary switch.

3. The actuator system of claim 2, wherein the communications bus is a two-wire polarity-insensitive system that conveys signals and power.

4. The actuator system of claim 2, wherein the make-connection position and the break-connection position of the auxiliary switch are automatically adjusted by the controller according to one or more variables.

5. The actuator system of claim 4, wherein a variable is temperature.

6. The actuator system of claim 2, wherein the make-connection position and the break-connection position of the auxiliary switch are adjusted in real time as the make-connection position and the break-connection position are entered at the controller.

7. A method for adjusting an auxiliary switch of an actuator for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising:

providing an auxiliary switch having adjustable make and break connection setpoints relative to one or more rotation positions of an HVAC actuator shaft;

adjusting the make and break connection setpoints, relative to the one or more rotation positions of the actuator shaft, with electronic signals; and

entering the make and break connection setpoints into a computer connected to the auxiliary switch.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the computer is remotely connected to the auxiliary switch via a communications bus.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

rotating the actuation shaft with a motor; and

controlling the motor with the computer via the communications bus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the communications bus comprises two polarity-insensitive wires.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the motor is controlled by one or more variables entered into the computer; and

the one or more variables are provided by one or more sensors.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein:

the make and break connection setpoints are adjusted according to one or more variables entered into the computer; and

the one or more variables are provided by one or more sensors.

13. An actuator system for a heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) system, comprising;

an HVAC actuator;

a control circuit connected to the actuator;

a processor connected to the control circuit; and

an auxiliary switch connected to the processor; and

wherein;

the actuator has an actuator position;

the processor is connected to a communications bus; and

a setpoint of the auxiliary switch is adjustable relative to the actuator position.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the setpoint of the auxiliary switch is adjustable via the communications bus and the processor in real time.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the communications bus is connected to a controller remote from the auxiliary switch; and

the setpoint of the auxiliary switch is remotely adjustable at the controller.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the communications bus is two-wire polarity-insensitive system.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising an auxiliary potentiometer connected to the processor.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the setpoint of the auxiliary switch is manually controlled by the auxiliary potentiometer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein:

if the actuator position is greater than a setpoint of the auxiliary switch set by the auxiliary potentiometer

THEN

activate the auxiliary switch

ELSE

de-activate the auxiliary switch.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the setpoint of the auxiliary switch is controlled by a command of the controller via the communications bus and the processor; and

if the actuator position is greater than the setpoint of the auxiliary switch set by the command of the controller

THEN

activate auxiliary switch

ELSE

de-activate auxiliary switch.