Coil and coil driver control apparatus
First Claim
1. In an apparatus (10) having a plurality of controllable contactors, each contactor having an associated coil (14A-E) and coil driver (16A-E), and means (18) for selectively supplying respective control signals to controllably energize and deenergize each of said coil drivers (16A-E), the improvement comprising:
- monitoring means (84) for sensing the total current flowing through said plurality of coils (14A-E) and supplying a variable current signal in response to the magnitude of said sensed total current; and
control means (85) for receiving said current signal and controllably limiting the number of concurrently energized coils (14A-E) to a preselected maximum number in response to the magnitude of said current signal.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus (10) for monitors and protects a plurality of contactor coils (14A-E) and coil drivers (16A-E) from damage owing to short circuits, and prevents the concurrent energization of more than a preselected number of the coils (14A-E). Included is a monitor (84) for sensing the total current flowing through the plurality of coils (14A-E) and supplying a variable current signal in response to a magnitude of the sensed total current, and a control (85) for receiving the variable current signal and controlling the energization of the coils (14A-E) in response to the magnitude of the current signal. By monitoring and controlling the energization of the plurality of coils (14A-E) damage due to excessive current flow through the coils (14A-E) is avoided and the number of concurrently energized coils (14A-E) is limited to the preselected number.
24 Citations
10 Claims
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1. In an apparatus (10) having a plurality of controllable contactors, each contactor having an associated coil (14A-E) and coil driver (16A-E), and means (18) for selectively supplying respective control signals to controllably energize and deenergize each of said coil drivers (16A-E), the improvement comprising:
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monitoring means (84) for sensing the total current flowing through said plurality of coils (14A-E) and supplying a variable current signal in response to the magnitude of said sensed total current; and control means (85) for receiving said current signal and controllably limiting the number of concurrently energized coils (14A-E) to a preselected maximum number in response to the magnitude of said current signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An apparatus (10) for controlling the operation of a plurality of contactors, each having an associated coil (14A-E) and coil driver (16A-E), comprising:
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means (18) for selectively supplying respective control signals to each of said coil drivers (16A-E); monitoring means (84) for sensing the total current flowing through said coils (14A-E) and supplying a blocking signal in response to the magnitude of said total current exceeding a preselected value; and limiting means (89) for receiving said control signals and said blocking signal, passing said control signals to respective coil drivers (16A-E) in response to receiving said control signals in the absence of said blocking signal, and blocking each of said control signals from said coil drivers (16A-E) in response to receiving said blocking signal. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for limiting the energization of a plurality of contactor coils (14A-E) to a preselected number, comprising:
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sensing the total current flowing through said plurality of coils (14A-E); generating a triggering signal in response to said total current exceeding a preselected value; generating a blocking signal in response to receiving said triggering signal, said blocking signal having a preselected time duration; and blocking the energization of said coils (14A-E) in response to receiving said blocking signal.
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10. Apparatus (10) for controlling a plurality of contactors, each contactor having an associated coil (14A-E) connected to a power source, comprising:
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means (18) for controllably supplying a plurality of respective contactor control signals; a plurality of driver transistors (92A-E), each having a collector terminal connected to a respective one of said coils (14A-E), an emitter terminal connected in common with at least one other of said driver transistor emitter terminals, and a base terminal; a plurality of shunt resistors (94, 94'"'"'), each having a first terminal connected to a respective set of commonly connected emitter terminals, and a second terminal connected to apparatus ground; a plurality of triggering transistors (96, 96'"'"'), each having a respective base connected to one of said shunt resistor first terminals, an emitter connected to apparatus ground, and a collector connected to said power source; a mono-stable multivibrator (100) having an input terminal connected to each of said triggering transistor collector terminals, and an output terminal; and
,a plurality of logic gates (86A-E), each having a first input terminal connected to said multivibrator output terminal, a second input terminal connected to said supplying means 18, and an output terminal connected to a respective one of said driver transistor base terminals.
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Specification