Controlling circuit for actuator

• US 5,004,080 A
• Filed: 04/09/1990
• Issued: 04/02/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Wada, Shunichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Butler, Douglas C.
• Application Number:
  US07/506,419
• Time in Patent Office: 358 Days
• Field of Search: 188/299, 188/267, 280/707, 280/714, 335/138, 335/225, 335/229, 364/424.05, 318/254, 318/696, 310/93, 267/64.11, 180/41, 251/129.11
• US Class Current: 188/282.4
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/08 Characteristics of fluid dampers adjusting fluid dampers in general F16F9/44 - F16F9/53
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 9/462 Rotary actuation means

Abstract

A controlling circuit for an actuator which is provided with a change-over switch for selecting a desired rotational position of a rotating shaft of the actuator, exciting circuit forming device for selectively magnetizing a plurality of electro-magnets in order to control rotation of the rotating shaft to be in a selected desired rotational position in response to an outputted change-over signal, and electrifying switching device for supplying electricity to the electro-magnets only for a predetermined duration from the time when selection of the rotational position of the rotating shaft is changed over by the change-over switch, wherein there is no generated any unnecessary heat for the actuator and construction of the circuit can be more simplified.

Claims

1. A controlling circuit for an actuator which is provided with a rotating shaft to be stopped in each of a plurality of rotational positions, a rotor which is connected to said rotating shaft and in which the even number of magnetic poles of permanent magnet are arranged with equal interval, and a stator which is arranged to be positioned around said rotor and in which electro-magnets whose number is one and half times of the number of magnet poles of said permanent magnet are arranged with equal interval, comprising:

a change-over switch having a plurality of switching elements each of which corresponds to each of rotational position for designating each of rotational positions of said rotating shaft by selecting each of said switching element; and

a plurality of exciting circuit forming means each of which is connected to each said switching element, respectively, and which forms an exciting circuit so that said plurality of electro-magnets is selectively magnetized in order to rotate said rotating shaft to be in a designated rotational position by connecting each of switching elements to a power source,

wherein said each exciting circuit forming means comprises electrifying switching means for forming said exciting circuit for a predetermined duration from the time when switching elements to which each of themselves is connected have been connected to a power source.

2. A controlling circuit for an actuator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said each electrifying switching means comprises a capacitor which starts charging when each capacitor is connected to each of said magnetic field change over means, and a switching transistor which is made in a conducting state by terminal voltage of said capacitor.

3. A controlling circuit for an actuator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said each exciting circuit forming means has means, in it exciting circuit, for prohibiting current which flows backward from other exciting circuits.

4. A controlling circuit for an actuator as set forth in claim 3, wherein said means for prohibiting current is a diode.

5. A controlling circuit for an actuator as set forth in claim 1, wherein said each exciting circuit forming means is provided with detection means for detecting whether each switching element to which each of exciting circuit forming means are connected is cut off from a power source or not, and means for compulsorily making said electrifying switching means cut off when said detection means detects that the power source is cut off.

6. A controlling circuit of an actuator for a shock absorber which is provided with a rotating shaft being connected to a change-over shaft for changing-over oil passage area among a plurality of steps in order to vary a damping force of the shock absorber and to be stopped in each of a plurality of rotational positions, a rotor which is connected to said rotating shaft and in which the even number of magnetic poles of permanent magnet are arranged with equal interval, and a stator which is arranged to be positioned around said rotor and in which electro-magnets whose number is one and half times of the number of magnet poles of said permanent magnet are arranged with equal interval, comprising:

a change-over switch having a plurality of switching elements each of which corresponds to each of rotational position for designating each of rotational positions of said rotating shaft by selecting each of said switching element; and

a plurality of exciting circuit forming means each of which is connected to each said switching element, respectively, and which forms an exciting circuit so that said plurality of electro-magnets is selectively magnetized in order to rotate said rotating shaft to be in a designated rotational position by connecting each of switching elements to a power source,

wherein said each exciting circuit forming means comprises electrifying switching means for forming said exciting circuit for a predetermined duration from the time when switching elements to which each of themselves is connected have been connected to a power source.

7. A controlling circuit of an actuator for a shock absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein said each electrifying switching means comprises a capacitor which starts charging when each capacitor is connected to each of said magnetic field change over means, and a switching transistor which is made in a conducting state by terminal voltage of said capacitor.

8. A controlling circuit of an actuator for a shock absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein said each exciting circuit forming means has means, in it exciting circuit, for prohibiting current which flows backward from other exciting circuits.

9. A controlling circuit of an actuator for a shock absorber as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means for prohibiting current is a diode.

10. A controlling circuit of an actuator for a shock absorber as set forth in claim 6, wherein said each exciting circuit forming means is provided with detection means for detecting whether each switching element to which each of exciting circuit forming means are connected is cut off from a power source or not, and means for compulsorily making said electrifying switching means cut off when said detection means detects that the power source is cut off.