Control circuit for solenoid valve

• US 5,632,468 A
• Filed: 02/24/1993
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aquatec Water Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aquatec Water Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Schoenmeyr, Ivar
• Primary Examiner(s): Walton, George L.
• Application Number:
  US08/022,724
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: 137/392, 251/129.01, 251/129.15, 251/129.04, 251/129.05, 73/304 C, 307/118, 361/178, 361/284, 417/36, 417/44.1
• US Class Current: 251/129.15
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/0675 Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 7/1805 Circuit arrangements for holding the operation of electromagnets or for holding the armature in attracted position with reduced energising current for holding relay armature in attracted position with reduced energising current H01H47/04; quick energising of electro-dynamic machines H02P9/08; for quickly de-energising of dynamo-electric generators H02P9/123
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7306 Electrical characteristic sensing

Abstract

A solenoid valve for a water purification system. The solenoid valve contains a fluid valve which can move between an opened position and a closed position, and a coil which moves the valve to the open position when a first voltage is supplied to the coil and maintains the valve in the open position as a second voltage is supplied to the coil. The coil is coupled to a control circuit which initially supplies the first voltage to the coil when the valve is to be opened, and then reduces the first voltage to the second voltage after the valve is in the open position.

Claims

1. A solenoid valve, comprising:

a valve adapted to move between a first position and a second position;

a solenoid that moves said valve from said first position to said second position when a first voltage is applied to said solenoid, and maintains said valve in said second position when a second voltage is applied to said solenoid, wherein said first voltage is greater than said second voltage;

a solenoid circuit that initially applies said first voltage to said solenoid to move said valve to said second position and then subsequently applies said second voltage to said solenoid to maintain said valve in said second position, said second voltage being applied to said solenoid a predetermined time interval after application of said first voltage to said solenoid, said solenoid circuit contains a Voltage divider circuit connected to said solenoid, a transistor connected to said voltage divider circuit and said solenoid, a capacitor connected to said transistor, and a single source of power connected to said voltage divider circuit, said transistor and said capacitor, such that said capacitor is initially charged and said transistor is in an active state so that current from the power source by-passes said voltage divider and said first voltage is applied to said solenoid, and said capacitor becomes charged and said transistor is in an inactive state to allow current to flow through said voltage divider circuit so that said second voltage is applied to said solenoid, wherein said predetermined time interval is dependent on a time constant of said capacitor.

2. The solenoid valve as recited in claim 1, further comprising a housing that has a U-shaped wall with a first portion separated from a second portion by an air channel, wherein said first portion partially defines a first compartment that contains said valve and said solenoid, and said second portion partially defines a second compartment that contains said solenoid circuit.