Magnetically overridden flow control device

• US 6,917,857 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2000
• Issued: 07/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trane International Inc. (Trane Technologies plc)
• Original Assignee: American Standard International Inc (Trane Technologies plc)
• Inventors: Moroney, Brady J., Rentmeester, Paul C., Vanderzee, Joel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US09/738,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20020077727A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 700/282, 622/22, 251/129.04, 137/624.11, 137/624.12
• US Class Current: 700/282
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 41/34 with the valve member being actuated by electric means, e.g. by piezoelectric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 30/70 Efficient control or regulation technologies, e.g. for control of refrigerant flow, motor or heating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86397 With independent valve controller

Abstract

A flow control device. The flow control device comprises a valve; an actuator operably connected to and positioning the valve and a controller operably connected to the actuator and providing control signals thereto. An external signal provides control input to the controller. A magnetically actuated sensor is operatively connected to the controller and provides a signal thereto in response to the movement of a magnetic field.

Claims

1. A flow control device comprising:

a housing;

a valve within the housing;

an actuator portion within the housing and operably connected to and positioning the valve;

a controller operably connected to the actuator and providing control signals thereto;

an external communications system operably connected to the controller and providing control signal input thereto;

a magnetically actuated sensor operatively connected to the controller and providing a first signal thereto in response to the movement or presence of a magnetic field; and

a magnetic actuator external of the housing for generating the magnetic field.

2. The flow control device of claim 1 wherein the controller positions the actuator in response to receiving the first signal from the sensor.

3. The flow control device of claim 1 wherein the controller transmits a second signal on the communications system in response to receiving the first signal.

4. The flow control device of claim 3 wherein the controller does not transmit the second signal if the controller determines that the controller has an identity.

5. The flow control device of claim 4 wherein the magnetically actuated sensor is a Hall effect sensor.

6. A flow control device comprising:

a housing;

a valve within the housing;

controller circuitry operatively connected to the valve and controlling a position of the valve in response to a first condition;

a magnetically actuated sensor operatively connected to the control circuitry for detecting a magnetic field and initiating a control mode sequence in the control circuitry; and

a magnetic actuator external of the housing for generating the magnetic field.

7. The flow control device of claim 6 wherein the controller positions the valve in response to the control mode sequence being initiated.

8. The flow control device of claim 6 further including communications circuitry in the control circuitry wherein the communications circuitry is operatively connected to a communications bus for two-way communications.

9. The flow control device of claim 8 wherein the control circuitry sends a first signal to the communications circuitry in response to the initiation of the control mode sequence.

10. The flow control device of claim 9 wherein the control circuitry does not transmit the first signal if the control circuitry determines that it has an identity.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the first condition is temperature, pressure or a command from a remote controller.

12. A flow control device comprising:

a housing;

an actuator located within the housing;

a controller operably connected to and controlling the actuator in response to a first condition;

a magnetically actuated sensor operably connected to the controller and providing a signal to the controller in response to sensing the presence or absence of a magnetic field wherein the controller initiates a predetermined control sequence in response to the sensed presence of a magnetic field; and

a magnetic actuator external of the housing for generating the magnetic field.

13. The flow control device of claim 12 wherein the magnetically actuated sensor is a hall effect sensor.

14. The flow control device of claim 13 wherein the magnetically actuated sensor includes a magnetically moveable object.

15. The flow control device of claim 14 wherein the controller includes circuitry operatively connected to and communicating with a communications bus and wherein the predetermined control sequence includes the transmission of a signal on the communications bus using the control circuitry.