Reduced-energy-consumption actuator
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An actuator system for use in a flusher, comprising:
- an actuator including an armature and a coil constructed to displace said armature by application of a coil drive to control operation of an automatic battery-powered flusher;
an armature sensor constructed to detect displacement of said armature;
an external object sensor connected to provide signal to a microcontroller;
a battery; and
a control circuit, including a valve driver powered by said battery, constructed to apply to said coil said coil drive, said control circuit being controlled by said microcontroller that initiates application of said coil drive upon receiving a signal originated from said external object sensor, said control circuit being also responsive to an output from said armature sensor to control duration of said coil drive.
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Abstract
A valve system (10) includes a piezoelectric transducer (44) mounted on its housing (16). To change the valve'"'"'s state, a microcontroller (54) causes a valve driver (58) to drive current through the actuator'"'"'s coil (12) at a relatively high level. It continues driving current through the coil (12) at the high level until the transducer'"'"'s output reaches a magnitude characteristic of the disturbance that typically results when the actuator'"'"'s armature (22) reaches the end of its travel. At that point, the microcontroller (54) reduces coil drive.
52 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An actuator system for use in a flusher, comprising:
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an actuator including an armature and a coil constructed to displace said armature by application of a coil drive to control operation of an automatic battery-powered flusher;
an armature sensor constructed to detect displacement of said armature;
an external object sensor connected to provide signal to a microcontroller;
a battery; and
a control circuit, including a valve driver powered by said battery, constructed to apply to said coil said coil drive, said control circuit being controlled by said microcontroller that initiates application of said coil drive upon receiving a signal originated from said external object sensor, said control circuit being also responsive to an output from said armature sensor to control duration of said coil drive. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A battery-operated actuator system, comprising:
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an actuator including an armature and a coil constructed to displace said armature by application of a coil drive;
said actuator including a permanent magnet arranged to form a latching actuator,a control circuit powered by a battery;
an armature sensor, powered by said battery, constructed to detect displacement of said armature and provide an output signal to said control circuit; and
an external object sensor, powered by said battery, constructed to provide an object sensor output to said control circuit in response to an external user;
said control circuit including a valve driver powered by said battery and constructed to apply to said coil said coil drive upon receiving said object sensor output originated from said object sensor or upon receiving said output from said armature sensor, and wherein said control circuit is constructed to generate said coil drive including different power levels based upon said output from said armature sensor. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification