Control utilizing non-contact switching for control and current sensing technology for operating a valve

• US 8,474,788 B2
• Filed: 10/14/2009
• Issued: 07/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: David L. Phillips, Jesus Estrada, Rufino Naval Jr
• Inventors: Phillips, David L., Naval, Rufino Jr., Estrada, Jesus
• Primary Examiner(s): Fristoe, Jr., John K
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARUNDALE, ROBERT K
• Application Number:
  US12/578,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,357 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.01, 251/129.04, 137/552, 137/624.11, 361/23
• US Class Current: 251/129.04
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 37/0083 by measuring valve parameters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86389 Programmer or timer

Abstract

The present invention provides a control device featuring a control module featuring one or more modules configured to provide a first control signal for controlling a first device in order to open or close a second device; and also configured to respond to a change in a parameter sensed in relation to controlling the first device, and to provide a second control signal for controlling the first device based at least partly on the change in the parameter in relation to time. The first device may be a motor; the second device is a valve; and the parameter may be current. In operation, the first control signal is for turning on the motor in order to open or close the valve, and the second control signal is for turning off the motor in order to open or close the valve.

Claims

1. A control module comprising:

one or more modules configured to

provide a first control signal for turning on a motor in order to open or close a valve;

respond to a sensed signal containing information about a current measurement of the motor related to a current limit for opening or closing of the valve;

provide a second control signal for turning off the motor when either of the two conditions are met a first condition being if the current measurement in the sensed signal reaches the current limit for opening and closing the valve, and a second condition being if a measured time of travel for opening or closing the valve exceeds an allowed time for opening or closing the valve when the first condition is not satisfied.

2. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the valve includes the motor for controlling the opening and closing of a valve gate.

3. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the control module is configured to run a software module to monitor the time of travel and correlate that to the opening and closing of the valve.

4. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to respond to a touch control by an operator or user and provide the first control signal so as to provide a touch control utilizing non-contact switching with no mechanical switching.

5. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to measure the time that the motor is on in order to open or close the valve, to compare a measured value of the time to a time limit for the motor to be on in order to open or close the valve, and to provide the second control signal if the measured value exceeds the time limit.

6. A control module according to claim 5, wherein the one or more modules is configured to initially measure the time that the motor is on in order to open or close the valve, and to store the measured value as the time limit for the motor to be on in order to open or close the valve.

7. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to perform some combination of the following:

set a turn direction of the motor;

turn on the motor;

run a timer for ignoring an inrush of current being provided to the motor;

turn off the motor if a current value for opening/closing limit is reached.

8. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to monitor if the motor or valve reaches a mechanical “

on”

stop or a mechanical “

off”

stop based at least partly on a sensed increase in a value of the current being provided to the motor, and shut off the motor based at least partly on the sensed increase in the value of the current.

9. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to receive power from a power supply and provide the power to the motor.

10. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to sense a touch control input by an operator or user based at least partly on a technique using capacitive, inductive or optic sensing.

11. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to monitor a time of travel and correlate the time of travel to open and close the valve.

12. A control module according to claim 11, wherein the one or more modules is configured to alert a user with an audio and/or visual alert that the valve is not fully closed in the event that the travel time is less than a normal time of travel.

13. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured with an oscillator or oscillator circuit having capacitive sensors, including where each capacitive sensor has an inherent capacitive value that is increased when someone touches the capacitive sensor.

14. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured with an oscillator or oscillator circuit having capacitive sensors, including where each capacitive sensor is connected to a respective oscillator, so the number of oscillators in the oscillator circuit is substantially equal to the number of the capacitive sensors.

15. A control module according to claim 14, wherein the oscillator or oscillator circuit is configured so that the frequency of the oscillator depends on a touch sensor capacitance connected to the oscillator and is inversely proportional.

16. A control module according to claim 14, wherein the one or more modules is configured so that each time that a system is powered up the one or more modules realizes a frequency measurement for each oscillator, which is used as a base line or reference value to subsequent measurements.

17. A control module according to claim 14, wherein the one or more modules is configured so that after a first reading of each oscillator'"'"'s frequency, any subsequent reading can be compared to its reference value, if an oscillator'"'"'s frequency value is less than its reference value then the one or more modules is configured to determine that a corresponding touch sensor is being touched.

18. A control module according to claim 17, wherein the one or more modules is configured so there is a security band gap to discriminate substantially small or minor frequency variations due to components tolerance and electrical parameters, including frequency variation that depends on the environment.

19. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to execute a software subroutine for the opening or closing of a valve in response to a touch sensor being touched.

20. A control module according to claim 19, wherein the one or more modules is configured to turn on the motor, run a subroutine to measure the current of the motor, detect that the current of the motor increases up to a value that depends on the electrical parameters of the electrical motor once the valve is completely closed or opened, and turn off the motor.

21. A control module according to claim 1, wherein the one or more modules is configured to operate the opening and closing of the valve by controlling the motor.

22. A control module according to claim 19, wherein the one or more modules is configured to detect that the motor has reached a limit of opening or close.

23. A control module according to claim 1, where the control modules comprises:

a touch pad module configured to respond to a touch by a user and provide a touch module signal to activate/deactivate a valve based on a change in a value of a touch sensing parameter, including capacitance.

24. A method comprising:

providing a first control signal for turning on a motor in order to open or close a valve;

responding to a sensed signal containing information about a current measurement of the motor related to a current limit for opening or closing the valve; and

providing a second control signal for turning off the motor when either of the two conditions are met a first condition being if the current measurement in the sensed signal reaches the current limit for opening and closing the valve, and a second condition being if a measured time of travel for opening or closing the valve exceeds an allowed time for opening the valve when the first condition is not satisfied.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the method comprises running a software module to monitor the time of travel and correlate that to the opening and closing of the valve.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the method comprises providing the second control signal if the change in the current exceeds a predetermined value.

27. A method according to claim 24, wherein the method comprises providing the first control signal in response a touch pad input by a user or operator.

28. Apparatus comprising:

a valve configured with a motor and a conduit for allowing the passage of a substance based at least partly on whether the valve is either open or closed; and

a control module having one or more modules configured to

provide a first control signal for turning on the motor in order to open or close the valve;

respond to a sensed signal containing information about a current of the motor related to a current limit for opening or closing the valve; and

provide a second control signal for turning off the motor when either of the two conditions are met a first condition being if the current measurement in the sensed signal reaches the current limit for opening and closing the valve, and a second condition being if a measured time of travel for opening of closing the valve exceeds an allowed time for opening or closing the valve when the first condition is not satisfied.