Actuator with diagnostics
First Claim
1. An actuator system for use with heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, comprising:
- one or more actuators; and
wherein an actuator comprises;
a motor control mechanism;
a motor connected to the motor control mechanism;
a gear train connected to an output of the motor;
an actuator shaft attached to the gear train;
a shaft position indicator connected to the actuator shaft;
a processor connected to the motor control mechanism and the shaft position indicator; and
a current sensor connected to the motor control mechanism; and
wherein;
the processor comprises a diagnostics program;
the processor is configured to provide an excessive power alarm if an immediate power consumption of the actuator exceeds a predetermined percentage over a given amount of measured power consumption by the motor considered to be during normal operation of the actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system incorporating an actuator. The actuator may have a motor unit with motor controller connected to it. A processor may be connected to the motor controller. A coupling for a shaft connection may be attached to an output of the motor unit. The processor may incorporate a diagnostics program. The processor may be connected to a polarity-insensitive two-wire communications bus. Diagnostic results of the diagnostics program may be communicated from the processor over the communications bus to a system controller. If the diagnostic results communicated from the processor over the communications bus to the system controller indicate an insufficiency of the actuator, then an alarm identifying the insufficiency may be communicated over the communications bus to the system controller.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An actuator system for use with heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, comprising:
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one or more actuators; and wherein an actuator comprises; a motor control mechanism; a motor connected to the motor control mechanism; a gear train connected to an output of the motor; an actuator shaft attached to the gear train; a shaft position indicator connected to the actuator shaft; a processor connected to the motor control mechanism and the shaft position indicator; and a current sensor connected to the motor control mechanism; and wherein; the processor comprises a diagnostics program; the processor is configured to provide an excessive power alarm if an immediate power consumption of the actuator exceeds a predetermined percentage over a given amount of measured power consumption by the motor considered to be during normal operation of the actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for attaining diagnostics of an actuator for use in heating, ventilating and air conditioning, comprising:
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entering a diagnostics program for an actuator into a processor of the actuator; providing information about the actuator to the processor for an analysis by the diagnostics program; transmitting results of analysis by the diagnostics program from the processor on a communications bus in real time; and reviewing the results of the diagnostics program from the communications bus; and wherein the actuator comprises; a motor; a gear train coupled to the motor; an actuator shaft coupler connected to the gear train; a shaft position indicator configured to provide a position of the actuator shaft coupler to the processor; and one or more sensors configured to provide information about the actuator to the processor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An actuator system for use with heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, comprising:
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an actuator; and wherein the actuator comprises; a motor; a motor control mechanism connected to the motor; a processor connected to the motor control mechanism; and a coupling for a shaft connection attached to an output of the motor; and wherein; the processor comprises a diagnostics program; the processor is connectable to a communications bus; diagnostic results of the diagnostics program as applied to the actuator are communicated from the processor over the communications bus to a system controller in real time; and the system controller is selected from a group consisting of a general controller, an economizer and a SPYDER™
. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification