Method and system for controlling electric actuators
First Claim
1. A method of controlling a plurality of electric actuators comprising the steps:
- providing an electric controller with two way electric communication with each of the electric actuators;
applying an electrical current to each of the plurality of actuators to cause movement of each of the plurality of actuators;
sensing the load carried by each of the plurality of actuators and communicating each load to the controller;
maintaining the electrical current applied to each of the plurality of actuators to cause further movement of each of the plurality of actuators until the sensed load carried by each of the plurality of actuators exceeds a preset minimum load.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object 10 includes an electric actuator system 11 and a method 12. The object 10 may be a vehicle that includes wheels 18-21. The system 11 and method 12 include microprocessor based controllers 32, 33 and 37, electric actuators 22-25, 38 and 39, and a user interface 34 with an integrated level sensor and temperature sensor. The system 11 and method 12 operate to automatically or manually move the vehicle 10 from a not level attitude to a level attitude when the vehicle 10 is parked. The system 11 and method 12 in a preferred embodiment (FIGS. 4-6) may be configured to utilize any number of substantially identical controllers and actuators. The system 11 and method 12 sense the load carried by each actuator, to assure the wheels of the vehicle are not carrying more than a desired amount of the load when the vehicle is parked.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of controlling a plurality of electric actuators comprising the steps:
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providing an electric controller with two way electric communication with each of the electric actuators; applying an electrical current to each of the plurality of actuators to cause movement of each of the plurality of actuators; sensing the load carried by each of the plurality of actuators and communicating each load to the controller; maintaining the electrical current applied to each of the plurality of actuators to cause further movement of each of the plurality of actuators until the sensed load carried by each of the plurality of actuators exceeds a preset minimum load. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of controlling the attitude of a vehicle comprising the steps:
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(a) providing at least one electric controller in electric communication with a plurality of electric actuators and a user interface in electric communication with the electric controller and a temperature sensor in electric communication with the electric controller and a level sensor in electric communication with the electric controller; (b) selecting through the user interface between an automatic level mode and an automatic retract mode and a manual level mode and a manual retract mode; (c) when in the automatic level mode; applying an initial electrical current determined by the controller to each actuator to cause simultaneous extension movement of the actuators; sensing temperature and communicating the temperature to the controller; soft starting extension movement of each actuator; sensing the electrical current supplied to each actuator and communicating the electrical current to the controller; ignoring the electrical current supplied to each actuator for an in rush time period; combining the sensed electrical current supplied to each actuator and the sensed temperature to determine a minimum ground contact load carried by each actuator; soft stopping movement of each actuator that has achieved the minimum ground contact load until all actuators have achieved the minimum ground contact load; soft starting further movement of each actuator by applying a further electrical current to the actuators to cause further movement of the actuator only when the sensed load carried by the actuators exceeds the preset minimum load; sensing the attitude of the vehicle in the X and Y directions; soft stopping movement of each actuator when a level attitude of the vehicle in the X and Y directions is sensed; sensing the electrical current supplied to at least two of the actuators and combining the sensed current with the sensed temperature to determine the minimum ground contact load carried by each of the two actuators; ignoring the electrical current supplied to each of the two actuators for an in rush time period; combining the sensed electrical current supplied to each of the two actuators and the sensed temperature to determine the a minimum ground contact load carried by each of the two actuators; ending the automatic level mode; (d) when in the automatic retract mode; applying an initial electrical current determined by the controller to each actuator to cause simultaneous retraction movement of the actuators; sensing temperature and communicating the temperature to the controller; soft starting retraction movement of each actuator; sensing the electrical current supplied to each actuator and communicating the electrical current to the controller; ignoring the electrical current supplied to each actuator for an in rush time period; combining the sensed electrical current supplied to each actuator and the sensed temperature to determine a full retract load for each actuator; stopping movement of each actuator that has achieved the full retract load, ending the automatic retract mode when all actuators have achieved the full retract load; (e) when in the manual level mode; applying an initial electrical current determined by the controller to each actuator to cause simultaneous extension movement of the actuators; sensing temperature and communicating the temperature to the controller; soft starting extension movement of each actuator; sensing the electrical current supplied to each actuator and communicating the electrical current to the controller; ignoring the electrical current supplied to each actuator for an in rush time period; combining the sensed electrical current supplied to each actuator and the sensed temperature to determine the a minimum ground contact load carried by each actuator; soft stopping movement of each actuator that has achieved the minimum ground contact load until all actuators have achieved the minimum ground contact load; soft starting further movement of each actuator by applying a further electrical current to the actuators in response to an operator command to cause further movement of the actuator only when the sensed load carried by the actuators exceeds the preset minimum load; communicating the attitude of the vehicle in the X direction; soft stopping movement of at least one actuator in response to operator command when a level attitude of the vehicle in the X direction is communicated; communicating the attitude of the vehicle in the Y direction; soft stopping movement of at least one actuator in response to operator command when a level attitude of the vehicle in the Y direction is communicated; ending the manual level mode; (f) when in the manual retract mode; applying an initial electrical current determined by the controller to each actuator to cause simultaneous retraction movement of the actuators; sensing temperature and communicating the temperature to the controller; soft starting retraction movement of each actuator; sensing the electrical current supplied to each actuator and communicating the electrical current to the controller; ignoring the electrical current supplied to each actuator for an in rush time period; combining the sensed electrical current supplied to each actuator and the sensed temperature to determine a full retract load for each actuator; stopping movement of each actuator that has achieved the full retract load; stopping the manual retract mode when all actuators have achieved a full retract load.
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10. A multiple electric actuator system comprising:
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a plurality of actuators mounted on an object to be moved; an input/output operator interface; a controller; communication links extending among and communicating with the controller and the input/output operator interface and each of the actuators to actuate the plurality of actuators in response to operator input to control movement of the object; a temperature sensor; and a load sensor for determining the load carried by each actuator and communicating the load to the controller; wherein the controller is configured to determine a modified load based in part on the load communicated to the controller and based in part on a temperature reading from the temperature sensor, such that the controller is able to control electric current applied to each of the plurality of actuators based on the modified load. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system comprising:
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a plurality of electric actuators; an electric controller in two way electric communication with each of the electric actuators, wherein the electric controller is configured to apply an electrical current to each of the plurality of actuators to cause movement of each of the plurality of actuators; a load sensor for determining the load carried by each of the plurality of actuators and communicating each load to the electric controller; wherein the electric controller is configured to maintain the electrical current applied to each of the plurality of actuators to cause further movement of each of the plurality of actuators until the sensed load carried by each of the plurality of actuators exceeds the preset minimum load.
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Specification