ELECTRONIC DIGITAL GOVERNOR AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY

• US 20120123664A1
• Filed: 11/09/2011
• Published: 05/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Governors America Corporation
• Original Assignee: Governors America Corporation
• Inventors: Wertz, Dan, Batson, Kevin A., Yi, Dae Kon, Lavin, Sean, Cappa, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,744,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/110
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 31/001 Electric control of rotation speed
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/28 Interface circuits
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electronic digital governor assembly includes a case, a printed circuit board housed within said case, the printed circuit board having control circuitry configured for controlling at least one parameter of an energy production device, and a user interface including a digital display for displaying a value of the at least one parameter and at least one button for selectively adjusting the value.

Claims

1. An electronic digital governor assembly, comprising:

a case;

a printed circuit board housed within said case, said printed circuit board having control circuitry configured for controlling at least one parameter of an energy production device; and

a user interface including a digital display for displaying a value of said at least one parameter and at least one button for selectively adjusting said value.

2. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said digital display is a liquid crystal display.

3. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 2, wherein:

said display is contained within a substantially air-tight and moisture-tight cavity.

4. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a gasket;

a polycarbonate plate; and

a keypad containing said at least one button;

wherein said polycarbonate plate, said keypad and said printed circuit board define said cavity.

5. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 4, wherein:

said polycarbonate plate includes a plurality of crush zones, said crush zones being deformable from a first position in which a portion of said printed circuit board is spaced from a raised land formed on said case, to a second position in which said portion of said printed circuit board is in direct contact with said raised land.

6. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 1, wherein:

said case includes a plurality of fins for dissipating heat generated during operation of said governor.

7. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a terminal block electrically connected to said circuit board, said terminal block having a plurality of electrical terminals.

8. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 3, further comprising:

a temperature sensor in communication with said cavity and configured to detect a temperature with said cavity; and

at least one resistor in communication with said cavity and being operable to provide heat to said cavity in dependence upon a said detected temperature within said cavity.

9. The electronic digital governor assembly of claim 3, wherein:

said assembly is engine compartment mountable.

10. An electronic digital governor, comprising:

a printed circuit board having a microprocessor and control circuitry configured to controlling at least one operating parameter of an energy production device; and

a user interface including a digital display for displaying a value of said at least one operating parameter and at least one button for selectively adjusting said value.

11. The electronic digital governor of claim 10, wherein:

said control circuitry continuously monitors said at least one operating parameter of said energy production device; and

said digital display displays said at least one parameter in real time.

12. The electronic digital governor of claim 11, wherein:

said at least one operating parameter is one of speed, current to actuator and percent throttle.

13. The electronic digital governor of claim 11, wherein:

said at least one operating parameter is one of gain, stability and deadtime.

14. The electronic digital governor of claim 10, wherein:

said digital display is a liquid crystal display.

15. The electronic digital governor of claim 10, wherein:

said control circuitry includes a single PID control loop that incorporates starting fuel and speed control.

16. The electronic digital governor wherein:

said digital display includes a multi-function graph configured to display one of throttle percent and difference in commanded and actual speed.

17. A method of manufacturing an electronic digital governor, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a case defining a cavity;

positioning a plate within said cavity on top of said plate, said plate having a transparent window;

positioning a digital display within said window;

positioning a keypad having an integral gasket into registration with said plate; and

positioning a printed circuit board having control circuitry within said cavity; and

securing said printed circuit board to said case to provide a substantially air-tight and moisture-tight seal around said digital display.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein:

said plate includes a plurality of yield zones, said yield zones being collapsible from a first position in which a portion of said printed circuit board is spaced from a raised land formed on said case, to a second position in which said portion of said printed circuit board is in direct contact with said raised land when said printed circuit board is secured to said case.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

depositing a potting compound within said cavity to substantially seal said plate, display, keypad and circuit board within said cavity and to provide a generally smooth rear surface.

20. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of:

positioning a temperature sensor and a resistor on said circuit board adjacent said digital display.