• 专利附录
  • 专利说明
  • 权利要求
  • 类似技术
  • 同族专利
  • 引用文献
  • 法律状态
  • 优先权
    • 专利摘要:
    16 ABSTRACT 2 A spring return throttle actuator (l) including: an electric,plural-coil (Cl, C2, C3), DC motor (2) having an output shaft4, a throttle return spring (10), a gear transmission (5)connected to the output shaft, a control unit (CPU) adapted tocontrol power supply to the DC motor (2), wherein the springreturn throttle actuator (l) has a movement range betweenclosed throttle and opened throttle. The control unit (CPU) isarranged to short-circuit at least two DC motor coils (Cl, C2,C3) in order to create a DC motor return resist torque, andthe control unit (CPU) includes a movement monitoring circuitbeing arranged to monitor actuator movement forced by thethrottle return spring (10) and resisted by the DC motorreturn resist torque. The invention also relates to a method and a throttle assembly. Fig. l
    公开号:SE1650011A1
    申请号:SE1650011
    申请日:2016-01-05
    公开日:2017-07-06
    发明作者:Strååt Fredrik；Zamani Sebastian
    申请人:Scania Cv Ab；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    lO SPRTNG RETURN THROTTLE ACTUATOR, METHOD OF CONTROL THEREOF ANDTHROTTLE ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe invention relates to a spring return throttle actuator including: an electric, plural-coil, DC motor havingan output shaft, a throttle return spring, a gear transmissionconnected to the output shaft, a control unit adapted tocontrol power supply to the DC motor, wherein the actuator hasa movement range between closed throttle and opened throttle.The invention also relates to a method for control thereof and a throttle assembly.
    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Throttle assemblies are employed to control gas streamsin respect of vehicle engines. The actuator DC motor istypically supplied with an electric current to switch from anormally open to a closed throttle position or from a normallyclosed to an open throttle position.
    It could be mentioned that in respect of for example anair inlet throttle valve, the throttle is normally openwhereas in an EGR valve the throttle is normally closed.
    As a rule, the return spring tend to move the throttle toa determined ”normal” position which will guarantee operationalso in the event that the DC motor is without current. It isthereby an aim to maintain the required exhaust gas valuesetc.
    In a background art throttle assembly, for reachingintermediate positions between closed throttle and fullyopened throttle, the DC motor is supplied with current tocreate a dynamic electromotive force which, by virtue of the control unit, balances the spring force to obtain a desired lO stationary throttle position between closed throttle and fullyopen throttle.
    It is previously known that there are occasionallyproblems with throttles for example because of a mechanicaldeficiencies or some sort of obstruction preventingunrestricted movement of the throttle. This might depend onthe formation of ice or the accumulation of dirt around theseat of the throttle or in throttle shaft bearings, or adefective spring which for example has been damaged andobtained unwanted properties.
    The throttle can hereby be impossible or difficult tomove properly and at proper speed over the whole or part ofits movement range which is detrimental to the operation ofthe vehicle. Also relatively small restrictions and influences on throttle movements may impair engine control.
    AIM AND MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE INVENTION It is an aim of the present invention to provide measuresto be able to address the problems of the background art so asto be able to at least reduce these problems.
    This aims are obtained in a respect of a throttleactuator according to the above in that the control unit isarranged to short-circuit at least two of the coils of the DCmotor in order to create a DC motor return resist torque(counteracting electromotive force EMF), and that the controlunit includes a movement monitoring circuit being arranged tomonitor actuator movement forced by the spring and resisted bythe DC motor return resist torque.
    With the term ”DC motor return resist torque” is meantthat a counteracting electromotive force is generated whichresists return torque generated by the spring.
    The invention makes it possible to monitor the condition of the return spring in an advantageous manner. Basically the lO return spring is dimensioned such that generated spring torqueover the whole movement range of the actuator exceeds said DCmotor return resist torque for the chosen number of short-circuit coils.
    Furthermore, the actuator movement is possible to monitorin the complete range, in an intermediate range or partranges, between fully opened and fully closed.
    According to the invention, in a system where a pluralityof elements co-act it is important to be able to analyze eachsingle component such that the problem can be isolated and thefailing component or existing problem be attended to.
    In order to monitor the condition of the return spring,the spring is typically maximally stretched and strained bymaximally actuating the throttle against the spring force,whereupon the system is made currentless and a selected numberof coils are short-circuited. By thereupon monitoring themovement pattern and compare it as regards movement speed etc.with a desired stored reference movement pattern, it ispossible to establish the condition of the spring. This alsomeans that if the spring is unable to move the throttle withthe chosen number of coils short-circuited, the spring isprobably defective.
    The invention can also be used to determine themechanical spring constant for a perfectly operatingcomponent. It is thereupon possible to adapt possible controlsystems to this information in order to optimize controlperformance.
    Having knowledge of a throttle actuation problem thatexists and in which part of the movement range of the throttlethere are, in fact, deviations, it is also possible, accordingto the invention, to adapt engine control to the prevailingthrottle actuation conditions. Hereby vehicle control can be performed with increased usability and reduced error value. lO According to the invention, two or more coils of the DCmotor are short-circuited, thereby creating a determinedresistance (electro motive force) for a spring to act against.This electro motive force can be more or less continuous oreven at the same level through the entire movement range.
    Furthermore, the control system can be taught where thethrottle meets resistance, in which part of the range thethrottle meets resistance and therefore moves unpredictably,and to determine whether the throttle has become stuck ormoves with restricted speed and, in that case, in whichposition it has got stuck or moves with restricted speed.
    In these cases it is not necessary to take notice ofelapsed time, since it is possible to perform digitalmonitoring over the entire throttle movement range.
    With the aid of the inherent feedback from the DC motorand/or from movement detectors such as Hall effect sensors orthe like the movement pattern can be established sincethrottle movement hereby is easily detected.
    Furthermore, the invention makes it possible to determinethat the spring is jamming which could depend on it beingbroken so that it has obtained unwanted characteristics.
    For example, according to the invention, elapsed time toopen and close the throttle can be measured and compared tostored, prescribed values. Also, even movement speed per timeunit and/or other suitable movement parameters of the throttlein question can be measured and compared to stored, prescribedmovement curves reflecting movement speed per time unit andother respective suitable parameters of a throttle operatingas prescribed.
    The term ”movement pattern” is basically intended to beinterpreted broadly and can in its simplest form reflect timeconsumed for a complete opening or closing movement. In a more complex analysis, time consumed for a part of a complete lO opening or closing movement can be analyzed. In a moresophisticated analysis, the movement speed or accelerationover the complete movement range or part or parts thereof iscompared to an exemplary curve reflecting a throttle moving asprescribed.
    It is also possible to store different movement patterncurves for actuators having respective differently damaged orotherwise defective return springs giving an opportunity toeasily analyze the nature of a defect.
    The inventive actuator basically does not require anyparticular hardware components for the purpose of monitoring.Instead the properties and characteristics of the DC motor canbasically be exploited. As an example, information from the DCmotor can be obtained by measuring motor voltage which easilygives momentary rotational speed.
    When coils of the DC motor are short-circuited, a currentflows through the stator which leads to the creation of acounter-force even when a very small movement is induced tothe rotor. This is in particular the case for brushless DC-motors and permanent magnet synchronic motors.
    Suitably the DC motor includes three coils and two or allthree coils may be subject to short-circuiting.
    The control unit preferably includes a bridge circuithaving one branch connected to each one of the coils. Thiscircuitry makes the actuator easily controlled in an economicand logical manner. This advantage is even more enhanced wheneach branch includes a transistor switch connected to each oneof the coils.
    At least one movement sensor is preferably positioned todetect DC motor rotor movements in order to guaranteestability and maintained settings and adjustability. Inparticular it is advantageous when a plurality of Hall sensors is positioned to detect DC motor rotor movements, the Hall lO sensors of said plurality being distributed around the rotorto increase measurement accuracy. The sensors can also bepositioned such that they detect the position of the throttleitself or an element of the transmission, since the positionof the motor can be derived therefrom.
    Controlling pulses from the Hall sensors easily gives thepossibility to obtain rotational position and rotationalspeed.
    It is preferred that the control unit includes anevaluation circuit arranged to evaluate output signals fromthe movement monitoring circuit for deviations from storedvalues. Evaluation can result in the problem or problems beingdiagnosed, in turn making it possible to address the trueproblem or problems to produce a solution.
    Preferably said stored values relate to various exemplaryproblem situations whereby comparing the obtained signalvalues with stored example signals values makes it possible tospecify or at least assume the existing or at least probableproblem.
    In an inventive method of controlling a spring returnthrottle actuator, wherein the actuator includes: an electric,plural-coil DC motor having an output shaft, a throttle returnspring, a gear transmission connected to the output shaft, acontrol unit adapted to control power supply to the DC motor,wherein the actuator has a movement range between closedthrottle and fully opened throttle, - wherein at least two DC motor coils are short-circuited bythe control unit in order to create a DC motor return resisttorque, and wherein the movement forced by the spring andresisted by the return resist force is monitored over thewhole movement range of the actuator.
    Advantages corresponding to the above are gained in respect of the inventive method. lO The DC motor advantageously includes three coils and twoor all three coils are preferably short-circuited.
    The coils are preferably supplied with power from eachone branch of a bridge circuit being included in the controlunit.
    Advantageously each branch is switched through separatetransistor switches.
    DC motor rotor movements are preferably detected by atleast one movement sensor and more preferred by a plurality ofHall sensors being rotationally distributed to increasemeasurement accuracy.
    Preferably, the control unit issues a condition messageto the user in the cases where it is appropriate, for examplewhen service is required.
    Output signals from the movement monitoring circuit arepreferably evaluated by an evaluation circuit of the controlunit for deviations from a stored values.
    It is highly preferred, in order to enhance analysis ofthe spring that result obtained from movement forced by thespring being monitored with at least two DC motor coils beingshort-circuited is supplemented with movement forced by thespring being monitored without any one of the DC motor coilsbeing short-circuited in order to create DC motor returnresist torques of different levels. Hereby the movementpattern/return speed will differ with the different resisttorques allowing more detailed analysis and possibilities ofdiscovering also relatively small defects.
    A typical sequence to monitor the condition of the returnspring could for example include the following steps: - the spring is stretched and strained by maximally actuatingthe throttle against the spring force.- the system is made currentless and no coils are short- circuited. lO - the movement pattern/return speed is monitored. - the spring is stretched and strained by maximally actuatingthe throttle against the spring force. - the system is made currentless and two coils are short-circuited. - the movement pattern/return speed is monitored - the spring is stretched and strained by maximally actuatingthe throttle against the spring force. - the system is made currentless and three coils are short-circuited. - the movement pattern/return speed is monitored. - the results of the three captured movements indicated above(or only two therof) are compared with desired storedreference movement pattern/return speed.
    The invention also relates to a throttle assemblyincluding a throttle and a throttle actuator wherein thethrottle actuator is according to what is stated above.
    Further features of and advantages of the invention will be explained below at the background of embodiments.
    BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will now be described in greater detail byway of embodiments and with reference to the annexed drawings,wherein: Fig. l illustrates a throttle assembly including a springreturn throttle actuator according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a control circuit for the inventive throttleactuator, and Fig. 3 shows a simplified flow chart over an inventive method.
    DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENIS lO Fig. l, shows a throttle assembly whereof a spring returnthrottle actuator is generally depicted with reference numberl. The actuator l includes a DC motor 2 having three coils Cl,C2 and C3 in its stator S. The rotor R is as usual providedwith a permanent rotor magnet 3 and an output shaft 4.
    A gear transmission 5 is connected to the output shaft 4and an outgoing shaft 6 from the gear transmission 5 iscoupled with its distal end to a throttle shaft 7 of athrottle 8. The actuator has a movement range between closedthrottle and fully opened throttle.
    The throttle 8 is arranged in a channel 9 to control agas stream flowing through the channel 9.
    A throttle return spring lO is positioned around theoutgoing shaft 6 and functions to provide a spring torqueurging the outgoing shaft 6 to rotate towards a ”normal”position of the throttle 8 which may be fully open or fullyclosed depending on the nature of the throttle as explainedabove.
    A control unit CPU is connected to the DC motor and isadapted to control supply of power to the DC motor and therebyto control the throttle position. Movement sensors, preferablyHall effect sensors, are indicated with D.
    Fig. 2 illustrates a bridge circuit ll positioned betweena 24 Volts current source l2 for the supply of power to thethree coils Cl, C2 and C3 of the DC motor 3.
    The bridge circuit includes a set of transistor switchesTy¶¿ that are made conductive - non conductive to controllablypower supply the DC motor 3.
    In order to short-circuit all coils Cl, C2 and C3, thetransistor switches Tydg are made conductive and electricvoltage is cut off. It is possible to make variations of theduration of conductivity of the transistor switches in order to apply force of different magnitudes by varying and by controlling transistor switches. It is also possible to short-circuit only two of the coils, whereby obviously a reducedrotation resist torque will arise compared to when all threecoils are short-circuited.
    It is possible to receive information from the DC motorand associated cables about its operation. Tf the motor isrotated, the rotational speed is directly proportional to thevoltage. It is also possible to measure voltage whichmomentarily results in knowledge of rotational speed. Fordetection of rotational position of the rotor of the motor, aplurality of detectors is preferably being used. This givesinformation about throttle position.
    The detectors are suitably stationary and for example co-operating with a ring being rotationally associated with therotor or with one of the shafts, said ring having a greatnumber of evenly distributed marks or holes. Monitoring thedurations between pulses from three distributed mark or holedetectors results in information of position and rotationalspeed. There is also a possibility to detect rotoracceleration if required for some reason.
    In the simplified flow chart in Fig. 3, an exemplarymethod sequence related to the invention is brieflyillustrated. 13 indicates start of sequence. 14 indicates initiating DC motor to position throttle indesired position where the return spring is strained andstretched and verifying that throttle has reached the desiredposition. 15 indicates cutting current to DC motor and initiatingcircuit to short-circuit DC motor coils to obtain a resisttorque. 16 indicates monitoring throttle or rotor movements effected by the return spring with short-circuited coils. 11 17 indicates evaluating monitored throttle movementpattern in relation to a stored exemplary movement curve. 18 indicates amending and adapting engine control valuesto established prevailing throttle actuation conditions. 19 indicates issuing a condition message to the user andending of sequence.
    The sequence may be supplemented with additional steps and isrepeated as required.
    The invention can be modified within the scope of theannexed claims. For example, the control circuitry can be laidout differently as can be the DC motor, for instance, thenumber of coils of the DC motor can be other than three.
    The feature ”closed throttle” is intended to include acase with totally blocked opening as well as a case with acertain minimum opening that might exist. With the feature”opened throttle” is intended the maximum opening achievablefor the throttle in question.
    Different kinds of sensors may be employed and they canbe positioned in various places in association with the throttle assembly, for example close to the throttle itself.
    权利要求:
    Claims (16)
    [1] 1. l. Spring return throttle actuator (l) including: - an electric, plural-coil (Cl, C2, C3), DC motor (2) havingan output shaft 4, - a throttle return spring (lO), - a gear transmission (5) connected to the output shaft, - a control unit (CPU) adapted to control power supply to theDC motor (2), wherein the spring return throttle actuator (l) has a movementrange between closed throttle and opened throttle,characterized in - that the control unit (CPU) is arranged to short-circuit atleast two DC motor coils (Cl, C2, C3) in order to create a DCmotor return resist torque, and - that the control unit (CPU) includes a movement monitoringcircuit being arranged to monitor actuator movement forced bythe throttle return spring (lO) and resisted by the DC motor return resist torque.
    [2] 2. Actuator according to claim l, characterized in - that the DC motor (2) includes three coils (Cl, C2, C3).
    [3] 3. Actuator according to claim l or 2, characterized in- that the control unit (CPU) includes a circuit (ll) having one branch connected to each one of the coils (Cl, C2, C3).
    [4] 4. Actuator according to claim 3, characterized in- that each branch includes a transistor switch (T1 - TQ connected to each one of the coils (Cl, C2, C3).
    [5] 5. Actuator according to any one of claims l - 4, characterized in lO l3 - that at least one movement sensor (D) is positioned to detect DC motor rotor movements.
    [6] 6. Actuator according to claim 5, characterized in - that a plurality of Hall sensors (D) are positioned todetect DC motor rotor movements, said plurality of Hallsensors (D) being rotationally distributed to increase mêâslllfêmêflt âCClllfâCy .
    [7] 7. Actuator according to any one of claims l - 6,characterized in - that the control unit includes an evaluation circuitarranged to evaluate output signals from the movement monitoring circuit for deviations from a stored values.
    [8] 8. Method of controlling a spring return throttle actuatorincluding: - an electric, plural-coil, DC motor (2) having an outputshaft (4), - a throttle return spring (lO), - a gear transmission (5) connected to the output shaft (4),- a control unit (CPU) adapted to control power supply to theDC motor (2), wherein the actuator (l) has a movement range between closedthrottle and fully opened throttle, characterized in - that at least two DC motor coils (Cl, C2, C3) are short-circuited by the control unit (CPU) in order to create a DCmotor return resist torque and that movement forced by thespring and resisted by the return resist force is monitored over the whole movement range of the actuator. 14
    [9] 9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the DC motor includesthree coils, characterized in - that two or three coils (C1, C2, C3) are short-circuited.
    [10] 10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in- that the coils (C1, C2, C3) are supplied with power fromeach one branch of a circuit (11) being included in the control unit (CPU).
    [11] 11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in- that each branch is switched through separate transistor switches (T1 - T6).
    [12] 12. Method according to any one of claims 8 - 11,characterized in- that DC motor rotor movements are detected by at least one movement sensor (D).
    [13] 13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in- that DC motor rotor movements are monitored by a pluralityof Hall sensors (D) being distributed around the rotor to increase measurement accuracy.
    [14] 14. Method according to any one of claims 8 - 13,characterized in - that output signals from the movement monitoring circuit areevaluated by an evaluation circuit of the control unit for deviations from a stored values.
    [15] 15. Method according to any one of claims 8 - 14,characterized in- that result obtained from movement forced by the spring being monitored with at least two DC motor coils (C1, C2, C3) being short-circuited is supplemented with movement forced bythe spring being monitored without DC motor coils (Cl, C2, C3)being short-circuited in order to create DC motor return resist torques of different levels.
    [16] 16. l6. Throttle assembly including a throttle (8) and a throttle actuator (l) according to any one of claims l - 7.
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    法律状态:
    优先权:
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    SE1650011A|SE539525C2|2016-01-05|2016-01-05|Spring return throttle actuator, method of control thereof and throttle assembly|SE1650011A| SE539525C2|2016-01-05|2016-01-05|Spring return throttle actuator, method of control thereof and throttle assembly|
    BR112018013036A| BR112018013036A2|2016-01-05|2016-12-12|spring return butterfly valve actuator, spring control method and butterfly valve assembly|
    KR1020187021664A| KR102060097B1|2016-01-05|2016-12-12|Spring Return Throttle Actuators, Methods of Controlling Spring Return Throttle Actuators and Throttle Assemblies|
    EP16884073.4A| EP3400377A4|2016-01-05|2016-12-12|Spring return throttle actuator, method of control thereof and throttle assembly|
    PCT/SE2016/051246| WO2017119833A1|2016-01-05|2016-12-12|Spring return throttle actuator, method of control thereof and throttle assembly|
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