# US 10,371,595 B2 · Controlling a vacuum system comprising a vacuum generator arrangement

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- Number: US 10,371,595 B2
- Document ID: US10371595B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/610,667
- Filed: 2017-06-01
- Published: 2017-12-07
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2016-06-01
- Assignees: Piab Aktiebolag
- Applicants: Xerex AB
- Inventors: Gustaf Wigren; Peter Engborg
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10371595B2

## CPC

- G01M 3/2876: {for valves (G01M3/30 takes precedence)}
- B66C 1/0268: {Venturi effect}
- F04F 5/20: for evacuating
- F04F 5/52: of evacuating pumps
- G01M 3/184: {for valves}
- G01M 3/3263: {using a differential pressure detector (G01M3/3245, G01M3/3272 take precedence)}
- G05D 16/2066: {using controlling means acting on the pressure source}
- G01L 21/00: Vacuum gauges
- G01M 3/2815: {using pressure measurements}
- G01N 1/14: Suction devices, e.g. pumps; Ejector devices
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21)
- F04F: PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED {(evacuating by sorption F04B)}; SIPHONS {(conveying materials in bulk by flows of gas, liquid of foam B65G53/00)}
- G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

The invention relates to energy saving in vacuum systems by means of a method and a controller enabling to consider the fluctuation in system-pressure of a system by determining a maximum system-pressure S2H and a minimum system-pressure S2h for each working cycle WC based on a determined target system-pressure pn− and a pre-set system-pressure p0− for the current working cycle WCn (n=1, 2, 3, . . . ). The method is especially adapted to fluctuations in system-pressure level of a vacuum system comprising a vacuum gripper tool.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for automatic pressure level determination and adaptation enabling energy saving in working cycles in a vacuum system operating a vacuum gripper tool for transportation of objects, said vacuum system comprises a vacuum generator arrangement driven by a compressed air flow, wherein the vacuum generator arrangement via a vacuum chamber being part of the vacuum system is arranged to be brought in flow connection with the vacuum gripper tools, in order to supply vacuum to the vacuum gripper in result of the compressed air flow, wherein a pressure sensor for monitoring a system-pressure p−(t) is arranged inside the vacuum chamber; and a vacuum system controller being electrically connected to a main controller, wherein the vacuum system controller is arranged to control and communicate with the vacuum generator arrangement and communicate with the pressure sensor, and the vacuum system controller is arranged to monitor the measured system-pressure p−(t) continuously, wherein the vacuum system controller further is capable to calculate a system-pressure time derivative D(t)=dp−/dt during the working cycles, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
determining at start-up of a working cycle value D0 of the system-pressure time derivative at a pre-set system-pressure p0−;
calculating value Dtarget of target system-pressure time derivative using the value D0;
comparing the system-pressure time derivative D(t) to Dtarget until D(t) equals Dtarget;
determining a target system-pressure pn− where D(t) equals Dtarget;
calculating the maximum system-pressure S2H and the minimum system-pressure S2h by means of the target system-pressure pn− and the pre-set system-pressure p0−;
operating the vacuum generator arrangement to reestablish a vacuum system-pressure p−(t) to maximum system-pressure S2H when the vacuum system-pressure p−(t) is equal to or closely equal to the minimum system-pressure S2h.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculation of the value Dtarget is performed by using the equation
Dtarget=k*D0,
wherein 0<k<1.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the calculating step comprises calculating the maximum system-pressure S2H by
S2H=p0−+(pn−−p0−)*K1;
and the minimum system-pressure by
S2h=pn−−(pn−−S2H)*K2;
Where K1 is set to a value 0.5≤K1≤1.0 and K2 is set to a value 0≤K2≤20.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating step the vacuum generator arrangement is closed (off) if p−(t)>S2H and open (on) if p−(t)<S2h.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the operating step the vacuum generator arrangement comprises an on/off valve that is closed (off) if p−(t)>S2H and open (on) if p−(t)<S2h.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein system-pressure p−(t) is monitored continuously and fluctuation is detected autonomously.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein system-pressure p−(t) is monitored periodically and fluctuation is detected autonomously.

### Claim 8

A controller for automatic pressure level determination and adaptation enabling energy saving in working cycles in a vacuum system operating a vacuum gripper tool for transportation of objects, said vacuum system comprises a vacuum generator arrangement driven by a compressed air flow, wherein the vacuum generator arrangement via a vacuum chamber being part of the vacuum system is arranged to be brought in flow connection with the vacuum gripper tools, in order to supply vacuum to the vacuum gripper in result of the compressed air flow, wherein a pressure sensor for monitoring a vacuum system-pressure p−(t) is arranged inside the vacuum chamber; and a vacuum system controller being electrically connected to a main controller, wherein the vacuum system controller is arranged to control and communicate with the vacuum generator arrangement and communicate with the pressure sensor, and the vacuum system controller is arranged to monitor the measured system-pressure p−(t) continuously, wherein the vacuum system controller further is capable to calculate a system-pressure time derivative D(t)=dp−/dt during the working cycles, said controller comprising a processor in a processing circuitry being operative to perform the steps of:
determining at start-up of a working cycle value Do of the system-pressure time derivative at a pre-set system-pressure p0−;
calculating value Dtarget of target system-pressure time derivative using the value D0;
comparing the system-pressure time derivative D(t) to Dtarget until D(t) equals Dtarget;
determining a target system-pressure pn− where D(t) equals Dtarget;
calculating the maximum system-pressure S2H and the minimum system-pressure S2h by means of the target system-pressure pn− and the pre-set system-pressure p0−;
operating the vacuum generator arrangement to reestablish a vacuum system-pressure p−(t) to maximum system-pressure S2H when the vacuum system-pressure p−(t) is equal to or closely equal to the minimum system-pressure S2h.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The controller according to claim 8, wherein the calculation of the value Dtarget is performed by using the equation
Dtarget=k*D0,
wherein 0<k<1.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The controller according to claim 8, wherein the calculation of the maximum system-pressure S2H is performed by using the equation
S2H=p0−+(pn−−p0−)*K1;
and the minimum system-pressure (S2h) is performed by using the equation
S2h=pn−−(pn−−S2H)*K2;
Where K1 is set to a value 0.5≤K1≤1.0 and K2 is set to a value 0≤K2≤20.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The controller according to claim 8, wherein the vacuum generator arrangement is operated to close (off) if p−(t)>S2H and open (on) if p−(t)<S2h.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The controller according claim 8, wherein the vacuum generator arrangement comprises an on/off valve which the vacuum generator arrangement is operated to the vacuum generator arrangement is operated to close (off) if p−(t)>S2H and to open (on) if p−(t)<S2h.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The controller according to claim 8, wherein system-pressure p−(t) is monitored continuously and fluctuation is detected autonomously.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The controller according claim 8, wherein system-pressure p−(t) is monitored periodically and fluctuation is detected autonomously.