Control circuit, and method for improving the measurability of a mechanical switch-on process of an electromagnetic actuator
AssigneeSchaeffler Technologies AG & Co. KG
InventorsFabio De Giacomo, Weigang Wang, Piergiacomo Traversa
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Abstract
An electronic circuit configured to control an electromagnetic actuator with an electric coil, comprising at least one first electronic switching element, a capacitor, and a diode connected to the first electronic switching element, the capacitor, and the electrical coil to form a step-up converter, wherein the capacitor is configured to be charged to a voltage that is greater than an operating voltage of the electronic circuit.
Claims17
A method for improving measurability of an end time of a mechanical switch-on operation of an electromagnetic actuator having an iron core displaceable by energizing an electrical coil via an electronic control circuit, the method comprising:
- supplying the electronic control circuit with an operating voltage;
- charging a capacitor arranged within the electronic control circuit;
- and
- discharging the capacitor to increase a coil voltage during the mechanical switch-on operation to a value greater than the operating voltage;
- and
- during the energization of the electrical coil:
- a coil current rises in a current rise phase;
- the current rise phase is followed by a peak current phase in which the coil current:
- drops from a peak current phase initial value to a peak current phase intermediate value;
- and
- rises from the peak current phase intermediate value to a peak current phase end value;
- and
- the peak current phase is followed by a holding current phase in which the coil current drops to a holding current value range;
- and
- the holding current phase is followed by a rundown current phase in which the coil drops from a rundown phase initial current value to zero.
A method for improving measurability of an end time of a mechanical switch-on operation of a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each actuator having an iron core displaceable via an electronic control circuit, the method comprising:
- supplying the electronic control circuit with an operating voltage, the electronic control circuit having:
- one capacitor;
- one step-up MOSFET arranged in series with the one capacitor;
- and
- individual controls arranged for each of the plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each of the individual controls including:
- an upper MOSFET;
- an electrical coil;
- a lower MOSFET;
- and
- a shunt;
- and
- charging the one capacitor;
- and
- discharging the one capacitor to increase a coil voltage of each electrical coil during the mechanical switch-on operation to a value greater than the operating voltage.
A method for improving measurability of an end time of a mechanical switch-on operation of a plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each actuator having an iron core displaceable via an electronic control circuit, the method comprising:
- supplying the electronic control circuit with an operating voltage, the electronic control circuit having:
- one capacitor;
- one step-up MOSFET arranged in series with the one capacitor;
- and
- individual controls arranged for each of the plurality of electromagnetic actuators, each of the individual controls including an electrical coil and a Schottky diode configured to provide a charging current to the one capacitor;
- charging the one capacitor;
- and
- discharging the one capacitor to increase a coil voltage of each electrical coil during the mechanical switch-on operation to a value greater than the operating voltage.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.