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US 12,278,585 B2Granted
Valve actuator with dc braking system
AssigneeTri-Tec Manufacturing, LLC
InventorsChristopher Matthew Bethea, Richard Peter Braun, Seth Axel Coady
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A valve actuator includes a motor, an AC power source, a DC braking system, and a control system. The control system is configured to control the AC power source to apply an AC voltage to the motor to drive a valve toward a closed position. The control system is configured to disconnect the AC voltage from the motor before the valve reaches the closed position. The control system is configured to control the DC braking system to apply a DC voltage to the motor to stop motion of the valve.
Claims19
A method, comprising:
- driving a valve toward a closed position by applying an AC voltage to a motor with a first switching device;
- disconnecting the AC voltage from the motor prior to the valve reaching the closed position;
- and
- stopping motion of the valve by applying a DC voltage with a second switching device to the motor after disconnecting the AC voltage from the motor, wherein the motor is exclusively coupled to either the first switching device or the second switching device.
1 more element
A valve actuator, comprising:
- a motor;
- an AC power source configured to apply an AC voltage to the motor with a first switching device;
- a DC braking system configured to apply a DC voltage to the motor with a second switching device, wherein the motor is exclusively coupled to either the first switching device or the second switching device;
- and
- a control system configured to control the AC power source to apply the AC voltage to the motor to drive a valve toward a closed position, to control the AC power source to disconnect the AC voltage from the motor before the valve reaches the closed position, and to control the DC braking system to apply the DC voltage to the motor to stop motion of the valve.
2 more elements
A method, comprising:
- closing off a fluid channel by applying an AC voltage to a motor coupled to a valve;
- sensing a position of the valve;
- disconnecting the AC voltage from the motor responsive to sensing that the valve has reached a threshold position;
- stopping a motion of the valve by applying a DC voltage to the motor after disconnecting the AC voltage from the motor, wherein applying the DC voltage includes:
- connecting a first DC rail to the motor;
- connecting a second DC rail to the motor for a selected duration of time after connecting the first DC rail to the motor;
- and
- disconnecting the DC voltage from the motor after stopping the motion of the motor.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.