Method and System for Fail-Safe Control of Electric Actuators
Assignee1593417 Alberta Ltd.
InventorsGarth Steven Hanson, Thomas Joseph MacArthur, Henri Richard Tessier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and system are provided for supplying back-up electric power to an electric actuator powered by a supply of main electric power, and to interrupt or to replace a control signal supplied to the actuator so that the actuator can be reverted to a fail-safe mode, condition or position when there is a failure or disruption of the main electric power or when the control signal is not within the accepted pre-determined standard or range for the control signal.
Claims18
A method for controlling an electric actuator in the event of an interruption of a supply of main electric power operatively coupled to an electric power input disposed on the electric actuator, the electric actuator comprising an actuator control signal input disposed on the electric actuator wherein the actuator control signal input is operatively coupled to an actuator controller, the actuator controller configured to control the electric actuator with an actuator control signal supplied to actuator control signal input, the method comprising the steps of:
- supplying an alternate source of electric power to the electric power input when the supply of main electric power is interrupted;
- and
- disconnecting the actuator control signal from the actuator control signal input when the supply of main electric power is interrupted.
A system for controlling an electric actuator in the event of an interruption of a supply of main electric power operatively coupled to an electric power input disposed on the electric actuator, the electric actuator comprising an actuator control signal input disposed on the electric actuator wherein the actuator control signal input is operatively coupled to an actuator controller, the actuator controller configured to control the electric actuator with an actuator control signal supplied to the actuator control signal input, the apparatus comprising:
- a main control unit configured to supply an alternate source of electric power to the electric power input when the supply of main electric power is interrupted;
- and
- a control signal interface unit configured to disconnect the actuator control signal from the actuator control signal input when the supply of main electric power is interrupted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.