Digital damper actuator

Abstract

The present invention digital damper actuator utilizes a sectioned coil m up of a number of independently energizable coils connected together. To energize/de-energize each of the sectioned coils, a digital signal, in the form of 1 or 0, is provided by a controller microprocessor to a corresponding relay. Thus, for example, if a 1 is provided to the relay, its corresponding sectioned coils is energized. And if a 0 signal is provided to the relay, the sectioned coils is de-energized. A portion of the shaft which acts as a plunger connected to a damper pivotally fitted within a air duct is slidably fitted within the sectioned coil. Thus, as each of the sectioned coils is energized/de-energize, the shaft is moved correspondingly to thereby incrementally open/close the damper to allow an increasing/decreasing amount of air to pass through the air duct. As the number of sections which make up the sectioned coils is increased, the resolution of the incremental opening/closing of the damper is increased.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.