Sensorless method to determine the static armature position in an electronically controlled solenoid device

A method of adjusting a position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device, the method including:

• providing an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with said first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with said second stator, and an armature mounted for movement between said first and second stators, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with each of said first and second stators and their associated coils,
• ramping a flux of a magnetic circuit associated with each coil in a generally linear manner over a period of time;
• observing a current slope of each of said coils resulting from the associated ramped flux;
• and
• adjusting a position of said armature between said stators until the current slopes of said coils are substantially identical thereby defining a magnetic center position of said armature.

A method of adjusting a position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device, the method including:

• providing an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with said first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with said second stator, and an armature mounted for movement between said first and second stators, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with each of said first and second stators and their associated coils,
• adjusting a position of the armature between the stators to a mechanical center position;
• measuring and storing the reluctance of each coil after the armature is in the mechanical center position;
• installing the electronically controlled solenoid device on a cylinder head of an engine, and
• ramping a flux of a magnetic circuit associated with each coil in a generally linear manner over a period of time;
• observing a current slope of each of said coils resulting from the associated ramped flux;
• and
• adjusting the position of the armature and using the stored reluctance data to ensure that the current slopes correspond to the mechanical center position.

A method of adjusting a position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device, the method including

• providing an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with said first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with said second stator, an armature mounted for movement between said first and second stators, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with each of said first and second stators and their associated coils,
• ramping current of each of said coils in a generally linear manner over time, observing a flux slope of each of the coils resulting from the ramped current;
• and
• adjusting a position of said armature between said stators until the flux
• slopes of said coils are substantially identical such that said armature is in a magnetic center position.

A method of determining a position of an armature of an electronically controlled fuel injector, the method including:

• providing an electronically controlled fuel injector having a stator and a coil operatively associated with said stator, an armature mounted for movement between first and second positions with respect to said stator, an injector valve operatively associated with said armature for movement therewith, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with said stator and associated coil,
• ramping a flux of the magnetic circuit in a generally linear manner when said armature is in said first position,
• observing a current slope of said coil resulting from said ramped rate of change of flux,
• operating said fuel injector and then stopping operation of the fuel injector when said armature is believed to be in said first position thereof, again ramping a flux in the magnetic circuit in a generally linear manner when said armature is believed to be in said first position and observing another current slope of said coil resulting from said again ramped rate of change of flux;
• and
• comparing said current slope with said another current slope to determine whether said armature is actually in said first position thereof.

A method of determining a position of an armature of an electronically controlled fuel injector, the method including:

• providing an electronically controlled fuel injector having a stator and a coil operatively associated with said stator, an armature mounted for movement between first and second positions with respect to said stator, an injector valve operatively associated with said armature for movement therewith, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with said stator and associated coil,
• ramping current of said coil in a generally linear manner when said armature is in said first position,
• observing a first rate of change of flux in the magnetic circuit resulting from said ramped current,
• operating said fuel injector and then stopping operation of the fuel injector when said armature is believed to be in said first position thereof,
• again ramping current of said coil in a generally linear manner when said armature is believed to be in said first position and observing a second rate of change of flux of the magnetic circuit resulting from said again ramped current;
• and
• comparing said first rate of change of flux with said second rate of change of flux to determine whether said armature is actually in said first position thereof.

A method of adjusting a position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device, the method including:

• providing an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with said first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with said second stator, and an armature mounted for movement between said first and second stators, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with each of said first and second stators and their associated coils,
• adjusting a position of the armature between the stators to a mechanical center position;
• measuring and storing the reluctance of each coil after the armature is in the mechanical center position;
• installing the electrically controlled solenoid on a cylinder head of an engine, and ramping current of each coil in a generally linear manner over a period of time;
• observing a flux slope of a magnetic circuit associated with each of said coils resulting from the associated ramped current;
• and
• adjusting the position of the armature and using the stored reluctance data to ensure that the flux slopes correspond to the mechanical center position.