Biarmature solenoid
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorGlen F Forck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A solenoid includes first and second armatures disposed on either side of a solenoid core. The core includes first and second sets of legs disposed on opposite sides of a central member. A drive circuit provides a first current level to cause flux to flow in a first path through the core and thereby move the first armature without substantially moving the second armature. The drive circuit can provide a second current level greater than the first current level to saturate the first path and thereby redirect flux into a second core path to move the second armature.
Claims19
A solenoid, comprising:
- first and second armatures each being constructed of a magnetic material;
- a core of magnetic material forming a first magnetic circuit with the first armature and a second magnetic circuit with the second armature wherein the first and second magnetic circuits have a common path to the two circuits and wherein each circuit has a exclusive path to the circuit;
- and
- a solenoid coil disposed about a portion of at least one of the circuits and being positioned between the first and second armatures.
A solenoid, comprising:
- first and second armatures each being constructed of a magnetic material;
- a core of magnetic material forming a first magnetic circuit with the first armature and a second magnetic circuit with the second armature wherein the first and second magnetic circuits have a common path to the two circuits and wherein each circuit has a exclusive path to the circuit;
- a solenoid coil disposed about a portion of at least one of the circuits wherein the core of magnetic material includes a first pair of legs disposed on one side of a central member and a second pair of legs disposed on another side of the central member;
- and
- wherein the legs have a linear shape.
A solenoid, comprising:
- first and second armatures each being constructed of a magnetic material;
- a core of magnetic material forming a first magnetic circuit with the first armature and a second magnetic circuit with the second armature wherein the first and second magnetic circuits have a common path to the two circuits and wherein each circuit has a exclusive path to the circuit;
- a solenoid coil disposed about a portion of at least one of the circuits wherein the core of magnetic material includes a first pair of legs disposed on one side of a central member and a second pair of legs disposed on another side of the central member;
- and
- wherein the first pair of legs and the second pair of legs have substantially unequal lengths.
A solenoid, comprising:
- first and second armatures each being constructed of a magnetic material;
- a core of magnetic material forming a first magnetic circuit with the first armature and a second magnetic circuit with the second armature wherein the first and second magnetic circuits have a common path to the two circuits and wherein each circuit has a exclusive path to the circuit;
- a solenoid coil disposed about a portion of at least one of the circuits, wherein the core of magnetic material includes a first set of three legs disposed on one side of a central member and a second set of three legs disposed on a second side of a central member;
- and
- wherein the solenoid coil is disposed about a middle leg of the first set of three legs.
A solenoid, comprising:
- first and second armatures each of magnetic material;
- a solenoid core of magnetic material including a central member, first, second and third legs disposed on a first side of the central member such that the second leg is between the first and third legs and fourth, fifth, and sixth legs disposed on a second side of the central member such that the fifth leg is between the fourth and sixth legs, wherein the first armature, the first, second, and third legs comprise a first magnetic circuit and the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth legs and the first and second armatures comprise a second magnetic circuit;
- and
- a solenoid coil disposed about a portion of at least one of the first and second magnetic circuits.
A method of operating a solenoid that includes first and second armatures each of magnetic material, each located on opposite sides a magnetic core, said magnetic core having a central member, a first set of legs disposed on one side of said central member and a second set of legs disposed on an opposite side of said central member, a solenoid coil, said coil connected to a drive circuit, and a first magnetic circuit formed between said first armature and said first set of legs and a second magnetic circuit formed by said first and second armatures and said first and second sets of legs;
- the method comprising:
- providing a first current level to said coil to activate said first magnetic circuit and move said first armature without substantially moving said second armature;
- and
- providing a second current level to said coil to saturate said first magnetic circuit and activate said second magnetic circuit and move said second armature.
A solenoid comprising:
- a solenoid core of magnetic material having a central member, a first set of a plurality of legs located on one side of said central member and a second set of a plurality of legs located on the opposite side of said central member, and a coil wrapped around at least a portion of one leg from at least one set of the first and second set of legs;
- a first armature located on one side of said solenoid core, and a second armature located on an opposite side of said solenoid core;
- and
- an electrical energy source being adapted to deliver a first current level to said coil such that a first magnetic circuit is activated, thereby moving said first armature without substantially moving said second armature and a second current level such that a second magnetic circuit is activated, thereby moving said second armature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.