Velocity control of exhaust valve actuation
AssigneeArvin Technologies, Inc.
InventorsKwin Abram, Joseph Callahan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exhaust valve assembly includes a valve body supported on a shaft for rotation within an exhaust component. The shaft is coupled to a solenoid with a linkage assembly. A controller controls the solenoid to rotate the shaft via the linkage assembly. The solenoid includes a plunger that moves between an actuation position and a release position. The controller utilizes pulse width modulation to control actuation and release of the plunger. This significantly reduces operational noises generated as the solenoid is moved between the actuation position and the release position.
Claims22
An exhaust valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body;
- a support shaft coupled to said valve body to position said valve body for movement within an exhaust component to vary exhaust flow area;
- an actuator coupled to said support shaft, said actuator providing actuation and release events to rotate said valve body, wherein said actuator comprises a solenoid;
- and
- a controller that varies power supplied to said actuator during at least one of an actuation and release event to reduce noise generated by movement of said actuator, and wherein said controller varies power supplied to said solenoid using pulse width modulation by generating at least a first power level and a second power level different than the first vower level during the same actuation or release event.
A method for controlling actuation of an exhaust valve assembly comprising:
- (a) coupling an actuator to an exhaust valve assembly to move the exhaust valve assembly between an actuation position during an actuation event and a release position during a release event;
- and
- (b) varying power during at least one of the actuation event and the release event to reduce noise generated by actuator movement by
- (b1) generating a first power level when moving the actuator during the at least one of the actuation and release events;
- and
- (b2) generating a second power level subsequent to step (b1) that is different than the first power level during the same actuation and release event.
An exhaust valve assembly comprising:
- a valve body comprising a flapper valve that is pivotable within an exhaust component housing;
- a support shaft coupled to said valve body to position said flapper valve for movement within the exhaust component housing to vary exhaust flow area;
- an actuator coupled to said support shaft, said actuator providing actuation and release events to rotate said valve body, wherein said actuator includes an extendible shaft that is coupled to said support shaft via a linkage assembly that is movable between a pair of travel limit stops;
- and
- a controller that varies power supplied to said actuator during at least one of an actuation and release event to reduce noise generated by movement of said actuator, and wherein said controller varies power using pulse width modulation by generating at least a first power level and a second power level different than the first power level during the same actuation or release event.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.