Digital closed loop proportional hydraulic pressure controller
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorKevin E. Greeb
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A digitally controlled current to pressure converter (CPC) and method of controlling same is provided. The method of controlling includes the step of periodically imparting symmetrically-opposed movement of a control valve of the CPC to loosen and flush accumulated silt therefrom. More particularly, the method may include the step of periodically introducing a small-amplitude symmetrically-opposed impulse to a controller that actuates a hydraulic control shaft of a three-way rotary valve. Also provided is a method of preventing malfunction due to faulty input or feedback signals received by the CPC, and a method of detecting the health status of multiple CPCs when used in a redundant configuration.
Claims12
A method of preventing malfunction of a current-to-pressure converter (CPC), comprising the step of periodically imparting symmetrically-opposed movement of a control valve of the CPC to loosen and flush accumulated silt therefrom, wherein the step of periodically imparting symmetrically-opposed movement of a control valve comprises the step of periodically introducing a small-amplitude symmetrically-opposed impulse to a controller that actuates a hydraulic control shaft of a three-way rotary valve, wherein the step of periodically introducing a small-amplitude symmetrically-opposed impulse to a controller comprises periodically introducing a small-amplitude symmetrically-opposed impulse to a digital controller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.