U.S. patent application number 11/977519 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-01 for valve, circuit module and method providing integrated electronics in an electronically controlled valve and electronic assemblies.
This patent application is currently assigned to Enfield Technologies, LLC. Invention is credited to Daniel S. Cook.
Application Number | 20080099714 11/977519 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39474993 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080099714 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Cook; Daniel S. |
May 1, 2008 |
Valve, circuit module and method providing integrated electronics
in an electronically controlled valve and electronic assemblies
Abstract
A valve is described. The valve includes a valve body that at
least partially defining a valve envelope and a plurality of
circuit substrates which is disposed within the valve envelope. At
least one circuit substrates in the plurality of circuit substrates
includes circuitry for controlling the valve. A circuit module is
also described. A method is described for integrating circuit
modules into a plurality of arrangements to provide various
electronic functions and applications; these applications may be
incorporated into a valve body, in support of a more complex
electronic assembly, or as stand-alone electronic assemblies.
Inventors: |
Cook; Daniel S.;
(Terryville, CT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
HARRINGTON & SMITH, PC
4 RESEARCH DRIVE
SHELTON
CT
06484-6212
US
|
Assignee: |
Enfield Technologies, LLC
|
Family ID: |
39474993 |
Appl. No.: |
11/977519 |
Filed: |
October 25, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60854562 |
Oct 25, 2006 |
|
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|
Current U.S.
Class: |
251/341 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16K 27/048 20130101;
Y10T 137/86614 20150401; F16K 27/041 20130101; Y10T 137/0396
20150401; Y10T 137/87217 20150401; F16K 37/0041 20130101; F15B
13/0446 20130101; Y10T 137/2529 20150401; F16K 31/04 20130101; Y10T
137/7761 20150401; H01F 7/1844 20130101; Y10S 251/905 20130101;
F16K 31/0613 20130101; Y10T 137/86622 20150401; F16K 11/07
20130101; F15B 13/0402 20130101; F16K 31/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
251/341 |
International
Class: |
F16K 31/02 20060101
F16K031/02 |
Claims
1. A valve comprising: a valve body at least partially defining a
valve envelope; and a plurality of circuit substrates disposed
within the valve envelope; wherein at least one of the plurality of
circuit substrates comprises circuitry for controlling the
valve.
2. The valve as in claim 1, further comprising a cover that further
defines the valve envelope.
3. The valve as in claim 2, wherein the cover further comprises a
connector and wherein at least one of the circuit substrates within
the plurality of circuit substrates is electrically connected to
the connector.
4. The valve as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality
of circuit substrates provides a given functionality.
5. The valve as in claim 4, wherein the arrangement of the
plurality of circuit substrates does not affect the functionality
of the at least one circuit substrate.
6. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the circuit substrates within
the plurality of circuit substrates are stacked top to bottom so as
to have the same footprint.
7. The valve as in claim 6, wherein the circuit substrates within
the plurality of circuit substrates may only be stacked according
to a given orientation.
8. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the circuit substrates within
the plurality of circuit substrates are electronically
connected.
9. The valve as in claim 1, wherein a circuit substrate comprises
an electrically insulated dielectric.
10. The valve as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of circuit
substrates operate in cooperation with a controller that is
external to the valve envelope.
11. The valve as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality
of circuit substrates comprises active circuit components.
12. A circuit module comprising: at least two circuit substrate;
and circuitry for controlling a valve, wherein the circuit
substrate is configured to fit within a valve envelope that is at
least partially defined by a valve body.
13. The circuit module as in claim 12, wherein the one of the
circuit substrates provides a given functionality.
14. The circuit module as in claim 13, wherein the arrangement of
the plurality of circuit substrates does not affect the
functionality of the at least one circuit substrate.
15. The circuit module as in claim 12, wherein the at least one
circuit substrate further comprises active circuit components.
16. The circuit module as in claim 12, wherein the circuit
substrates within the plurality of circuit substrates are
electronically connected.
17. The circuit module as in claim 12, wherein the module is
further configured to be capable of being attached to a backplane
of an external controller of the device.
18. A method comprising: providing a valve body that at least
partially defines a valve envelope; and disposing a plurality of
circuit substrates within the valve envelope; wherein at least one
circuit substrate of the plurality of circuit substrates comprises
circuitry for controlling the valve.
19. The method as in claim 18, further comprising attaching a valve
cover to the valve body such that the cover further defines the
valve envelope, wherein the valve cover provides an electrical
connection to the circuit substrates within the envelope of the
valve.
20. The method as in claim 18, wherein at least one circuit
substrate of the plurality of circuit substrates provides a given
functionality and wherein the at least one circuit substrate of the
plurality of circuit substrates is selected according to the
functionality provided.
21. The method as in claim 18, wherein one of the circuit
substrates provides a given functionality, and wherein the
arrangement of the plurality of circuit substrates does not affect
the functionality of the at least one circuit substrate.
22. The method as in claim 18, further comprising disposing another
plurality of circuit substrates within a controller that is
external to the valve envelope, where the plurality of circuit
substrates disposed within the valve envelope operate in
cooperation with the controller that is external to the valve
envelope.
23. The method as in claim 22, wherein the circuit substrates are
configured to fit within both the controller that is external to
the valve envelope and the valve envelope.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C.
.sctn. 119(e) from Provisional Patent Application No. 60/854,562,
filed Oct. 25, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated by
reference herein in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This invention relates generally to control systems and,
more specifically, relates to controllers and systems using
electronically controlled valves, electronically controlled valves,
and portions thereof.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Control systems for electronically controlled valves control
many different types of fluids for many different purposes. While
control systems, their controllers, and the associated
electronically controlled valves have many benefits, these control
systems, controllers, electronically controlled valves and portions
thereof may still be improved.
SUMMARY
[0004] A further exemplary embodiment in accordance with this
invention is a valve. The valve includes a valve body that at least
partially defines a valve envelope. Also includes a plurality of
circuit substrates which is disposed within the valve envelope. At
least one circuit substrates in the plurality of circuit substrates
includes circuitry for controlling the valve.
[0005] An additional exemplary embodiment in accordance with this
invention is a circuit module. The circuit module includes at least
two circuit substrate. The circuit substrate include circuitry for
controlling a valve. The circuit module is configured to fit within
a valve envelope that is at least partially defined by a valve
body.
[0006] Another exemplary embodiment in accordance with this
invention is a method. A valve body that at least partially defines
a valve envelope is provided. A plurality of circuit substrates are
disposed within the valve envelope. At least one circuit substrate
of the plurality of circuit substrates includes circuitry for
controlling the valve.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The attached Drawing Figures include the following:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system including a portion
for controlling an electronically controlled valve and the
electronically controlled valve;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a cutaway, perspective view of an exemplary
pneumatic valve;
[0010] FIG. 3 is a view of the motor housing retainer coupled to
the motor housing and also of the coil header assembly and
spool;
[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the valve shown in FIG. 2
with a large electronics cover;
[0012] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the valve shown in FIG.
2, without the large electronics cover but with a number of circuit
modules;
[0013] FIG. 6 is a cutaway, perspective view of the valve of FIG.
2, with the large electronics over and a number of circuit
modules;
[0014] FIG. 7 is a top view of screening for an analog PID
controller; and
[0015] FIG. 8 shows a logic flow diagram of a method in accordance
with an exemplary embodiment of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Referring now to FIG. 1, a block diagram is shown of an
exemplary system 100 having a portion for controlling an
electronically controlled valve 120. System 100 also includes in
this example the electronically controlled valve 120. FIG. 1 is a
simplistic, high-level view of a system 100 that includes a control
input 105, an adder 110, a spool position controller 115, the
electronically controlled valve 120, and a feedback sensor module
150 that takes an input from one or more feedback sensors (not
shown) and that produces one or more feedback signals 151. A valve
controller 160 includes the adder 110, the spool position
controller 115, and the feedback sensor module 150. The
electronically controlled valve 120 includes a spool actuator 125,
such as a voice coil, a spool 130, a body 135, an input 140, and an
output 145.
[0017] The electronically controlled valve 120 controls fluid
(e.g., air, gas, water, oil) 141 flow through the electronically
controlled valve 120 by operating the spool 130. The spool actuator
125 controls movement of the spool 130 based on one or more control
signals 116 from the spool position controller 115. The spool
position controller 115 modifies the one or more control signals
116 based on the one or more input signals 111, which include
addition of the control input signal 105 and the one or more
feedback signals 151. The feedback sensor module 150 can monitor
the spool actuator 120 (e.g., current through the spool actuator),
a sensor indicating the position of the spool 130, or sensors
indicating any number of other valve attributes (e.g., pressure or
flow rate of the fluid 141). Aspects of the present invention are
related to a number of the elements shown in FIG. 1.
[0018] Turning to FIG. 2 in addition to FIG. 1, a cutaway,
perspective view is shown of an exemplary pneumatic valve 200. The
pneumatic valve 200 includes an electronics cover 205, a motor
housing retainer 207, a motor housing 210, an upper cavity 215, a
lower cavity 216, a coil header assembly 220, a spool 230, a sleeve
260, a lower spring 240, an upper spring 245, external ports 270,
271, 280, 281, and 282, circumferentially spaced internal ports
270a, 271a, 280a, 281a, and 282a, and a valve body 290. Coil header
assembly 220 includes a voice coil portion 222 having a voice coil
221 and an overlap portion that overlaps a portion of the spool 230
and connects the spool 230 to the coil header assembly 220. The
spool actuator 125 of FIG. 1 includes, in the example of FIG. 2,
motor housing 210, coil header assembly 220, upper spring 245, and
lower spring 240. It is noted that a view of the motor housing 210
is also shown in, e.g., FIG. 3 and that at least a portion of the
motor housing 210 is magnetized in order to be responsive to the
voice coil 221. It can be seen that the motor housing retainer 207
is coupled to the voice coil 221, here using a flexible cable
1720.
[0019] In the example show in FIG. 2, a top surface 211 of the
motor housing 210 contacts a bottom surface 208 of motor housing
retainer 207. The motor housing 210 is therefore held in place by
the motor housing retainer 207, and the motor housing retainer 207
is a printed circuit board. The motor housing retainer 207 can
serve multiple purposes.
[0020] Patent application Ser. No. ______, filed on Sep. 19, 2007
and titled "Retaining Element for a Mechanical Component" describes
the motor housing retainer 207 in further detail. Patent
application Ser. No. ______ is assigned to the assignee of the
present application, and is hereby incorporated by reference in its
entirety.
[0021] The spool 230 includes in this example a passage 265. The
passage 265 has a number of purposes, including equalizing pressure
between the upper cavity 215 and the lower cavity 216, as described
in more detail below. The passage 230 is included in an exemplary
embodiment herein, but the spool 230 may also be manufactured
without passage 265.
[0022] The electronics cover 205 includes a connector 206 used to
couple a spool position controller 115 to the voice coil 221 on
voice coil portion 222. The electronics cover 205 and connector 206
are only examples of a cover and connector in accordance with an
exemplary embodiment of this invention. The cover 205 and connector
206 shown are non-limiting examples.
[0023] A description of exemplary operation of the valve 200 is
included in U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,831, which is assigned to the
assignee of the present application. It forms part of the present
application and the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference in its entirety. U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,831 describes, for
instance, airflow through the external ports 270, 271, 280, 281,
and 283 and the circumferentially spaced internal ports 270a, 271a,
280a, 281a, and 283a. It is noted that the springs 240, 245 along
with the coil header assembly 220, motor housing 210, and spool
230, are configured such that the spool 230 blocks the ports 281A
when no power is applied to the voice coil 221. Other portions of
pneumatic valve 200 are also described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,960,831.
[0024] The motor housing retainer 207 is a circuit module with
limited functionality, which means that the valve controller 160 of
FIG. 1 retains all of the electronics used to create the control
signal(s) 116 and therefore control the electronically controlled
valve 120. The integration of electronics and controls within the
pneumatic valve "envelope" (e.g., body 290 and an electronics cover
such as electronics cover 205) is a desirable attribute in the
market place. In order to accomplish design goals of enabling
integration of electronics and controls within the envelope, a
significant amount of circuitry would be required that would not
fit in the available area. Additionally, several circuit functions
that would be required on certain valves would also be required on
some products, but might not be required on other products. A
small, low cost, high performance solution can minimize the impact
of subsequent changes, and unify a product line.
[0025] A classical approach to circuit design is to conduct
`product proprietary` circuit design. Clearly, this can consume a
great deal of time and cost due to duplicated effort.
Alternatively, circuit designs can be `copied` and `pasted` into
several designs; however, a problem in one circuit would impact
every circuit from which the original design was copied.
Traceability would become a concern when using such an approach to
ensure that the changes occurred in every duplicated circuit.
[0026] An exemplary proposed solution herein divides basic
functional elements into `circuit modules` with board-to-board
connectors placed strategically and manufactured with appropriate
orientation and type of connectors to ensure that improper
installation is not allowed. Each circuit module utilizes a common
backplane for analog signals, digital signals, and power. In this
manner, the circuit modules can be stacked vertically (e.g., top
surface to bottom surface) in any arrangement without affecting
performance or operation (small X-Y footprint, but Z varies with
the number of modules).
[0027] Additionally, a backplane printed circuit board (PCB) can be
manufactured to accept these modules with a common backplane such
that the modules can be used in various products, decreasing cost,
easing change management, reducing the number of manufactured parts
while increasing the number of products that can be offered, and
providing design flexibility. It would therefore be possible to
stock a cabinet full of modules and manufacture product shells.
Upon product order, the product could be assembled from bins of
circuit modules, where the same circuit module would show up on
numerous products but require only a single design effort.
Furthermore, modification of that one circuit module would not
necessarily affect other circuit modules. Typically, however,
modification of that one circuit module would cause an automatic
upgrade to all products that use the modified module.
[0028] Various circuit modules may be defined and used either as
part of a valve assembly (e.g., valve assembly 2000 as show in FIG.
4, described below) or as part of a valve controller (e.g., valve
controller 160 of FIG. 1) or as part of both.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the valve shown in FIG. 2
with a large electronics cover 2010. A cover (e.g., electronics
cover 205 or large electronics cover 2010) along with the valve
body 290 form part of the valve assembly 2000. The large
electronics cover 2010 allows, as shown in FIG. 5, a number of
circuit modules 2110 to form part of the valve assembly 2000. As
shown in FIG. 6, one or more connectors 2210 can be used to
interconnect the various circuit modules 2110. Additionally, the
motor housing retainer 207 has a J1 connector that would mate with
corresponding contact-type connectors on a circuit module 2110.
[0030] FIG. 7 is a top view of screening for an analog PID
(proportional-integral-derivative) controller, which shows a number
of connectors J1, J2, J5, J6, J9, and J10 that are designed to mate
with corresponding connectors 2210 on the circuit modules 2110. The
PID controller may be located within the valve controller 160.
[0031] The circuit modules 2110 may be, for example, a
driver/controller module or a power supply module. Each of these
circuit modules has certain corresponding functions.
[0032] A driver/controller module may be designed to accept analog
input signals and to provide anti-alias filtering prior to analog
to digital conversion. It may include a `driver disable` input for
emergency functions.
[0033] An industrial signal conversion module can convert an input
signal to a signal to be placed on a backplane for processing by
other circuit modules. Such a module may include switches to steer
the signal to the appropriate outputs on the backplane.
[0034] A connector interface and indication module may also double
as a dummy module. Such a module may provide connectors to connect
to external device. Additionally, the module may include
indicators, such as LEDs.
[0035] Additionally, a module may be designed to provide active
circuit connections.
[0036] A benefit to these circuit modules is that they can be
placed vertically on top of the motor housing retainer 207 and
therefore provide certain functionality within the valve assembly
2000. Furthermore, the circuit modules 2110 can be placed
"horizontally" in the mounting locations 2310, 2320, and 2330 of
FIG. 7.
[0037] In the example of FIG. 7, the mounting location 2330 is
suitable for use with the driver/controller module 2110, but the
mounting locations 2310 and 2320 are not suitable for use with the
driver/controller module 2110. It is noted that the circuit modules
2110 described previously are merely exemplary. Many other
functions can be designed in, for instance, an RS232 or RS485
communication module; perhaps a high performance processor; or an
Ethernet or wireless communication module. The options are nearly
limitless.
[0038] FIG. 8 shows a logic flow diagram of a method in accordance
with an exemplary embodiment of this invention. In step 810, a
valve body that at least partially defines a valve envelope is
provided. A plurality of circuit substrates are disposed within the
valve envelope in step 820. At least one circuit substrate of the
plurality of circuit substrates includes circuitry for controlling
the valve.
[0039] Additionally, at least one of the substrates provides a
given functionality. Said substrate is selected according to the
functionality it provides.
[0040] Depending on the specific requirements of the valve a given
module may be located either "vertically" in the valve envelope or
"horizontally" in the external controller 160. It is therefore
possible to create the control circuitry for a valve using a number
of pre-existing modules by selecting the modules providing the
desired functionalities and placing the selected modules either
within the valve envelope or in the external controller 160 (e.g.,
on a common backplane provided in the external controller 160).
[0041] Certain embodiments of the disclosed invention may be
implemented by hardware (e.g., one or more processors, discrete
devices, programmable logic devices, large scale integrated
circuits, or some combination of these), software (e.g., firmware,
a program of executable instructions, microcode, or some
combination of these), or some combination thereof. Aspects of the
disclosed invention may also be implemented on one or more
semiconductor circuits, comprising hardware and perhaps software
residing in one or more memories. Aspects of the disclosed
invention may also include computer-executable media tangibly
embodying one or more programs of computer-readable instructions
executable by one or more processors to perform certain of the
operations described herein.
[0042] The foregoing description has provided by way of exemplary
and non-limiting examples a full and informative description of the
best techniques presently contemplated by the inventors for
carrying out embodiments of the invention. However, various
modifications and adaptations may become apparent to those skilled
in the relevant arts in view of the foregoing description, when
read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended
claims. All such and similar modifications of the teachings of this
invention will still fall within the scope of this invention.
[0043] It is noted that the example described above specifically
concerns valves and controller for valves. However, the techniques
shown above are also applicable to any electronic device having
various electronic functions which may be suitable for modular
embodiments, and the use of the exemplary embodiments of this
invention is not limited to electronic valves.
[0044] Furthermore, some of the features of exemplary embodiments
of this invention could be used to advantage without the
corresponding use of other features. As such, the foregoing
description should be considered as merely illustrative of the
principles of embodiments of the present invention, and not in
limitation thereof. While the exemplary embodiments are
illustrative of electronically controlled valves, the techniques in
accordance with this invention may be applied to various
electronically controlled devices, e.g., motors, etc.
* * * * *