Actuator controller and method for regulating the movement of an actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10697476-B2
Application number	US-201415503596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 14, 2014
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

An actuator controller for actuating an actuator which can be operated fluidically, having a feed line for an inflow of the working fluid to an actuator connector and having a discharge line for an outflow of the working fluid to a fluid outlet, wherein the feed line is assigned a feed line valve and the discharge line is assigned a discharge valve, which valves are configured in each case to influence a volumetric fluid flow at the actuator connector, and having a control device for actuation of the feed line valve and the discharge valve. A throughflow sensor is arranged in a line section between the discharge valve and the fluid outlet, which throughflow sensor is configured for determining a volumetric fluid flow in the discharge line and for providing a throughflow signal.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for controlling the movement of an actuator connected to a first actuator port of an actuator controller, wherein the first actuator port is connected to a fluid outlet via a discharge line in which a discharge line valve is located, a flow sensor being assigned to the fluid outlet, the method comprising:
detecting a fluid flow rate from the actuator to the fluid outlet at an at least partial opening of the discharge line through the discharge line valve during a movement of the actuator;
performing a flow-dependent activation of the discharge line valve in order to influence the movement of the actuator in a manner dependent on a presettable movement profile stored in a control device of the actuator controller, wherein the movement profile comprises an acceleration profile or a speed profile;
performing a flow-dependent activation of a feed line valve in a feed line to a second actuator port during the flow-dependent activation of the discharge line valve assigned to the first actuator port;
activating the feed line valve in a manner dependent on a sensor signal level of the flow sensor assigned to the fluid outlet of the first actuator port; and
activating the feed line valve by taking into account a supply pressure signal of a pressure sensor located in the feed line and coupled to the control device.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure sensor is located in the feed line between a fluid supply port and the feed line valve or in the feed line between the feed line valve and the second actuator port.

Assignees

• Festo Ag & Co Kg
• Festo Se & Co Kg

Inventors

• Wirtl Hannes
• Maichl Martin

Classifications

• F15B11/006 Primary

  Hydraulic "Wheatstone bridge" circuits, i.e. with four nodes, P-A-T-B, and on-off or proportional valves in each link · CPC title

• F15B11/10

  in which the servomotor position is a function of the pressure {also pressure regulators as operating means for such systems, the device itself may be a position indicating system} · CPC title

• F15B2211/30575

  in a Wheatstone Bridge arrangement (also half bridges) · CPC title

• F15B2211/75

  Control of speed of the output member · CPC title

• F15B2211/8855

  Compressible fluids, e.g. specific to pneumatics · CPC title