Near field RF powered electronic valve actuator

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10746313-B2
Application number	US-201816165040-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2018
Priority date	Oct 19, 2018
Publication date	Aug 18, 2020
Grant date	Aug 18, 2020

Abstract

A near field energized electronic valve actuator includes a power receiver that enables powering of control electronics using wireless RF energy received from an external device such as a laptop computer or smart cellular telephone handset when conventional power is unavailable to the actuator, thereby enabling exchange of data between the external device and the control electronics. Embodiments further enable data exchange between the control electronics and non-volatile memory during the wireless energization. The data can be exchanged, for example, during initial configuration of the actuator before customer delivery, during an unpowered maintenance period to retrieve operational log information stored by the control electronics, and/or to retrieve valve position information measured by a position sensor and/or fault-relevant data from the actuator when power has been interrupted due to an actuator or valve failure.

First claim

We claim:

1. A near field RF powered electronic valve actuator, comprising:
a housing;
a valve actuating mechanism contained within the housing;
control electronics contained within the housing, the control electronics being distant from the valve actuating mechanism, and being configured to control actuation of a valve by the valve actuating mechanism;
a power input port configured to provide operating power to the valve actuating mechanism and to the control electronics; and
a near field power receiver located within the housing in data and power communication with the control electronics,
the near field power receiver including an antenna configured, when electrical power is not applied to the power input port, to receive radio frequency energy from an external device located proximal to the near field power receiver but outside of the housing,
said near field power receiver being configured to convey said received power to the control electronics as substitute operating power for the control electronics, thereby enabling the control electronics to wirelessly exchange data with the external device.

2. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising a valve position sensor configured to provide information relevant to a valve position to the control electronics, the control electronics being thereby able to wirelessly communicate the information relevant to the valve position to the external device.

3. The actuator of claim 1 , further comprising non-volatile memory in data communication with the control electronics, the control electronics being thereby able to wirelessly exchange data between the non-volatile memory and the external device.

4. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the housing is made from a material that does not conduct electricity.

5. The actuator of claim 4 , wherein the housing is a plastic housing.

6. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the housing is a metal housing, and the housing further comprises a non-conductive section that does not conduct electricity, said non-conductive section being located proximal to the antenna of the near field power receiver, thereby enabling the antenna to receive the radio frequency energy from the external device.

7. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the near field power receiver is configured to receive power from the external device via near field communication.

8. The actuator of claim 1 , wherein the actuator is able to wirelessly exchange data with the external device when electrical power is applied to the power input port of the valve actuator.

9. A method of exchanging data with control electronics of a valve actuator when electrical power is not applied to a power input port of the valve actuator, the control electronics being distant from a valve actuating mechanism of the valve actuator and being configured to control actuation of a valve by the valve actuating mechanism, the method comprising, while the electrical power is not applied to the power input port:
placing an external device in close proximity to a near field power receiver of the valve actuator, whereby the external device and the near field power receiver are separated by a section of an actuator housing that does not conduct electricity;
transmitting of radio frequency energy by the external device to the near field power receiver;
converting of the received radio frequency energy into electrical energy by the near field power receiver;
transferring of the electrical energy from the near field power receiver to the control electronics; and
while the control electronics are energized by the electrical energy from the near field power receiver, the control electronics wirelessly exchanging data with the external device.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the external device and the near field power receiver communicate with each other using near field communication.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the actuator housing is made from a material that does not conduct electricity.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the housing is made from metal, except for the section that separates the external device from the near field power receiver.

13. The method of claim 9 , further comprising, while the control electronics are energized by the electrical energy, the control electronics exchanging data with non-volatile memory of the actuator.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the exchange of data between the control electronics and the external device includes communication of configuration parameters to the control electronics to be saved in the non-volatile memory.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the exchange of data between the control electronics and the external device includes communication to the external device of data from a maintenance log maintained in the non-volatile memory that is reflective of the operational health of the actuator and/or of an associated valve.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the exchange of data between the control electronics and the external device includes communication of fault-relevant data stored in the non-volatile memory, the method further comprising using the fault relevant data to at least one of determine a status of the actuator and diagnose a failure of the actuator or a failure of a valve that is controlled by the actuator.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein the exchange of data between the control electronics and the external device takes place during a maintenance period when conventional power is not available to the power input port of the valve actuator.

18. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the control electronics also wirelessly exchanging data with the external device when electrical power is applied to the power input port of the valve actuator.

Assignees

• Flowserve Man Co

Inventors

• Ollander Mark D
• Carlson Daniel E
• Rumore Michael Adam
• Carpenter Paul Ralph

Classifications

• G08C2201/10

  Power supply of remote control devices · CPC title

• F16K37/0025

  Electrical or magnetic means (F16K37/0075 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F16K35/00

  Means to prevent accidental or unauthorised actuation · CPC title

• F16K31/02 Primary

  electric {(F16K31/004 takes precedence)}; magnetic · CPC title

• F16K27/00

  Construction of housing (methods for welding housings B23K); Use of materials therefor · CPC title