Remote control device for solenoid valve

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512793-B2
Application number	US-202016825154-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 20, 2020
Priority date	Mar 25, 2019
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A remote control unit of a remote control device wirelessly transmits a first instruction signal or a second instruction signal instructing to operate a solenoid valve, to a solenoid valve control unit. The solenoid valve control unit receives the first instruction signal or the second instruction signal and generates a first drive signal or a second drive signal on the basis of the received first instruction signal or the received second instruction signal, respectively. The solenoid valve is of a double solenoid type, and includes a first solenoid to which the first drive signal is supplied and a second solenoid to which the second drive signal is supplied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A remote control device for a solenoid valve installed in an object to be controlled, for remotely controlling the solenoid valve, comprising:
a remote control unit configured to wirelessly transmit an instruction signal instructing to operate the solenoid valve; and
a solenoid valve control unit configured to be operated by electric power supplied by a battery and configured to receive the instruction signal and control operation of the solenoid valve based on the received instruction signal;
wherein the solenoid valve is of a double solenoid type wherein the remote control unit includes a first display section for displaying that the remote control unit is in operation during a period from start to completion of processing of transmitting the instruction signal,
wherein the solenoid valve control unit includes:
a radio signal transmitter/receiver section configured to receive the instruction signal;
a solenoid valve drive circuit configured to control the operation of the solenoid valve based on the instruction signal;
a second display section; and
a power supply section configured to supply electric power supplied by the battery to the radio signal transmitter/receiver section, the solenoid valve drive circuit and the second display section,
wherein the second display section displays that the solenoid valve control unit is in operation during a period beginning from when processing of the received instruction signal by the radio signal transmitter/receiver section is completed and continuing until when control of the operation of the solenoid valve by the solenoid valve drive circuit is completed, and wherein the power supply section supplies electric power to the radio signal transmitter/receiver section while the instruction signal is received by the radio signal transmitter/receiver section; and
wherein the power supply section supplies electric power to the solenoid valve drive circuit and the second display section during a period beginning from when the processing of the received instruction signal is completed and continuing until when the control of the operation of the solenoid valve is completed.

2. The remote control device for the solenoid valve according to claim 1 , wherein the remote control unit includes an external input receiver section configured to receive a signal input from an external device and/or an operation section configured to be operated by a user, and the remote control unit generates the instruction signal based on the signal input from the external device or operation on the operation section by the user and transmits the instruction signal to the solenoid valve control unit.

3. The remote control device for the solenoid valve according to claim 1 ;
wherein the solenoid valve includes a first solenoid and a second solenoid;
wherein the remote control unit transmits to the solenoid valve control unit a first instruction signal in a form of pulse for instructing to energize the first solenoid and a second instruction signal in a form of pulse for instructing to energize the second solenoid; and
wherein the solenoid valve control unit:
is located adjacent to the object to be controlled and connected to the solenoid valve by wire;
upon receiving the first instruction signal, generates a first drive signal in a form of pulse based on the received first instruction signal and supplies the generated first drive signal to the first solenoid; and
upon receiving the second instruction signal, generates a second drive signal in a form of pulse based on the received second instruction signal and supplies the generated second drive signal to the second solenoid.

4. The remote control device for the solenoid valve according to claim 1 , wherein:
the remote control unit and the solenoid valve control unit are configured to wirelessly communicate with each other in a bidirectional manner;
the remote control unit wirelessly transmits at least the instruction signal to the solenoid valve control unit; and
the solenoid valve control unit wirelessly transmits at least a signal indicating a state of the solenoid valve control unit, to the remote control unit.

Assignees

• Smc Corp

Inventors

• Aki Tomohiko

Classifications

• F16K31/46 Primary

  for remote operation · CPC title

• G08C17/02 Primary

  using a radio link · CPC title

• F16K31/0679 Primary

  with more than one energising coil · CPC title

• G08C19/16

  in which transmission is by pulses · CPC title

• F16K31/0603

  Multiple-way valves · CPC title