Integrated smart actuator and valve device applications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11566805-B2
Application number	US-201815901852-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2018
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Jan 31, 2023
Grant date	Jan 31, 2023

Abstract

An integrated device in an HVAC system is configured to modify an environmental condition of a building. The integrated device includes a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit and an actuator. The actuator includes a motor and a drive device. The drive device is driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The integrated device further includes a processing circuit coupled to the motor. The processing circuit is configured to detect device identifying information for the valve or the actuator and to detect the integrated device location within the building.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:
a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;
an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and
a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:
determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,
in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, perform a device recognition process to detect device identifying information for at least one of the valve or the actuator, the detected device identifying information comprising a location of the device and a property of the valve or the actuator, and
operate the motor based at least in part on the location and the property of the valve or the actuator.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the location to an external device.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the external device is at least one of a supervisory controller and a mobile device.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a flow requirement.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a stroke length.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a performance profile.

8. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:
a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;
an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and
a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:
determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,
in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, determine a location of the device and detect at least one of a stroke length or a performance profile for at least one of the valve or the actuator, and
operate the device based on the location and at least one of the detected stroke length or detected performance profile.

9. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:
a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;
an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and
a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:
determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,
in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, determine a location of the device and detect a physical characteristic of the valve, and
operate the device based on the location and the detected physical characteristic.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a chassis or housing;
wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;
wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and
wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:
receive at least one received end stop location; and
transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

14. The device of claim 8 , further comprising a chassis or housing;
wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;
wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and
wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:
receive at least one received end stop location; and
transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

18. The device of claim 9 , further comprising a chassis or housing;
wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

19. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

20. The device of claim 19 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;
wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and
wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:
receive at least one received end stop location; and
transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

Assignees

• Johnson Controls Tech Co
• Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP

Inventors

• Drees Kirk H
• Doll Herbert J
• Duenkel Gerald A
• Passoni Marcello
• Khan Abu Bakr
• Weiss Kevin A
• Merkl Christopher
• Romanowich Gary A
• Mann Joseph F
• Hobgood Hunter
• Trikha Dinesh
• Van Buren Rick A
• Prato Nicholas P

Classifications

• F24F2110/10

  Temperature · CPC title

• G05B15/02

  electric · CPC title

• G05B2219/2642

  Domotique, domestic, home control, automation, smart house · CPC title

• F24F11/65

  for selecting an operating mode · CPC title

• F24F11/49

  ensuring correct operation, e.g. by trial operation or configuration checks · CPC title