Actuator with feed forward control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9726099-B2
Application number	US-201514645385-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 11, 2015
Priority date	Mar 20, 2014
Publication date	Aug 8, 2017
Grant date	Aug 8, 2017

Abstract

An electromagnetic actuation system includes an actuator having an electrical coil, a magnetic core, and an armature. The system further includes a controllable bi-directional drive circuit for selectively driving current through the electrical coil in either of two directions. The control module provides an actuator command to the drive circuit effective to drive current through the electrical coil in a first direction to actuate the armature and in a second direction subsequent to armature actuation to oppose residual flux within the actuator. The control module includes a feed forward control module configured to adapt the actuator command to converge residual flux within the actuator to a preferred flux level.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An electromagnetic actuation system, comprising:
an actuator comprising an electrical coil, a magnetic core, and an armature;
a controllable bi-directional drive circuit for selectively driving current through the electrical coil in either of two directions; and
a control module providing an actuator command to the drive circuit effective to drive current through the electrical coil in a first direction to actuate the armature and in a second direction subsequent to armature actuation to oppose residual flux within the actuator, said control module comprising a feed forward control module configured to adapt said actuator command to converge residual flux within the actuator to a preferred flux level.

2. The electromagnetic actuation system of claim 1 , wherein said preferred flux level comprises a zero flux level.

3. The electromagnetic actuation system of claim 1 , wherein said preferred flux level comprises a non-zero flux level having a magnitude that is less than the magnitude of a level of residual flux passively attained within the electrical coil at zero current.

4. The electromagnetic actuation system of claim 1 , wherein said feedforward control module comprises a feedforward determinator module responsive to at least one operating parameter of a system that is responsive to actuation of the actuator.

5. The electromagnetic actuation system of claim 1 , wherein said feedforward control module is configured to establish an overshoot component and an undershoot component of said actuator command.

6. The electromagnetic actuation system of claim 4 , wherein said feedforward determinator module comprises a transfer function in accordance with the following relationship:

H
⁡

(
s
)

=

a
1

⁢
s

+
1

a
2

⁢
s

+
1

wherein s is a Laplace operator, and
a 1 and a 2 are polynomial coefficients.

7. A method for controlling an electromagnetic actuator, comprising:
driving current though an electrical coil of the actuator in a first direction when an actuation is desired; and,
when the actuation is not desired driving current through the electrical coil in a second direction sufficient to reduce residual flux within the actuator below a level passively attained within the actuator at zero coil current, wherein driving current through the electrical coil in the second direction comprises adapting the current through the electrical coil based upon at least one operating parameter of a system that is responsive to actuation of the actuator.

8. The method for controlling the electromagnetic actuator of claim 7 , further comprising:
adapting the current through the electrical coil based upon an electrical coil current feedback to converge electrical coil current to a desired electrical coil current.

9. A system for controlling actuation of the fuel injector, comprising:
a fuel injector comprising an electrical coil, a magnetic core, and an armature;
a controllable bi-directional drive circuit responsive to a current command for driving current through the electrical coil in a first direction to actuate the armature, in a second direction subsequent to armature actuation, and thereafter to zero; and
a feed forward control module configured to determine a preferred overshoot component and a preferred undershoot component of said current command and adapt the current command based on the preferred overshoot and undershoot components.

10. The system for controlling actuation of the fuel injector of claim 9 , wherein said feedforward control module is further configured to determine the current through the electrical coil and adapt the current command based on the current through the electrical coil.

11. The system for controlling actuation of the fuel injector of claim 9 , wherein said feedforward control module comprises a feedforward determinator module responsive to at least one operating parameter of a system responsive to actuation of the fuel injector.

12. The system for controlling actuation of the fuel injector of claim 11 , wherein said feedforward determinator module comprises a transfer function in accordance with the following relationship:

H
⁡

(
s
)

=

a
1

⁢
s

+
1

a
2

⁢
s

+
1

wherein s is a Laplace operator, and
a 1 and a 2 are polynomial coefficients.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Namuduri Chandra S
• Gopalakrishnan Suresh
• Nehl Thomas Wolfgang
• Omekanda Avoki M

Classifications

• F02D2041/141

  using a feed-forward control element · CPC title

• F02M51/061

  using electromagnetic operating means · CPC title

• F02D41/20 Primary

  Output circuits, e.g. for controlling currents in command coils · CPC title

• F16K31/0675 Primary

  Electromagnet aspects, e.g. electric supply therefor · CPC title

• F02D41/1401

  characterised by the control or regulation method (F02D41/1473, F02D41/1477 take precedence) · CPC title