Circuit device

Details Circuit device Circuit device

1998-09-04

2001-07-17

Fleming, Fritz (Department: 2836)

Electricity: electrical systems and devices

Control circuits for electromagnetic devices

For relays or solenoids

C361S154000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06262874

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a circuit device for the regulation of the current flowing through a solenoid coil arrangement, comprising a regulating means having a measuring arrangement for measuring the coil current and adapted to regulate the coil current in a manner dependent on the measured coil amperage, means for producing an attraction current flowing through the solenoid coil arrangement and a switching over means for reducing the coil current after elapse of an attraction time to a lower switched hold current flowing until the end of a switch signal.
In such circuit devices the attraction current present during the time of attraction is clock pulse switched down after the elapse of this attraction time, a freewheel current being induced in the solenoid coil arrangement in the switching intervals, that is to say with the power supply disconnected, so that a large power loss is produced. Furthermore the input voltage supplying the circuit device must be adapted to the desired current level of the attraction current and thus be present in the form of DC having a predetermined voltage value.
SHORT SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the invention is accordingly to create a circuit device of the type initially mentioned which involves a substantially lower power loss while at the same time being able to be run on substantially any voltage.
In order to achieve these and/or other objects appearing from the present specification, claims and drawings, in the present invention the attraction current is also regulated by clock pulse switching and the measuring arrangement is switched outside the freewheel circuit in which during the freewheel conditions existing in clock pulse switching intervals, of the solenoid coil arrangement the freewheel current flows.
Owing to the clock pulse switching of the attraction current it is possible for the input voltage serving for supply of the circuit device to assume voltage values larger than the desired voltage value, since the clock pulse switching means that the effective value of the input voltage may be reduced. The value of the input voltage does consequently not have to be adapted, as hitherto, to the desired attraction current. Because the measuring arrangement is switched outside the freewheel current circuit, in the clock pulse switching intervals, in which the solenoid coil arrangement assumes its freewheel condition and is not connected with the supply voltage, the freewheel current induced by the solenoid coil arrangement does not flow through the measuring arrangement. The consequence of this is that the freewheel current does not produce any power loss in the measuring arrangement. The overall power loss occurring is accordingly substantially reduced and offers measurement advantages.
Further developments of the invention are defined in the claims.
It is convenient for a rectifier arrangement to be provided, which converts an input voltage into a supply voltage serving for power supply of the device. In this manner it is possible for the circuit device to be connected with a direct or alternating voltage source as an input voltage.
It is an advantage however to have a clock pulse switched voltage or current source for voltage or, respectively, current supply of the regulating means, the supply voltage of such source being equal to the supply voltage of the solenoid coil arrangement. The regulating means is accordingly supplied from the supply voltage, serving for supply of the solenoid coil arrangement, using the clock pulse switched voltage or current source so that no additional input voltage is necessary for the supply of the regulating means.
Further advantageous developments and convenient forms of the novel circuit design will be understood from the following detailed descriptive disclosure of one embodiment thereof in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.


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