Pumps – Condition responsive control of pump drive motor – By control of electric or magnetic drive motor
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-15
2001-09-04
Thorpe, Timothy S. (Department: 3746)
Pumps
Condition responsive control of pump drive motor
By control of electric or magnetic drive motor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283717
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a control circuit of a solenoid actuated pump, and more particularly a control circuit of a solenoid actuated pump capable of regulating an electrical energy supplied to a solenoid.
2. Discussion of the Background
There have been proposed various types of solenoid actuated pumps.
FIG. 20
illustrates an example of basic arrangements of a control circuit used for the solenoid actuated pumps, in which a solenoid
8
is connected at a terminal
8
a
of one end thereof to a DC power, and is provided at the opposite end thereof with a switch
12
coupled to a pulse generating circuit
11
with a pulse whose ON time is invariable and ON cycle (frequency) is variable. With this arrangement, current is intermittently supplied to the solenoid
8
by operating the switch
12
in response to a pulse signal.
In accordance with a conventional control circuit of the solenoid actuated pump as described above, the range of an applicable DC power connected to the terminal
8
a
of the solenoid
8
and that of an applicable voltage for the pulse generating circuit
11
depend on the capacity of the switch
12
. Specifically, the arrangement that the control circuit includes the switch
12
corresponding to supply voltage necessitates the replacement of an energizing circuit and a solenoid to those corresponding to a different supply voltage. Therefore, this arrangement poses a problem that various types of the control circuits are needed, thereby rendering the inventory management difficult.
In addition, as described above, the arrangement that the control circuit and the solenoid correspond to supply voltage may poses problems, for example, malfunction and burning of the control circuit caused by an improper supply voltage.
The above arrangement poses another problem that a user is required to handle various types of the pumps and control circuits, rendering the inventory management difficult and costly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a control circuit of a solenoid actuated pump capable of eliminating a troublesome work to select supply voltage by a user for every application.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control circuit of a solenoid actuated pump including an energizing means for energizing a solenoid of the solenoid actuated pump, a detecting means for detecting the electrical energy of a power supply for supplying the electrical energy to the energizing means, and a processing unit for comparing the value of the electrical energy detected by the detecting means with a predetermined value to be supplied to the solenoid and supplying a control signal to the energizing means so as to adjust the detected value of the electrical energy to the predetermined value.
In accordance with the control circuit of the above arrangement, the detecting means detects the electrical energy of the power supply. The processing unit, then, compares the value of the electrical energy detected by the detecting means with the predetermined value of the electrical energy and supplies the control signal to the energizing means so as to supply the predetermined value of the electrical energy suitable for the energizing means. Therefore, even in case of that the power supply does not supply an electrical energy, for example, a voltage unsuitable for energizing the solenoid, such an electrical energy can be transformed to the predetermined value before being supplied to the solenoid.
When the voltage is a parameter of the electrical energy to be detected by the detecting means, the detecting means may preferably be constituted by using a voltage comparator with a reference voltage provided thereto, to which the voltage is supplied.
Alternatively to the above arrangement of the detecting means for detecting the voltage, the detecting means may preferably be constituted by using a voltage comparator with a reference voltage provided thereto and a voltage dividing circuit, in which the voltage is supplied to the voltage comparator via the voltage dividing circuit.
As another arrangement of the detecting means for detecting the voltage, the detecting means may preferably be constituted by using a processing circuit with a reference voltage provided thereto, to which the voltage is supplied.
When the voltage is a parameter of the electrical energy to be detected by the detecting means in accordance with the control circuit of the present invention, the processing unit may preferably be constituted by using a voltage comparator with a reference voltage provided thereto and a half wave and full wave switching circuit. With this arrangement, the voltage is supplied to the voltage comparator, in which the voltage supplied to the voltage comparator is compared with the reference voltage. The half wave and full wave switching circuit is then controlled in accordance with the compared result provided by the voltage comparator so as to supply a control signal, thereby adjusting the value of the voltage representative of the value of the electrical energy to the predetermined value.
Alternatively to the above arrangement of the processing unit in case of detecting the voltage as a parameter of the electrical energy, the processing unit may preferably be constituted by using a voltage comparator with a reference voltage provided thereto, a voltage dividing circuit, a NOR circuit and a pulse generator. With this arrangement, the voltage is supplied via the voltage dividing circuit to the voltage comparator, which voltage comparator compares the voltage supplied thereto with the reference voltage, and then supplies a signal to the NOR circuit in accordance with the compared result so as to control the NOR circuit in cooperation with a signal from the pulse generator. The NOR circuit, then, supplies a control signal, upon which the value of the voltage representative of the value of electrical energy is adjusted to the predetermined value.
As another arrangement, the processing unit, in case of detecting the voltage as a parameter of the electrical energy, may preferably be constituted by using a processing circuit with a reference voltage provided thereto, a duty variable transmitter, an AND circuit and a pulse generator. With this arrangement, the voltage is supplied to the processing circuit, which processing circuit compares the voltage supplied thereto with the reference voltage. The duty variable transmitter is then controlled in accordance with the compared result provided by the processing circuit to supply a signal to the AND circuit so as to control the AND circuit in cooperation with a signal from the pulse generator. The AND circuit then supplies a control signal, upon which the value of the voltage representative of the value of the electrical energy is adjusted to the predetermined value.
In accordance with the control circuit of the solenoid actuated pump of the present invention, the energizing means may preferably be constituted by using an energizing circuit, and alternatively may preferably be constituted by using a condenser and a discharge control switch.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a control circuit of a solenoid actuated pump including an energizing circuit for energizing a solenoid of the solenoid actuated pump, a detecting means for detecting voltage of a power supply for supplying the voltage to the energizing circuit, and a processing unit for comparing the voltage detected by the detecting means with a predetermined voltage to be supplied to the solenoid and supplying a control signal to the energizing circuit so as to adjust the detected voltage to the predetermined voltage.
In accordance with the control circuit of the above arrangement, the detecting means detects the voltage of the power for supply supplying the voltage to the energizing circuit. The processing unit, then, compares the voltage detected by the detecting means with the predetermined voltage and supplies the control signal t
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Gartenberg Ehud
Tacmina Corporation
Thorpe Timothy S.
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