Other

Kineret Engineering

Lynn Harrison

Oded Eddie Sturman

Benjamin Grill

Edwin J Hunter

A Chatterless AC Solenoid without pole shading is disclosed. The solenoid has a stationery member and a moveable member forming a magnetic circuit having a small but predetermined gap in the magnetic circuit when the moveable member is in the solenoid actuated position, and a much larger gap when the moving member is in the unactuated position. Both the stationery member and the moveable member are fabricated from a relatively soft magnetic material, with a coil associated with the stationery member providing a magnetizing force for the resulting magnetic circuit responsive to a current in the coil. A first diode in the energizing circuit provides halfwave rectification of the AC excitation voltage, with a second diode across the coil leads providing a conduction path for the portion of the excitation cycle during which the first diode is not conducting, thereby adequately sustaining the magnetizing current in the coil to maintain the solenoid latched until the coil is again reenergized by current flow through the first diode. Alternate embodiments and various features of the invention are disclosed.

Chatterless low power AC solenoid without pole shading

A temperature compensated position sensor which may be used with hydraulic and pneumatic actuators having a magnetic piston and a non-magnetic cylinder is disclosed. The position sensor comprises a pair of Hall effect sensors mounted adjacent a permanent magnet on the outside of a hydraulic cylinder. One Hall effect sensor is oriented upside down with respect to the second Hall effect sensor such that the two Hall effects sensors perceive equal and opposite magnetic fields. The voltage outputs of both Hall effect sensors are amplified, and one is inverted. The resultant voltage signals are added together. Because changes in temperature produce equal changes in the output voltage of each sensor, the summing process cancels out temperature induced variations in the voltage signals. The resultant sum is dependent only on the magnitude of the magnetic field perceived by the Hall effect sensors, regardless of the variation in temperature. As the piston approaches the position sensor, the magnetic field at the Hall effect sensors rises due to the magnetic piston material forming a flux path between the magnet and the Hall effect sensors. The arrival of the piston at the piston sensor location can therefore be accurately determined from the summed output of the two Hall effect sensors. In one embodiment of the invention, the permanent magnet and Hall effect sensors are contained in a sensor package easily clamped to cylinders of substantially any size.

Temperature compensated hall effect position sensor

A pressure regulator is disclosed which includes a valve housing with a sliding piston member defining inlet and outlet chambers. A valve seat in conjunction with the piston member forms a valve controlling fluid passing from the inlet to the outlet chamber. The piston member includes a piston and piston plate, the piston plate engaging the valve seat to control fluid flow. The diameters of the chambers and the piston are selected so that the inlet pressure causes no net force on the moving piston member, and does not contribute to either the opening or closing of the valve. On the outlet side, the piston plate is sealed with respect to the valve seat at a diameter which is less than that of the piston plate, such that the outlet pressure creates a net force urging the piston plate to engage the valve seat. The resulting unbalanced output force on the member is opposed by coil spring urging the member upward to unseat the plate from the valve seat. The output pressure is thereby regulated at a point where the outlet force equals the spring force. Alternate embodiments allowing selection of the spring force are disclosed.

Pressure regulators

Pressure regulating valves intended primarily for use as pressure regulating shut-off valves are disclosed. The valves utilize a simple piston assembly operative between a valve open position and a valve closed position responsive to a spring biasing the assembly toward the open position against an opposite force proportional to the outlet pressure. The piston assembly has only a single seal to seal the assembly against leakage, with a shut-off mechanism operative on only a 180 degree rotation thereof being cooperatively disposed with respect to the piston assembly so as to not require any additional seals. Embodiments having a fixed pressure regulation and a manually adjustable pressure regulation are disclosed.

Pressure regulating valves

Pressure regulating mechanically operable valves intended primarily for use as pressure regulating shut off valves are disclosed. The valves utilize a simple piston assembly operative between a valve open position and a valve closed position responsive to a spring biasing the assembly toward the open position against an opposite force proportional to the outlet pressure. The piston assembly may have only a single seal to seal the assembly against leakage with a mechanical shut off mechanism operative on only a 180 degree rotation thereof being cooperatively disposed with respect to the piston assembly so as to not require any additional seals. An electrically operable unlatching means is provided to close the valve upon receipt of a pulse from a battery or other electrical system, exemplary circuits, including a unique moisture sensing system are enclosed.

Pressure regulating mechanically and electrically operable shut off

Integrated latching actuators are disclosed which may be used as direct replacements for nonlatching actuators in various applications. The integrated latching actuators comprise a magnetically latching actuator with control electronics packaged therewith so that actuation and release may be controlled through a single control line. The integration of the actuator and control electronics eliminates many potential failure modes of conventional latching actuators and results in greatly reduced power consumption, particularly in low duty cycle applications. Various embodiments are disclosed, including embodiments that may operate directly on microprocessor outputs without special drive circuitry.

Growing community of inventors

Newhall, CA, United States of America

Lynn Harrison