C.r.f. Societa Consortile Per Azioni

Metatron S.r.l.

Riccardo Groppo

Alberto Manzone

Paolo Santero

Giancarlo Casellato

Giuseppe Catona

Eugenio Faggioli

Damiano Micelli

Paolo Reggio

Filippo Audisio

Massimiliano Bagnato

Andrea Pizzato

Fabio De Giacomo

Alessandro Pincetti

Provided in a gas-feed system, in particular a system for supplying methane or hydrogen to an internal-combustion engine, is an electronic pressure-reducer or pressure-regulator unit, integrated in which are both a pressure-reducing valve for reducing the pressure of the gas coming from the fuel tank to a value suitable for supplying a distribution manifold or rail and a modulating solenoid valve that functions as modulator of the degree of pressure reduction performed by the pressure-reducing valve. Likewise made in the body of said unit are passages that provide the communications of said valves with one another and of each of said valves with the inlet and the outlet for the gas in said unit. Furthermore, the unit incorporates an electronic control module for controlling the modulating solenoid valve.

Electronic pressure reducer or regulator unit for feeding gas, particularly methane or hydrogen, to an internal combustion engine, and gas feeding system including this unit

In an embodiment, an automotive inverter assembly has at least one component for cooling. The inverter assembly has a supporting body for supporting the at least one component. The supporting body defines at least part of a volume through which flows a cooling fluid coupled thermally with the at least one component for cooling.

Automotive inverter assembly

The control circuit comprises a source of dc voltage, a first electronic switch, interposed between a first terminal of the voltage source and a corresponding first terminal of the load, a second electronic switch, interposed between the other or second terminal of the load and the other or second terminal of the source, a current recirculation device, including a diode connected between the said first terminal of the load and the other or second terminal of the voltage source to allow a circulation current in the load when the first switch is open, and a control circuit arranged to control the switches in a predetermined manner. The recirculation device further includes a third electronic switch disposed between the first terminal of the load and the other or second terminal of the voltage source, and the control unit is arranged to control this third switch in a synchronous manner, but in phase opposition, in relation to the first switch.

Circuit for controlling inductive loads, in particular of electro actuators, at high efficiency

There is described a method of operating a device () controlling electric actuators (), and having a pair of input terminals () connected to an electric energy source (); a number of pairs of output terminals (), between each of which a respective electric actuator () is connected in use; and controlled switches () for connecting the electric actuators () to the electric energy source () independently of one another; the method including the step of controlling the controlled switches () to supply an electric current to the electric actuators () via the electric energy source (). The controlling step includes the steps of: determining the possibility of a subsequent operating condition in which specific electric actuators () are supplied simultaneously with electric current from the electric energy source (); and temporally phase shifting the electric currents supplied to the specific electric actuators (), to reduce the effective value of the electric current drawn from the electric energy source ().

Method of operating a device for controlling electric actuators with optimum actuation current distribution

A power circuit provided with an operating circuit for each electrical actuator and including a set of switches controlled selectively to regulate the current flowing through the electrical actuator. The operating device includes a control circuit which can cause the operation of the power circuit and in turn includes a set of control modules, each of which can selectively operate the switches of a corresponding operating circuit, and can supply a state signal (S) indicating the operating state of the control module. A synchronization module receives and processes the state signals (S), to generate a common synchronization signal (S) which synchronizes the control modules. Each control module being capable of coordinating the operating actions sent to the switches of the corresponding operating circuit with the operating actions sent by the other control modules to the corresponding switches, in accordance with the synchronization signal (S).

Operating device for inductive electrical actuators

Described herein is a surface-mounted integrated current sensor for use in a printed circuit having a track along which there flows, in use, the electric current to be measured. The current sensor comprises a package having a bottom face facing, in use, the printed circuit, and on which there is set an electrically conductive bottom piece, which, in use, makes contact with the track of the printed circuit in such a way as to be traversed by the current to be measured. The current sensor moreover comprises a sensor element, for example a Hall-effect one, designed to generate a voltage proportional to the electric current that flows through the bottom piece.

Surface-mounted integrated current sensor

In a single device for controlling electro-injectors and electrovalves in an internal-combustion engine, a first control circuit for each electro-injector, a second control circuit for each electrovalve, and a timing circuit, supplying timing signals to the first and second control circuits. In the second control circuit, switches selectively connect the respective electrovalve to a first voltage source in certain given operating conditions, and to a boosted voltage source, constituted by a capacitor for accumulation of energy, in certain other given operating conditions. In this way, part of the electrical energy accumulated in the electrovalve during its normal actuation is transferred to the capacitor, thus causing the latter to be recharged.

Single device for controlling fuel electro-injectors and electrovalves in an internal-combustion engine, and method of operating the same

A drive device for electrical injectors of a common rail fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine has a power circuit, in turn having a drive circuit, for each electrical injector, with a number of switches controlled selectively to regulate the current flowing through the electrical injector; and a control circuit for controlling operation of the power circuit; the control circuit having a number of control modules, each for selectively controlling the switches of a respective drive circuit, and for supplying a state signal (S) indicating the operating state of the control module; and a synchronization module for receiving and processing the state signals (S) to generate a common synchronization signal (S) for synchronizing the control modules; each control module synchronizing and coordinating, as a function of the synchronization signal (S), the drive actions imparted to the switches of the respective drive circuit, with the drive actions imparted by the other control modules to the corresponding switches.

Drive device for electrical injectors of an internal combustion engine common rail fuel injection system

A drive device for inductive electroactuators equipped with a power circuit comprising a drive circuit for each electroactuator; each drive circuit comprising a series of selectively controlled transistors for regulating the current flowing through the electroactuator; a control circuit which is capable of driving the operation of each control circuit and a series of control modules, each of which controls the transistors of an associated control circuit; and a memory having at least two memory areas each storing the same operating parameters for the drive circuits; an internal microcontroller for reading the operating parameters; and a series of pointer registers which cooperate with the internal microcontroller and with an external microcontroller to define access of the external microcontroller to one of the memory areas and simultaneously to define access of the internal microcontroller to the other memory area, and to swap the access rights of the internal microcontroller and of the external microcontroller to the two memory areas.

Drive device for inductive electroactuators

The control device comprises a piloting circuit for the electroactuators and a timing circuit which generates timing signals supplied to the piloting circuit for control of the electroactuators. The piloting circuit has a first and a second input terminal which are connected in use respectively to a first and a second terminal of an electrical energy source, and a plurality of pairs of output terminals, one for each electroactuator; each pair of output terminals comprising a first and a second output terminal, between which a respective electroactuator is connected in use. The piloting circuit comprises a plurality of control circuits, one for each electroactuator, which receive as input the timing signals and are activated selectively by the timing signals themselves. Each control circuit comprises a first transistor which is connected between a respective first output terminal, and, at least in pre-determined operating conditions, the first input terminal of the piloting circuit; a second transistor connected between a respective second output terminal and the second input terminal of the piloting circuit; and a diode which is connected between the respective first output terminal and the second input terminal of the piloting circuit itself.

Electroactuator control device and method for controlling this control device

The control device has a drive circuit, in turn having a number of modular circuits--one for each inductor--activated selectively and receiving timing signals, and a common circuit connected to the modular circuits and cooperating with the activated modular circuit to supply the respective inductor. Each modular circuit has a first controlled switch connected between a first input terminal and a respective first output terminal, and a second controlled switch connected between the respective first output terminal and a storage capacitor; and the common circuit has a third controlled switch connected between the storage capacitor and a respective second output terminal, and cooperating with the second controlled switch to selectively transfer energy between the storage capacitor and the respective inductor.

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Orbassano, Italy

Riccardo Groppo