Visteon Global Technolgoies, Inc.

Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Youqing Xiang

Stephen James Newton

Hong Tsai

Shawn Harold Swales

Harold Sean Hilbert

Zeljko Popovic

An apparatus and a method for electromagnetically actuating engine valves to obtain soft seating. The magnitude and duration of current pulses applied to the armature attracting coils are determined based upon a total mechanical energy and a total energy loss of the armature obtained from the armature position.

Electromagnetic actuator system and method for engine valves

An amplifier/power supply for an engine valve actuator includes a pair of switches for operating an actuator coil in several modes from a low voltage power supply. A higher magnitude voltage is regeneratively created using the inductance of the actuator coil and selective actuation of the switches.

Electromagnetic actuator for engine valves

A method for initializing an actuator valve ( ) and controlling the valve ( ) using current command control ( ) or voltage control including an estimate of back emf ( ). A series of low voltage pulses ( ) is applied to one of the solenoid coils ( ) in the actuator valve ( ) according to the natural frequency of the armature ( ) movement in the actuator valve ( ). The current command control system calculates a desired force (F ) and divides the force into closing and opening components F , F , for calculating a desired current command Ic_cmd, Io_cmd, for each of the solenoid coils. The back emf control system divides the current signal into close and open components, I , I , that are individually processed and combined with a back emf estimate for each of the open and close solenoids, e , e . The result is a desired voltage command, v *, v *, for each of the solenoids that is communicated to the power stage ( ) in order to operate the armature ( ) as desired.

Control methods for electromagnetic valve actuators

An electrically actuated engine valve provides an armature having one or more teeth extending outward from the armature along the actuation axis to be received by corresponding sockets in the cores of opposed electromagnets. The teeth do not restrain the movement of the armature but in approaching the cores provides a magnetic flux path that produces a more constant force of attraction during actuation of the valve. This enables the valves to overcome initial opposing forces such as caused by pressure on the valve heads to which the armature is attached and provides a path of inductive coupling between the opposed coils that can reveal armature position providing a method of accurately controlling armature seating speed.

Actuator for engine valve with tooth and socket armature and core for providing position output and/or improved force profile

An eddy current brake having an electromagnetic pole and a rotor journalled for rotation in a torque delivery shaft of an automotive vehicle driveline, the rotor being rotatably positioned in close proximity to the stator with an air gap between them. The stator comprises steel pole pieces with hollow cores that establish a magnetic circuit for a magnetic flux field. The pole pieces have machine-wound electrical windings. The windings are fastened with pole caps. The hollow core reduces the weight and material of the stator without significantly adversely affecting the braking capacity of the retarder brake for any given speed of rotation of the rotor and for any given number of ampere-turns for the stator windings. The pole caps reduce the magnetic saturation and increases the overall brake torque output.

Growing community of inventors

Canton, MI, United States of America

Youqing Xiang