Johnson Electric S.a.

Johnson Electric International Ag

Johnson Electric Switzerland Ag

Yvan Bourqui

Miha Furlan

Michael Watzek

Bruno Neuhaus

Daniel Soncini

Emmanuel Vuichard

Yan Chappex

Frédéric Haenni

Maxime Bruelhart

Rolf Weber

Karin Krattinger

Nick Grivas

Donat Andrey

David Zimmermann

Tanh Bui

A method for driving an actuator of an HVAC system having a region of mechanical play is provided, and which comprises the steps of: a] monitoring a position of a movable member of the HVAC system or at least one rotatable element of the actuator to determine when the region of mechanical play has been entered or exited; and b] ramping a drive power to the actuator between a zero-velocity drive power and a steady-state-velocity drive power during the region of mechanical play. The HVAC system implementing the above method is not only capable of reducing the noise produced by an HVAC system, but is also capable of reducing an over-powering of the actuator when there is a low load on the system.

Method for driving an actuator of an HVAC system

A rotor assembly is provided for an electric motor. The rotor assembly includes: a cylindrical magnet member having magnetization in both axial and radial directions, the magnet member being formed from a moldable magnetic material; and an output shaft receivable within the magnet member. An inner surface of the magnet member and an outer surface of the output shaft have complementarily-engagable interface elements thereon to prevent or limit dislocation of the magnet member and output shaft, and at least one of the interface elements is formed by overmolding of the magnet member and output shaft with the other of magnet member and output shaft.

Rotor assembly for electric motor

A method of maintaining a position of an airflow-direction control elementof a HVAC system, comprising the steps of, a] determining a position of at least one movable member of an airflow-direction control mechanism of the HVAC system; and b] calculating whether the movable member is at a target position associated with a required position of the airflow-direction control element, and if not, activating an airflow-direction-controller actuator of the HVAC system to effect a change in the position of the movable member thereby bringing the airflow-direction control element to or towards the said required position. A HVAC system suitable for implementing such a method is also provided and capable of improving the overall efficiency of operation.

Method of maintaining a position of an airflow-direction control element of a HVAC system

An actuator is provided which comprises an actuator housing having an inside surface defining a stator-receiving portion and a stator. The stator-receiving portion comprises a rotor support element, and plurality of guide projections which are spaced-apart about the rotor support element, the plurality of stator-abutment projections being integrally formed with the inside surface. The stator has a plurality of locator recesses which are engagable with the plurality of stator-abutment projections when the stator is received at the stator-receiving portion of the actuator housing to locate the stator relative to the actuator housing.

Actuator

An actuator for a vehicle air-conditioning unit, has a housing, an output driven by a gear train, a motor driving the output via the gear train, a PCB connected to the motor for supplying power to the motor; and lead wires connected to the PCB via a direct connection connector to supply power to the PCB. Terminals of the connector are crimped to the lead wires and make direct mechanical contact with contact pads formed on the PCB.

A ball valve apparatus with an improved linearity of fluid flow therethrough is provided. The ball valve includes a valve housing including a housing inlet and a housing outlet; a valve ball receivable within the valve housing, the valve ball having a bore therethrough, a ball inlet and ball outlet of the valve ball which are in fluid communication with the bore, a fluid flow path through the ball valve apparatus being defined at least in part by the housing inlet, housing outlet, ball inlet, ball outlet and the bore. There is also provided a valve stem engagable with the valve ball and. To control the fluid flow through the apparatus such that there is a linear or substantially linear relationship between at the angular position of the valve ball and the fluid flow through the apparatus, there may be provided at least one bridging element, positioned on the fluid flow path to alter a fluid flow thereacross and/or ball outlet, and/or at least one of the ball inlet and ball outlet may have a non-circular profile. A ball valve for such an apparatus is also provided, in addition to method of improving the linearity of fluid flow through a ball valve apparatus.

Ball valve apparatus

In a method for the manufacture of actuators comprising an electric motor for driving an output shaft (), a sensor device for generating a signal that is a function of the angle at which the output shaft is rotated, and a support surface () with mounting points for mounting an actuator, a mechanical adjustment of at least one actuator component is carried out, which takes place depending on the deviation between an actual value and a setpoint such that the output shaft has an output end (), the angular position of which is adjusted to the setpoint.

Method for the manufacture of actuators

A controller is provided for driving a stepper motor with a magnetic rotor and at least one coil. The controller has a power stage for supplying the at least one coil with current, at least one analog Hall sensor for providing a signal as a function of the position of the magnetic rotor with respect to the Hall sensor, and a feedback line connecting the Hall sensor with the power stage to feed the signal of the Hall sensor back to the power stage.

Controller for driving a stepper motor

A linear actuator with a high holding force providing good irreversibility, has a high efficiency, low friction screw mechanism and a stepper motor with high magnetic detent torque but a low output torque ripple. The phase torque is modified to minimize the effect of the detent torque on the output. torque. Preferably, the motor has asymmetric phases to compensate for the detent torque.

Linear actuator

An actuator () has a casing () and an output (). An electric motor () is disposed in a compartment () of the casing (). The output () is driven by the motor () through a gear train disposed within the casing (). The gear train includes a worm () on a shaft () of the motor () and a worm wheel () meshed with the worm (). A mounting clip () is arranged to resiliently press the motor () into the compartment). The mounting clip () has fingers () which engage axial ends of the motor () to support the motor () against axial movement and separation due to axial loading and/or external vibrations acting on the actuator ().

Vibration safe motor fixation in an actuator

A stepper motor has a rotor having a permanent magnet, a stator housing and a plurality of stator coil assemblies disposed within the stator housing. Each coil assembly has a bobbin, a coil wound about the bobbin, and two pole plates having pole fingers extending axially inside of the bobbin. The bobbin is disposed between the two pole plates and defines a space accommodating the rotor. A number of magnetic detent plates are disposed about the permanent magnet rotor. Each magnetic detent plate has a central opening accommodating the rotor and a plurality of projections extending inwardly, spaced about the central opening. The projections interact with the magnetic field of the rotor magnet.

Stepper motor with adjustable detent torque

An electro-hydraulic actuator has a master cylinder, an electric motor and an electro-mechanical brake. The master cylinder has a hydraulic cylinder and an actuation piston slidably received within the hydraulic cylinder to vary pressure within a hydraulic circuit. The electric motor is adapted to drive the actuation piston into the hydraulic cylinder. The motor has a stator and a rotor. The electro-mechanical brake is arranged to selectively and releasably hold the rotor with respect to the stator to prevent relative rotational motion there between.

Electro-hydraulic actuator with an integrated brake

An actuator for a grille shutter assembly of a vehicle has a motor connected to an output via a gear train. The output has a connection for connecting to louvers of the grille shutter assembly. The gear train has a gear ratio which is variable depending on the actuation angle of the output shaft. Optionally, a return spring is arranged to resiliently return the output shaft to an initial actuation angle when the motor is not active.

Actuator with progressive gear

An actuator for opening and closing grille shutters includes a drive unit, a wheel driven by the drive unit, and a pair of shafts attached to the wheel and configured for driving the grille shutters to open or close. At least one of the shafts is pivotally coupled to the wheel so that an angle formed between the shafts and the wheel is adjustable.

Grille shutter actuator

A stator for an electric motor has a stator core, a winding and a housing enclosing the stator core and winding. The stator core has a yoke and a plurality of poles extending inwardly from the yoke. The winding formed by coils wound about the poles of the stator core. The housing grips the stator core and has at least one inwardly deformed portion that retains the stator core in the housing and prevents rotational movement of the stator core relative to the housing. A method of producing the stator is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Corminboeuf, Switzerland

Yvan Bourqui