The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 13, 1995
Filed:
Feb. 08, 1993
Peter Senak, Jr, Bristol, CT (US);
Dana Corporation, Toledo, OH (US);
Abstract
A driver circuit for an electric actuator having one or more phase windings which are selectively connected to a source of electrical energy is disclosed. Magnetic energy stored in the phase windings is transferred to a capacitor to prevent damage. The driver circuit includes a recovery circuit for transferring this energy from the capacitor back to the source of electrical energy. The recovery circuit includes an electronic recovery switch which is selectively opened and closed by a duty cycle controller logic circuit. When the recovery circuit switch is closed, electrical current flows from the capacitor to an inductor. The inductor returns this energy to the source of electrical energy. The recovery circuit further includes a power supply for the logic components of the duty cycle controller. The power supply receives operating power from the unused energy stored in the windings of the actuator driver circuit and uses the same ground node as the duty cycle controller logic circuit and the recovery circuit switch. Also, the recovery circuit includes a pair of auxiliary power source terminals which permit it to re-charge the source of electrical energy even though none of the phase windings are energized.