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:
Feb. 20, 1996
Filed:
Sep. 19, 1994
Chamroeun P Phoy, Glendale Heights, IL (US);
William A Andrews, West Chicago, IL (US);
Eaton Corporation, Cleveland, OH (US);
Abstract
An improved actuator (10) wherein movement of an external potentiometer (R.sub.x) to drive a bi-directional motor (50) and move an attached member starts a timer (68). When a predetermined time period has elapsed, the actuator cuts power to the drivers (U1) of the motor, thereby putting the system into a 'sleep' mode in which a minimum amount of current is drawn. If the external potentiometer was moved so as to cause an end of travel position of the member and the motor stalls, the actuator maintains this stall condition only until expiration of the predefined time period at which time the sleep mode is initiated. This sleep mode is thereafter maintained until power is reset or until the position of the external control potentiometer is changed. The time-out period is set to allow for full movement of the vane as well as to compensate for any uncertainty as to whether an end of travel position has been reached.