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:
Jan. 16, 2001
Filed:
Mar. 01, 1999
Michael A. Caruthers, Peoria, IL (US);
Errol W. Davis, Neuenhain Bad Soden, DE;
Chien C. Lee, Peoria, IL (US);
William J. Love, Dunlap, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A circuit configuration wherein a plurality of solenoid driver circuits are all coupled together such that the high voltage supply associated with one driver circuit is connected in parallel with the high voltage supply of another driver circuit. Each driver circuit includes a high voltage select switch, a select switch, and a modulation switch, all of which switches are coupled to and controlled by an electronic controller such that back EMF created by the solenoid coil in each respective driver circuit can be recaptured by charging the high voltage supply associated with that driver circuit. This recaptured energy can then be utilized to not only provide current flow to the solenoid coil associated with that particular driver circuit, but such energy can likewise be utilized to recharge any plurality of the other high voltage supplies associated with the other driver circuits, even while the solenoid coils of such driver circuits are being powered by their respective high voltage supply.