Patent · US Expired

Solenoid driver control circuit with initial boost voltage

US4729056A · kind A · utility

87Cited by
7References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1986
Grant dateMar 1, 1988
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01F7/1844
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An improved solenoid driver control circuit is disclosed in which solenoid current is sensed and provided as an input to a comparator means comprising two separate comparators (24, 25). The comparator means receives a solenoid current sense signal (45) and maximum and minimum reference threshold levels which determine maximum and minimum current limits (I.sub.max, I.sub.min ; H.sub.max, H.sub.min) for solenoid current during initial pull-in excitation and subsequent hold excitation. Pull-in time (T.sub.1) is defined by a monostable multivibrator (33) reacting to a control pulse (41) to produce a predetermined pull-in time pulse (43) such that the pull-in time is independent of sensed solenoid current. During pull-in time a boost driver switch (53) applies high boost voltage to a power source terminal (16) which supplies solenoid current, and in response to achieving the maximum pull-in current limit (I.sub.max) lower battery voltage is provided at the power source terminal. If the maximum pull-in current limit does not occur within a predetermined time (t.sub.b1) after pull-in initiation (at t.sub.0), then the lower battery voltage is applied to the power source terminal at that ti…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.