Actuator Zero Point Initialization via Optical Marker Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional actuator initialization methods using mechanical stops limit the range of motion, fail to differentiate between initialization and jamming, and complicate the removal and replacement of actuator packages, leading to reliability concerns and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
An actuator with a detent structure that provides resistance to rotation without stopping, allowing for full 360° rotation and enabling differentiation between initialization and jamming, and allowing for removal and replacement without disassembling the entire system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a mechanical stop is used to initialize the actuator, then the actuator can be positioned at a specific location, but the range of motion is limited and cannot exceed 360° rotation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical stop system with an optical detection system. A marker is placed on the actuator shaft, and an optical sensor detects the marker's position to determine initialization. This substitution allows full 360° rotation while maintaining precise position detection, as the optical sensor can identify the marker anywhere in the rotational cycle without physical blocking.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a marker as an intermediary element between the actuator shaft and the detection system. This marker serves as a visual reference that can be detected optically, allowing the system to identify position without requiring direct mechanical contact or physical stops that would limit rotation.
2Measurement precision
If a mechanical stop is used to initialize the actuator, then the actuator can be positioned at a specific location, but the system cannot differentiate between initialization stop and physical jamming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system where the optical sensor continuously monitors the marker position and provides information to the controller. The controller analyzes this feedback to distinguish between normal initialization (marker detected at expected position) and abnormal jamming (marker not detected or detected at unexpected position), enabling reliable fault differentiation.
Solution Approach 2:
By replacing the mechanical stop with an optical detection system, the patent eliminates the ambiguity between mechanical stop contact and jamming. The optical sensor detects the marker's position independently of mechanical forces, allowing the controller to identify whether the actuator is properly initialized or genuinely jammed based on position information rather than force feedback.
3Measurement precision
If a hardware-based indication is incorporated on interface parts to determine orientation, then the position can be verified, but the fabrication cost increases and universality is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex hardware-based indication features with a simple optical marker and sensor system. The marker can be a simple visual element printed or attached to the shaft, eliminating the need for precision-machined interface features. This substitution significantly reduces fabrication costs while maintaining orientation verification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical marker and sensor system provides a universal solution that can be applied to various actuator types and configurations without requiring custom interface features for each application. The same basic principle works across different shaft sizes and mounting arrangements, enhancing universality and reducing the need for application-specific modifications.
4Measurement precision
If the entire valve assembly is removed to visually verify valve element position, then the position can be confirmed, but the procedure becomes expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the need for physical visual inspection with an optical detection system that observes the marker through the existing transparent or translucent valve body. This substitution allows position verification without disassembly, eliminating the time-consuming removal and reassembly process while maintaining accurate position confirmation.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical marker serves as an intermediary that makes internal valve element position visible from the outside. By placing the marker on the valve stem or related component, the system translates internal position information into an externally observable signal, eliminating the need to open the system for verification.
Data Source
AI summary
The actuator has a shaft having a starting resistance portion, and a low resistance portion. The actuator has a motor configured to rotate the shaft, the motor outputting a current feedback signal to indicate current exiting the motor. The actuator has a interference portion disposed on a fixed member adjacent the shaft, the interference portion configured to facilitate a resistance to shaft rotation when the shaft rotates, the resistance to shaft rotation causing a magnitude of the current signal to be greater when the starting resistance portion passes in front of the interference portion than when the low resistance portion passes in front of the interference portion.