Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
229 words
An apparatus for controlling and positioning a fluid actuator including left- and right-hand actuating chambers, said apparatus being characterized by control valve means for selectively supplying pressurized fluid to the left- and right-hand actuating chambers of said actuator and for selectively opening the left- and right-hand actuating chambers to atmosphere, a means for sensing a present position of said actuator and for generating a signal indicative of said present position, a means for setting a target position of said actuator, a control means for receiving said signals indicative of the present position of said actuator and said target position of said actuator and effective to provide an initial high-speed driving force to said actuator by supplying one of said actuating chambers with a source of pressurized fluid while opening the other actuating chamber and to provide a low-speed driving force to said actuator by applying the source of pressurized fluid to said actuator while partially closing the other actuating chamber near the target position, said partial closing of the other actuating chamber being accomplished by intermittently closing said other actuating chamber for variable time periods, the intermittent closing of the other actuating chamber being pulse width modulated and the variable time period (t) is calculated by the formula: Δt=β.sub.1 -(β.sub.2 -|V.sub.n |) wherein β 1 and β 2 are constants and V n is the velocity of the actuator.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
229 words
An apparatus for controlling and positioning a fluid actuator including left- and right-hand actuating chambers, said apparatus being characterized by control valve means for selectively supplying pressurized fluid to the left- and right-hand actuating chambers of said actuator and for selectively opening the left- and right-hand actuating chambers to atmosphere, a means for sensing a present position of said actuator and for generating a signal indicative of said present position, a means for setting a target position of said actuator, a control means for receiving said signals indicative of the present position of said actuator and said target position of said actuator and effective to provide an initial high-speed driving force to said actuator by supplying one of said actuating chambers with a source of pressurized fluid while opening the other actuating chamber and to provide a low-speed driving force to said actuator by applying the source of pressurized fluid to said actuator while partially closing the other actuating chamber near the target position, said partial closing of the other actuating chamber being accomplished by intermittently closing said other actuating chamber for variable time periods, the intermittent closing of the other actuating chamber being pulse width modulated and the variable time period (t) is calculated by the formula: Δt=β.sub.1 -(β.sub.2 -|V.sub.n |) wherein β 1 and β 2 are constants and V n is the velocity of the actuator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
91 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a means for setting a low-speed range occurring when the present position is with ±θ 1 of the target position θ a , wherein θ 1 is a predetermined displacement constant, a high-speed range occurring when the present position is outside of θ a +θ 1 adjacent the low-speed period, a sampling time and constants β 1 , β 2 and β 3 and a means for determining the velocity of the actuator in accordance with the formula as follows: V.sub.n =(θ.sub.n -θ.sub.n-1)/ΔT
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a braking range occurring between θ a -θ 1 and θ p is provided between said high and low periods and said braking period is calculated by a formula as follows: θ.sub.p =θ.sub.A -θ.sub.L -β.sub.3 V.sub.n ·|V.sub.n | wherein θ A is a target position of said actuator and β 3 is constant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
148 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control valve means comprises a plurality of valve assemblies provided in control flow passage means, said valve assemblies being combined to provide ON/OFF control to control the flow rate in said control flow passage means, each of said valve assemblies comprising a valve seat having a valve opening communicating with said control passage means, a rod valve axially slidably supported with a tip thereof for opening and closing said valve opening of said valve seat, spring means biasing said valve in an axial direction, a movable iron piece engaged at one end of said rod valve and effected to move said rod valve against the biasing force of said spring means and solenoid means electrically energized to extract said movable iron piece, whereby the axial movement of said valve rod controls the valve opening of each of said valve assemblies.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
12 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein there are fourteen valve assemblies.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a distributor means for selecting ones of the valve of the assemblies to be operated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said spring means biases said rod valve such that said tip thereof is biased away from said valve opening of said valve seat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said spring means biases said valve rod in an axial direction such that said tip thereof is biased into engagement with said valve opening of said valve seat.