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US4274040A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Solenoid torquer system

Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corp
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Filing: 1979-10-29
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Granted: 1981-06-16
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Expires: 1999-10-29
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Abstract

Abstract A solenoid torquer system with flux rate feed-back. The system includes a torquer coil and an associated core, and a device adapted to drive a current through the coil having an amplitude proportional to the difference between a coil current command signal and the actual current in the coil. A flux rate servo loop includes a sensor coil coupled to the core to provide a signal representative of the flux rate in the core. This flux rate signal is compared with a flux rate command signal having a ternary width-modulated form. The resultant difference signal is used as the current command signal. The system network provides a precise flux level, or force.

Inventors

  • 👤 Leo Spiegel

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-29 16:40
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01C; G01C19/00; G01C19/02; G01C19/04; G01C19/30

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim 180 words
A solenoid torquer system including a torquer coil and associated core, said core having a B-H hysteresis characteristic including a first peak value +φ M .sbsb.1, a second peak value -φ M .sbsb.2, a first residue value -Δ 1 and a second residue value +Δ 2 , where φ M .sbsb.1, φ M .sbsb.2, Δ 1 and Δ 2 are greater than zero, Δ 1 is less than φ M .sbsb.1 and Δ 2 is less than φ M .sbsb.2, means for generating a coil current signal representative of the current in said coil, means for generating a coil drive signal proportional to the difference between an applied coil current command signal and said coil current signal, means for applying said coil drive signal to said coil, wherein the improvement comprises: means for generating a flux rate signal representative of the rate of change of flux in said coil, and means for generating said coil current command signal, said coil current command signal being proportional to the difference between said flux rate signal and an applied flux rate command signal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 180 words
A solenoid torquer system including a torquer coil and associated core, said core having a B-H hysteresis characteristic including a first peak value +φ M .sbsb.1, a second peak value -φ M .sbsb.2, a first residue value -Δ 1 and a second residue value +Δ 2 , where φ M .sbsb.1, φ M .sbsb.2, Δ 1 and Δ 2 are greater than zero, Δ 1 is less than φ M .sbsb.1 and Δ 2 is less than φ M .sbsb.2, means for generating a coil current signal representative of the current in said coil, means for generating a coil drive signal proportional to the difference between an applied coil current command signal and said coil current signal, means for applying said coil drive signal to said coil, wherein the improvement comprises: means for generating a flux rate signal representative of the rate of change of flux in said coil, and means for generating said coil current command signal, said coil current command signal being proportional to the difference between said flux rate signal and an applied flux rate command signal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 29 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 1 wherein -Δ 1 and Δ 2 correspond to the residual flux in said core when the magnetic field H equals zero.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 159 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 1 or 2 further comprising: means for generating said flux rate command signal, said flux rate command signal generating means including: means for generating a plurality of sequences of four pulses, each sequence including: a first pulse having a time integral porportional to the sum φ M .sbsb.1 +Δ 1 , a second pulse having a time integral proportional to the difference φ M .sbsb.1 -Δ 2 , wherein the polarity of said second pulse is opposite to the polarity of said first pulse, a third pulse having a time integral proportional to the sum φ M .sbsb.2 +Δ 2 , wherein the polarity of said third pulse is opposite to the polarity of said first pulse, and a fourth pulse having a time integral proportional to the difference φ M .sbsb.2 -Δ 1 , wherein the polarity of said fourth pulse is the same as the polarity of said first pulse.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 16 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 3 wherein said four pulses have substantially constant amplitude.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 4 wherein said four pulses are characterized by relatively short rise and fall times.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 77 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 5 wherein said flux rate command signal generating means comprises: pulse means responsive to a clock signal having a period T, said pulse means including means for generating said first, second, third, and fourth pulses whereby the durations of said pulses are n 1 T, n 2 T, n 3 T and n 4 T, respectively, where n 1 , n 2 , n 3 and n 4 are integers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 6 wherein said flux rate command signal is a ternary signal and the interpulse periods are integer multiples of T.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 35 words
A solenoid torquer according to claim 7 wherein the interpulse periods between said first and second pulses and between said third and fourth pulses are selectively controlled in response to an applied torquing rate signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 77 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 3 wherein said flux rate command signal generating means comprises: pulse means responsive to a clock signal having a period T, said pulse means including means for generating said first, second, third, and fourth pulses whereby the durations of said pulses are n 1 T, n 2 T, n 3 T and n 4 T, respectively, where n 1 , n 2 , n 3 and n 4 are integers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 27 words
A solenoid torquer system according to claim 9 wherein said flux rate command signal is a ternary signal and the interpulse periods are integer multiples of T.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 35 words
A solenoid torquer according to claim 10 wherein the interpulse periods between said first and second pulses and between said third and fourth pulses are selectively controlled in response to an applied torquing rate signal.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3378743A Cited
US3997975A Cited
US3735226A Cited
US3868565A Cited
US4053818A Cited
US4152632A Cited
US4182979A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1984-06-15 1984-12-15 1985-06-16 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1988-06-15 1988-12-15 1989-06-16 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1992-06-15 1992-12-15 1993-06-16 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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