A method of controlling a proportional solenoid valve whose valve opening degree is controlled by excitation of a proportional solenoid includes: generating a driving current (id) that excites a proportional solenoid (28); reversing a polarity of the driving current (id) at a cycle faster than movement of a valve body (18); and controlling the valve opening degree by a current level of the driving current (id). As a result, an alternating magnetic field is generated in the proportional solenoid so that a desired valve opening degree is obtained by the driving current level while obviating the influence of the residual magnetism.

A method of controlling a proportional solenoid valve whose valve opening degree is controlled by excitation of a proportional solenoid includes: generating a driving current (id) that excites a proportional solenoid (28); reversing a polarity of the driving current (id) at a cycle faster than movement of a valve body (18); and controlling the valve opening degree by a current level of the driving current (id). As a result, an alternating magnetic field is generated in the proportional solenoid so that a desired valve opening degree is obtained by the driving current level while obviating the influence of the residual magnetism.

An inductive driver circuit with improved speed of clamping down a powered solenoid element, which solenoid exhibits inductive properties, for purposes of rapid shut down of the solenoid.

An inductive driver circuit with improved speed of clamping down a powered solenoid element, which solenoid exhibits inductive properties, for purposes of rapid shut down of the solenoid.

An actuator includes a movable body having a magnet, a support body having a coil, and a power feeding board with which two lead-out wires extended from a winding part of the coil are connected. The coil includes a first air core coil and a second air core coil. The first air core coil has a first winding part, a first inner side lead-out wire, and a first outer side lead-out wire. The second air core coil has a second winding part whose winding direction is the same as the first winding part and which is overlapped with the first winding part, a second inner side lead-out wire which is extended from the second winding part and whose tip end portion is electrically connected with a tip end portion of the first inner side lead-out wire, and a second outer side lead-out wire extended from the second winding part.

An actuator includes a movable body having a magnet, a support body having a coil, and a power feeding board with which two lead-out wires extended from a winding part of the coil are connected. The coil includes a first air core coil and a second air core coil. The first air core coil has a first winding part, a first inner side lead-out wire, and a first outer side lead-out wire. The second air core coil has a second winding part whose winding direction is the same as the first winding part and which is overlapped with the first winding part, a second inner side lead-out wire which is extended from the second winding part and whose tip end portion is electrically connected with a tip end portion of the first inner side lead-out wire, and a second outer side lead-out wire extended from the second winding part.

An actuator device for bidirectional adjustment of an adjusting body constructed for interaction with an adjustment partner and preferably realized as a tappet (14), having first adjustment means (10), which have expansion means having a magnetically effective shape-memory alloy material (12) and exerting an adjustment force, particularly a pushing force, on the adjusting body for moving the same along a first adjustment direction, which carry out an expansion generating the adjustment force as a reaction to a first energizing of first coil means (16), and second adjustment means (20; 20′, 34) assigned to the adjusting body and provided separately from the expansion means and the first coil unit, which are constructed for moving the adjusting body in a second adjustment direction opposite to the first adjustment direction, characterized in that the second adjustment means have an electromagnetically or electromotively driven actuator and therefore for moving the adjusting body in the second adjustment direction construct a drive, which can be activated as a reaction to signal loading, particularly a second electrical energizing.

An actuator device for bidirectional adjustment of an adjusting body constructed for interaction with an adjustment partner and preferably realized as a tappet (14), having first adjustment means (10), which have expansion means having a magnetically effective shape-memory alloy material (12) and exerting an adjustment force, particularly a pushing force, on the adjusting body for moving the same along a first adjustment direction, which carry out an expansion generating the adjustment force as a reaction to a first energizing of first coil means (16), and second adjustment means (20; 20′, 34) assigned to the adjusting body and provided separately from the expansion means and the first coil unit, which are constructed for moving the adjusting body in a second adjustment direction opposite to the first adjustment direction, characterized in that the second adjustment means have an electromagnetically or electromotively driven actuator and therefore for moving the adjusting body in the second adjustment direction construct a drive, which can be activated as a reaction to signal loading, particularly a second electrical energizing.

A latch system includes a releasably secured latch or keeper and a solenoid assembly. The solenoid assembly has a solenoid driver coupled to a power supply, a switching circuit connected with the solenoid driver, and a function generator to selectively adjust a frequency of a pick current output from the power supply and provided to the solenoid driver. The frequency is adjusted until the pick current induces a resulting vibration of said latch system sufficient to free a preloaded latch or keeper. The adjusted frequency may be a target frequency or a range of frequencies. Also included may be a preload sensor. When a preload is sensed, the frequency may be adjusted by the function generator until the pick current induces a resulting vibration of said latch system sufficient to free a preloaded latch or keeper.

A method of providing diagnostic information for an electromagnetic latch assembly (122) includes providing a pulse to a circuit (200) that include one or more electromagnetic latch assemblies. The circuit (200) includes coils (199) of the electromagnetic latch assemblies. Each coil is inductively coupled with an armature (131) that is mechanically coupled to a latch pin (118). The circuit (200) is pulsed and a DC current in the circuit (200) that results from the pulse is measured over a first interval to determine a primary response. The current in the circuit (200) over a second interval is measured to determine a reference response. A second pulse may be used to generate the current for the reference response. The primary response and the reference response are compared to provide diagnostic information relating to position or movement of one or more of the latch pins (118).