Systems and methods for a bi-stable valve are provided. The bi-stable valve may comprise a housing including an input port, a first output port, and a second output port, a spool disposed within the housing and configured to translate in response to a first magnetic force, wherein the spool is further configured to selectively enable fluid communication between the input port and each of the first output port and the second output port in response to translating the spool between a first position and a second position, a spring disposed within the housing and coupled to the spool, an electromagnet coupled to the housing and configured to apply the first magnetic force to the spool, and a permanent magnet configured to apply a second magnetic force to the spool.

A haptic engine includes a gap-closing actuator having a double-wound driving coil in which the two windings can be activated with two driving sources, respectively. Or, the two windings double-wound driving coil can be activated with a single driving source when the two windings are connected with each other either in series or in parallel. By using the double-wound driving coil in the gap-closing actuator as described, an instant inductance of either of the two windings can be determined without having to measure in real time a resistance of the corresponding winding.

A magnetic device comprising at least one stator (1) and one actuator (2), wherein the stator (1) and the actuator (2) respectively comprise at least one magnet with pole ends and a line of action of the magnet, and the actuator (2) can be moved linearly along a movement axis (3) and/or rotatably about a movement axis in a movement direction (4), wherein a stator line of action (15) of the stator (1) or a stator extension line (16) of the stator line of action (15), which stator extension line (16) extends as a geometric ray away from the pole end of the stator (1) as geometric tangent to the stator line of action (5), and an actuator line of action (25) of the translator (2) or an actuator extension line (26) of the translator line of action (25), which translator extension line (26) extends as a geometric ray away from the pole end of the translator (2) as geometric tangent to the translator line of action (25), respectively have intersection points (10), and the stator line of action (15), possibly the stator extension line (16), the translator line of action (25), and possibly the translator extension line (26) form a closed geometric shape so that the magnetic flux between the stator (1) and the translator (2) is bundled, wherein lines of action (5) and extension lines (6) extend through the magnetic device in an intersecting plane (11) comprising the movement axis (3).

A fluid dispensing device and method for controlling the device are provided. The device includes a housing defining a fluid outlet. A valve controls the flow of fluid to the outlet. A sensor is configured to detect an object outside of and proximate to the housing. A solenoid is configured to move the valve between an open position and a closed position. A controller is configured to receive the output signal of the sensor, determine a characteristic of noise in the output signal such as a level of noise; adjust at least one of a sampling rate of the output signal and an amount of filtering of the output signal responsive to the characteristic of noise in the output signal, and transmit a control signal to the solenoid responsive to the output signal.

A method of controlling a solenoid valve having a solenoid coil and a poppet includes energizing a first node to a first voltage, and coupling the first node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal having a frequency and a duty cycle configured to regulate a current conducted through the solenoid coil to below an opening threshold. The method further includes energizing a second node to a second voltage with energy stored in the solenoid coil, and coupling the second node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using a DC signal configured to increase the current to above the opening threshold. The method further includes coupling the first node to the solenoid coil and energizing the solenoid coil using the PWM signal having a frequency and duty cycle configured to regulate the current to above a closing threshold.

A method for actuating a valve with an electromagnetic valve drive through which electric current is conducted to open or close the valve or to hold the valve in an open or closed position includes receiving an opening signal, determining an adapted opening signal which is adapted to physical limits of the valve or valve drive, and determining a feed-forward signal for feed-forward control of an electric current to drive the electromagnetic valve drive to open the valve in reaction to the adapted opening signal. The method further includes calculating an actuation signal for actuating the valve drive using the feed-forward signal, and outputting the actuation signal.

Disclosed is a valve assembly for a fire suppression system, the valve assembly having: a valve armature having a top portion and a bottom portion spaced from the top portion along a longitudinal axis, the bottom portion including an armature cavity that includes a cavity inlet for receiving fluid and a cavity outlet proximate a bottom portion of the cavity for delivering fluid, a plunger slidable along the longitudinal axis within the armature cavity, between a closed state and an open state, wherein: in the closed state the plunger is at a predetermined bottom position in the armature cavity proximate the cavity outlet for fluidly sealing the cavity outlet; and in the open state the plunger is in a predetermined top position in the cavity distal the cavity outlet, and a monitoring system operatively connected to the valve armature, the monitoring system acoustically sensing whether the plunger is longitudinally misaligned.

A fluid dispensing device and method for controlling the device are provided. The device includes a housing defining a fluid outlet. A valve controls the flow of fluid to the outlet. A sensor is configured to detect an object outside of and proximate to the housing. A solenoid is configured to move the valve between an open position and a closed position. A controller is configured to receive the output signal of the sensor, determine a characteristic of noise in the output signal such as a level of noise; adjust at least one of a sampling rate of the output signal and an amount of filtering of the output signal responsive to the characteristic of noise in the output signal, and transmit a control signal to the solenoid responsive to the output signal.

In a control unit of an electromagnetic valve system, a safety circuit includes a first switch and a second switch for switching, by control from a control circuit supply and shutdown of power from a drive power supply to an electromagnetic valve drive circuit. A common line extends to a plurality of electromagnetic valve units and is connected to one end of a plurality of solenoids. A plurality of power lines are connected to the other end of each of the plurality of solenoids. The electromagnetic valve drive circuit includes a plurality of open/close switches for switching, by control from the control circuit, supply and shutdown of power to the plurality of solenoids.

A method for closing an actuator in a magnetically actuated switch assembly, where the actuator includes an armature and a winding, and the switch assembly includes a manual actuation device coupled to one end of the armature and a movable terminal in a vacuum interrupter coupled to an opposite end of the armature. The method includes commencing a closing operation of the actuator using the manual actuation device to move the armature towards a closed latch position, detecting that the actuator is being manually closed, and energizing the winding to assist moving the armature to the closed latch position when the armature gets to a predetermined distance from the closed latch position.