Methods and systems are provided for a solenoid actuator. In one example, a method may include adjusting a switching frequency during an activation cycle of the solenoid actuator to a lower switching frequency relative to other phases of the activation cycle.

The invention relates to a method for determining a characteristic value of a magnetic switch valve. The magnetic switch valve can be switched from a closed switch state into an open switch state, via the movement of a rotor by means of a switching magnet applied with current against a conservative restoring force. According to the invention, during the switching of the switch valve from the open state into the closed state, the time course of the current flowing through the switching magnet and/or of the voltage at the switching magnet is measured. The characteristic value to be measured is evaluated from this time course. It was recognised that every movement of the rotor against the switching magnet induced a voltage in same. Now the voltage at the switching magnet is regulated at a constant value, for one, the voltage induced by the movement can be observed as a control deviation in the short term. For another, the induced voltage causes a current flow through the switching magnets. Based on this, the kinematics of the rotor can be deduced. Given that the switching magnet has an ohmic resistance, energy is also dissipated via the current flow. This energy is the key to determining the switching path covered by the rotor when switching between the closed and the open state. The invention also relates to a measuring device that is particularly suitable for the method.

A method for determining a position of a movable element of a linear actuator of a motor vehicle includes supplying a current to a coil of the linear actuator so as to move and/or hold the movable element by a magnetic field of the coil generated by the supplied current; modulating the current supplied to the coil with an electrical alternating variable having a predetermined frequency; determining an impedance or an admittance of the coil at the predetermined frequency by measuring a further variable at the predetermined frequency; and determining the position of the movable element as a function of the determined impedance or admittance.

A bistable electromagnetic actuator includes a housing extending along an exertion axis of the actuator, two excitation coils arranged inside the housing and having at least one winding around the exertion axis for generating a magnetic control flux, a core that can be moved along the exertion axis and immobilized in two end positions depending on the magnetic flux generated by the coils, an actuating member coupled to the core to form a movable assembly, and a manual control device comprising a drive shaft mounted such that it can rotate about a first axis orthogonal to the exertion axis.

The drive shaft has at least one tooth engaging with at least one first raised part translationally connected to the actuating member such that rotation of the drive shaft generates translational movement of the movable assembly.

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).

An actuator assembly with a sensor system that is less sensitive to run-out out of moving parts. The sensing system includes a magnet holding plate, a pressure plate, a sensor target and a sensor assembly. The magnet holding plate includes an aperture defining an inner surface, an outer surface, a raised portion along the inner surface, a biasing member positioned along the inner surface in the raised portion, and a flange positioned on the outer surface. The pressure plate includes an outer surface of the pressure plate is positioned underneath the raised portion of the magnet holding plate, axially between the raised portion and the biasing member. The sensor target is attached to the flange of the magnet holding plate. The sensor assembly includes a sensor and a sensor housing positioned radially outward from the pressure plate and magnet holding plate.

A controller of an electromagnetically driven reciprocating pump influences velocity of the magnetic armature by switching voltage applied to the electromagnet depending on the position of the magnetic armature, its position determined from state variables of the electromagnet. A processor calculates electrical resistance of the magnetic coil from the voltage and current measured by the measuring device, and calculates the temporal change of the linked magnetic flux in the electromagnet from the electrical voltage, the current and the resistance of the magnetic coil, and calculates the linked magnetic flux in the electromagnet from an earlier magnetic flux and from the temporal change, and determines the position of the magnetic armature from the linked magnetic flux in the electromagnet and the electrical current through the magnetic coil, and switches the voltage at the magnetic coil by the switching device depending on the position of the magnetic armature.

A method for controlling a magnetic valve and particularly a method for dispensing and/or aspirating a volume of liquid as well as a corresponding dispenser/pipetting apparatus is disclosed. The method for controlling a magnetic valve has measuring a capacitance at the magnetic valve and determining a position of a plunger based on the measured capacitance. The method for dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid has controlling a flow of a system fluid by a magnetic valve located between a pressure source and a dispenser/pipetting tip, dispensing or aspirating a volume of liquid through an exterior opening of the tip dependent on the flow of the system fluid, wherein controlling the flow and determining a flow time in dependence of the volume of liquid to be dispensed or aspirated, and controlling the magnetic valve is held open for the duration of the flow time.

A method for operating an electromagnetic actuator (10) with an actuating pin (9) is proposed which comprises the following steps: —determining a pin actuation actual dead time (t11), during which the magnetic armature (15) is substantially immobile while a magnetic coil (12) is supplied with current, wherein the actual dead time ends with the current break-in at the magnetic coil, as a result of counter induction of the magnetic armature overcoming the magnetic force threshold; —determining, before a subsequent pin actuation, the starting time of the magnetic coil current supply, wherein the starting point of the current is advanced compared with that of the target movement start of the pin out of the actuator housing (13) and the determined actual dead time.

A bistable electromagnetic actuator device, a permanent magnet means (12; 12a, 12b), as well as an armature unit (18) with an elongate plunger unit (10) extending along a moving direction, wherein said armature unit can be moved into at least one of two end and/or stop positions that are stable in the deenergized state by means of stationary electromagnetic driving means (22), wherein stationary magnetic field detector means (34; 34a, 34b) are assigned to a housing (20), which at least sectionally encloses the armature unit, for the contactless interaction with the permanent magnet means in at least one of the end or stop positions provided for the armature position detection, wherein the plunger unit features a terminal contact and/or engagement section (28) for interacting with an actuating partner in a contacting and non-positive fashion such that a non-positive contact and/or actuation by the actuating partner causes a motion of the armature unit into one of the end or stop positions, in which the armature unit remains in a stable fashion in the deenergized state, when the electromagnetic driving means are deactivated, and wherein the magnetic field detector means are arranged and wired for generating and outputting a detector signal corresponding to this end or stop position.