ACTUATING DRIVE AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ACTUATING DRIVE

Abstract

An actuating drive (1) for actuating an actuator of a valve, with a motor drive unit (2) for the motorized actuation of the actuator and a manual drive element (3) for the manual actuation of the actuator, wherein an output shaft (13) of the actuating drive (1), which is displaced or can be displaced into an operative connection with the actuator, can be optionally actuated using the motor drive unit (2) or using the manual drive element (3). The actuating drive (1) includes at least one sensor (4, 8, 9, 10, 11), using which a rotational movement of the manual drive element (3) around a rotary axis (5) is detectable, in particular one that has been performed during the motor drive mode.

Claims

1. An actuating drive (1), comprising: an output shaft (13) for actuating a valve, a motor drive unit (2) and a manual drive element (3), wherein the output shaft (13) is optionally actuatable using the motor drive unit (2) or the manual drive element (3), and at least one sensor (4) configured to detect a rotational movement of the manual drive element (3) around a rotary axis (5).

2. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor (4) or an other sensor is configured to detect an axial movement (15) of the manual drive element (3) along a longitudinal axis (16) of the manual drive element (3), or the at least one sensor (4) is configured to detect movements in three spatial axes, or the at least one sensor (4) is configured to detect the axial movement (15) of the manual drive element (3) and to detect movements in three spatial axes.

3. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor (4) comprises a respective sensor configured to detect movement in each spatial axis

4. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising an operative connection established between the at least one sensor (4), the other sensor (4), or the at least one sensor and the other sensor and at least one detection element (6) formed on or connected to the manual drive element (3), and the at least one detection element (6) is arranged on an at least one of non-magnetic or non-magnetizable manual drive shaft (7) of the manual drive element (3).

5. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 4, wherein the operative connection is selected from at least one of an inductive, optical or magnetic operative connection, and during a movement of the manual drive element (3), the at least one detection element (6) is moved along therewith.

6. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or the other sensor (4) is respectively set up to carry out a measurement type or a combination of a plurality of measurement types selected from the group including at least one of magnetic, optical, or inductive measurement, and at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or the other sensor (4) comprises at least one of a magnetic Hall sensor, phase-shifted reflex photoelectric sensors (9), phase-shifted forked photoelectric sensors (10),or inductive sensor (11).

7. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or the other sensor (4) is coupled to a computer processing unit (12) wherein, by actuating the manual drive element (3), a command is generated to control the motor drive unit (2) by the computer processing unit (12).

8. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a coupling device (14) arranged between the manual drive element (3) and an output shaft (13) of the actuating drive (1), and a rotational movement of the manual drive element (3) is only detectable by the at least one sensor (4) in the case of a decoupled manual drive element (3) or by a command generated from the at least one sensor (4).

9. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein an axial movement of the manual drive element (3) detected by at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or the other sensor (4) is interpreted by a computer processing unit (12) as a confirmation command for a command that has been input or selected by a rotational movement, or the actuating drive (1) comprises another input unit, and a confirmation command for a command that has been input or selected by a rotational movement is generated due to actuation of the input unit.

10. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the manual drive element (3) comprises at least one magnet (17) as a detection element (6) or is connected to at least one magnet (17), and a magnetic operative connection is establishable or is established between the at least one magnet (17) and at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or the other sensor (4), via which a movement of the manual drive element (3) is detectable, and the at least one magnet (17) comprises at least one of a ring magnet (18) or as a rod magnet (19).

11. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the manual drive element (3) comprises at least one reflector (20) as a detection element (6) or is connected to at least one reflector (20) via which an optical operative connection which comprises a photoelectric sensor is establishable or established to a respective sensor (4).

12. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the manual drive element (7) comprises at least one perforated disk (21) as a detection element (6) having a plurality of openings (22) arranged on a circular path, and a light beam generated by at least one light source (23) is guidable or guided through the openings (22) to at least one receiver (24) to form an optical operative connection.

13. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the manual drive element (3) comprises at least one conductor loop (25) as a detection element (6), and an inductive operative connection is formed between the sensor (4) and the conductor loop (25).

14. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a gearbox (26) arranged between the output shaft (13) of the actuating drive (1) and the manual drive element (3), and at least one of the at least one sensor (4) or at least one detection element (6) is arranged between the gearbox (26) and the manual drive element (7).

15. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a snap-in locking device (28), by which a movement of the manual drive element (3) is detectable in a haptic manner, the snap-in locking device (28) comprises spring-loaded pressure elements (29), and the manual drive element (3) comprises a hand wheel.

16. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a housing (27), the at least one sensor (4) is arranged within the housing (27) or the manual drive element (3) is arranged outside of the housing (27), or the at least one sensor (4) is arranged within the housing (27) and the manual drive element (3) is arranged outside of the housing (27).

17. The actuating drive (1) as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in a decoupled state of the manual drive element (3), at least one detection element (6) is in a detection region of the at least one sensor (4), and in this state, an operative connection is established between the at least one sensor (4) and the detection element (6) and, in a coupled state of the manual drive element (3), the at least one detection element (6) is outside of the detection region of the sensor (4), eliminating the operative connection between the at least one sensor (4) and the detection element (6).

18 . A method for the operation of the actuating drive (1) for actuating a valve, the method comprising: detecting a rotational movement of a manual drive element (3) using a sensor (4), carrying out a command based on the sensor (4), and the manual drive element (3) transmitting an actuating force to at least one of an output shaft (13) or the valve.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein no power transmission from the manual drive element (3) to the output shaft (13) of the actuating drive (1) is possible during the input of the command, or no input of a command is possible during the power transmission from the manual drive element (3) to the output shaft (13) of the actuating drive (1), or both.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the manual drive element (3) for the actuating drive (1) is decouplable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] In the following, a plurality of exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail based on the figures. However, the invention is not limited to these exemplary embodiments. Other exemplary embodiments result from the combination of the features of individual or a plurality of claims among each other and/or with individual or a plurality of features of the exemplary embodiments.

[0042] As very schematic illustrations in part, the figures show:

[0043] FIG. 1 a front view of a possible exemplary embodiment of an actuating drive with a magnetic 3D Hall sensor for detecting a rotational movement of a manual drive shaft of a manual drive element, wherein the manual drive element is decoupled, however, in respect thereof, an operative connection exists between the sensor and the detection element, wherein the detection element is designed as a rod magnet,

[0044] FIG. 1A the manual drive element from FIG. 1, wherein the detection element here is designed as a ring magnet,

[0045] FIG. 2 a front view of a possible embodiment of an inductive sensor and of the related detection element designed as a spiral-shaped conductor loop, which is arranged on the manual drive shaft of the manual drive element,

[0046] FIG. 3A a front view of a possible embodiment of an optical sensor and of the related detection element, which is designed as a circular perforated disk with a multitude of openings arranged at regular intervals on a circular path and is arranged on the manual drive shaft of the manual drive element,

[0047] FIG. 3B a lateral view of the optical sensor and of the related detection element from FIG. 3A,

[0048] FIG. 4A a front view of another possible embodiment of an optical sensor and the related detection elements, which are respectively designed as reflectors and are arranged at regular intervals on a circular disk arranged on the manual drive shaft,

[0049] FIG. 5 a front view of a possible embodiment of a magnetic sensor, which is designed as a 3D Hall sensor, and of the related detection element, which is designed as a ring magnet and is arranged on the manual drive shaft, and

[0050] FIG. 6 a front view of another possible embodiment of a magnetic sensor, which is designed as a 3D Hall sensor, and of the related detection element, which is designed as a rod magnet and is arranged on the manual drive shaft.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0051] In FIG. 1, an actuating drive for actuating a valve, identified as a whole with 1, is shown. By use of the actuating drive 1, a valve can be moved between an open and a closure position.

[0052] The actuating drive 1 additionally comprises a motor drive unit 2, by which a motorized adjustment of an actuator of the valve can be carried out. In addition, an operative connection must be established between the actuating drive 1 and the actuator of the valve. The motor drive unit 2 can, for example, be designed as an electric motor. The actuating drive furthermore comprises a manual drive element 3, which can be alternatively used for actuating the valve instead of the motor drive unit 2.

[0053] Furthermore. the actuating drive 1 comprises at least one sensor 4, with which a rotational movement of the manual drive element is detectable. The manual drive element 3 comprises a manual drive shaft 7, which is connected to a detection element 6, and/or on which manual drive shaft 7 a detection element 6 is arranged.

[0054] In addition to the previously mentioned rotational movement of the manual drive element 3, by the sensor 4 and/or by another sensor 4, a movement of the manual drive element 3 in the axial direction 15 along a longitudinal axis 16 of the manual drive element 3 and/or the manual drive shaft 7 can be detected. Consequently, by the sensor 4 and/or by the other sensor 4, movements in all three spatial axes (X, Y, Z) are detectable.

[0055] However, it can also be provided that, for every spatial axis, a sensor is respectively associated for detecting a movement. It can also be provided that a sensor 4 is provided for detecting the rotational movement and another sensor 4 is provided for detecting the axial movement.

[0056] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 1A, 5 and 6, the previously mentioned detection element 6 is respectively designed as a magnet 17 and the sensor 4 is designed as a magnetic 3D Hall sensor 8. By this embodiment of the sensor 4 as a magnetic 3D Hall sensor 8, it is possible to detect movements in all three spatial axes by a single sensor 4.

[0057] In addition or as an alternative to the embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 1, 1A, 5 and 6, the actuating drive 1 can also comprise other sensor types, such as at least one optical sensor 9, 10 (cf. FIGS. 3A, 3B, 4A and 4B) and/or an inductive sensor 11 (cf. FIG. 2), for example. The examples of these other sensor types from FIGS. 2 to 6 are described in the following more precisely. However, the invention is not limited to these sensor types.

[0058] However, in general, it can be said that an operative connection is set up between the sensor 4 and the detection element 6 respectively. This operative connection can thus relate to a magnetic, optical and/or inductive operative connection. By the established operative connection, movements of the manual drive element can be detected by the respective sensor 4 and be interpreted into a command by a computer processing unit 12.

[0059] In the case of a movement of the manual drive element 3, the at least one detection element 6 is moved along with the manual drive shaft 7. In the case of using a magnetic sensor 4, it is expedient if the manual drive shaft 7 is made of a non-magnetic and/or non-magnetizable material so that no interference in the detection of the movements by the sensor 4, 8 results.

[0060] A user can therefore input commands, for example for controlling the motor drive unit 2, and/or input parameters by actuating the manual drive element 3. An acknowledgement or confirmation of the input commands can thereby then take place by a predefined movement, preferably by an axial movement 15, of the manual drive element 3. Thereby, it can also be provided that the actuating drive 1 comprises a display unit, by which an input field and/or a selection menu is/are displayable, which can be operated via the manual drive element 3 and/or into which values can be thus input.

[0061] The magnet 17 can, as is shown in FIG. 5, be designed as a ring magnet 18 and/or, as is shown in FIG. 6, be designed as a rod magnet 19. Preferably, the magnet 17 is a permanent magnet.

[0062] The actuating drive 1 comprises a coupling device 14, which is arranged between an output shaft 13 of the actuating drive 1 and the manual drive shaft 7. The coupling device 14 can, for example, be designed in a mechanical manner. A possible embodiment of a coupling device 14 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A. Here, it is a positive-locking coupling device 14 with a spur wheel 30, which spur wheel 30 is connected to the manual drive shaft 7 and has an operative connection to a crown wheel 31 in the coupled state, wherein the crown wheel 31 is connected to a motor shaft 32. The motor shaft 32 can be driven by the motor drive unit 2. Via the gearbox 26, power transmission from the motor shaft 32 to the output shaft 13 can take place. By actuating the manual drive element 3 in the coupled state of the coupling device 14, it is therefore possible to perform a torque and/or power transmission from the manual drive element 3 to the output shaft 13. The output shaft 13 can furthermore be driven by the motor drive unit 2 in the decoupled state (cf. FIG. 1). In this case however, no operative connection between the spur wheel 30 and the crown wheel 31 exists, and so the manual drive element 3 cannot be driven along therewith via the motor drive unit 2 during motor operation. The output shaft 13 of the actuating drive 1 can be brought into an operative connection with the valve, in particular with an actuator of the valve or is in such an operative connection with the valve so that the valve, in particular the actuator of the valve, can be adjusted between an open and a closure position by the actuating drive 1.

[0063] It can therefore generally be said that, in a decoupled state of the manual drive element 3, the at least one detection element 6 is arranged within a detection region of the sensor 4 so that, in this state, the operative connection between the sensor 4 and the detection element 6 is established. In contrast to this, in a coupled state of the manual drive element 3, the at least one detection element 6 is arranged outside of the detection region of the sensor 4 so that, in this state, the operative connection between the sensor 4 and the detection element 6 has been eliminated.

[0064] A gearbox 26 is arranged between the output shaft 13 and the manual drive shaft 7. A power transmission from the motor drive unit 2 and/or from the manual drive element 3 to the output shaft 13 is possible by the gearbox 26. Therefore, a user can adjust the valve more simply due to the gearbox 26 via a lower level of force exertion than without using a gearbox 26 by the manual drive unit.

[0065] The actuating drive 1 additionally comprises a housing 27, in which the motor drive unit 2, the sensor 4, the gearbox 26, at least partially the output shaft 13, the coupling device 14, as well as at least partially the manual drive shaft 7 are housed. The housing 27 comprises only one opening due to an input element in order to guide the manual drive shaft 7 towards the outside. Therefore, the manual drive element 3 is arranged outside of the housing 27. This makes it possible to seal the housing 27 in a relatively simple and effective way since the smallest possible number of openings provided for this can be implemented with respect to the input elements in comparison to previously known actuating drives with keypads or the like.

[0066] In FIG. 1A, the manual drive shaft 7 is shown in a coupled state so that a force and/or torque transmission from the manual drive element 3 to the output shaft 13 is possible. The manual drive element 3 can be adjusted between a coupled position and a decoupled position of the coupling device 14 by an axial movement 15 of the manual drive element 3 along the longitudinal axis 16. Since the detection element 6 is adjusted together with the manual drive shaft relative to the sensor 4, 8 in the axial direction 15, in the coupled state of the manual drive element 3, the operative connection between the sensor 4 and the detection element 6 is eliminated. In this position, detection of the rotational movement of the manual drive element is no longer possible by the sensor 4. It can therefore generally be said that the detection element 6 is adjustable in its position relative to the sensor 4.

[0067] In FIG. 2, an inductive sensor 4 with a related detection element 6 designed as a conductor loop 25 is shown. The detection element 6 can be designed here as a level spiral, for example.

[0068] In FIGS. 3A and 3B, an optical sensor 4 is shown, which is designed as a forked photoelectric sensor 10. For this purpose, the stationary sensor 4 comprises a light source 23 and a receiver 24. The light source 23 and the receiver 24 are separated from each other by a detection element 6 designed as a perforated disk 21. The perforated disk 21 comprises a plurality of openings designed as holes 22, by which a photoelectric sensor can be formed between the light source 23 and the receiver 24. In the case of a rotational movement of the manual drive element 3, therefore, the perforated disk 21 arranged on the manual drive shaft 7 is rotated along therewith, which is made possible for a phased design of a photoelectric sensor by the openings 22 arranged on a circular path at regular intervals to one another. The embodiment in FIGS. 3A and 3B therefore comprises two sensors 4 that are phase-shifted with respect to one another in order to be able to detect the rotational movement of the manual drive element 3 more precisely. Therefore, it can be provided that the design of a photoelectric sensor is only possible by one of the two sensors 4 respectively since an angle between the individual openings 22 of the perforated disk 21 is not equal to an angle between the two sensors 4 of the embodiment in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0069] In FIGS. 4A and 4B, another possible embodiment of an optical sensor 4 is shown, wherein, here, two phase-shifted sensors 4 that are however designed as reflex photoelectric sensors 9 in this case, are also provided. This embodiment comprises a plurality of detection elements 6 designed as reflectors 20, which are arranged in a circumferential manner on a shell surface of a base body, in particular a cylinder, at regular intervals to one another.

[0070] In order to make a haptic detection of a rotational movement performed by a user on the manual drive element 3 possible for said user, the actuating drive comprises a snap-in locking device 28 with a plurality of pressure elements 29 that yield to pressure. By this snap-in locking device 28, a plurality of snap-in positions can be defined. In order to be able to move the manual drive element 3 out of a snap-in position, a level of force higher than a sum of the lock-in forces generated by the pressure elements 29 must thus be exerted. Thereby, the pressure elements 29 can be spring-loaded. Furthermore, they can be designed as balls and/or cylinders and/or cones, for example. The pressure elements 29 can furthermore be arranged on a circular path at regular intervals to one another, wherein the distance between two snap-in positions can be defined by a distance between two adjacent pressure elements.

[0071] Due to the actuating drive 1, the possibility is thus created to not use a manual drive element 3 alone for manually adjusting a valve, but to also additionally set up the manual drive element 3 as an operating element to control the actuating drive 1. In this way, it is possible to transfer a function, which is usually taken on by keypads, key elements or such input elements, to a previously existing component of an actuating drive 1.

[0072] Thereby, it particularly favorable if the generation of a command by a manual drive element 3 is only possible in a decoupled position of the coupling device 14, wherein, thereby, the manual drive element 3 and/or the computer processing unit 12 transfers into an operating mode. That means that the manual drive element 3 in its coupled state is preferably only set up for transmitting a force or a torque to the output shaft 13. A situation can thus be prevented in which commands are input by a user unintentionally while the manual drive element 3 is in the coupled state, i.e. in a drive mode.

[0073] The invention relates to an actuating drive 1 for actuating an actuator of a valve, with a motor drive unit 2 for the motorized actuation of the actuator and a manual drive element 3 for manual actuation of the actuator, wherein an output shaft 13 of the actuating drive 1, which is displaced or can be displaced into an operative connection with the actuator, can be optionally actuated using the motor drive unit 2 or using the manual drive element 3, and wherein the actuating drive 1 comprises at least one sensor 4, using which a rotational movement of the manual drive element 3 around a rotary axis 5 is detectable, in particular one that has been performed during the motor drive mode.

REFERENCE LIST

[0074] 1 actuating drive

[0075] 2 motor drive unit

[0076] 3 manual drive element

[0077] 4 sensor

[0078] 5 rotary axis

[0079] 6 detection element

[0080] 7 manual drive shaft

[0081] 8 magnetic 3D Hall sensor

[0082] 9 reflex photoelectric sensor (optical sensor)

[0083] 10 forked photoelectric sensor (optical sensor)

[0084] 11 inductive sensor

[0085] 12 computer processing unit

[0086] 13 output shaft

[0087] 14 coupling device

[0088] 15 axial movement

[0089] 16 longitudinal axis

[0090] 17 magnet

[0091] 18 ring magnet

[0092] 19 rod magnet

[0093] 20 reflector

[0094] 21 perforated disk

[0095] 22 hole/opening

[0096] 23 light source

[0097] 24 receiver

[0098] 25 conductor loop

[0099] 26 gearbox

[0100] 27 housing

[0101] 28 snap-in locking device

[0102] 29 pressure element

[0103] 30 spur wheel

[0104] 31 crown wheel

[0105] 32 motor shaft