The invention relates to an actuator for operating a movable screen or a movable object for closure, shading or solar protection of a building. The invention also relates to method for estimating a duration for which such an actuator is not powered.
Actuators used for operating elements for closure, shading or solar protection of a building are often powered via the AC electrical energy mains. In certain configurations, it turns out to be very beneficial to measure the time during which the actuator is not powered. Specifically, one or more brief periods of non-powering of the actuator may be used to send the latter a command of a particular type.
These periods of non-powering relate to durations that are in general much longer than those used in modes of control by interrupting a portion of alternation of the alternating power supply, or even of a few alternations as described, for example, in application FR 2 844 625.
The durations of non-powering making it possible to send a command of a particular type are of the order of a second or several seconds.
Application FR 2 761 183, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses the use of a double cutout of the power supply to the actuator so as to cause the internal memories of the actuator to be reset to zero and/or so as to place the actuator in a learning mode.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,159, the content of which is herein incorporated by reference, discloses a device for operating a closure element. The device comprises a control box furnished with two buttons making it possible respectively to displace a movable element in a first direction and in a second direction. To place this device in a configuration mode, it is necessary to actuate one or other of the buttons at least twice within a predefined time span that is less than a duration of actuation allowing the control of the movement of the movable element. Thus, when one wishes to displace the movable element, it is necessary to actuate the control button for a duration greater than that of the predefined time span.
In the various cases, it is advisable to make certain that the control pulses follow one another within a brief interval of time. Now, on account of the disappearance of the voltage of the AC mains at the moment of cutout, this measure is not taken. For example, the device which is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 6,078,159 measures the duration of the control pulses but not the interval of time which separates them.
Without any means making it possible to measure the time during which the power supply has been interrupted, an obvious degradation of safety results. Specifically, the microcontroller will not have the means of distinguishing an intentional brief cutout, having a predetermined duration and repeated for example twice for confirmation, from an accidental cutout of very brief duration or, on the contrary, of very long duration.
The aim of the invention is to provide an actuator making it possible to remedy these drawbacks. In particular, the actuator according to the invention has a very simple and economical structure allowing the determination of a duration for which the actuator is not powered. The invention also proposes a method for estimating the duration for which the actuator is not powered, this method being implemented by such an actuator.
The invention includes at least two terminals for connecting the actuator to a voltage source, an electric motor, a control unit connected to means of powering the motor from the voltage source, the control unit comprising a voltage converter whose output powers a microcontroller driving the means for powering the motor.
The actuator according to the invention is one in which the control unit comprises a unit for monitoring the power-off time during which the actuator is not connected to the voltage source.
The method of estimation according to the invention is one which may comprise the following steps:
The figures represent, by way of examples, actuators according to the invention which allow the implementation of the method according to the invention.
The installation 1 represented in
However, certain installations are produced with no permanent link from the phases conductor AC-H to the actuator ACT, or even without this permanent phase terminal P0 existing on the actuator. In this case, the switches K11 and K12 are necessarily activated throughout the duration of the movement, so as to allow the actuator to be powered through one or other of these switches.
The “closed” states of the switches K11 and K12 are detected respectively by a first sensor CS1 and a second sensor CS2, consisting of current sensor devices, optocouplers or simple electronic arrangements allowing the transformation of a high AC voltages into a DC voltage of low enough value to be utilized in a logic manner, for example 5 volts. These sensors are preferably current sensors but it is equally possible to envisage potentiometric dividers with rectifying diode and filter capacitor.
The actuator comprises a control unit MCU comprising a microcontroller CPU, a supply converter PSU and a power-off time monitoring unit TCU which will be detailed hereinbelow and whose measurement output VCM is linked to a first input I1 of the microcontroller CPU.
The supply converter PSU makes it possible to deliver a DC voltage between two output lines VCC and GND. As is customary, the potential of the ground line GND is referenced to 0 and that of the positive line VCC then equals +Vcc, for example +5 volts. This DC potential is applied to various circuits of the control unit MCU so as to power them.
The input of the supply converter PSU is able to be linked to the phase conductor AC-H by way of three wires, which are connected to the permanent phase terminal P, to the first phase terminal UP and to the second phase terminal DN.
Although situated downstream in
The signals from the sensors CS1 and CS2 are applied to a second input I2 and to a third input I3 of the microcontroller CPU and determine, according to their origin, whether the command applied is a command for operating in the first direction or in the second direction or else whether it results from a combination of presses on the switches K11 and K12 which should be interpreted as a special command.
In the case of an installation communicating remotely with a command transmitter, the commands may also be received by a radio receiver RFR and transmitted to the microcontroller by a serial line RFC applied to a fourth input I4 of the microcontroller CPU.
The microcontroller CPU comprises a first output O1 and a second output O2 that are linked to a power-off time monitoring unit TCU. It also comprises a third output O3 and a fourth output O4 that are linked to a switching unit RLU via a first switching input RL1 and a second switching input RL2.
As a function of the commands received, the microcontroller CPU activates the third output O3 or the fourth output O4 in such a way as to actuate for example relays contained in the switching unit RLU. The relays are of electromagnetic type or of static type. The switching unit allows the connecting of the motor to the phase conductor AC-H, either directly via a link to the permanent phase terminal P0, or through the switch K1 by way of the first phase terminal UP or of the second phase terminal DN through the sensors CS1 or CS2 which entail a negligible voltage drop. Thus the potential of the conductor referenced UP′ may be regarded as the potential of the phase terminal UP, and the potential of the conductor referenced DN′ may be regarded as the potential of the phase terminal DN.
In the case of
A mechanical reduction gear, not represented, may be integrated into the kinematic chain between the electric motor and the movable object to be operated.
A position sensor, not represented, may be integrated into the moveable object and deliver a signal of position of the latter applied to a fifth input I5 of the microcontroller CPU, by a line POS.
The control unit MCU comprises a power-off time monitoring unit TCU powered between the positive line VCC and the ground line GND. It is connected to the first input I1, to the first output O1 and to the second output O2 of the microcontroller CPU.
A first embodiment of the power-off time monitoring unit TCU is represented in
Finally, a measurement output terminal VCM is connected to the common point between the first controlled switch and the monitoring capacitor C1. This terminal therefore allows a measurement of the voltage across the terminals of the capacitor, whether the latter is charged or is discharging.
The first input I1 of the microcontroller is an analog input of an analog digital converter, allowing the measurement of the voltage VC1 across the terminals of the monitoring capacitor. The first input I1 of a microcontroller may also be an analogue comparison input.
In a variant of this first embodiment, a second resistor R2 is also wired up in parallel with the monitoring capacitor C1 when a second controlled switch CT2 is closed. The control of this switch is effected via a second control terminal CT2, which is connected to the second output O2 of the microcontroller CPU.
A second embodiment of the power-off time monitoring unit TCU is represented in
As in the first embodiment, a variant provides for a second resistor R2 to be likewise wired up in parallel with the monitoring capacitor C1 when a second controlled switch CT2 is closed.
It is noted that the position of the controlled switches is indicative. For example, the controlled switch CT1 may equally well be interposed between the grouping comprising the resistor R1 and the capacitor C1, on the one hand, and the ground GND, on the other hand, rather than between this grouping and the positive line VCC. One of the controlled switches CT1 or CT2, or both, may be included in the microcontroller. For example, if the second output O2 of the microcontroller is an open collector or open drain type with ground link, then the controlled switch CT2 becomes unnecessary and it suffices to establish between the resistor R2 and the second control terminal CC2 the connection represented by the dashed line DL.
In a third embodiment of the power-off time monitoring unit, represented in
The timer circuit TMR is used here neither in a timer, or monostable, mode nor in an oscillator, or astable mode.
This circuit is powered, through a diode D2, between terminals GND and VDD under a voltage +Vdd, which is equal to +Vcc when the line VCC is powered.
This circuit comprises a triggering input TRIG which is compared, internally, with a calibrated voltage REF1, equal to a third of the supply voltage: REF1=+Vdd/3. This circuit also comprises a threshold input THR which is compared, internally, with a calibrated voltage REF2, equal to two thirds of its supply voltage: REF2=+2Vdd/3.
A third input RES for resetting the circuit TMR to zero is normally placed at the potential +Vdd through a protective resistive R3 and a diode D2. When this input is brought to the low state, the output Q of a flip-flop integrated with the timer circuit TMR enters the low state. The diodes D1 and D2 serve to prevent any reverse current due to the specific behavior of the inputs or outputs of certain integrated circuits when the latter are no longer powered.
The voltage +Vdd is equal to the voltage +Vcc when there is no interruption to the voltage of the AC mains. The voltage VIN is taken as the complement of the voltage VC1 (VIN=Vcc−VC1), hence VIN increases from 0 to +Vcc when the monitoring capacitor C1 discharges through the resistor R1.
A first mode of execution of the method of estimating the duration for which the actuator is not powered is described with reference to
In a first step 80, the power supply to the actuator is detected by the presence of the voltage +Vcc on the line VCC powering the supply terminal of the microcontroller CPU. Thus, after a period of inactivity during which the actuator was no longer powered, the appearance of the voltage +Vcc wakes up the microcontroller CPU.
In a second step 81, the voltage VC1 across the terminals of the monitoring capacitor C1 is measured. It is not essential in the course of the voltage measuring step 81 to carry out a complete measurement of the voltage across the terminals of the monitoring capacitor: instead, it suffices to gather an information regarding this measurement, for example by comparison with a predetermined voltage threshold.
In a third step 82, an indication regarding the duration for which the actuator was no longer powered is deduced from the above voltage value, which duration preceded the step 80 of detecting the presence of voltage on the positive line VCC.
During step 82, the duration TOFF of cutout of the power supply is therefore deduced from the information gathered during the voltage measurement step 81. Once again, it is not necessarily a matter of accurately determining the value of the duration TOFF. A single predetermined value TMIN constituting a lower bound to the duration TOFF or a single predetermined value TMAX constituting an upper bound to the duration TOFF may suffice. Likewise, a fortiori, two predetermined values TMIN and TMAX bracketing the duration TOFF may suffice.
During a fourth step 83, the monitoring capacitor C1 is recharged, for example by closing the controlled switch C1. The switch is maintained in its state in such a way that the latter remains charged under a predetermined voltage as long as the actuator is powered. This fourth step could also come into play only when a signal heralding a cutout of the power supply is detected.
Under the assumption that a power-off time monitoring unit TCU such as that represented in
In
In
After a duration TOFF, the actuator is again powered and the voltage +Vcc is reestablished. The microcontroller is therefore woken up. It proceeds to implement the method, described above, which has been represented, with a very exaggerated delay, at the instant t52. Likewise, the comparator COMP is powered again and provides a valid indication on its output. At this instant the microcontroller reads the state of its first input I1 which is connected to the output of the comparator COMP. In the case of the embodiment of
At the instant t53, the microcontroller activates its first output O1, thereby rendering the switch CT1 conducting. The monitoring capacitor C1 then charges almost instantaneously under the voltage +Vcc, the resistance of the capacitor charging circuit being very low. The first output O1 of the microcontroller remains permanently activated, it is deactivated only by the disappearance of the voltage +Vcc on the line VCC, and hence by the shutting down of the microcontroller. However, provision may also be made for the microcontroller to be furnished with a device warning of a power cutout in the line AC-H and for it to allow the activation followed by the deactivation of its first output O1 when such a cutout occurs.
In the time charts of
The voltage +Vcc disappears at the instant t61 and reappears after the duration TOFF. Immediately afterwards, at the instant t62, the microcontroller reads: either directly the voltage VC1 across the terminals of the capacitor C1, or the state of the output of the comparator COMP. In the first case, it deduces the value of the duration TOFF directly therefrom and it can proceed to the next step of the method. In the second case, the microcontroller deduces that the duration TOFF is less than the duration T1, but without knowing its value.
In
The duration T1 may have been prerecorded or may still be measured directly in a learning cycle during which the microcontroller itself brings about the discharging of the monitoring capacitor C1 by opening the controlled switch CT1.
A drawback of this procedure resides in its duration of execution: the shorter the duration TOFF that the cutout has had, the longer is the wait to quantify it.
At an instant t72, the microcontroller is woken up by the appearance of a supply voltage for the actuator and it then reads the state of its first input I1 and can therefore determine that the duration TOFF is less than the duration T1. It thus activates its second output O2, thereby rendering the switch CT2 conducting and accelerating the discharging of the monitoring capacitor C1. The microcontroller measures the time elapsed TM2 until overstepping of the threshold VT1, at an instant t73.
The knowledge of the duration TM2 and its comparison with a value TM2MAX prerecorded or determined in a learning cycle makes it possible to determine whether the duration of the cutout TOFF was greater than a value TMIN such that TM2=TM2MAX if TOFF=TMIN.
Taking T1=TMAX, the value of the duration TOFF is therefore bracketed between two values TMIN and TMAX.
A variant which is simple for the person skilled in the art to implement also consists in using two comparison thresholds and hence a first comparator COMP1 and a second comparator COMP2 as replacement for the comparator COMP, on condition that it is possible to read, with the microcontroller, the state of each comparator.
A first threshold VT1 is chosen, for example equal to +Vcc/3 while a second threshold VT2 is chosen for example equal to +2Vcc/3. To these two thresholds there correspond the durations TMAX and TMIN, and it suffices for the second comparator COMP2 to be activated while the first is still not to deduce that the duration TOFF lies between the durations TMIN and TMAX. Such a method may be implemented by an actuator comprising a control unit MCU furnished with a power-off time monitoring unit TCU such as that described in
If a voltage VIN measured on the circuit for charging the capacitor C1 between the ground and the capacitor C1 is applied simultaneously to both inputs TRIG and THR of the circuit TMR described above, the output Q of the circuit TMR is in the high state while the voltage VIN lies between 0 and +2Vdd/3 and then the output Q passes to the low state when the voltage VIN becomes greater than 2Vdd/3, the voltage increasing from 0 to +Vdd.
Conversely when the voltage VIN decreases from +Vdd to 0, the output Q is in the low state while the voltage VIN lies between +Vdd and +Vdd/3, and then passes to the high state when the voltage VIN passes below +Vdd/3.
Another method of determining the duration TOFF for which the actuator comprising the circuit of
In a step 800, the power supplied to the actuator is detected by the presence of the voltage +Vcc on the line VCC powering the power supply terminal of the microcontroller CPU.
In a step 810, the microcontroller reads the state of its first input I1.
In a step 820, the microcontroller determines the duration TOFF. In a first test substep 821, we determine whether the input I1 is in the high state. If it is not, we go to a substep 822 in which it is determined that the cutout duration TOFF is greater than TMAX. Specifically, if the output Q of the circuit TMR is in the low state while the voltage VIN in is increasing, then the voltage VIN is greater than +2Vcc/3, hence the voltage VC1 is less than +Vcc/3. If the result of substep 821 is positive, there is indeterminacy. To remove this indeterminacy, during a substep 823 the second output O2 of the microcontroller is briefly activated, this having the effect of briefly causing the input RES of the timer circuit TMR to pass to the low state. The output Q of the internal flip-flop RS therefore passes to the low state during the activation of this reset-to-zero signal. The internal flip-flop RS retains this state if the voltage VIN lies between the two threshold values, on the other hand it reverts immediately to the high state if the voltage VIN is less than the first threshold +Vcc/3.
Thus, during a substep 824, a new reading of the first input I1 is carried out and its state is tested in a substep 825. Should it be a high state, then we go to a substep 827 in which the cutout duration TOFF is identified to be less than the duration TMIN. Otherwise, we go to a substep 828 in which the cutout duration TOFF is identified to lie between the durations TMIN and TMAX.
In all cases, we then go to a step 830 in which the first output O1 of the microcontroller is activated, this having the effect of allowing the charging of the monitoring capacitor C1.
The installation 1′, represented in
This difference necessitates the replacement of the switching unit by a power unit PWU which rectifies the AC voltage of the AC mains and connects the motor MDC according to a first polarity or a second polarity so as to operate the equipment in a first direction or in a second direction. The detailed structure of such a power unit PWU is known to the person skilled in the art.
Specific embodiments of a actuator for operating a rolling shutter according to the present invention have been described for the purpose of illustrating the manner in which the invention may be made and used. It should be understood that implementation of other variations and modifications of the invention and its various aspects will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and that the invention is not limited by the specific embodiments described. It is therefore contemplated to cover by the present invention any and all modifications, variations, or equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the basic underlying principles disclosed and claimed herein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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04 04449 | Apr 2004 | FR | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5760558 | Popat | Jun 1998 | A |
6078159 | Valente et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
6384558 | Yoshida et al. | May 2002 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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0 867 848 | Sep 1998 | EP |
0 921 507 | Jun 1999 | EP |
2 761 183 | Sep 1998 | FR |
2 844 625 | Mar 2004 | FR |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20050237692 A1 | Oct 2005 | US |