IP Library Granted Patent US 7,207,177
Granted Patent B2
US 7,207,177 · App. 10/901,000 · Granted Apr 24, 2007

Position control device for an electrical-fluid power drive and a method of positioning

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,207,177
App. No.
10/901,000
Granted
Apr 24, 2007
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method and a position control device for an electrical-fluid power drive comprising a fluid power and an electrical actuator for driving a force output point. The invention contemplates the following steps: of derivation of a target overall drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator jointly, for a positioning movement of the force output point to a positioning location able to be predetermined for the position control device, derivation of a target fluid drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator, and derivation of a target electrical drive force to be provided by the electrical actuator, on the basis of the target overall drive force in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided for the fractions of the target overall drive force which are more dynamic than the target fluid power drive force and for operation of the fluid power actuator in accordance with the target drive force and of the electrical actuator in accordance with the target electrical drive. The splitting of the force is preferably implemented by a high pass and a low pass.

Claims (30)

1. A position control device for an electrical-fluid power drive comprising a force output point, and a fluid power actuator together with an electrical actuator for driving the force output point wherein said device is designed to derive the target overall drive force values of a target overall drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator jointly, for a positioning movement of the force output point to a positioning location able to be predetermined for the position control device, to derive target fluid drive force values of a target fluid power drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator, and to derive target electrical drive force values of a target electrical drive force to be provided by the electrical actuator, the target fluid drive force values and the target electrical drive force values being derived on the basis of the target overall drive force values in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided during those portions of the target overall drive force comprising a higher rate of change or frequency of change than those portions of the target overall drive force during which the target fluid power drive force is provided, wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

2. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the position control device is so designed for deriving the fluid drive force values and the electrical drive force values that the electrical actuator during an initial phase of an acceleration phase of the force output point produces a larger drive force than the fluid power actuator.

3. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the position control device is so designed for deriving the target fluid drive force values and the target electrical drive force values that during an acceleration phase of the force output point the fluid power actuator produces a generally larger drive force fraction than the electrical actuator.

4. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

5. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the position control device derives the target fluid drive force values essentially on the basis of fractions of the target overall drive force values with a lesser change rate or change frequency and derives the target electrical drive force values essentially on the basis of fractions of the target overall drive force values at a high change rate or change frequency.

6. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , comprising a high pass for the derivation of the target electrical drive force values and/or a low pass for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and/or a frequency responsive switch.

7. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , comprising for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values it is so designed that the fluid power actuator in a time averaged manner produces a larger drive force fraction for the positioning of the force output point than the electrical actuator.

8. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the target fluid drive force values constitute input values for pressure regulating means or pressure control means for fluid power control of the fluid power actuator and/or the target electrical drive force values constitute input values for current regulating means or current control means for electrical control of the electrical actuator.

9. The position control device as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the current regulating means or the current control means are designed for error compensation as regards control deviations caused by the pressure regulating means or by the pressure control means.

10. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , having an adjustable and more especially frequency-dependent force splitting factor for splitting the target overall drive force values between the target fluid drive force values and the target electrical drive force values.

11. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator are provided for simultaneous motion of the force output point to the position location.

12. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , comprising position regulating means, more especially for deriving the target overall drive force values.

13. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein for precision positioning of the force output point it essentially operates the electrical actuator.

14. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , wherein to cover the case of an electrical actuator being inactive or not being present, it is designed for operation of the fluid power actuator only and vice versa.

15. The position control device as set forth in claim 1 , having processor executable program code.

16. A position control device for an electrical-fluid power drive comprising a force output point, and a fluid power actuator together with an electrical actuator for driving the force output point wherein said device is designed to derive the target overall drive force values of a target overall drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator jointly, for a positioning movement of the force output point to a positioning location able to be predetermined for the position control device, to derive target fluid drive force values of a target fluid power drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator, and to derive target electrical drive force values of a target electrical drive force to be provided by the electrical actuator, the target fluid drive force values, and the target electrical drive force values being derived on the basis of the target overall drive force values in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided during those portions of the target overall drive force comprising a higher rate of change or frequency of change than those portions of the target overall drive force during which the target fluid power drive force is provided, wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

17. An electrical-fluid power drive comprising a fluid power actuator together with an electrical actuator for driving an force output point and further comprising a position control device for the electrical-fluid power drive and the fluid power actuator wherein said device is designed to derive the target overall drive force values of a target overall drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator jointly, for a positioning movement of the force output point to a positioning location able to be predetermined for the position control device, to derive target fluid drive force values of a target fluid power drive force, to be provided by the fluid power actuator, and to derive target electrical drive force values of a target electrical drive force to be provided by the electrical actuator, the target fluid drive force values and the target electrical drive force values being derived on the basis of the target overall drive force values in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided during those portions of the target overall drive force comprising a higher rate of change or frequency of change than those portions of the target overall drive force during which the target fluid power drive force is provided, wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

18. The electrical-fluid power drive as set forth in claim 17 , wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

19. The electrical-fluid power drive as set forth in claim 17 , comprising pressure sensors and/or position detecting means and/or fluid power switching valve and/or proportional valves.

20. The electrical-fluid power drive as set forth in claim 17 , wherein the electrical actuator and the fluid power actuator constitute an integrated drive unit.

21. The electrical-fluid power drive as set forth in claim 17 , wherein the electrical actuator and the fluid power actuator are coupled linear drives and/or rotary drives.

22. The electrical-fluid power drive as set forth in claim 17 , having a modular design.

23. A method for position control for an electrical-fluid power drive comprising a force output point, and a fluid power actuator together with an electrical actuator for driving the force output point, comprising the steps of:

deriving an overall target overall drive force to be produced by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator for a positioning movement of the force output point toward a position location predetermined for the position control device;

deriving a target fluid drive force to be produced by the fluid power actuator and a target electrical drive force to be produced by the electrical actuator on the basis of the target overall drive force in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided during those portions of the target overall drive force comprising a higher rate of change or frequency of change than those portions of the target overall drive force during which the target fluid drive force is provided; and

operating the fluid power actuator in accordance with the target fluid drive force and the electrical actuator in accordance with the target electrical drive force, wherein the position control device is designed for the derivation of the target fluid drive force values and of the target electrical drive force values in a fashion dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values.

24. A method for position control for an electrical-fluid power drive comprising a force output point, and a fluid power actuator together with an electrical actuator for driving the force output point, comprising the steps of:

deriving an overall target overall drive force to be produced by the fluid power actuator and the electrical actuator for a positioning movement of the force output point toward a position location predetermined for the position control device;

deriving a target fluid drive force to be produced by the fluid power actuator and a target electrical drive force to be produced by the electrical actuator on the basis of the target overall drive force in such a manner that the target electrical drive force is provided during those portions of the target overall drive force comprising a higher rate of change or frequency of change than those portions of the target overall drive force during which the target fluid drive force is provided, wherein the target fluid drive force values and the target electrical drive force values are dependent on the change rate or change frequency of the target overall drive force values; and

operating the fluid power actuator in accordance with the target fluid drive force and the electrical actuator in accordance with the target electrical drive force.

Assignments (3)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 24, 2008
From: FESTO AG & CO
To: FESTO AG & CO. KG
Reel/Frame 021281/0460 →
CORRECTIVE RECORDED AT 016030, FRAME 319 OF RECEIVNG PARTY. Recorded Oct 25, 2005
From: NEUMANN, RUDIGER DR.; HARTMANN, ARMIN
To: FESTO AG & CO
Reel/Frame 016939/0502 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 4, 2004
From: NEUMANN, RUDIGER; HARTMANN, ARMIN
To: FESTO AG & CO
Reel/Frame 016030/0319 →