High Performance Transducer
Systems and methods for a high performance transducer are disclosed. For example, one described transducer includes: a pressure locking chamber with at least one orifice; a two-state solenoid configured to be controlled by a control circuit and a capacitor, the two-state solenoid comprising a solenoid housing; and a permanent magnet assembly configured to be actuated by the two-state solenoid to move between an open and a closed position, the permanent magnet assembly comprising a stopper configured to seal the at least one orifice in the closed position.
1 . An electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism comprising:
a pressure locking chamber with at least one orifice;
a two-state solenoid configured to be controlled by a control circuit and a capacitor, the two-state solenoid comprising a solenoid housing; and
a permanent magnet assembly configured to be actuated by the two-state solenoid to move between an open and a closed position, the permanent magnet assembly comprising a stopper configured to seal the at least one orifice when in a closed position.
2 . The electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism of claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is configured to detect when a control signal falls below a predetermined level.
3 . The electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism of claim 2 , wherein when the control signal falls below a predetermined level, the control circuit is configured to direct a pulse from the capacitor to the two-state solenoid to move the permanent magnet assembly to the closed position.
4 . The electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism according to claim 3 , wherein the permanent magnet assembly is configured to maintain a closed position due to a magnetic force of the permanent magnet on the solenoid housing, until the two-state solenoid applies an electromagnetic force to the permanent magnet assembly.
5 . The electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism of claim 3 , wherein the control circuit is configured to direct a pulse from the capacitor to the two-state solenoid to move the permanent magnet assembly to an open position, upon the control signal returning to above the predetermined level.
6 . The electro-pneumatic pressure locking mechanism according to claim 5 , wherein the permanent magnet assembly maintains the open position due to a magnetic force of the permanent magnet on the solenoid housing, until the two-state solenoid applies an electromagnetic force to the permanent magnet assembly.
7 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 2 , wherein the predetermined level is 4 mA.
8 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 1 , wherein the capacitor comprises a battery.
9 . An electro-pneumatic transducer for controlling gas pressure comprising:
a volume booster chamber comprising an orifice nozzle and a volume booster assembly configured to control output pressure;
a two-state solenoid configured to actuate a permanent magnet assembly to move between an open and a closed position, the permanent magnet assembly comprising a stopper configured to seal the orifice nozzle when in the closed position, the two-state solenoid comprising a solenoid housing; and
a control circuit configured to receive a control signal and configured to actuate the volume booster assembly based in part on the control signal.
10 . The electro-pneumatic transducer of claim 9 , wherein the control circuit is configured to detect when the control signal falls below a predetermined level.
11 . The electro-pneumatic transducer of claim 10 , further comprising a capacitor, and wherein the control circuit is configured to direct a pulse from the capacitor to the two-state solenoid to move the permanent magnet assembly to the closed position when the control signal falls below a predetermined level.
12 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 11 , wherein the permanent magnet assembly is configured to maintain the closed position due to a magnetic force of the permanent magnet on the solenoid housing until the two-state solenoid applies an electromagnetic force to the permanent magnet assembly.
13 . The electro-pneumatic transducer of claim 11 , wherein upon the control signal returning to above the predetermined level, the control circuit is configured to direct a pulse from the capacitor to the two-state solenoid to move the permanent magnet assembly to the open position.
14 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 13 , wherein the permanent magnet assembly maintains the open position due to a magnetic force of the permanent magnet on the solenoid housing, until the two-state solenoid applies an electromagnetic force to the permanent magnet assembly.
15 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 10 , wherein the predetermined level is 4 mA.
16 . The electro-pneumatic transducer according to claim 10 , further comprising, an orifice nozzle body and a valve housing interconnected therebetween by the orifice nozzle.
17 . A method for controlling an electro-pneumatic transducer having a nozzle body and a valve housing interconnected by a nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:
detecting whether a control signal is below a predetermined level; and
when the control signal is below the predetermined level, triggering a capacitor to send a pulse to a two-state solenoid configured to actuate a permanent magnet assembly configured to move between an open and a closed position, the permanent magnet assembly comprising a stopper configured to seal at least one orifice of a pressure locking chamber when in the closed position.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising maintaining the permanent magnet assembly in the closed position until the control signal rises above the predetermined level.
19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising determining whether the control signal has risen above the predetermined level, and when the control signal rises above the predetermined level, triggering the capacitor to send a pulse to the two-state solenoid to move the magnetic assembly to the open position and unseal the at least one orifice of the pressure locking chamber.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising maintaining the permanent magnet assembly in the open position until the control signal falls below the predetermined level.