IP Library Granted Patent US 11,566,805
Granted Patent B2
US 11,566,805 · App. 15/901,852 · Granted Jan 31, 2023

Integrated smart actuator and valve device applications

Inventors: Kirk H. Drees (Cedarburg, WI); Herbert J. Doll (Whitefish Bay, WI); Gerald A. Duenkel (Grafton, WI); Marcello Passoni (Vimercate, IT); Abu Bakr Khan (Franklin, WI); Kevin A. Weiss (Gurnee, IL); Christopher Merkl (Milwaukee, WI); Gary A. Romanowich (Slinger, WI); Joseph F. Mann (Plymouth, MI); Hunter Hobgood (Plymouth, MI); Dinesh Trikha (Shorewood, WI); Rick A. Van Buren (Fort Worth, TX); Nicholas P. Prato (Milwaukee, WI)
Assignee: Johnson Controls Tyco IP Holdings LLP
F24F11/38F24F11/49F24F11/58F24F11/64F24F11/65F24F11/70F24F11/84G05B15/02F24F2110/10F24F2140/00G05B2219/2642
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,566,805
App. No.
15/901,852
Granted
Jan 31, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated device in an HVAC system is configured to modify an environmental condition of a building. The integrated device includes a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit and an actuator. The actuator includes a motor and a drive device. The drive device is driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions. The integrated device further includes a processing circuit coupled to the motor. The processing circuit is configured to detect device identifying information for the valve or the actuator and to detect the integrated device location within the building.

Claims (54)

1. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:

a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;

an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and

a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:

determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,

in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, perform a device recognition process to detect device identifying information for at least one of the valve or the actuator, the detected device identifying information comprising a location of the device and a property of the valve or the actuator, and

operate the motor based at least in part on the location and the property of the valve or the actuator.

2. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the location to an external device.

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the external device is at least one of a supervisory controller and a mobile device.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a flow requirement.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a stroke length.

7. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device identifying information comprises a performance profile.

8. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:

a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;

an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and

a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:

determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,

in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, determine a location of the device and detect at least one of a stroke length or a performance profile for at least one of the valve or the actuator, and

operate the device based on the location and at least one of the detected stroke length or detected performance profile.

9. A device in an HVAC system configured to modify an environmental condition of a building, the device comprising:

a valve configured to regulate a flow of a fluid through a conduit;

an actuator comprising a motor and a drive device, the drive device driven by the motor and coupled to the valve for driving the valve between multiple positions; and

a processing circuit coupled to the motor and configured to:

determine that the valve is coupled to the actuator,

in response to the determination that the valve is coupled to the actuator, determine a location of the device and detect a physical characteristic of the valve, and

operate the device based on the location and the detected physical characteristic.

10. The device of claim 1 , further comprising a chassis or housing;

wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

12. The device of claim 11 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and

wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:

receive at least one received end stop location; and

transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

14. The device of claim 8 , further comprising a chassis or housing;

wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and

wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

17. The device of claim 16 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:

receive at least one received end stop location; and

transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

18. The device of claim 9 , further comprising a chassis or housing;

wherein the valve, the actuator, and the processing circuit are located within the chassis or housing.

19. The device of claim 9 , wherein the processing circuit is further configured to determine at least one end stop location of the actuator.

20. The device of claim 19 , further comprising a communications mechanism coupled to the processing circuit;

wherein the processing circuit is further configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to the communications mechanism; and

wherein the communications mechanism is configured to transmit the at least one end stop location to an external controller.

21. The device of claim 20 , wherein the communications mechanism is further configured to:

receive at least one received end stop location; and

transmit the at least one received end stop location to the processing circuit.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 18, 2024
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
To: TYCO FIRE & SECURITY GMBH
Reel/Frame 066957/0796 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Feb 4, 2022
From: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TYCO IP HOLDINGS LLP
Reel/Frame 058959/0764 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 19, 2020
From: DREES, KIRK H.; DOLL, HERBERT J.; DUENKEL, GERALD A.; PASSONI, MARCELLO; KHAN, ABU BAKR; WEISS, KEVIN A.; MERKL, CHRISTOPHER; ROMANOWICH, GARY A.; MANN, JOSEPH F.; HOBGOOD, HUNTER; TRIKHA, DINESH; VAN BUREN, RICK A.; PRATO, NICHOLAS P.
To: JOHNSON CONTROLS TECHNOLOGY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 052699/0461 →