IP Library Granted Patent US 12,404,945
Granted Patent B2
US 12,404,945 · App. 18/126,175 · Granted Sep 2, 2025

Valve with configurable default position

Inventors: Zachary Fleischmann (Waterford, WI); Michael Kis (Sturtevant, WI)
Assignee: MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
F16K31/042F16K11/0853G05D7/0623F16K37/0041
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,404,945
App. No.
18/126,175
Granted
Sep 2, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A valve including a housing, a motor within the housing, and a pinout configuration with an electrical contact. The electrical contact is configured to receive and transmit signals. The valve also includes a motor controller that receives power at the valve, receives a control message, and characterizes the control message as a first type. In response to characterizing the control message as the first type, the motor controller controls the motor to set the valve to a first position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically closed and controls the motor to set the valve to a second position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically open.

Claims (68)

1. A valve comprising:

a housing;

a motor within the housing;

a pinout configuration with an electrical contact,

wherein the electrical contact is configured to receive and transmit signals; and

a motor controller configured to:

receive power at the valve;

receive a control message;

characterize the control message; and

in response to characterizing the control message as a first type:

control the motor to set the valve to a first position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically closed, and

control the motor to set the valve to a second position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically open.

2. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the second position is different than the first position.

3. The valve of claim 2 , wherein the valve includes a central component and when controlling the motor to set the valve to the second position, the motor controller is configured to:

control the motor to rotate the central component to the second position.

4. The valve of claim 3 , wherein when determining that the electrical contact is electrically open, the motor controller is configured to:

determine that the electrical contact is not electrically connected to an external connection.

5. The valve of claim 2 , wherein the motor controller is configured to:

control the motor to set an operating position of the valve in response to characterizing the control message as a second type,

wherein the operating position is based on the control message being the second type, and

wherein the operating position is at least one selected from the group consisting of the first position and a second position, the second position different from the first position.

6. The valve of claim 2 , wherein the motor controller is configured to:

control the motor to set an operating position of the valve in response to characterizing the control message as a second type,

wherein the operating position is based on the control message being the second type, and

wherein the operating position is at least one selected from the group consisting of the first position, a second position, and a third position, the second position different from the first position and the third position, and the third position different from the first position.

7. The valve of claim 1 , wherein the valve includes a central component and when controlling the motor to set the valve to the first position, the motor controller is configured to:

control the motor to rotate the central component to the first position.

8. The valve of claim 7 , wherein when determining that the electrical contact is electrically closed, the motor controller is configured to:

determine that the electrical contact is electrically connected to a ground connection.

9. A fluid system including the valve of claim 1 and including a pump.

10. A vehicle comprising a cooling system including the fluid system of claim 9 .

11. A method for controlling a position of the valve of claim 1 , the method comprising:

receiving power at the valve;

receiving the control message;

characterizing, via the motor controller, the control message as the first type; and

in response to characterizing the control message as the first type:

controlling, via the motor controller, the motor to set the valve to the first position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically closed, and

controlling, via the motor controller, the motor to set the valve to the second position in response to determining that the electrical contact is electrically open.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second position is different than the first position.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve includes a central component and controlling the motor to set the valve to the second position includes:

controlling the motor to rotate the central component to the second position.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining that the electrical contact is electrically open includes:

determining, via the motor controller, that the electrical contact is not electrically connected to an external connection.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein valve includes a central component and controlling the motor to set the valve to the first position includes:

controlling the motor to rotate the central component to the first position.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein determining that the electrical contact is electrically closed includes:

determining, via the motor controller, that the electrical contact is electrically connected to a ground connection.

17. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

controlling, via the motor controller, the motor to set an operating position of the valve in response to characterizing the control message as a second type,

wherein the operating position is based on the control message being the second type, and

wherein the operating position is at least one selected from the group consisting of the first position and the second position, the second position different from the first position.

18. The method of claim 11 , comprising:

controlling, via the motor controller, the motor to set an operating position of the valve in response to characterizing the control message as a second type,

wherein the operating position is based on the control message being the second type, and

wherein the operating position is at least one selected from the group consisting of the first position, the second position, and a third position, the second position different from the first position and the third position, and the third position different from the first position.

19. The valve of claim 1 , further comprising an electrical port positioned on the housing and configured to couple to an external device, the electrical port including the pinout configuration with the electrical contact.

20. A valve comprising:

a housing;

a motor within the housing;

a pinout configuration with an electrical pin,

wherein the electrical pin is configured to receive and transmit signals; and

a motor controller configured to:

receive power at the valve;

receive a control message;

characterize the control message; and

in response to characterizing the control message as a first type:

control the motor to set the valve to a first position in response to determining that the electrical pin is electrically connected to an external connection, and

control the motor to set the valve to a second position in response to determining that the electrical pin is not electrically connected to an external connection.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 10, 2025
From: MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 071659/0944 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 25, 2023
From: FLEISCHMANN, ZACHARY; MICHAEL KIS
To: MODINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Reel/Frame 063437/0151 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63323866 · Mar 25, 2022
Related Publication 20230304597A1 · Sep 28, 2023
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