US 12,146,580 B2
Actuator and method of operating the actuator
Marc Thuillard, Uetikon am See (CH); Stefan Mischler, Wald (CH); and Frank Lehnert, Rüti (CH)
Assigned to BELIMO HOLDING AG, Hinwil (CH)
Filed by BELIMO HOLDING AG, Hinwil (CH)
Filed on Apr. 20, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/852,705.
Application 16/852,705 is a continuation of application No. 15/749,550, granted, now 11,391,386, previously published as PCT/EP2016/071231, filed on Sep. 8, 2016.
Claims priority of application No. 1448/15 (CH), filed on Oct. 6, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0248828 A1, Aug. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. F16K 31/04 (2006.01); G05B 19/4062 (2006.01)
CPC F16K 31/046 (2013.01) [F16K 31/047 (2013.01); G05B 19/4062 (2013.01); G05B 2219/37632 (2013.01); G05B 2219/41049 (2013.01); G05B 2219/41213 (2013.01); G05B 2219/45006 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An HVAC actuator comprising an electric motor for moving an actuated mechanical part to an actuated position for adjusting an orifice to regulate the flow of fluids through a pipe or duct in an HVAC system, and a controller connected to the electric motor,
wherein the controller of the HVAC actuator is configured to store a reference course of a motor current, which reference course indicates a course of the motor current, expected when the electric motor of the HVAC actuator moves the actuated mechanical part from a first position to a second position, and comprises a set of reference current values for different actuated positions, within an actuation range from the first position to the second position; and
wherein the controller is further configured to detect a malfunctioning actuation of the actuated mechanical part by checking whether a present motor current deviates by more than a set tolerance level from a reference value of the motor current expected at a present actuated position.