Electro-Hydraulic Servo Valve System

This invention relates to power transmission and particularly to electro-hydraulic servo valve systems.

In directional valves, it has been common to utilize a closed loop position control system wherein the directional valve includes a hydraulic piston that drives the load. The hydraulic piston is moved by a force motor which receives an electrical signal and applies hydraulic fluid to move the piston which, in turn, controls the flow to an actuator that moves the load. A feedback is provided to return the force motor to its original or null position thereby stopping the spool movement at the desired point determined by the size of the initial electrical command signal to the motor. One commonly utilized type of electrohydraulic servo valve is known as the flapper type servo valve such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,023,782 and 3,228,423 wherein the force motor comprises a torque motor that moves a flapper that, in turn, controls the flow between opposed nozzles to move the spool. Feedback is achieved by mechanical linkage between the flapper and the spool.

It has also been known that control of the hysteresis inherent in the electrical motor of electro-hydraulic servo valves can be achieved by use of a feedback transducer such as a potentiometer, linear variable differential transformer or the like such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,964,059, 3,464,318 and 3,646,762. However, in the case of failure or malfunction of the transducers, the entire electro-hydraulic valve system becomes inoperable.

Accordingly, among the objectives of the present invention are to provide an electro-hydraulic servo valve system which utilizes an electrical sensor to provide feedback signals wherein the system includes another feedback system and control means are provided so that when the electrical sensor fails or malfunctions, the feedback system including the sensor is disabled and another feedback system becomes operable.

In a preferred form, the electro-hydraulic servo valve system comprises a two-stage spool type valve including a first stage comprising an electrical force motor and a second stage including a spool for controlling flow to an actuator. The force motor is operable upon receipt of a command electrical signal to move the spool. The system includes a first feedback operable to cause the force motor to stop the movement of the spool and a second feedback operable to stop the movement of the spool at a predetermined position. The second feedback means has a greater gain than said first feedback so that the second feedback normally dominates in the system. The second feedback comprises a pair of identical electrical sensors connected in mechanical parallel, and means for comparing the electrical signals from the sensors and operable when the signals deviate from one another by a predetermined amount to disable the second feedback so that the first feedback will function permitting the electro-hydraulic servo valve system to operate without the second feedback.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electro-hydraulic servo valve system embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an electro-hydraulic valve utilized in the system.

FIG. 3 is a partially functional and partially schematic electrical diagram of one presently preferred electronic controller in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially functional and partially schematic electrical diagram of a modified electronic controller in accordance with the invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, which is a block diagram of the electro-hydraulic valve system embodying the invention, it can be seen that a command signal from a source 10 such as a potentiometer, a magnetic or punch tape, or other device, is provided to a servo amplifier 11 that boosts the signal and delivers it to a force motor 12 that actuates a servo valve 13. The servo valve 13 functions to supply hydraulic fluid to an actuator 14 that moves the load 15. The system includes a first feedback 16 associated with the position of the valve power stage spool and operates to return the torque motor to nearly its original position when the servo valve reaches a position corresponding to the desired command position. The system further includes a second feedback 17 comprising a pair of electrical sensors 19 that are associated with the position of the power stage spool. The second feedback 17 has a higher gain than the first feedback 16 so that it normally dominates. Further, a comparator system 18 functions to provide a dominant feedback signal to the amplifier 11 to return the torque motor 12 to its original position. In the event that the two sensors 19 associated with the second feedback 17 produce electrical signals that deviate from one another by a predetermined standard or amount, the comparator system 18 functions to disable the second feedback 17 permitting the first feedback 16 to control the electro-hydraulic valve system so that the system will still operate but without the benefit of the control of the hysteresis provided by the second feedback.

Referring to FIG. 2, the electro-hydraulic servo valve utilized in the system preferably is of the two stage type comprising a first stage 20 and a second stage 21. The first stage 20 includes a torque motor 22 having windings 23 and an armature 24 that functions upon energization of the torque motor 22 to pivot a flapper 25 toward and away from nozzles 26,27 to apply fluid to the power or second stage 21. The second stage 21 includes a spool 28 that functions to supply pressure from an inlet 29 selectively to outlets 30,31. Fluid is supplied by the first stage to the opposed ends of the spool through lines 32,33. The first feedback comprises a mechanical feedback through a mechanical linkage provided by a spring 34 between the spool and flapper. Such an electro-hydraulic servo valve is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,023,782 and 3,228,423, which are incorporated herein by reference.

In accordance with one important aspect of the present invention, sensors 19 (FIG. 1) comprise a pair of identical sensors 35,36 positioned to sense the movement of the oppostie ends of the spool 28. Sensors 35,36 may comprise any suitable electrical transducers such as potentiometers, proximity transducers, linear variable differential transformers and the like. In second feedback 17 (FIG. 1), the position signals from sensors 35,36 are effectively compared in amplifier 11 with the command position signal from source 10, and the error in this comparison is amplified and used to supply current to the torque motor of the servo valve via a voltage to current amplifier stage. As previously indicated, the gain of the second feedback provided by the sensors 35,36 is greater than the first feedback 16, so that the second feedback normally dominates and controls the system. By using this feedback technique and setting the loop gain high, it is possible to virtually eliminate the effects of torque motor hysteresis and at the same time improve valve response. Specifically, using low cost linear potentiometers developed for automotive applications as sensors 35,36, a hysteresis of 0.3% has been achieved, which hysteresis is attributable to the sensors. Using precision proximity sensors, hysteresis is near zero. Attendant with the use of any spool position sensor 35 or 36, however, is the potential for failure of that sensor.

In accordance with another important aspect of the invention, an electronic controller including comparator 18 is provided to assess the condition of the sensors 35,36 and provide means for eliminating the feedback of the sensors in case of sensor failure. With the sensor failed, amplifier 11 operates in a second mode wherein the command signal from source 10 controls the torque motor directly via a controlled voltage-to-current amplifier stage and the same flow vs. command voltage is retained without the sensors present. The effect of hysteresis in the torque motor are now present, but the system is fail operative.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of the electronic portion of the system of FIG. 1. Sensors 35,36 are connected to a voltage comparator 40, which has a RESET output fed to an inverter 42. An FET switch 44 is connected to feed the signal for sensor 35 through an amplifier 46 to a summing junction 48 under control of the RESET output of comparator 40. The command input signal from source 10 is also connected to summing junction 48 at the input of a voltage amplifier 50. The output of voltage amplifier 50 is fed through a current amplifier 52 to torque motor 12, amplifiers 50,52 thus constituting the voltage-to-current amplifier mentioned above. The gain of amplifier 52 is controlled by a pair of parallel feedback paths, one comprising a resistor 54, the other comprising a resistor 56 connected in series with an FET switch 58 which receives a control SET input from inverter 42.

In operation, as long as the signals from sensors 35,36 to comparator 40 remain identical, or substantially identical within the comparator deadband, the RESET signal to switch 44 remains on and the signal from sensor 35 is fed to summing junction 48. The sensor signal, indicative of actual position, is effectively substrated at junction 48 from the position command signal from source 10, and the difference or error signal is fed by voltage-to-current amplifiers 50,52 to torque motor 12. The SET output from inverter 42 remains off during this normal mode of operation, switch 58 is open and the gain of amplifier 50 is set by resistor 54. If the signals from sensors 35,36 differ from each other by more than the comparator deadband, indicating a sensor-failure mode of operation, the comparator RESET output turns off, and switch 44 opens. At the same time, the SET output from inverter 42 closes switch 58, and the gain of amplifier 50 is set by resistors 54,56 in parallel. The new amplifier gain is set such that the valve has the same flow gain as before, but hysteresis is now present. The system should, however, continue to operate because mechanical feedback exists internal to the valve.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modification to the embodiment of FIG. 3. In FIG. 4, elements identical in structure and function to those illustrated and hereinabove described are identified by correspondingly identical reference numerals, and elements similar but modified in structure and function are identified by corresponding reference numerals followed by the suffix "a". Voltage signals V1,V2 from sensors 35,36 are fed to corresponding inputs of digital logic controller 40a, which may comprise discrete circuitry or a suitably programmed microprocessor. Sensor signals V1,V2 are also fed through corresponding differentiating amplifier circuits 60,62 to peak detectors 64,66. Detectors 64,66 provide signals N1,N2 to controller 40a as a function of maximum rate of change of signals V1,V2. Controller 40a provides control signals to FET switches 44,58 for purposes previously described. In the modification of FIG. 4, sensor 36 is also connected to summing junction 48a through an FET switch 70 which receives a control input from controller 40a.

Operation of the modified embodiment of FIG. 4 is summarized by the following table, wherein d is the V1,V2 deadband of controller 40a, dN is the N1,N2 deadband of controller 40a, +V is the positive supply voltage, "0" is zero volts, "on" indicates a conductive condition for the corresponding FET switch and "off" indicates a non-conductive condition:

It should be understood that many other tests and comparison can be contrived to further refine control of the FETS in FIG. 4.