Patent ID: 11867314
Assignee: FAS MEDIC S.A.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  H  Y | IPC F  H

Claim 0:
1. A method of operating a solenoid valve assembly, wherein the solenoid is driven by a drive voltage, the method comprising the steps of:
monitoring the solenoid closure time over a plurality of different energising and de-energising cycles of the solenoid, wherein an energising and de-energising cycle comprises:
applying a positive overboost voltage across the solenoid to create a force so as to actuate a moveable plunger to open or close a flow path through the valve assembly, wherein the overboost voltage comprises a voltage to dissipate at least two times the nominal power of the valve assembly if the overboost voltage were applied for a time period to allow the current through the solenoid to reach a steady state; and

generating an output to indicate a need for valve maintenance based on changes to the monitored solenoid closure time between at least one first measured cycle and at least one second measured cycle.