Patent ID: 11873907
Assignee: CAPSTAN AG SYSTEMS, INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC F  B  H | IPC B  F  H

Claim 12:
13. A drive circuit for controlling a solenoid valve having a solenoid coil and a poppet configured to translate therein, said drive circuit comprising:
a first node configured to be energized to a first voltage using a power source;
a flyback circuit coupled to the solenoid coil;
a second node configured to be energized to a second voltage using energy stored in the solenoid coil using the flyback circuit;
a control circuit coupled to said first node and said second node, said control circuit configured to:
couple the first node to the solenoid coil and energize the solenoid coil using a pulse-width-modulated (PWM) signal having a first frequency and duty cycle configured to regulate a current conducted through the solenoid coil to below an opening threshold to maintain the poppet in a closed position;
couple the second node to the solenoid coil and energize the solenoid coil using a DC signal configured to increase the current to above the opening threshold to translate the poppet toward an opened position; and
couple the first node to the solenoid coil and energize the solenoid coil using the PWM signal having a second frequency and duty cycle configured to regulate the current to above a closing threshold to maintain the poppet in the opened position.