Patent ID: 7853360
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: B60Y,F16H,F16K,G05D,H01F,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for determining a control signal for a solenoid valve, the control signal being a PWM signal on which a frequency of a dither signal is superimposed and having a frequency such that an armature of the solenoid valve assumes an intermediate position between an open position and a closed position at which the armature oscillates with slight excursions at the frequency of the dither signal and an armature current is regulated by a current regulator, which comprises the steps of: in a computer unit, generating the PWM signal and the dither signal; with the current regulator, regulating the armature current based at least in part on a difference between a desired current and a current measured at the solenoid valve, the current regulator regulating the armature current independently of the generating the dither signal by the computer unit; in the computer unit, forming at least one of an amplitude and the frequency of the dither signal to be constant; and in the computer unit, combining the PWM signal with the dither signal to form the control signal.