Patent ID: 6476599
Filing Date: 2002-11-05
Classification: F01L,H01F

Abstract:
A method of determining a static position of an armature of an electronically controlled solenoid device, the method including:providing an electronically controlled solenoid device having a first stator and a first coil operatively associated with said first stator, a second stator and a second coil operatively associated with said second stator, and an armature mounted for movement between said first and second stators, said armature defining a magnetic circuit with each of said first and second stators and their associated coils, ramping a flux of a magnetic circuit associated with each coil in a generally linear manner over a period of time; defining a nominal position of the armature where current in both of said coils is substantially equal; observing a current slope of each of said coils resulting from the associated ramped flux; noting an offset of each current slope from the current slope of said nominal position whereby said offsets are indicative of the static position of said armature; and adjusting a position of said armature between said stators until said current slopes are substantially identical.