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An actuator for an intake manifold tuning valve to regulate airflow in an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The actuator includes a motor, control circuit, and sensor all mounted in a housing that has an opening through which an output shaft extends. The output shaft carries a valve

An actuator for an intake manifold tuning valve to regulate airflow in an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine. The actuator includes a motor, control circuit, and sensor all mounted in a housing that has an opening through which an output shaft extends. The output shaft carries a valve blade that is positioned within the intake manifold when the actuator is assembled in place. The sensor provides the control circuit with feedback data indicating the position of the valve blade and this data permits the actuator itself to provide closed loop control of the position of the valve blade using an actuator command received from the engine's electronic control unit. The housing includes a stop member that engages the valve blade at a certain rotational position to thereby enable diagnostic checks of the valve to determine if the blade is present and functioning.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A valve actuator for use in an intake manifold valve to regulate airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a motor; a valve blade drive member coupled to said motor, said drive member being adjustable to different positions by said motor

What is claimed is: 1. A valve actuator for use in an intake manifold valve to regulate airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a motor; a valve blade drive member coupled to said motor, said drive member being adjustable to different positions by said motor; a control circuit having an input that receives actuator commands and having an output connected to said motor to control operation of said motor; and a sensor connected to said control circuit, said sensor providing said control circuit with data indicative of the position of said drive member; wherein said control circuit operates said motor in response to said actuator commands to move said drive member to a commanded position, and wherein said control circuit receives feedback signals from said sensor relating to the position of said drive member; and wherein said motor includes a drive shaft and said actuator includes a gear set connected to said drive shaft, said valve blade drive member being connected to said gear set such that said drive member can driven to various positions by said motor via said gear set, and wherein said sensor is positioned adjacent said gear set to detect the rotational position of at least one gear in said gear set. 2. A valve actuator for use in an intake manifold valve to regulate airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a motor; a valve blade drive member coupled to said motor, said drive member being adjustable to different positions by said motor; a control circuit having an input that receives actuator commands and having an output connected to said motor to control operation of said motor; a sensor connected to said control circuit, said sensor providing said control circuit with data indicative of the position of said drive member; and a housing, wherein said motor, control circuit, and sensor are mounted in said housing; wherein said control circuit operates said motor in response to said actuator commands to move said drive member to a commanded position, and wherein said control circuit receives feedback signals from said sensor relating to the position of said drive member. 3. A valve actuator as defined in claim 2, further comprising a valve blade assembly that includes said drive member and a valve blade mounted on said drive member, wherein said housing includes an opening with said valve blade assembly extending out of said housing through said opening. 4. An intake manifold tuning valve that includes the valve actuator of claim 2. 5. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator for regulating airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a motor; a valve blade coupled to said motor and being rotationally adjustable about an axis to different positions by said motor; a control circuit having an input that receives actuator commands and having an output connected to said motor to control rotation of said valve blade via said motor; and a stop member located adjacent said valve blade such that said stop member prevents full rotation of said valve blade about said axis when said valve blade contacts said stop member. 6. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 5, further comprising a housing, said motor and control circuit being mounted in said housing and said valve blade being supported by said housing at a location outside of said housing, wherein said stop member is located on said housing adjacent said valve blade. 7. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 5, wherein said control circuit operates said motor to rotate said valve blade until it engages said stop member, and wherein said control circuit detects engagement of said valve blade with said stop member. 8. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 5, further comprising a valve blade assembly that includes said valve blade mounted on a shaft that is coupled to said motor such that said shaft can be rotated by operation of said motor, wherein said stop member is positioned adjacent said valve blade such that said valve blade engages said stop member at a predetermined position and is inhibited from further rotation past said predetermined position; and wherein said control circuit commands said motor to rotate said valve blade past said predetermined position and outputs diagnostic data if said shaft rotates past a position corresponding to said predetermined position of said valve blade. 9. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 8, wherein said control circuit determines that said shaft has rotated past the position that corresponds to said predetermined position of said valve blade by commanding said motor to rotate said valve blade past said predetermined position and then determining whether said shaft is continuing to rotate after a preselected amount of time. 10. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator for regulating airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, comprising: a housing having an opening through a portion of said housing; a motor having a drive shaft that rotates during operation of said motor; an output shaft mounted on said housing for rotation about an axis; a gear set connected between said drive shaft and said output shaft, said gear set comprising a plurality of meshed gears including a first gear connected to said drive shaft and a last gear connected to said output shaft, wherein said output shaft is adjustable to different positions by operation of said motor; a control circuit having an input that receives actuator commands and having an output connected to said motor to control operation of said motor; and a sensor connected to said control circuit, said sensor being positioned relative to a selected one of said gears such that said sensor detects the position of said selected gear and provides feedback data to said control circuit indicating the position of said selected gear; wherein said control circuit determines the position of said output shaft using said feedback data, said control circuit further providing closed loop control of the position of said output shaft using said feedback data, and said control circuit further including a second output on which said control circuit provides position data relating to the position of said output shaft; and wherein said motor, gear set, control circuit, and sensor are carried by said housing with said output shaft extending outwardly through said opening in said housing. 11. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 10, wherein said selected gear is securely attached to said output shaft for rotation about said axis such that the rotational positions of said selected gear and said output shaft are the same. 12. An intake manifold tuning valve actuator as defined in claim 10, wherein said sensor is positioned adjacent said selected gear. 13. A method of operating an intake manifold tuning valve actuator to adjust a valve blade for regulating airflow through an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine based on actuator commands received from an ECU, said intake manifold tuning valve actuator including a housing and a valve blade drive member that extends from said housing and connects to the valve blade to move it between two or more positions, said housing having an internal sensor that provides feedback data relating to the position of said valve blade drive member, said method comprising the steps of: receiving into said housing an actuator command indicative of a desired position; moving said valve blade drive member to the desired position using closed loop position control that is performed without involving the ECU, wherein this step of moving said valve blade drive member further comprises: detecting the actual position of said valve blade drive member using feedback data generated within said housing by said sensor, and adjusting the position of the valve blade drive member using the feedback data; and outputting from said housing position data indicative of that actual position. 14. A method of operating an intake manifold tuning valve actuator to conduct an integrity check to verify that a valve blade is present and functional, said intake manifold tuning valve actuator including a valve blade drive member that connects to the valve blade to move it between two or more positions, said method comprising the steps of: monitoring rotation of said valve blade; attempting to rotate the valve blade past a predetermined angular position associated with a stop; waiting a preselected amount of time before checking for continued rotation of the valve blade; determining that the integrity check was successful if no continuing rotation of the valve blade was detected; and determining that the integrity check failed if continued rotation of the valve blade is detected.