EP1591612A1 - Actuating system for roller blinds - Google Patents

Abstract

The actuator has a permanent phase terminal (P0) and a terminal (N0) to connect the actuator to a voltage source, an electric motor and a control unit (MCU). The control unit has a voltage converter with an output that supplies a microcontroller (CPU) controlling switching unit (RLU). The unit (MCU) has a power cut-off time control unit (TCU) to control the cut-off time during which the actuator is not connected to the source. An independent claim is also included for a method for estimating a period during which an actuator is not supplied.

Description

The invention relates to an actuator defined according to the preamble of the The invention also relates to an estimation method a period during which such an actuator is not powered.

Actuators used for operating closure elements, occultation or solar protection of the building are often powered by the alternative electricity distribution network. In certain configurations, it is very interesting to measure the time during which the actuator is not powered. Indeed, one or more brief periods of non-power supply of the actuator can be used to send to it a command of a particular type.

These periods of non-feeding relate to durations in general much longer than those used in interrupt control of an alternating portion of the voltage alternative of feeding, or even some alternations like described for example in the application FR 2 844 625.

Non-power times for sending an order of a particular type are of the order of the second or more seconds.

It is known from application FR 2 761 183 to use a double break of the actuator power supply to cause the reset of internal memories of the actuator and / or to place it in a learning mode.

US Pat. No. 6,078,159 discloses a device for maneuvering a closure element. The device comprises a control box equipped with two keys to respectively control displacements of a mobile element in a first sense and in a second sense. To put this device in a configuration mode, it is necessary to operate at least twice one or the other of keys in a predefined time range and shorter than a duration actuator for controlling the movement of the element mobile. So when you want to control the displacement of the element mobile, it is necessary to press the control key during longer than the predefined time range.

In the different cases, it should be ensured that the impulses of order follow each other in a short time. Because of the disappearance of the AC mains voltage at the time of the break, this measurement is not performed. For example, the device object of the US Pat. No. 6,078,159 measures the duration of the control pulses but not the interval of time separating them.

Without means to measure the time during which the feeding has been interrupted, it results in an obvious degradation of the security. Indeed, the microcontroller will not have the means to distinguish a voluntary short cut, having a predetermined and repeated duration for example twice for confirmation, an accidental very short term or, on the contrary, very long term.

The object of the invention is to provide an actuator to remedy to these disadvantages. In particular, the actuator according to the present invention a very simple and economical structure allowing determination a period during which the actuator is not powered. The invention also proposes a method for estimating the duration during which the actuator is not powered, this method being implemented by such actuator.

The actuator according to the invention is characterized by the characterizing part of claim 1.

Different embodiments of the actuator are defined by the dependent claims 2 to 4.

The estimation method according to the invention is characterized by the part characterized in claim 5.

Different modes of execution of the process are defined by the dependent claims 6 to 9.

The figures represent, by way of examples, actuators according to the invention which allow the implementation of the method according to the invention.

FIG. 1 is an electrical diagram of an installation comprising a first variant of an actuator according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an electrical diagram of an installation comprising a second variant of an actuator according to the invention.

Figures 3A, 3B and 4 are diagrams of different embodiments of a control unit of the cut-off time of the power supply of an actuator.

Figures 5 to 8 are chronograms of the variations of different electrical signals explaining the principles of different variants execution of the method according to the invention.

Figures 9 and 10 are flow charts of two variants execution of the method according to the invention.

The installation 1 represented in FIG. 1 comprises an ACT actuator equipped with a MOT motor driving a mobile building equipment called LD load in a first or a second sense of moving, for example in a rising or descending direction for a shutter or in a horizontal direction to the right or in a direction horizontal left for a sliding panel. The actuator is connected to the alternative electricity distribution network, which includes a AC-N neutral conductor and AC-H phase conductor. This connection is made at the level of the neutral conductor by a N0 terminal. Connection to the live conductor is ensured by a part by a permanent phase terminal P0 and, on the other hand, by a first phase terminal UP and a second phase terminal DN, may be connected to the AC-H phase conductor depending on the condition a control switch K1. In Figure 1, the switch of control comprises two switches K11 and K12, for example push buttons. Depending on whether the user wants to maneuver the equipment in one way or the other he presses the switch K11 or on the K12 switch. A brief pulse can possibly be interpreted as a movement order of the LD load until reaching the end of the stroke. In this case, the food motor is permitted due to the presence of the connection of the AC-H phase conductor with a permanent phase terminal P0.

However, some installations are carried out without permanent link AC-H phase conductor to the actuator ACT, or even without it exists on the actuator this terminal of permanent phase P0. In this In this case, the switches K11 and K12 are necessarily activated during the entire duration of the movement, so as to allow the feeding of the actuator through one or other of these switches.

The "closed" states of switches K11 and K12 are respectively detected by a first sensor CS1 and a second sensor CS2, consisting of current sensing devices, optocouplers or simple electronic assemblies allowing the transformation of a high alternating voltage in DC voltage of sufficient value low to be used logically, for example 5 volts. These sensors are preferentially current sensors but it can all as well be potentiometric dividers with diode of straightening and filtering capacitor.

The actuator comprises an MCU control unit comprising a microcontroller CPU, a PSU power converter and a unit control of the TCU cut-off time which will be detailed below and the measurement output VCM is connected to a first input I1 of the CPU microcontroller.

The PSU power converter delivers a voltage continuous between two output lines VCC and GND. As is customary, the potential of the ground line GND is referenced to 0 and that of the Positive line VCC is then + Vcc, for example +5 volts. This potential Continuous is applied to different circuits of the MCU control unit to feed them.

The input of the PSU power converter is likely to be connected to the AC-H phase conductor via three wires, which are connected to the permanent phase terminal P0 at the first terminal UP phase and second phase terminal DN.

Although located downstream in FIG. 1, the sensors CS1 and CS2 can also be located upstream of the wires supplying the converter PSU, that is to say, be inserted between the UP terminals or DN and PSU power converter power leads.

The signals from the sensors CS1 and CS2 are applied to a second input I2 and a third input I3 of the microcontroller CPU and determine, according to their provenance, whether the order applied is an order of maneuver in the first direction or in the second direction or if he result of a combination of supports on the K11 and K12 switches which must be interpreted as a particular order.

In the case of an installation communicating with a remote orders, orders may also be received by a RFR radio receiver and transmitted to the microcontroller via a serial line RFC, applied to a fourth I4 input of the CPU microcontroller.

The microcontroller CPU includes a first output 01 and a second output 02 connected to a time control unit of TCU break. It also includes a third exit 03 and a fourth output 04 connected to an RLU switching unit by a first switching input RL1 and a second input of RL2 switching.

Depending on the orders received, the microcontroller CPU activates the third output 03 or fourth output 04 so as to actuate for example relays contained in the RLU switching unit. Relays are from electromagnetic type or static type. The switching unit allows the motor to be connected to the AC-H phase directly via a link to the permanent phase terminal P0, ie at through switch K1 through the first terminal of UP phase or the second phase terminal DN through the sensors CS1 or CS2 which cause a negligible voltage drop. So the potential of the driver referenced UP 'can be likened to the potential of the phase terminal UP, and the potential of the driver referenced DN 'can be assimilated to the potential of the phase terminal DN.

In the case of Figure 1, MOT motor is an induction motor single-phase permanent phase-shift capacitor, having two W1 and W2 windings and a CM capacitor. The engine is connected by a to the neutral conductor AC-N, via a connection to the neutral terminal N0, and on the other hand to the phase conductor AC-H, by via the RLU switching unit whose outputs P1 and P2 are connected to the inputs P0, UP ', DN' according to the state of the inputs RL1 and RL2 of the switching unit.

A mechanical gearbox, not shown, can be integrated into the kinematic chain between the electric motor and the mobile equipment to maneuver.

A position sensor, not shown, can be integrated into the equipment mobile and deliver a position signal thereof applied to a fifth input I5 of the microcontroller CPU, by a line POS.

The MCU control unit includes a time control unit TCU cut powered between the positive VCC line and the ground line GND. It is connected to the first input I1, to the first output 01 and the second output 02 of the CPU microcontroller.

A first embodiment of the time control unit of Cutoff TCU is shown in Figure 3A. The unit includes a C1 control capacitor and two terminals connected to the positive line VCC and GND ground line, to charge the capacitor witness under voltage + Vcc when a first controlled switch CT1 is closed. The control of this switch is ensured by a first control terminal CC1, which is connected to the first output 01 of the microcontroller CPU. A first resistance R1 is connected in parallel to the control capacitor C1 and ensures the discharge of the control capacitor when the first switch commanded CT1 is open or when the voltage + Vcc disappears on the positive line VCC.

Finally, a VCM measurement output terminal is connected to the common between the first controlled switch and the capacitor witness C1. This terminal therefore makes it possible to measure the voltage at the terminals capacitor, whether charged or discharged.

The first I1 input of the microcontroller is an analog input of a digital analog converter, allowing the measurement of voltage VC1 at the terminals of the control capacitor. The first I1 input of the microcontroller can also be an analog input of comparison.

In a variant of this first embodiment, a second resistance R2 is also connected in parallel to the C1 control capacitor when a second controlled switch CT2 is closed. The control of this switch is ensured by a second control terminal CC2, which is connected to the second output 02 of the CPU microcontroller.

A second embodiment of the time control unit of Cutoff TCU is shown in Figure 3B. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the unit comprises a COMP comparator whose two inputs are respectively attacked by a reference voltage signal REF and by the signal of voltage across capacitor C1. The logical output of the COMP comparator is connected to the VCM terminal of the control unit of the break time. REF reference voltage is a fraction of the voltage + Vcc. The output of the comparator is in the high state when the voltage VC1 goes below VREF. The VCM measurement output then gives a logical information on the situation of voltage VC1 with respect to comparison threshold constituted by the voltage VREF. In that case, the input I1 of the microcontroller is a logic input.

As in the first embodiment, a variant provides that a second resistor R2 is also connected in parallel on the control capacitor C1 when a second controlled switch CT2 is closed.

Note that the position of the controlled switches is indicative. For example, the controlled switch CT1 can just as easily be interposed between the group comprising the resistor R1 and the capacitor C1, on the one hand, and the mass GND, on the other hand, rather between this grouping and the positive line VCC. One of the switches ordered CT1 or CT2, or both, can be included in the microcontroller. For example, if the second output 02 of the microcontroller is open collector type or open drain with bond to earth, then the controlled switch CT2 becomes useless and it is enough to establish between the resistor R2 and the second control terminal CC2 the connection represented by the dotted line DL.

In a third embodiment of the time control unit of cutoff shown in Figure 4, a double mounting is used comparator. These two comparators are here advantageously included in a timer circuit TMR type 555, economic circuit, very well known to all electronics and used in an original fashion for the implementation of the invention. The timer circuit TMR is by example the Texas Instruments (registered trademark) TLC555 circuit.

Figure 4 also partially shows the microcontroller. We assume that the outputs represented by the microcontroller are of the collector type open, and that its input represented is of the logical type. We assume also to simplify that the diodes used are perfectly conductive in their direction of conduction as well as the transistors output included in the microcontroller.

The TMR timer circuit is not used here or in a timer, or monostable, nor in an oscillator mode, or astable.

This circuit is fed, through a diode D2, between GND terminals and VDD under a voltage + Vdd, which is equal to + Vcc when the VCC line is powered.

This circuit has a TRIG trigger input which is compared, internally, to a calibrated voltage REF1, equal to one third of the supply voltage: REF1 = + Vdd / 3. The circuit also includes a threshold input THR which is compared, internally, with a voltage REF2, equal to two-thirds of its supply voltage: REF2 = + 2Vdd / 3.

A third reset input RES of the TMR circuit is normally placed at the potential + Vdd through a resistance of protection R3 and a diode D2. When this entry is brought down, the output Q of a flip-flop integrated in the timer circuit TMR goes to the low state. The diodes D1 and D2 serve to avoid any reverse current due to specific behavior of the inputs or outputs of certain circuits integrated when they are no longer powered.

The voltage + Vdd is equal to the voltage + Vcc when there is no interruption of the AC mains voltage. The voltage VIN is taken as a complement of the voltage VC1 (VIN = Vcc - VC1), so VIN increases from 0 to + Vcc when the control capacitor C1 discharges through the resistance R1.

A first embodiment of the duration estimation method during which the actuator is not powered is described with reference to FIG. 9. Such a method can in particular be implemented by the actuator described above.

In a first step 80, the supply of the actuator is detected by the presence of the voltage + Vcc on the VCC line attacking the terminal power supply of the CPU microcontroller. So after a period of inactivity during which the actuator was no longer powered, the appearance voltage + Vcc wakes up the CPU microcontroller.

In a second step 81, the voltage VC1 across the terminals of C1 control capacitor is measured. It is not essential during of step 81 voltage measurement to carry out a complete measurement voltage across the control capacitor, it is sufficient to gather information on this measure, for example by comparison with a predetermined voltage threshold.

In a third step 82, it is deduced from the voltage value preceding, an indication of how long the actuator was no longer powered, the duration preceding step 80 of detecting presence of voltage on the positive line VCC.

In step 82, therefore, the TOFF cut-off time is deduced. feeding from the information gathered during step 81 of voltage measurement. Again, it is not necessarily about accurately determine the value of the duration TOFF. A unique predetermined value TMIN decreasing the duration TOFF or a single predetermined value TMAX increasing the duration TOFF may suffice. Of even, a fortiori, two predetermined values TMIN and TMAX framing the duration TOFF may be sufficient.

In a fourth step 83, the control capacitor C1 is recharged, for example by controlling the closing of the controlled switch C1. The switch is maintained in its state so that it remains charged under a predetermined voltage as long as the actuator is powered. This fourth step could also only intervene in case of detecting a precursor signal of a supply voltage cut-off.

Assuming a TCU cutoff time control unit, as shown in Figure 3B is used to implement the process, the chronograms of the voltage delivered by the PSU power converter and voltage VC1 across the control capacitor are shown in FIGS. also that the voltage comparison threshold VT1 is here equal to + Vcc / 3 and the horizontal time axis intersects the vertical axis of the voltages for a zero value of the voltage.

In FIG. 5A, an interruption of the supply voltage causes the cancellation of the voltage + Vcc on the line VCC at a time t51. We supposes to simplify that the decay is brutal. Voltage power supply reappears after a period TOFF to quantify.

In FIG. 5B associated with the same events, the capacitor C1 is permanently charged to + Vcc as long as the positive line VCC is powered. After the moment t51, it is unloaded in R1 with a time constant R1xC1. After a period of time T1, the voltage VC1 becomes lower than the threshold VT1 and the control capacitor C1 continues to unload. Since the threshold VT1 is here equal to one third of the initial voltage, the duration T1 corresponds approximately to time constant R1xC1. The choice of a neighboring time constant or equal to the comparison time gives a good accuracy of measured.

After a duration TOFF, the actuator is again powered and the voltage + Vcc is restored. The microcontroller is thus awake. He proceeds to the implementation of the method, previously described, what has been represented, with a very exaggerated delay, at time t52. Similarly, comparator COMP is again powered and provides on its output a valid indication. At this moment the microcontroller reads the state of its first input I1 which is connected to the output of comparator COMP. In the case of embodiment of Figure 3A, it reads directly the value of the VC1 voltage. This operation is symbolized by the small relative circles at the instant t52. In one case as in the other, the microcontroller determines whether the duration TOFF has been greater than the duration T1, the response being positive in the example of Figure 5B. In the case of a analog direct measurement of the VC1 voltage, it is even possible to deduce a precise value of TOFF (at wake up time near microcontroller) from the known law of exponential decay of tension. However, a very precise value is of little interest.

At time t53, the microcontroller activates its first output 01, which makes the switch CT1 conductive. The control capacitor C1 is charge then almost instantaneously under voltage + Vcc, the resistance of the capacitor charge circuit being very low. The first output 01 of the microcontroller remains permanently activated, it is deactivated only by the disappearance of the voltage + Vcc on the line VCC, and therefore by stopping the microcontroller. However, we can also provide that the microcontroller is provided with a device warning of a power failure on the AC-H line and that it allows activation and deactivation of its first output 01 when the appearance of such a break.

On the timing diagrams of FIGS. 6A and 6B, the duration TOFF of power interruption is shorter than T1 time corresponding to the crossing of threshold VT1 by voltage VC1 to terminals of the control capacitor when it discharges.

The voltage + Vcc disappears at time t61 and reappears at the end of the duration TOFF. Immediately after, at time t62, the microcontroller reads: directly the voltage VC1 across the capacitor C1, the state of the output of the comparator COMP. In the first case, he deduces directly the value of the duration TOFF and he can pass to the stage following process. In the second case, the microcontroller deduced that the duration TOFF is lower than the duration T1, but without knowing its value.

In FIG. 6B, after the appearance of the supply voltage of the actuator, at a time t62, the duration flowing until that, at time t63, the voltage VC1 across the capacitor C1 become lower than voltage VT1 and until, accordingly, the logic output of the comparator COMP switches. This measure can example be implemented by the use of a measuring circuit of the time for example included in the microcontroller. The microcontroller then deduces the TOFF duration of the measured TM1 value and the value T1 corresponding to the capacitor discharge time of the voltage + Vcc at voltage VT1.

T1 time may have been prerecorded or may still be measured directly during a learning cycle during which the microcontroller itself causes the discharge of the sample capacitor C1 by opening the controlled switch CT1.

A disadvantage of this method is its execution time: the longer the cut had a short TOFF duration, the longer the wait to quantify it.

FIGS. 7A to 7C show the application of a variant of the method in the previous case of the break represented in FIG. 6A.

At a time t72, the microcontroller is awakened by the appearance of a supply voltage of the actuator and he then reads the state of his first I1 input and can therefore determine that the TOFF duration is less than the duration T1. It then activates its second output 02, which makes the switch CT2 conductor and accelerates the discharge of the control capacitor C1. The microcontroller measures the elapsed time TM2 until the threshold VT1, at a time t73.

The knowledge of the duration TM2 and its comparison with a value TM2MAX prerecorded or determined during a learning cycle determines whether the TOFF cut-off time was greater than one TMIN value such that TM2 = TM2MAX if TOFF = TMIN.

Taking T1 = TMAX, the value of the duration TOFF is thus framed between two TMIN and TMAX values.

A simple variant to be used by those skilled in the art consists of also to use two comparison thresholds and therefore a first comparator COMP1 and a second comparator COMP2 in replacement of the comparator COMP, provided that it can be read with the microcontroller, the state of each comparator.

A first threshold VT1 is chosen for example equal to + Vcc / 3 while a second threshold VT2 is chosen for example equal to + 2Vcc / 3. At these two thresholds correspond to the durations TMAX and TMIN, and it is sufficient that the second comparator COMP2 is activated while the first one is not not yet to infer that the duration TOFF is between TMIN and TMAX durations. Such a process can be implemented by a actuator comprising an MCU control unit provided with a unit control of the TCU cut-off time as described in FIG. 4. Internally, the result of the comparisons active in this unit an RS flip-flop whose Q output is taken as the output terminal of VCM measurement.

If a VIN voltage measured on the load circuit of the capacitor C1 between the mass and capacitor C1 is applied simultaneously on the two TRIG and THR inputs of the TMR circuit previously described, the Q output of the TMR circuit is in the high state as long as the VIN voltage is between 0 and + 2Vdd / 3 then the Q output goes low when the VIN voltage becomes greater than 2Vdd / 3, the voltage increasing from 0 to + Vdd.

Conversely, when the voltage VIN decreases from + Vdd to 0, the output Q is at the low state as long as the voltage VIN is between + Vdd and + Vdd / 3, then goes high when the VIN voltage drops below + Vdd / 3.

Figure 8 shows the evolution of the Q output of the timer circuit TMR when VIN voltage or VC1 voltage change over time supposedly linear way. This dashed line also shows what would be the evolution of the Q output for a reverse evolution (Decrease of the VIN voltage).

Another method for determining the duration TOFF during which the actuator comprising the circuit of FIG. 4 is not powered is represented by the flow chart of Figure 10.

In a step 800, the power supply of the actuator is detected by the presence of the voltage + Vcc on the VCC line attacking the terminal power supply of the CPU microcontroller.

In a step 810, the microcontroller reads the state of its first input I1.

In a step 820, the microcontroller determines the duration TOFF. In a first test sub-step 821, it is determined whether the input I1 is at the high state. If this is not the case, we move on to a substep 822 in which it is determined that the TOFF cut-off time is greater than TMAX. Indeed, if the Q output of the TMR circuit is in the low state while the VIN voltage increases, it is that the voltage VIN is greater than + 2Vcc / 3, so that the voltage VC1 is less than + Vcc / 3. If the result of the sub-step 821 is positive, there is indeterminacy. To lift this indeterminacy, during a sub-step 823, the second output 02 is briefly activated microcontroller, which has the effect of briefly passing to the state down the RES input of the timer circuit TMR. The Q output of the flip-flop Internal RS thus goes low during the activation of this signal of reset. The internal RS flip-flop retains this state if the VIN voltage is between the two threshold values, on the other hand it passes immediately in the high state if the voltage VIN is lower than the first threshold + Vcc / 3.

Thus, during a sub-step 824, a new reading of the first input I1 and one tests its state in a sub-step 825. is a high state, so we move to a substep 827 in which it is recognized that the TOFF cut-off time is shorter than the duration TMIN. If no, we go to a sub-step 828 in which we identify that the TOFF cut-off time is between the TMIN and TMAX.

In any case, we then go to a step 830 in which the first output 01 of the microcontroller is activated, which has the effect of allow the charging of the control capacitor C1.

The installation 1 ', shown in FIG. 2, differs from the installation previously described in that the MDC motor of the actuator is DC type.

This difference makes it necessary to replace the switching unit by one unit power supply PWU ensuring the recovery of the AC voltage of the alternative network and connection of the MDC motor according to a first polarity or a second polarity to maneuver the equipment into a first sense or in a second sense. The detailed structure of a such power unit PWU is known to those skilled in the art.

Claims (9)

Actuator (ACT) for the operation of a movable screen or mobile equipment (LD) for closing, concealing or solar protection of a building, comprising at least two terminals (P0, N0) for connecting the actuator to a voltage source (AC-H, AC-N), an electric motor (MOT; MDC), a control unit (MCU) connected to means (RLU; PWU) for supplying the motor from the voltage source (AC-H, AC-N), the control unit (MCU) comprising a voltage converter (PSU) whose output feeds a microcontroller (CPU) driving the power supply means (RLU; PWU). motor (MOT; MDC), characterized in that the control unit (MCU) comprises a cut-off time control unit (TCU) during which the actuator is not connected to the voltage source. Actuator (ACT) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cut-off time control unit (TCU) comprises a control capacitor (C1), at least one resistor (R1, R2) connected in parallel with the capacitor (C1). ), a switching means (CT1) for controlling the charging and discharging of the capacitor (C1) and an output terminal (VCM) giving information on the voltage across the capacitor (C1). Actuator (ACT) according to Claim 2, characterized in that the cut-off time control unit (TCU) comprises a comparator (COMP) comparing the voltage across the capacitor (C1) to a voltage (VREF, REF1, REF2 ) whose logic output is connected to the output terminal (VCM) of the time control unit. Actuator (ACT) according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a time measuring circuit. Method for estimating a duration during which an actuator according to one of the preceding claims is not powered, characterized in that it comprises the following steps: charge a control capacitor (C1), stop feeding the actuator, close an electrical discharge circuit of the capacitor, power the actuator, obtain information on the voltage (VC1) across the capacitor (C1), deduce from this information, at least one terminal of the interval in which is the duration separating the event from the second step of the event of the fourth step. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the voltage information (VC1) across the capacitor (C1) is the value of the voltage across that capacitor. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the voltage information (VC1) across the capacitor (C1) is a logic value resulting from a comparison of this voltage (VC1) with a reference voltage (VREF). Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the voltage information (VC1) across the capacitor (C1) is a time necessary to discharge the capacitor from its voltage (VC1) to a predetermined voltage (VT1). Method according to one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that the actuator (ACT) is fed from the AC distribution network (AC-H, AC-N).

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