Electromagnetic valve control apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

A control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a pair of spring means for energizing the valve element toward the valve-opening side and the valve-closing side, respectively, and an electromagnet for energizing the armature toward the valve-closing side of the valve element, and which operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of the electromagnet and an energizing force of the spring means, is provided with a controller which increases the energizing force of the spring means for energizing the valve element toward the valve-closing side immediately before seating of the valve element. By this type of the control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve, an increase in power consumption of the electromagnetic valve is suppressed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a pair of spring means for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side and a valve-closing side, respectively, and an electromagnet for energizing the armature toward the valve-closing side of the valve element, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of the electromagnet and an energizing force of the spring means, comprising: 
 a controller which increases, immediately before seating of the valve element, the energizing force of the spring means for energizing the valve-element toward the valve-closing side.    
     
     
         2 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 at least one of the pair of the spring means is configured as a valve-closing pneumatic spring, wherein the valve closing pneumatic spring energizes a piston connected to a valve shaft of the valve element toward the valve-closing side by a pressure within a pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring, and the controller has a function to control the pressure within the pressure chamber for adjusting an energizing force of the valve-closing pneumatic spring.    
     
     
         3 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the controller increases the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         4 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 2 , wherein 
 the controller forcibly reduces, immediately before seating of the valve element, a degree of decrease in the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring involved with displacement toward the valve-closing side.    
     
     
         5 . A control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a pair of spring means for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side and a valve-closing side, respectively, and an electromagnet for energizing the armature toward the valve-closing side of the valve element, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of the electromagnet and an energizing force of the spring means, comprising: 
 a controller which reduces, immediately before seating of the valve element, the energizing force of the spring means for energizing the valve-element toward the valve-opening side.    
     
     
         6 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 5 , wherein 
 at least one of the pair of the spring means is configured as a valve-opening pneumatic spring, wherein the valve-opening pneumatic spring energizes a piston connected to a valve shaft of the valve element toward the valve-opening side by a pressure within a pressure chamber of the valve-opening pneumatic spring, and the controller has a function to control the pressure within the pressure chamber for adjusting an energizing force of the valve-opening pneumatic spring.    
     
     
         7 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the controller reduces the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-opening pneumatic spring immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         8 . The control apparatus of the electromagnetic valve according to  claim 6 , wherein 
 the controller forcibly reduces, immediately before seating of the valve element, a degree of increase in the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-opening pneumatic spring involved with displacement toward the valve-closing side.    
     
     
         9 . A control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a valve-opening pneumatic spring for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side, a valve-closing pneumatic spring for energizing the valve element toward a valve-closing side, and a pair of electromagnets for energizing the armature in both axial directions of the armature shaft, respectively, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of each electromagnet and an energizing force of each pneumatic spring, comprising: 
 a controller which forcibly reduces, immediately before seating of the valve element, a degree of increase in the energizing force by which the valve-opening pneumatic spring and the valve-closing pneumatic spring energize the valve element toward the valve-opening side in accordance with displacement of the valve element toward the valve-closing side.    
     
     
         10 . A control method of a control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a pair of spring means for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side and a valve-closing side, respectively, and an electromagnet for energizing the armature toward the valve-closing side of the valve element, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of the electromagnet and an energizing force of the spring means, comprising the following steps of: 
 supplying an electric current to the electromagnet so as to energize the valve element toward the valve-closing side; and    increasing, immediately before seating of the valve element, the energizing force of the spring means for energizing the valve element toward the valve-closing side.    
     
     
         11 . The control method according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 at least one of the pair of the spring means is configured as a valve-closing pneumatic spring, wherein the valve-closing pneumatic spring energizes a piston connected to a valve shaft of the valve element toward the valve-closing side by a pressure within a pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring, and the pressure within a pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring is increased immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         12 . The control method according to  claim 10 , wherein 
 a degree of decrease in the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-closing pneumatic spring involved with displacement toward the valve-closing side is forcibly reduced immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         13 . A control method of a control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a pair of spring means for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side and a valve-closing side, respectively, and an electromagnet for energizing the armature toward the valve-closing side of the valve element, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of the electromagnet and an energizing force of the spring means, comprising the following steps of: 
 supplying an electric current to the electromagnet so as to energize the valve element toward the valve-closing side; and    reducing, immediately before seating of the valve element, the energizing force of the spring means for energizing the valve element toward the valve-opening side.    
     
     
         14 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 at least one of the pair of the spring means is configured as a valve-opening pneumatic spring, wherein the valve-opening pneumatic spring energizes a piston connected to a valve shaft of the valve element toward the valve-opening side by a pressure within a pressure chamber of the valve-opening pneumatic spring, and a pressure within a pressure chamber of a valve-opening pneumatic spring is reduced immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         15 . The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein 
 a degree of increase in the pressure within the pressure chamber of the valve-opening pneumatic spring involved with displacement toward the valve-closing side is forcibly reduced immediately before seating of the valve element.    
     
     
         16 . A control method of a control apparatus of an electromagnetic valve which includes a valve element, an armature connected to an armature shaft which is engaged with the valve element, a valve-opening pneumatic spring for energizing the valve element toward a valve-opening side, a valve-closing pneumatic spring for energizing the valve element toward a valve-closing side, and a pair of electromagnets for energizing the armature in both axial directions of the armature shaft, respectively, and operates the valve element to open and close by cooperative operation of an electromagnetic force of each electromagnet and an energizing force of each pneumatic spring, comprising the following steps of: 
 supplying an electric current to the electromagnet so as to energize the valve element toward the valve-closing side; and    forcibly reducing, immediately before seating of the valve element, a degree of increase in the energizing force by which the valve-opening pneumatic spring and the valve-closing pneumatic spring energize the valve element toward the valve-opening side in accordance with displacement of the valve element toward the valve-closing side.