Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a vacuum valve apparatus and method to provide a vacuum to equipment. The vacuum valve can include an air port tube, a vacuum port tube, a motor, and a control arm coupled to the vacuum port tube and the motor. The motor can cause the control arm to move in an arc in order to flex the vacuum port tube and selectively create the vacuum and vent the vacuum provided to the equipment.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a vacuum valve apparatus and method to provide a vacuum to equipment. The vacuum valve can include an air port tube, a vacuum port tube, a motor, and a control arm coupled to the vacuum port tube and the motor. The motor can cause the control arm to move in an arc in order to flex the vacuum port tube and selectively create the vacuum and vent the vacuum provided to the equipment.

Abstract: A method for controlling a motor (11) driving a pump (10) using a microcomputer (14) includes repeatedly sampling a parameter representative of motor torque over one cycle of operation of the pump (10), determining at least one point of maximum motor torque during said one cycle of operation of the pump (FIG. 4); applying speed commands to the motor (11) from a table of stored speed values in memory (19), said values being selected to provide relatively greater speed commands at points of lower motor torque and relatively lesser speed commands at points of higher pump pressure corresponding to higher motor torque, while maintaining at least a base speed command to prevent stalling; and synchronizing the first value in the table of stored values to the point of maximum motor torque.