Abstract: A coupling harness useful with a HVAC mini-split system includes a first interface connected to a thermistor, a second interface connected to a condensate overflow sensor and a control device interface connected to a HVAC electronic control device. The first and second interfaces can notify the control device interface of the existence of an alarm condition of the thermistor and condensate overflow sensor, respectively. The control device interface can actuate the HVAC electronic control device in response to such notifications that an alarm condition exists for the thermistor or condensate overflow sensor.

Abstract: A coupling harness useful with a HVAC mini-split system includes a first interface connected to a thermistor, a second interface connected to a condensate overflow sensor and a control device interface connected to a HVAC electronic control device. The first and second interfaces can notify the control device interface of the existence of an alarm condition of the thermistor and condensate overflow sensor, respectively. The control device interface can actuate the HVAC electronic control device in response to such notifications that an alarm condition exists for the thermistor or condensate overflow sensor.

Abstract: A pressure-assisted precision purge valve system is provided in an evaporative emission control system that provides flow of fuel vapor-air mixture from a fuel tank to an intake manifold. The pressure-assisted precision purge valve system comprises an absorbent canister through which the fuel vapor-air mixture flows, a purge valve configured to regulate flow of the fuel vapor-air mixture to the intake manifold and a fuel vapor pump configured to provide a forced flow to the purge valve dependent on a system differential pressure. The output of the purge valve can be connected to an upstream injection point and/or a downstream injection point of a forced induction device.

Abstract: A control system to selectively control the operation of the compressor of a mini-split air conditioning system including at least one remote evaporator operatively coupled to the compressor to receive refrigerant therethrough, a sensor to monitor the operation of the evaporator and to generate an operating control signal to turn-off the compressor when a predetermined operating condition is sensed at the evaporator and a condensate drain pan to receive or catch condensate from the evaporator, the control system comprising a condensate sensor disposed to sense condensate in the condensate drain pan at a predetermined level and to generate a condensate level signal fed to a battery powered control device including an isolated solid state relay coupled to the sensor by a control coupling device to generate a condensate level control signal fed to the sensor causing the sensor to generate the operating control signal fed to turn off the compressor when condensate within the condensate drain pan reaches the prede

Abstract: A piezoelectric valve has a body with an input passage and an output passage each configured to connect to a fluid flow system, a flow control member movable with respect to the valve seat between a fully open position and a closed position and a piezoelectric motor directly connected to the flow control member. The piezoelectric motor has a piezoelectric resonator in which two orthogonal vibrational modes across a length and a width of the piezoelectric resonator are excited, a working element and one or more contact sites providing frictional contact between the working element and the piezoelectric resonator. One of the working element and the piezoelectric resonator is connected to the flow control member and configured to move relative to the other of the working element and the piezoelectric resonator due to the frictional contact, thereby moving the flow control member.

Abstract: A piezoelectric valve has a body with an input passage and an output passage each configured to connect to a fluid flow system, a flow control member movable with respect to the valve seat between a fully open position and a closed position and a piezoelectric motor directly connected to the flow control member. The piezoelectric motor has a piezoelectric resonator in which two orthogonal vibrational modes across a length and a width of the piezoelectric resonator are excited, a working element and one or more contact sites providing frictional contact between the working element and the piezoelectric resonator. One of the working element and the piezoelectric resonator is connected to the flow control member and configured to move relative to the other of the working element and the piezoelectric resonator due to the frictional contact, thereby moving the flow control member.

Abstract: A pressure-assisted precision purge valve system is provided in an evaporative emission control system that provides flow of fuel vapor-air mixture from a fuel tank to an intake manifold. The pressure-assisted precision purge valve system comprises an absorbent canister through which the fuel vapor-air mixture flows, a purge valve configured to regulate flow of the fuel vapor-air mixture to the intake manifold and a fuel vapor pump configured to provide a forced flow to the purge valve dependent on a system differential pressure. The output of the purge valve can be connected to an upstream injection point and/or a downstream injection point of a forced induction device.

Abstract: An energy conservation system to selectively control the operation of the heating elements of a water heater including a water storage tank operable in an automated mode to control the temperature of water within the water storage tank comprising a flow detector such as temperature sensor to sense the inlet or outlet water temperature to detect a change in temperature measured in time and duration and a tank temperature to sense the water temperature within the storage tank and generate corresponding temperature signals and a microprocessor coupled to the flow detector and tank temperature sensor to receive the corresponding signals including means to determine when there is a demand for hot water and means to determine a pattern of hot water usage over a water usage cycle to maintain the water in the water storage tank at a minimum temperature to supply a minimum quantity of hot water and increase the temperature of the water to a maximum temperature to supply a maximum quantity of hot water corresponding to

Abstract: A swimming pool or spa pump control system to selectively control the operation of a recirculating pump to prevent damage to the recirculating pump that could result from specific operating conditions and to optimize energy consumption by varying the run time of the recirculating pump throughout the year as a function of the sun's energy impacting the earth's surface as a measure of solar radiation incident on the surface of the pool water or solar heat energy incident on the pool water comprising a controller including a microcontroller to calculate the pump run time for a geographically specific location dependent upon the time of year or date based upon the solar radiation or heat energy adjusted for specific swimming pool or spa site, and a plurality of sensors to monitor various operating conditions coupled to the controller to deactivate the recirculating pump when any one of the operating conditions exceeds a predetermined or set value.

Abstract: A control system to selectively control the operation of the compressor of a mini-split air conditioning system including at least one remote evaporator operatively coupled to the compressor to receive refrigerant therethrough, a sensor to monitor the operation of the evaporator and to generate an operating control signal to turn-off the compressor when a predetermined operating condition is sensed at the evaporator and a condensate drain pan to receive or catch condensate from the evaporator, the control system comprising a condensate sensor disposed to sense condensate in the condensate drain pan at a predetermined level and to generate a condensate level signal fed to a battery powered control device including an isolated solid state relay coupled to the sensor by a control coupling device to generate a condensate level control signal fed to the sensor causing the sensor to generate the operating control signal fed to turn off the compressor when condensate within the condensate drain pan reaches the prede

Abstract: A control system to selectively control the operation of the compressor of an air conditioning system including at least one remote evaporator operatively coupled to the compressor to receive refrigerant therethrough, an air handler control system including a fault sensor to monitor the operation of the remote evaporator and to selectively generate a fault signal, and logic or circuitry to receive the fault signal from the fault sensor and to generate a fault control signal fed to the compressor to turn-off the compressor when a predetermined operating condition exists at the remote evaporator and a condensate drain pan to collect condensate from the remote evaporator, the control system comprising a condensate sensor disposed to sense condensate in the condensate drain pan at a predetermined level and to generate a condensate level signal fed to a control device coupled between the condensate sensor and the fault sensor of the air handler control system including logic or circuitry to generate a condensate l

Abstract: An apparatus having a smart material actuator, a support structure and at least one temperature compensating material insert, either externally mounted to the support structure, integrally formed with the support structure, or any combination thereof. The apparatus includes a mechanically leveraged electrically stimulated smart material. The support structure and actuator are susceptible to the effects of differences in thermal coefficients of expansion of the materials used in the construction. The smart material typically displaces less than 0.001 inches and is leveraged up to fifty times to obtain useful movement. The temperature effect on the smart material is therefore leveraged and amplified producing undesirable motion in the apparatus with ambient and/or operating temperature changes. A method for dimensioning and placement of a compensating insert with respect to the support structure provides an accurate and cost effective compensating insert.

Abstract: A wake-up circuit and associated method for use in an alarm system hidden in a currency resembling security pack. The alarm system includes an alarm device and an electronic alarm activation circuit that actuates the alarm device upon receipt of an alarm actuation signal. The wake up circuit includes a flexure sensor used to detect flexure of the security pack and upon sensing such flexure to switch the electronic alarm activation circuit from a first, dormant state to a second, active state.

Abstract: A position control system is used for controlling a fluid operated cylinder having at least one fluid chamber defined by a piston located within a housing for movement between first and second end limits of travel. The system includes at least two electrically actuated proportional flow control valves connected to each port of the cylinder for selectively and proportionally controlling fluid flow into and out of the at least one chamber. At least one pressure sensor is provided for measuring fluid pressure with respect to each chamber. At least one discrete position sensor is located adjacent a midpoint of the cylinder for sensing a discrete centered position of the piston. A controller includes a program and is operably connected for controlling actuation of the at least two valves in response to pressure measured by the at least one pressure sensor and location measured by the at least one position sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus can have a smart material actuator, a support structure and at least one temperature compensating material insert, either externally mounted to the support structure, integrally formed with the support structure, or any combination thereof. The structure of the apparatus can be formed of various materials with different Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE). The apparatus can include a mechanically leveraged electrically stimulated smart material. The support structure and actuator can be susceptible to the effects of differences in thermal coefficients of expansion of the materials used in the construction. A method for dimensioning and placement of a compensating insert with respect to the support structure provides an accurate and cost effective compensating insert. Furthermore, a method of compensating for differences in the rate of thermal expansion in one or more elements of an actuator is included with the present invention.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically stimulating a smart material includes a controllable power source for charging the smart material and/or switching circuitry for discharging the smart material. The controllable power source includes a regulated DC to DC converter having controllable drive circuitry associated therewith. The drive circuitry can be self-oscillating through associated feedback means. The switching circuitry can be responsive to one or more control signals.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for preloading an electrically stimulated smart material actuator product to obtain maximum work from the actuator. When a smart material actuator is optimally preloaded certain desirable characteristics become apparent, such as work, operational frequency, hysteresis, repeatability, and overall accuracy. When used in conjunction with a mechanically leveraged actuator structure the smart material actuator can be used to its greatest potential. Since the mechanically leveraged actuator can be based on the maximum work provided by the smart material actuator, certain attributes such as the force, and displacement of total system can be adjusted without loss to system efficiency. Preloading methods and a determination of the optimal preload force are disclosed. Each smart material actuator type has a unique work curve. In the design of an actuator assembly, the process of optimizing uses the unique work curve to optimize the design for the requirements of the particular application.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for moving a member including a first clamp assembled to a fixed surface for selectively clamping the member and a second clamp moveable with respect to the first clamp for selectively clamping the member. A piezo actuator is disposed between the first and second clamps for moving the member in response to expansion of the actuator. Resilient means bias the second clamp toward the first clamp.

Abstract: A position control system is used for controlling a fluid operated cylinder having at least one fluid chamber defined by a piston located within a housing for movement between first and second end limits of travel. The system includes at least two electrically actuated proportional flow control valves connected to each port of the cylinder for selectively and proportionally controlling fluid flow into and out of the at least one chamber. At least one pressure sensor is provided for measuring fluid pressure with respect to each chamber. At least one discreet position sensor is located adjacent a midpoint of the cylinder for sensing a discreet centered position of the piston. A controller includes a program and is operably connected for controlling actuation of the at least two valves in response to pressure measured by the at least one pressure sensor and location measured by the at least one position sensor.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus having at least one pair of opposing surfaces formed on a support structure for movement relative to one another and an actuator operably engaging the support structure for driving the at least one pair of opposing surfaces relative to one another in response to an electrical activation of the actuator. Preferably, the actuator is a piezoelectric device. The apparatus can be adapted for clamping and/or valving applications.