1. A fluid control system having a primary control means (16) including means to receive in parallel electronic control signals and a connection to a source of electrical power,
a plurality of manifold modules (4) which when connected in series define a common manifold adapted to receive a supply of compressed fluid, each manifold module (4) including electrical connection means (36, 37) which connect with electrical connection means (36, 37) of adjacent manifold modules (4) to form an electrical bus to allow passage of power and control signals to each manifold module (4) in series through a connection (35) with said primary control means (16),
wherein each of said manifold modules (4) are provided with a valve module (9) which includes at least one valve, each valve module (9) receiving power to operate said at least one valve and fluid, the passage of which is controlled by said at least one valve, through a connection (32) with its manifold module (4), and
wherein each manifold module (4) includes a secondary control means (18) which controls operation of said at least one valve in accordance with the control signals received via an electrical connection (29, 30) with its manifold module (4),
characterised in that said primary control means (16) also includes means (10) for converting said received parallel electronic control signals into serial electronic control signals which constitute the instructions received by the secondary control means (18) of said manifold modules (4).
2. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each manifold module (4) is identical and it is unnecessary to provide each manifold module (4) with a unique address in order to ensure that instructions are routed correctly to an intended manifold module (4).
3. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said serial electronic control signals comprise a number of consecutive blocks of instructions wherein one block of instructions is provided for each manifold module (4).
4. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the order of the consecutive blocks of instructions in said serial electronic control signals corresponds to the order of connection of the manifold modules (4) in said common manifold.
5. A fluid control system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein as a particular block of instructions is received by the secondary control means (18) of a particular intended manifold module (4), that particular block of instructions is removed or blocked from the serial electronic control signals prior to being passed on to the secondary control means (18) of the next adjacent manifold module (4).
6. A fluid control system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said primary control means (16) is housed within a primary control module (2) connected to the series of connected manifold modules (4) at one end thereof and an endplate module (3) is attached to the other end of the series of connected manifold modules (4), wherein either of the endplate module (3) or the primary control module (2) is provided with means for connection to said supply of compressed fluid.
7. A fluid control system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which said electrical bus comprises four individual conductors and wherein said secondary control means (18) are capable of transmitting data signals back to said primary control means (16) via said bus.
8. A fluid control system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each said manifold module (4) is formed in a single piece as an extrusion and includes a passage (19) there through adapted to be aligned with the passages (19) of adjacent manifold modules (4), the passage (19) providing means for receiving a single printed circuit board (25) on which is mounted said secondary control means (18), said electrical connection means (36, 37) and means (29) providing an electrical connection with a valve module.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A power circuit using a primary battery, a secondary battery, a solar cell, or a fuel cell as a power supply, said power circuit comprising:
voltage step down control means for stepping down a charged voltage of a power assist capacitor to a predetermined voltage value within an operating voltage range of a load when an output voltage of said power supply exceeds an upper limit value of the operating voltage range of the load;
linear voltage control means for controlling the charged voltage of said power assist capacitor to a voltage value substantially equal to the output voltage of said power supply when the output voltage of said power supply falls within the operating voltage range of the load; and
current control means for controlling an upper limit value of the output current of said power supply using a predetermined current value in a power range necessary for operating the load,
wherein said power assist capacitor charged by the output current of said power supply is disposed at a power supply unit of the load.
2. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said power supply is a battery formed by a predetermined number of unit cells connected in series, said battery capable of electromotive force values in operating the load such that most of time in time transition of the output voltage of said power supply falls within the operating voltage range of the load.
3. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said voltage step down control means detects a charged voltage value of said power assist capacitor and steps down it to the predetermined voltage value within the operating voltage range of the load.
4. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said linear voltage control means turns on switching means connected in series to said power supply.
5. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said current control means controls a current or a voltage as a control input to switching means connected in series to said power supply.
6. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said power assist capacitor is of an electric double layer type and has an internal resistance value smaller than that of said power supply.
7. A power circuit according to claim 1, wherein said power assist capacitor is of an electric double layer type and has a capacitance that is capable of power supplying to the load during a time when a load current exceeds the upper limit value of the output current of said power supply.