Breather structure of actuator

• US 10,443,702 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2018
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nidec Tosok Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nidec Tosok Corporation (Nidec Corporation)
• Inventors: Uematsu, Yutaka, Shinkai, Kazumi, Kato, Shun, Kinjo, Shuichi, Osuga, Kohei, Hatsuda, Tadayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Yabut, Daniel D
• Application Number:
  US15/936,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20180283524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 57/027 characterised by means for venting gearboxes, e.g. air breathers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2205/09 Machines characterised by drain passages or by venting, breathing or pressure compensating means
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/10 with arrangements for protection from ingress, e.g. water or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/15 Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1732 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/1737 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears

Abstract

There is provided a breather structure of an actuator in which the breather structure is provided in a housing of the actuator, the breather structure including: a recessed groove positioned on an outer surface of the housing; a breathing hole which is positioned on a bottom surface of the recessed groove and passes through the housing in a first direction; a filter fixed to an inside of the housing so that the filter closes an opening of the breathing hole; a lid body which partially covers a region of the recessed groove including the breathing hole from an outside of the housing when viewed from the first direction; a breather opening portion positioned at a portion of the recessed groove exposed from the lid body; and a protrusion portion which protrudes from the bottom surface of the recessed groove to a side of the lid body.

Claims

1. An electric actuator, comprising:

a motor and a speed reduction mechanism in a housing;

a recessed groove positioned on an outer surface of the housing;

a breathing hole which is positioned on one side of a bottom surface of the recessed groove and passes through the housing in a first direction;

a filter fixed to the housing and covering the breathing hole from an inside of the housing;

a lid body is fixed to the housing, the lid body partially covering a region of the recessed groove and an entirety of the breathing hole from an outside of the housing when viewed from the first direction;

a breather opening portion positioned at a portion of the recessed groove exposed from the lid body; and

a protrusion portion which protrudes from the bottom surface of the recessed groove to a side of the lid body, the lid body covering an upper end of the protrusion portion when viewed from the first direction;

wherein

a portion of the protrusion portion is positioned between the breather opening portion and the breathing hole in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;

the protrusion portion is defined by an arcuate wall portion extending along a circumference of the breathing hole, and including a through portion passing though the wall portion in the second direction; and

a total height of the wall portion in the first direction is equal to a total depth of the recessed groove in the first direction.

2. The actuator according to claim 1,

wherein the wall portion surrounds equal to or more than half of the circumference of the breathing hole.

3. The actuator according to claim 1,

wherein the lid body is a connection bracket of the actuator.

4. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein

the housing includes a housing main body that holds the speed reduction mechanism and a speed reduction mechanism cover, and

the lid body is the speed reduction mechanism cover of the actuator.