In-line actuator apparatus and method

• US 20050183525A1
• Filed: 01/25/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schukra North America Limited (Schukra)
• Original Assignee: Schukra North America Limited (Schukra)
• Inventors: Fiedler, Christian, Blendea, Horia
• Granted Patent: US 7,329,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 74/89.230
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 81/38 Planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2081 Parallel arrangement of drive motor to screw axis
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2087 using planetary gears
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/20 Screw mechanisms with automatic reversal F16H25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/06 Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18576 including screw and nut
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18632 Plural nuts driving shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1864 Shaft and nut driven

Abstract

The present invention is an in-line electric motor actuator. An electric motor has a rotor shaft engaged with a gear set within a housing. As an example, the gear set may be a planetary gear set. The planetary gears are engaged with a disk. The disk is fixed to a shaft rod or other force transmitting component such as lead screw. The lead screw is engaged with a traveling block. When the lead screw rotates, the traveling block moves along the lead screw. The lateral movement of the traveling block may be linked to further force application devices, such as a pin or a cable. In one aspect of the invention, the rotor shaft is a hollow tube, and the lead screw is a spindle or rod disposed to slide in and out of the rotor shaft tube.

Claims

1. An in-line actuator comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a drive disk rotatably mounted within said housing;

c. a gear set in driving communication with said drive disk;

d. an electric motor mounted to said housing, said electric motor having a rotor shaft, and said rotor shaft in driving communication with said gear set;

e. a lead screw connected to said drive disk; and

f. a traveling block connected to said lead screw, wherein said electric motor drives said gear set to rotate said drive disk, and said drive disk moves said traveling block in an axial direction via said lead screw.

2. The in-line actuator according to claim 1, wherein a Bowden cable is connected to said traveling block.

3. The in-line actuator according to claim 1, further comprising an auxiliary housing cap connected to said housing, said auxiliary housing cap including a seat adapted to receive a cable sleeve.

4. The in-line actuator according to claim 1, wherein said lead screw threadingly engages said traveling block and said lead screw is rotatably connected to said drive disk for rotation therewith.

5. The in-line actuator according to claim 1, wherein said rotor shaft has an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and said inner diameter receives said lead screw.

6. The in-line actuator according to claim 5, wherein said lead screw threadingly engages said drive disk and said lead screw is affixed to said traveling block.

7. The in-line actuator according to claim 1, wherein said gear set is a planetary gear set.

8. The in-line actuator according to claim 7, wherein said drive disk includes at least one integral axle for receiving at least one planetary gear.

9. The in-line actuator according to claim 7, wherein said planetary gear set includes a sun gear and three planetary gears, said housing includes a toothed inner race, said sun gear is connected to said rotor shaft and said planetary gears ride in said toothed inner race.

10. An in-line actuator comprising:

a. a housing having a toothed inner race;

b. an electric motor mounted to said housing, said electric motor having a rotor shaft;

c. a pinion connected to said rotor shaft;

d. a drive disk having at least one integral axle;

e. at least one planetary gear rotatably mounted on said at least one integral axle, said at least one gear engaged with said toothed inner race and driven communication with said pinion;

f. a lead screw connected to said drive disk; and

g. a traveling block connected to said lead screw, wherein said electric motor drives said gear set to rotate said drive disk, and said drive disk moves said traveling block in an axial direction via said lead screw.

11. The in-line actuator according to claim 10, wherein a Bowden cable is connected to said traveling block.

12. The in-line actuator according to claim 10, further comprising an auxiliary housing cap connected to said housing, said auxiliary housing cap including a seat adapted to receive a cable sleeve.

13. The in-line actuator according to claim 10, wherein said lead screw threadingly engages said traveling block and said lead screw is rotatably connected to said drive disk for rotation therewith.

14. The in-line actuator according to claim 10, wherein said rotor shaft has an inner diameter and an outer diameter, and said inner diameter receives said lead screw.

15. The in-line actuator according to claim 14, wherein said lead screw threadingly engages said drive disk and said lead screw is affixed to said traveling block such that said lead screw moves axially along with said traveling block.

16. The in-line actuator according to claim 10, further comprising a housing component connected to said housing.

17. The in-line actuator according to claim 16, wherein said traveling block is in sliding engagement with an interior of said housing component.

18. A method of assembling an in-line actuator, the method comprising the steps of:

a. providing a housing having an inner toothed race;

b. mounting an electric motor in said housing, said electric motor having a rotor shaft tube;

c. affixing a sun gear to said rotor shaft tube;

d. inserting planetary gears into engagement with said toothed race and said sun gear;

e. inserting planetary gear axles of a drive disk into said planetary gears;

f. engaging a rod with said drive disk; and

g. engaging a traveling block with an end of said rod.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of engaging a rod with said drive disk includes threadingly engaging said rod with a through hole of said drive disk.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of engaging a rod with said drive disk includes affixing said rod to said drive disk for rotation therewith.