MODULAR ROTATIONAL ELECTRIC ACTUATOR

• US 20120286629A1
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Published: 11/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HDT Expeditionary Systems, Inc. (HDT Global, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HDT Expeditionary Systems, Inc. (HDT Global, Inc.)
• Inventors: Johnson, Ezra, Van Doren, Thomas W., Lontz, W. Travis, Coleman, Billy Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 9,321,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 310/68.B
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/08 characterised by modular constructions
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/102 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears gearings in general F16H
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/32 in which the central axis of the gearing lies inside the periphery of an orbital gear
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 1/46 Systems consisting of a plurality of gear trains each with orbital gears, i.e. systems having three or more central gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/24 Devices for sensing torque, or actuated thereby H02K11/27 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 11/25 Devices for sensing temperature, or actuated thereby
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/16 having annular armature cores with salient poles with homopolar co-operation H02K21/20
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2213/12 Machines characterised by the modularity of some components
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 29/08 using magnetic effect devices, e.g. Hall-plates, magneto-resistors H02K29/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/225 Terminal boxes or connection arrangements specially adapted for submersible motors H02K5/132
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/003 Couplings; Details of shafts means for mounting rotors on shafts H02K1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

A modular rotational electric actuator includes an output housing and internal drive components that include integrated control electronics, a torque sensor, and a portion of a joint assembly. The joint assembly includes a joint connector coupled to the internal drive components, including integrated control electronics, e.g., by a resilient member. The resilient member elastically couples the joint connector to a portion of the output housing, the joint connector including a portion that extends outward therefrom.

Claims

1. A modular rotational electric actuator, comprising:

an output housing including a front housing portion and a rear housing portion;

the output housing including;

internal drive components operatively located within the output housing, and

control electronics integrated within the output housing and in communication with the internal drive components, the control electronics including at least one sensor operatively coupled to at least one of the internal drive components, the at least one sensor operative to provide at least one signal or value to the control electronics indicative of a position, a torque, a load, or a speed associated with the actuator.

2. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 1, further comprising at least one of:

a first portion of a joint connector operatively coupled to the internal drive components and the integrated control electronics and externally coupled to the front housing portion or the rear housing portion; and

a second portion of the joint connector operatively coupled to the internal drive components and the integrated control electronics and externally coupled to the housing portion opposite to the housing portion to which the first portion is coupled.

3. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 2, wherein the first portion of the joint connector comprises a male connector portion including a protruding, load bearing blade, and wherein the second portion of the joint connector comprises a female connector portion including a socket selectively configured to receive a blade of a male connector.

4. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 3, wherein at least one of the male connector portion or the female connector portion includes a torque sensor configured to determine a torque of an output of the modular rotational actuator.

5. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 4, further comprising a series elastic element, the series elastic element coupling the portion of the joint connector to the internal drive components and the integrated control electronics, wherein the series elastic element couples an input of the modular rotational actuator associated with the front housing portion to an output of the modular rotational actuator associated with the rear housing portion.

6. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 5, wherein the internal drive components including integrated control electronics comprise at least one of a direct drive, a single stage, or a multi-stage reduction system.

7. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 5, wherein the internal drive components including integrated control electronics comprise a first stage gear train and motor assembly and a second stage gear train assembly.

8. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 7, wherein the first stage gear train and motor assembly comprises a friction planetary gear assembly, the second stage gear train assembly comprises a cycloidal gear assembly, and wherein the internal drive components further comprise a dual surfaced cam coupling the friction planetary gear assembly and the cycloidal gear assembly together.

9. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 8, further comprising through-joint wiring communicatively coupling the male joint connector portion, the internal drive components including integrated control electronics, and the female joint connector portion, the through-joint wiring configured to provide communications and power therebetween.

10. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 9, further comprising a hollow axial shaft extending between the male joint connector portion and the female joint connector portion, wherein the through-joint wiring traverses the hollow axial shaft between the male joint connector portion and the female joint connector portion.

11. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 10, further comprising an absolute position sensor configured to sense an initial position of the actuator to provide an absolute position of the actuator.

12. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 11, further comprising a continuous position sensor, the continuous position sensor including:

a series of magnets circumferentially disposed around a rotor of the motor assembly about an axis of rotation of the rotor; and

a first stationary hall-effect sensor and a second stationary hall-effect sensor, the first and second stationary hall-effect sensors positioned at least ninety degrees apart and configured to measure at least one of position and speed associated with an operation of the modular rotational electric actuator.

13. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 12, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the motor and the series elastic element.

14. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 13, wherein the integrated control electronics further comprises an integrated motor controller, the motor controller configured to operate the motor in accordance with an external command and an output of at least one of the temperature sensor, the position sensor, the torque sensor, or the continuous position sensor.

15. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 12, wherein the male joint connector portion and the female joint connector portion comprise a quick connect configured to serially connect a plurality of modular rotational electric actuators, and wherein the through-joint wiring of each of the plurality of modular rotational electric actuators is communicatively coupled to the through-joint wiring of each preceding and succeeding actuator via the corresponding joint connector portions thereof.

16. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 4, wherein the internal drive components including integrated control electronics comprise at least one of a direct drive, a single stage, or a multi-stage reduction system.

17. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 16, wherein the internal drive components including integrated control electronics comprise a first stage gear train and motor assembly and a second stage gear train assembly.

18. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 17, wherein the first stage gear train and motor assembly comprises a friction planetary gear assembly, the second stage gear train assembly comprises a cycloidal gear assembly, and wherein the internal drive components further comprise a dual surfaced cam coupling the friction planetary gear assembly and the cycloidal gear assembly together.

19. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 18, further comprising through-joint wiring communicatively coupling the male joint connector portion, the internal drive components including integrated control electronics, and the female joint connector portion, the through-joint wiring configured to provide communications and power therebetween.

20. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 19, further comprising a hollow axial shaft extending between the male joint connector portion and the female joint connector portion, wherein the through-joint wiring traverses the hollow axial shaft between the male joint connector portion and the female joint connector portion.

21. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 20, further comprising an absolute position sensor configured to sense an initial position of the actuator to provide an absolute position of the actuator.

22. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 21, further comprising a continuous position sensor, the continuous position sensor including:

a series of magnets circumferentially disposed around a rotor of the motor assembly about an axis of rotation of the rotor; and

a first stationary hall-effect sensor and a second stationary hall-effect sensor, the first and second stationary hall-effect sensors positioned at least ninety degrees apart and configured to measure at least one of position and speed associated with an operation of the modular rotational electric actuator.

23. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 22, further comprising a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature of the motor and the series elastic element.

24. The modular rotational electric actuator of claim 23, wherein the integrated control electronics further comprises an integrated motor controller, the motor controller configured to operate the motor in accordance with an external command and an output of at least one of the temperature sensor, the position sensor, the torque sensor, or the continuous position sensor.

25. A modular rotational actuator, comprising:

an output housing;

internal drive components, including integrated control electronics, mounted within the output housing, wherein the internal drive components further include;

a first gear train and motor assembly including at least one friction planetary gear assembly and a motor, the at least one friction planetary gear assembly positioned within a rotor of the motor,

a second gear stage assembly including at least one cycloidal gear assembly, and

a dual surfaced cam coupling the at least one friction planetary gear assembly to the at least one cycloidal gear assembly; and

a portion of a joint assembly comprising a joint connector coupled to the internal drive components including integrated control electronics by a resilient member, the resilient member elastically coupling the joint connector to a portion of the output housing, the joint connector including a portion extending outward therefrom.