Linear or Rotary Actuator Using Electromagnetic Driven Hammer as Prime Mover

• US 20160327137A1
• Filed: 05/08/2015
• Published: 11/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dynamic Structures And Materials, LLC
• Original Assignee: Dynamic Structures And Materials, LLC
• Inventors: Paine, Jeffrey S.N., Smith, Byron F., Sesler, Joshua J., Paine, Matthew T., McMahan, Bert K., McMahan, Mark C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,941,779 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0356 moving along a straight path
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0358 moving along a curvilinear path

Abstract

We claim a hammer driven actuator that uses the fast-motion, low-force characteristics of an electro-magnetic or similar prime mover to develop kinetic energy that can be transformed via a friction interface to produce a higher-force, lower-speed linear or rotary actuator by using a hammering process to produce a series of individual steps. Such a system can be implemented using a voice-coil, electro-mechanical solenoid or similar prime mover. Where a typical actuator provides limited range of motion or low force, the range of motion of a linear or rotary impact driven motor can be configured to provide large displacements which are not limited by the characteristic dimensions of the prime mover.

Claims

1. An actuator comprised of:

a. an inertial mass,

b. an output shaft,

c. one or more impact surfaces attached to the output shaft,

d. one or more impact surfaces attached to the inertial mass,

e. and a prime mover, itself comprised of an output part and a connection part, wherein the output part of the prime mover would traditionally be known as the “

output”

of the prime mover, and the connection part would traditionally be known as the “

grounded”

part.

2. An actuator as described in claim 1 designed to have a linear output, and wherein the prime mover is a linear output actuator, and wherein this linear output prime mover is oriented in the system such that its output is approximately parallel to the output of the main actuator described in this patent

3. An actuator as described in claim 1 designed to have a linear output, and wherein the prime mover is a rotary output actuator having a limited stroke, in which the rotary actuator is designed to impart kinetic energy to the output shaft (either directly or indirectly) by rotating into a kinetic impact transfer surface

4. An actuator as described in claim 1 designed to have a rotary output, and wherein the prime mover is a rotary actuator, or wherein the prime mover is a linear actuator oriented in the system to provide a torque loading around the output shaft

5. An actuator as described in claim 2, 3, or 4 wherein the output of the prime mover is the inertial part and wherein the connection part is securely attached to the output shaft.

6. An actuator as described in claim 2, 3, or 4 wherein the output of the prime mover is securely attached to the output shaft and wherein the inertial part is the connection part.

7. An actuator as described in claim 5 or 6, wherein the output shaft is connected via friction to a friction interface, which may be a dedicated friction interface clamp or may be an external device to be controlled by said actuator;

as a non-limiting example, the actuator may be attached to a gate valve;

since the gate valve itself has an innate friction component, the actuator will not need a separate friction interface

8. An actuator as described in claim 7, wherein the impact surface attached to the output shaft and impact surface attached to the inertial mass are oriented such that the total output stroke of the prime mover is limited to below its characteristic output stroke by the geometrical arrangement of the impact surfaces, such that when the prime mover actuates to each extreme of motion, the stroke of the prime mover is limited by the impact surface on the output shaft colliding with the impact surface on the output part of the inertial mass

9. An actuator as described in claim 8 that operates in either a linear or rotary fashion by using the prime mover to accelerate the inertial mass to a relatively high velocity, thus generating kinetic energy in the inertial mass;

the actuator would then operate by allowing the moving inertial mass to contact the output shaft by means of colliding the impact surface on the inertial mass and impact surface on the output shaft, thus generating a large force in the system that is directly opposed by the friction interface described in claim 6;

if this generated large force is sufficient to overcome the friction force generated by the friction interface described in claim 6, the output shaft will then move, causing gross motion of the entire actuator described in claim 4 or 5 (in other words, the entire actuator excluding the friction interface).

10. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is a voice coil actuator.

11. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is a solenoid actuator.

12. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is an electrostatic actuator.

13. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is an AC induction actuator.

14. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is a pneumatic piston device, either linear or rotary, with or without a spring bias or return mechanism.

15. An actuator as described in claim 9 wherein the prime mover is a hydraulic actuator.

REFERENCES

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Latest Developments in voice coil actuators,”

BEI, 1 Oct. 2000. [Online]. Available;

http;

//machinedesign.com/linear-motion/latest-developments-voice-coil-actuators. [Accessed 20 Aug. 2013].

[2] T. Morcos, “

The Stright Attraction,”

Motion Control, pp. 29-33, 2000.

[3] N. &

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Voice-coil actuators in space,”

Sixth European Space Mechanisms and Tribology Symposium, Proceedings of the conference held 4-6 Oct. 1995 in Zü

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