SEQUENTIAL ROTARY AND LINEAR ACTUATING MECHANISM

• US 3,751,995 A
• Filed: 06/02/1972
• Issued: 08/14/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Quincy Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: John H. Carlson
• Inventors: Carlson, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, Charles J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ratliff, Jr., Wesley S.
• Application Number:
  US05/259,080
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 74/20,21 16/52 49/255,381,384 160/188 292/57
• US Class Current: 74/20
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 23/10 automatically producing the engagement of the clutch when the clutch members are moving at the same speed; Indicating synchronisation
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 7/12 specially adapted for actuating a member on a system in motion with respect to the controlling member, e.g. on a rotating shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 292/0863 Sliding and rotary
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18008 Oscillating to reciprocating and alternating rotary

Abstract

A compact mechanism for controlling angular and lateral positioning of one member in relation to another. Actuation is effected by a single prime mover through gearing of a type to rotate one of the two members until a rotational stop position is reached whereupon reaction forces on a helical spline cause relative lateral displacement until a predetermined locking relation is attained. The relative movement may sequentially be reversed and unlocked to restore the initial hinged relation.

Claims

1. Actuating mechanism for controlling the relative positions of two members hinged by a rotatable and axially slidable shaft, the mechanism comprising a motor-reducer unit coaxial with the shaft and having a helical reactive member in its driving connection therewith, a slot and cooperating key formed one on the shaft and the other on one of the two members, and an engageable stop means on the shaft and one of the two members arranged to align said slot and key circumferentially whereby upon such alignment the output of the motor-reducer unit is effective through rotation of the helical reactive member to shift the shaft in translation and thereby rotationally lock it by engagement of the key in said slot.

2. Mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein an end of the key acts as an abutment to prevent axial motion of the shaft during rotation thereof.

3. Actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor-reducer unit includes harmonic drive gearing, and the shaft is secured for joint movement with one of said two members, the one member being axially contained between thrust bearings on the other.

4. An actuating mechanism as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor-reducer unit comprises a drive shaft for operating a wave generator, a circular spline coupled to the motor housing and having a set of internal spline teeth and at least one external helical spline meshing with a corresponding helical formation on one of said two members, a dual flexspline cooperate with the wave generator and having one set of spline teeth meshing with said internal circular spline teeth, a dual circular spline having one set of internal spline teeth cooperating with a second set of spline teeth of said dual flexspline, and the second set of spline teeth of said dual circular spline meshing with spline teeth formed on said hinge shaft.

5. Actuator mechanism as in claim 4 wherein each of said two members is formed with plain bearing portions for receiving said hinge shaft, and the external helical spline teeth of said circular spline coupled to the motor housing mesh with corresponding helical teeth circumferentially formed internally on one of said two members on one of its bearing portions.

6. Actuator mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the stop means on the shaft is an axial projection aligned with an axially extending wall defining a key receiving slot in the shaft.

7. Actuator mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the shaft is axially splined to one of the two members.