×

ELECTROMECHANICAL LATCHING ACTUATOR

  • US 3,772,540 A
  • Filed: 07/19/1972
  • Issued: 11/13/1973
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1972
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
Patent Images

1. In an actuator of the type that has a housing and a driving element supported in said housing for movement between a first position and a second position, an improved system for controlling the movement and position of said element with respect to said housing, said system comprising a first magnetic member attached to the driving element, a second magnetic member rigid with said housing and arranged to form a magnetic circuit path with said first magnetic member, said magnetic circuit having a vairable reluctance first air-gap therein between said first and second magnetic members which first air-gap is relatively small in said first position, a permanent magnet interposed in said magnetic circuit path to establish in said magnetic circuit path a latching flux for latching said driving element in said first position relative to said housing, said permanent magnet having a magnetic length along the circuit path that is less than the square root of the transverse area of the circuit path, at least one electric coil fixed within said housing circumscribing at least one of said magnetic members, said coil producing a magnetic flux in resonse to electrical excitation thereof that opposes and nullifies the latching flux produced in said magnetic circuit by said permanent magnet to permit movement of said driving element relative to Said housing away from said first position thereby to increase the reluctance of said first air-gap, and a third magnetic member spaced from said second magnetic member and corresponding to said second position and being arranged to form with said permanent magnet and said first magnetic member a second latching flux path for latching said driving element in said second position.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×