Multiple axis actuator

• US 4,421,997 A
• Filed: 11/13/1981
• Issued: 12/20/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Forys, Edward L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duggan, Donovan F.
• Application Number:
  US06/321,083
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 310/12-15, 310/27, 318/135, 318/115, 336/200, 336/232
• US Class Current: 310/12.04
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/18 Stabilised platforms, e.g. by gyroscope
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 2201/18 Machines moving with multiple degrees of freedom
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/031 of the permanent magnet type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 99/20 Motors

Abstract

A multi-axis actuator which provides force along three translational and two rotational axes through the interaction of multiple windings on a single platen which interact with the poles of a magnetic member spaced apart a sufficient distance to allow linear and rotational motion. Said poles are disposed in a parallel relationship to said platen thereby causing a magnetic field to impinge a portion of said platen at right angles thereto. Further, said windings may be disposed so as to generate linear force only, rotational force only, single or multiple translational forces only or force about rotational axes only or any combinations of the foregoing necessary for the desired force generation.

Claims

1. A force producing apparatus comprising:

a. a single pair of opposed magnetic poles for establishing a monogeneous magnetic field having flux lines aligned in the same direction from pole to pole; and

b. means for producing force in a direction substantially parallel to the flux lines of said magnetic field comprising at least a pair of electrically conductive spiral windings positioned within said magnetic field for interacting therewith, the windings of said pair being wound in like directions in adjacent parallel planes generally orthogonal to said flux lines and connected together at the inner ends of the spirals, said windings being displaced from each other in a direction aligned with the magnetic field by a predetermined distance sufficient to develop, when the windings are energized, like magnetic poles on opposite sides of said winding pair for interacting with said magnetic field to develop a force in the direction of said field.

2. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said means for producing force substantially parallel to the flux lines of said magnetic field further comprises:

a. a first loop of electrically conductive material lying in a plane substantially perpendicular to said flux lines,

b. a second loop of electrically conductive material lying in a plane substantially parallel to the first loop but spaced apart therefrom, and

c. means for connecting said first and second loops to an external circuit.

3. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said first and second loops are so constructed and arranged that when current is driven through said loops opposing magnetic fields are generated for the two loops.

4. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 3 wherein current in said first loop travels in a direction opposite to current in adjacent portions of said second loop.

5. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 4 wherein said loops are connected in series with each other.

6. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein said loops are spirals of wire connected at the center of said spirals.

7. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 wherein the force producing means comprises:

a. means for producing a torsional force about at least one rotational axis which is generally perpendicular to the flux lines of said magnetic field.

8. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 7 wherein said means for generating force about at least one rotational axis further comprises:

at least an additional spiral winding pair mounted on a generally planar platen with said spiral windings, the windings of said additional pair being adjacent one another but on opposite sides of the platen and connected together in series circuit, said additional winding pair being displaced along the platen from said first-mentioned spiral windings but between said single pair of magnetic poles, such that when magnetic fields of different polarity are generated in said winding pairs, force is generated about an axis lying between winding pairs of different polarity magnetic fields.

9. A force producing apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein additional spiral winding pairs are mounted in adjacent pairs one for each rotational axis selected, and having the line of intersection between centers of such adjacent pairs transverse to such lines of intersection of other adjacent pairs.

10. An actuator for inertial stabilization systems comprising:

a. a magnetic member having two opposed poles,

b. a generally planar platen mounted between said poles and aligned transversely to a line between said poles, and

c. at least one double loop spiral winding attached to said platen within the field of said poles, the respective spiral loops of said winding being electrical conductors wound in like direction and mounted on opposite sides of the platen in adjacent parallel planes displaced from each other by a predetermined distance sufficient to develop a pair of like magnetic poles on opposite sides of the platen when the winding is energized, said like poles interacting with the field of said opposed poles to develop a force between the platen and said opposed poles along the line between said opposed poles.

11. An actuator for inertial stabilization systems as described in claim 10 wherein said double winding is disposed in a planar configuration having continuous concentric loops adjacent one another.

12. An actuator for inertial stabilization systems as described in claim 10 wherein

said double winding is configured as a pair of spiral wires attached together at one end, at the center of said spiral, thence extending outwardly in ever increasing radial distance until the opposed ends are attached to a pair of terminals said spiral wires being spaced apart a predetermined distance, whereby opposing magnetic fields are generated by said spiral wires and by partial mutual cancellation cause a net field to be generated for interacting with the field of the magnetic member to develop a force generally aligned with the magnetic member field.

13. An actuator for inertial stabilization systems as described in claim 10, 11 or 12 further comprising:

means for generating terminal force about at least one rotational axis generally perpendicular to the flux lines of the magnetic member field.

14. An actuator for inertial stabilization systems as described in claim 13 wherein said means for generating force about at least one rotational axis further comprises:

a plurality of spiral winding pairs mounted on said platen planarly adjacent one another such that, when opposing magnetic fields of different polarity are generated in said windings, force is generated about an axis lying between windings of different polarity.

15. An actuator as described in claim 14 wherein said plurality of spiral winding pairs are mounted in adjacent pairs, one for each rotational axis selected and have the line of intersection between centers of such adjacent pairs transverse to such lines of intersection of other adjacent pairs.

16. Force generating apparatus comprising:

an electrically conductive winding in the form of two spirals extending in generally parallel planes displaced from each other by a predetermined distance along a common axis of the spirals, the spirals being wound in like directions parallel to each other and being joined at their centers to provide a single series current path for conducting current in opposite directions in the two spirals to develop a pair of like magnetic poles along said axis on opposite sides of the winding; and

means for generating a homogeneous magnetic field encompassing said winding and having a direction generally aligned with said axis in order to develop an axial force on said winding.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further including a generally planar platen positioned between the two spirals and supporting said winding.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further including a second electrically conductive winding in the form of two spirals mounted on opposite sides of said platen, said spirals being wound in like directions parallel to each other and being joined at their centers to provide a single series current path for conducting current in opposite directions in the two spirals to develop a pair of like magnetic poles along the axis of the second winding on oppposite sides thereof, the second winding being displaced along the platen from the first-mentioned winding, both of said windings being positioned within said homogeneous magnetic field, such that when the two windings are energized oppositely with respect to each other the mutual interaction with the homogeneous magnetic field develops a torsional force on said platen.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further including an additional pair of conductive windings constructed like the first-mentioned pair of windings and having their respective spirals mounted on opposite sides of the platen, the windings of said second pair being displaced from each other along the platen by a distance aproximately equal to the displacement of the first-mentioned windings but oriented approximately 90°

about the platen relative to the orientation of the first-mentioned pair of windings for developing torsional force about an axis in the plane of the platen generally orthogonal to the torsional force axis of the first-mentioned pair.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 further including still another winding constructed as defined in claim 16 and having its spirals mounted on opposite sides of the platen, said another winding being generally situated relative to the two first-mentioned pairs of windings and within said homogeneous magnetic field for developing an axial force on said platen in addition to the torsional forces developed by the respective pairs of windings.