Fluid-power device with rollers
First Claim
1. A fluid-power device, comprising:
- a body;
an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on a surface portion thereof and having an axial pitch and a lead angle with a left-hand or right-hand turn;
a plurality of rollers, each having at least one circumferential ridge;
an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body, said reciprocating member rotatably retaining said rollers in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, said rollers being retained by said reciprocating member in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved surface portion for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and the one of said body or said drive member having said grooved surface portion, each ridge of said rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said grooved surface portion, said rollers being retained by said reciprocating member in an axially skewed position relative to said body or drive member with which engaged, such that the angle of skew corresponds to said hand turn of said engaged helical groove so as to improve angular alignment of said roller ridges with said engaged helical grooves of said grooved surface portion;
means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body or said drive member; and
at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid-powered actuator having a body with interior helical grooves, an output shaft with exterior helical grooves, a first set of rollers in rolling engagement with only the body grooves and axially skewed at an angle corresponding to the lead angle of the body grooves, a second set of rollers in rolling engagement with only the output shaft grooves and axially skewed at a skew angle corresponding to the lead angle of the output shaft grooves, and an axially reciprocating piston sleeve mounted within the body and retaining the rollers in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to the piston sleeve during powered operation of the device. In several embodiments, the first and second sets of rollers are axially spaced apart.
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Citations
93 Claims
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1. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on a surface portion thereof and having an axial pitch and a lead angle with a left-hand or right-hand turn; a plurality of rollers, each having at least one circumferential ridge; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body, said reciprocating member rotatably retaining said rollers in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, said rollers being retained by said reciprocating member in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved surface portion for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and the one of said body or said drive member having said grooved surface portion, each ridge of said rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said grooved surface portion, said rollers being retained by said reciprocating member in an axially skewed position relative to said body or drive member with which engaged, such that the angle of skew corresponds to said hand turn of said engaged helical groove so as to improve angular alignment of said roller ridges with said engaged helical grooves of said grooved surface portion; means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body or said drive member; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on an inward facing surface portion thereof, said body helical grooves having a first axial pitch and a first lead angle with a first left-hand or right-hand turn; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on an outward facing surface portion thereof positioned within said body, said drive member grooves having a second axial pitch and a second lead angle with a second left-hand or right-hand turn; a first plurality of elongated rollers having circumferential grooves with ridges therebetween; a second plurality of elongated rollers having circumferential grooves with ridges therebetween; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body, said reciprocating member rotatably retaining said first and second pluralities of rollers in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, said reciprocating member retaining said first plurality of rollers in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved body inward surface portion and retaining said second plurality of rollers in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved drive member outward surface position for transmitting force between said body, drive member and reciprocating member, each ridge of said first plurality of rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said body and out of engagement with said grooves of said drive member, and each ridge of said second plurality of rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said drive member and out of engagement with said grooves of said body, at least said first or second pluralities of rollers being retained by said reciprocating member in an axially skewed position relative to the one of said body or drive member with which engaged, such that the angle of skew corresponds to said first or second hand turn of said engaged body or drive member helical grooves so as to improve angular alignment of said roller ridges with said engaged body or drive member helical grooves; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74)
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75. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves formed on a surface portion thereof positioned within said body, said grooves having an axial pitch and a lead angle with a left-hand or right-hand turn; a plurality of rollers, each having at least one circumferential ridge and being rotatably supported by a spindle, each said spindle being supported between first and second support arms; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body, said reciprocating member supportably retaining first and second support arms in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, with said rollers in seated rolling engagement with said grooves for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and said grooved one of said body or drive member, said ridges of said rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding helical grooves; means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body of drive member; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (76, 77)
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78. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on a surface portion thereof positioned within said body; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body; a plurality of rollers having circumferential grooves with ridges therebetween; a plurality of cantilever spindles having a free, unattached first end portion extending into a circumferential space adjacent to said grooved surface portion and circumferentially distributed thereabout, said spindle free end portions each having at least one of said rollers coaxially and rotatably retained thereon and retained against axial movement relative to said spindles, each said spindle having a second end portion attached to said reciprocating member to support said first end portion in cantilevered manner and to prevent axial and circumferential movement of said spindle, said reciprocating member retaining said spindle free first end portions and said rollers rotatable retained thereon in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, said rollers on said spindles being retained by said reciprocating member in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved surface portion for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and the one of said body or said drive member having said grooved surface portion, each ridge of said rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said grooved surface portion; an annular spindle support plate having a central opening through which said drive member extends and a plurality of circumferentially distributed spindle openings, each said spindle opening receiving one of said spindle free first end portions therethrough and providing support thereto against lateral forces on said spindles, said support plate being attached to said spindles for travel therewith during powered operation of the fluid-power device; means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body or said drive member; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member.
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79. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having a plurality of helical grooves with ridges therebetween formed on a surface portion thereof positioned within said body; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body; a plurality of rollers having circumferential grooves with ridges therebetween, each being defined by a plurality of annular rings coaxially aligned and positioned together, each of said rings having a radially outward facing surface portion shaped to form in combination with the other of said plurality of rings said roller grooves and ridges, at least one of said rings further including at least one annular skirt coaxial with said one ring and axially extending therefrom toward the next adjacent one of said rings, whereby said surface portions of said plurality of rings can be axially spaced apart to provide a desired roller pitch; a plurality of cantilever spindles having a free, unattached first end portion extending into a circumferential space adjacent to said grooved surface portion and circumferentially distributed thereabout, said spindle free end portions each having at least one of said rollers coaxially and rotatably retained thereon and retained against axial movement relative to said spindles, each said spindle having a second end portion attached to said reciprocating member to support said first end portion in cantilevered manner and to prevent axial and circumferential movement of said spindle, said reciprocating member retaining said spindle free first end portions and said rollers rotatable retained thereon in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device, said rollers on said spindles being retained by said reciprocating member in circumferentially distributed arrangement in seated rolling engagement with said grooved surface portion for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and the one of said body or said drive member having said grooved surface portion, each ridge of said rollers being positioned for rolling travel in the corresponding grooves of said grooved surface portion; means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body or said drive member; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82)
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83. A fluid-power device, comprising:
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a body; an axially extending drive member supported for movement relative to said body and connectable to an external device, one of said body or said drive member having at least one helical groove formed on a surface portion thereof positioned within said body; at least one roller having at least one circumferential ridge; an axially reciprocating member reciprocally mounted within said body, said reciprocating member rotatably retaining said roller in fixed axial and circumferential position relative to said reciprocating member during powered operation of the fluid-power device with said roller in seated rolling engagement with said grooved surface portion for transmitting force between said reciprocating member and the one of said body or said drive member having said grooved surface portion, said ridge of said roller being positioned for rolling travel in said helical groove of said grooved surface portion; means for transmitting torque between said reciprocating member and the other of said body or said drive member; and at least one piston mounted for reciprocal movement and operatively engaging said reciprocating member. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93)
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Specification