Actuator

• US 6,028,384 A
• Filed: 11/17/1998
• Issued: 02/22/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Saia-Burgess Automotive Actuators LLC
• Original Assignee: CEI (Bigrup)
• Inventors: Billman, Christopher Joseph, Dozier, Dennis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Nestor
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, DANG D
• Application Number:
  US09/208,100
• Time in Patent Office: 462 Days
• Field of Search: 310/83, 310/75 R, 310/112, 310/96, 310/98, 310/99, 310/101, 310/118, 318/9, 318/12-15, 74/640, 74/665 R, 74/724, 74/665 L, 74/665 M, 74/665 N, 74/421 R, 74/421 A, 74/424.8 UA, 475/5-7, 475/10, 475/149, 475/174, 475/332, 251/129.01, 251/129.1, 251/129.11, 251/248, 251/249.5
• US Class Current: 310/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00835 Damper doors, e.g. position control construction or arrangement of damper doors B60H1/00664; B60H1/00864 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00857 characterised by the means connecting the initiating means, e.g. control lever, to the damper door
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/065 with a plurality of driving or driven shafts F16H37/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/047 characterised by mechanical means between the motor and the valve, e.g. lost motion means reducing backlash, clutches, brakes or return means F16K31/043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 16/00 Machines with more than one rotor or stator machines for transmitting mechanical power from a driving shaft to a driven shaft and comprising structurally interrelated motor and generator parts H02K51/00; permanent magnet machines with multiple rotors or stators relatively rotated for vectorially combining the excitation fields or the armature voltages H02K21/029
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1166 comprising worm and worm-wheel structural association with bearings specially adapted for worm gear drives H02K7/081
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19135 Spur

Abstract

The present invention is a new type of an electromechanical actuator that combines two rotary outputs from a solitary electrical input into a single molded housing. The actuator comprises an input assembly responsive to an external electrical control source. Preferably, the control source provides a control signal for each valve door to be controlled. The actuator also comprises a first geartrain assembly responsive to the input control assembly and a second geartrain assembly responsive to the input control assembly. The first geartrain assembly includes a first motor responsive to the input control assembly. A first output gear is operably connected to the first motor and a first rotatable output coupler is connected to the first output gear. The second geartrain assembly includes a second motor responsive to the input control assembly. A second output gear is connected to the second motor and a second rotatable output coupler is connected to the second output gear. Preferably, the rotatable outputs are co-axially and concentrically mounted. Methods of rotating output couplers to open and close valve doors are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An actuator for a dual-zone air conditioning system comprising:

an input control assembly responsive to an external control source;

a first drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the first drive assembly including a first motor responsive to the input control assembly;

a first rotatable output coupler connected to the first motor;

a second drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the second drive assembly including a second motor responsive to the input control assembly;

a second rotatable output coupler connected to the second motor;

a first valve door connected to the first rotatable output coupler for controlling air flow to a first zone of the air conditioning system; and

a second valve door connected to the second rotatable output coupler for controlling air flow to a second zone of the air conditioning system.

2. The actuator of claim 1, wherein:

the first drive assembly is a first geartrain assembly; and

the second drive assembly is a second geartrain assembly.

3. The actuator of claim 2, wherein:

the first geartrain assembly comprises a first output gear connecting the first motor to the first rotatable output coupler; and

the second geartrain assembly comprises a second output gear connecting the second motor to the second rotatable output coupler.

4. The actuator of claim 3, wherein the first geartrain assembly comprises:

a worm wheel connected to the first motor; and

a first middle gear connecting the worm wheel to the first output gear.

5. The actuator of claim 4, wherein the first geartrain assembly comprises a second middle gear connecting the first middle gear to the first output gear.

6. The actuator of claim 5, wherein the first geartrain assembly comprises a crossed-axis helical gear connecting the first motor to the worm wheel.

7. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the first rotatable output coupler is co-axial with the second rotatable output coupler.

8. The actuator of claim 7, comprising a base having an open-ended boss in which the first rotatable output coupler is mounted.

9. The actuator of claim 8, wherein:

the first drive assembly comprises a first output gear supported on the boss and connecting the first motor to the first rotatable output coupler;

the second drive assembly comprises a second output gear connecting the second motor to the second rotatable output coupler; and

the second output gear is co-axial with the first output gear.

10. The actuator of claim 9, comprising a case secured to the base, the case rotatably securing the second output gear in position, and including a hole co-axial with the second output gear, wherein the second rotatable output coupler is seated in the second output gear.

11. The actuator of claim 9, wherein the second rotatable output coupler is seated in the first rotatable output coupler and the second rotatable output coupler rotates independent of the first rotatable output coupler.

12. The actuator of claim 7, wherein the second rotatable output coupler rotates inside of, and independent of the first rotatable output coupler.

13. The actuator of claim 7, wherein the second rotatable output coupler is rotatably housed in the first rotatable output coupler.

14. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the first rotatable output coupler is mounted concentrically relative to the second rotatable output coupler.

15. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the second rotatable output coupler rotates inside of, and independent of, the first rotatable output coupler.

16. The actuator of claim 1, wherein the second rotatable output coupler is rotatably housed in the first rotatable output coupler.

17. The actuator of claim 1, wherein:

the first drive assembly comprises a first output gear connecting the first motor to the first rotatable output coupler; and

the second drive assembly comprises a second output gear connecting the second motor to the second rotatable output coupler.

18. The actuator of claim 17, wherein the first output gear is coaxial with the second output gear;

and wherein the first rotatable coupler is coaxial with the second rotatable coupler.

19. The actuator of claim 18, wherein the second rotatable output coupler is rotatably housed in the first rotatable output coupler.

20. An actuator comprising:

one input control assembly adapted to respond to an external control source, the input control assembly including;

a first circuit having an input pin adapted to connect to an external control source and a first first-motor pin connected to the first motor, wherein the first circuit input pin is electrically connected to the first first-motor pin;

a second circuit having an input pin adapted to connect to an external control source and a second first-motor pin connected to the first motor, wherein the second circuit input pin is electrically connected to the second first-motor pin; and

a third circuit having an input pin adapted to connect to an external control source and a first second-motor pin connected to the second motor, wherein the third circuit input pin is electrically connected to the first second-motor pin; and

a fourth circuit having an input pin adapted to connect to an external control source and a second second-motor pin connected to the second motor, wherein the fourth circuit input pin is electrically connected to the second second-motor pin;

a first geartrain assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the first geartrain assembly including,

a first motor responsive to the input control assembly,

a worm wheel connected to the first motor,

a first rotatable output coupler connected to the worm wheel; and

a second geartrain assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the second geartrain assembly including,

a second motor responsive to the input control assembly,

a worm wheel connected to the second motor, and

a second rotatable output coupler connected to the worm wheel.

21. The actuator of claim 20, wherein the first geartrain assembly comprises a first output gear connecting the worm wheel to the first rotatable output coupler.

22. The actuator of claim 21, wherein the second geartrain assembly comprises a second output gear co-axial with the first output gear and connecting the second geartrain assembly worm wheel to the second rotatable output coupler.

23. The actuator of claim 22, wherein the first rotatable output coupler is mounted in the first output gear and the second rotatable output coupler is mounted in the second output gear.

24. The actuator of claim 20, comprising:

a base having two sets of motor retention ribs, the first and second motors pressed into one and another of the two sets of motor retention ribs, respectively;

a first worm wheel shaft pressed into the base, wherein the worm wheel of the first geartrain assembly is retained in position by the first worm wheel shaft; and

a second worm wheel shaft pressed into the base, wherein the worm wheel of the second geartrain assembly is retained in position by the second worm wheel shaft.

25. The actuator of claim 24, wherein:

the first geartrain assembly comprises a first output gear connected to the first rotatable output coupler, a first and second middle wheels respectively on a first and second middle wheel shafts pressed into the base, wherein the first middle wheel connects the first geartrain worm wheel to the second middle wheel, which connects the first middle wheel to the first output gear, whereby the first rotatable output coupler is connected to and rotated by the first geartrain worm wheel; and

the second geartrain assembly comprises a second output gear connected to the second rotatable output coupler, a first and second middle wheels respectively on a first and second middle wheel shafts pressed into the base, wherein the first middle wheel connects the second geartrain worm wheel to the second middle wheel, which connects the first middle wheel to the second output gear, whereby the second rotatable output coupler is connected to and rotated by the second geartrain worm wheel.

26. An actuator comprising:

an input control assembly responsive to an external control source;

a first drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the first drive assembly including;

a first motor responsive to the input control assembly, the motor including a shaft and a first drive gear attached to the shaft; and

a first geartrain assembly having a first driven gear directly engaged by the first drive gear;

a first rotatable output coupler connected to the first motor via the first geartrain assembly;

a second drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the second drive assembly including;

a second motor responsive to the input control assembly, the second motor including a second shaft and a second drive gear attached to the second shaft; and

a second geartrain assembly having a second driven gear directly engaged by the second drive gear;

a second rotatable output coupler connected to the second motor via the second geartrain assembly; and

wherein the first and second driven gears are non-coaxial, and the first and second rotatable output couplers are coaxial.

27. An actuator comprising:

an input control assembly responsive to an external control source;

a first drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the first drive assembly including a first motor responsive to the input control assembly;

a first rotatable output coupler connected to the first motor;

a second drive assembly responsive to the input control assembly, the second drive assembly including a second motor responsive to the input control assembly;

a second rotatable output coupler connected to the second motor; and

wherein the input control assembly includes a printed circuit board having four motor pins and four input pins wherein a first two of the four motor pins are connected to the first motor and a second two of the four motor pins are connected to the second motor.

28. The actuator of claim 27, wherein the printed circuit board comprises four circuits including a first-motor power input circuit, a first-motor ground input circuit, a second-motor power input circuit, and a second-motor ground input circuit, wherein:

the first-motor power input circuit connects a first of the four input pins and one of the first two of the four motor pins;

the first-motor ground input circuit connects a second of the four input pins and another of the first two of the four motor pins;

the second-motor power input circuit connects a third of the four input pins and one of the second two of the four motor pins; and

the second-motor ground input circuit connects a fourth of the four input pins and another of the second two of the four motor pins.