Actuator

• US 7,055,320 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: SMC Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Saitoh, Masaru, Saitoh, Akio, Nagai, Shigekazu
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazo, Thomas E.
• Application Number:
  US10/902,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20050022523A1
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 604/73, 604/75, 604/76, 92/71
• US Class Current: 60/476
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/061 with fluid drive B25B5/087, B25B5/122 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 15/18 Combined units comprising both motor and pump
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 7/006 Rotary pump input

Abstract

An actuator comprises a pump-driving section which is driven and rotated by a current, and a pump mechanism which is connected to the pump-driving section and which sucks/discharges a pressure oil. A cylinder mechanism, which has a piston that is displaceable in the axial direction by being supplied with the pressure oil, is provided on the pump-driving section and the pump mechanism. The amount of discharge of the pressure oil to the cylinder mechanism is adjusted by freely changing the angle of inclination of a tilting member provided in the pump mechanism.

Claims

1. An actuator comprising:

a pump mechanism which sucks/discharges a pressure fluid by displacing pump pistons in an axial direction in accordance with a rotary driving force of a pump-driving section to be driven and rotated by an electric signal; and

a driving mechanism including a displaceable member which is displaceable in said axial direction by pressure of said pressure fluid to be supplied from said pump mechanism, wherein;

said pump mechanism and said driving mechanism are provided in an integrated manner, and said pump mechanism includes an adjusting section which is provided in said pump mechanism and which adjusts an amount of discharge of said pressure fluid supplied to said driving mechanism;

said adjusting section comprises a tilting member which is rotatably supported tiltably by a body of said pump mechanism and which is engaged with said pump piston, wherein an amount of displacement of said pump piston in said axial direction is adjusted by a tilting action of said tilting member;

said driving mechanism includes first and second cylinder chambers in which said displaceable member is provided displaceably, and said first and second cylinder chambers communicate with an interior of said pump mechanism via first and second passages respectively; and

said first and second passages are formed in an end plate of said pump mechanism and a cylinder tube and a cover member of said driving mechanism.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said tilting member is connected via a connecting shaft to a rotatable member which is provided outside said body, and an angle of inclination of said tilting member is adjustable by the aid of said rotatable member.

3. The actuator according to claim 2, wherein an arm section, which protrudes radially outwardly from a portion supported by said connecting shaft, is formed for said rotatable member.

4. The actuator according to claim 3, wherein said pump mechanism is provided with a stopper mechanism for regulating a tilting action of said tilting member connected to said rotatable member by rotating and displacing said arm section of said rotatable member to make abutment.

5. The actuator according to claim 4, wherein said stopper mechanism includes a main body section which is fixed to said body and a stopper pin which is screw-engaged with said main body section displaceably in said axial direction and which makes abutment against said rotatable member.

6. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said pump mechanism is provided with a pressure-adjusting mechanism for adjusting a pressure of said pressure fluid in said pump mechanism.

7. The actuator according to claim 6, wherein:

said pressure-adjusting mechanism comprises a pressure-adjusting plug which is screw-engaged with an installation hole communicating with an interior of said body; and

said pressure of said pressure fluid contained in said body is adjusted by screw-rotating said pressure-adjusting plug.

8. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said driving mechanism is juxtaposed with said pump mechanism.

9. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said pump mechanism comprises:

said pump piston which is retained by said tilting member, a cylinder body which is secured to a rotary shaft connected to a driving shaft of said pump-driving section and which retains said pump piston displaceably in said axial direction, and a spring which is interposed between said pump piston and said cylinder body; and

a chamber which is formed between said pump piston and said cylinder body, wherein;

said pump piston is driven and rotated in a circumferential direction about a center of said rotary shaft by the aid of said cylinder body under a rotary action of said rotary shaft.

10. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein said tilting member is formed to have a hemispherical shape, and a through-hole, through which said rotary shaft connected to said drive shaft of said pump-driving section, is formed at a substantially central portion of said tilting member.

11. An actuator comprising:

a pump mechanism which sucks/discharges a pressure fluid by displacing pump pistons in an axial direction in accordance with a rotary driving force of a pump-driving section to be driven and rotated by an electric signal; and

a driving mechanism including a displaceable member which is displaceable in said axial direction under pressure of said pressure fluid supplied from said pump mechanism, wherein;

said pump mechanism and said driving mechanism are provided in an integrated manner, and said pump mechanism includes an adjusting section which is provided in said pump mechanism and which adjusts an amount of discharge of said pressure fluid supplied to said driving mechanism;

said adjusting section comprises a fixed member which is engaged with said pump piston, which is fixed in said pump mechanism, and which has an inclined surface inclined by a predetermined angle, and a speed change mechanism which controls an amount of driving rotation transmitted from said pump-driving section to said pump mechanism; and

said pump mechanism is provided with a pressure-adjusting mechanism for adjusting a pressure of said pressure fluid in said pump mechanism.

12. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein said speed change mechanism controls an amount of discharge of said pressure fluid from said pump mechanism to said driving mechanism by controlling said amount of driving rotation transmitted from said pump-driving section to said pump mechanism.

13. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein:

said pressure-adjusting mechanism comprises a pressure-adjusting plug which is screw-engaged with an installation hole communicating with an interior of said body; and

said pressure of said pressure fluid contained in said body is adjusted by screw-rotating said pressure-adjusting plug.

14. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein said driving mechanism is juxtaposed with said pump mechanism.

15. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein said driving mechanism includes first and second cylinder chambers in which said displaceable member is provided displaceably, and said first and second cylinder chambers communicate with an interior of said pump mechanism via first and second passages respectively.

16. The actuator according to claim 15, wherein said first and second passages are formed in an end plate of said pump mechanism and a cylinder tube and a cover member of said driving mechanism.

17. The actuator according to claim 11, wherein said pump mechanism comprises:

said pump piston which is retained by said fixed member, a cylinder body which is secured to a rotary shaft connected to a driving shaft of said pump-driving section and which retains said pump piston displaceably in said axial direction, and a spring which is interposed between said pump piston and said cylinder body; and

a chamber which is formed between said pump piston and said cylinder body, wherein;

said pump piston is driven and rotated in a circumferential direction about a center of said rotary shaft by the aid of said cylinder body under a rotary action of said rotary shaft.

18. An actuator comprising:

a pump mechanism which sucks/discharges a pressure fluid by displacing pump pistons in an axial direction in accordance with a rotary driving force of a pump-driving section to be driven and rotated by an electric signal; and

a driving mechanism including a displaceable member which is displaceable in said axial direction by pressure of said pressure fluid to be supplied from said pump mechanism, wherein;

said pump mechanism and said driving mechanism are provided in an integrated manner, and said pump mechanism includes an adjusting section which is provided in said pump mechanism and which adjusts an amount of discharge of said pressure fluid supplied to said driving mechanism;

said adjusting section comprises a tilting member which is rotatably supported tiltably by a body of said pump mechanism and which is engaged with said pump piston, wherein an amount of displacement of said pump piston in said axial direction is adjusted by a tilting action of said tilting member; and

said pump mechanism is provided with a pressure-adjusting mechanism for adjusting a pressure of said pressure fluid in said pump mechanism.

19. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein said driving mechanism includes first and second cylinder chambers in which said displaceable member is provided displaceably, and said first and second cylinder chambers communicate with an interior of said pump mechanism via first and second passages respectively.

20. The actuator according to claim 19, wherein said first and second passages are formed in an end plate of said pump mechanism and a cylinder tube and a cover member of said driving mechanism.

21. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein said tilting member is connected via a connecting shaft to a rotatable member which is provided outside said body, and an angle of inclination of said tilting member is adjustable by the aid of said rotatable member.

22. The actuator according to claim 21, wherein an arm section, which protrudes radially outwardly from a portion supported by said connecting shaft, is formed for said rotatable member.

23. The actuator according to claim 22, wherein said pump mechanism is provided with a stopper mechanism for regulating a tilting action of said tilting member connected to said rotatable member by rotating and displacing said arm section of said rotatable member to make abutment.

24. The actuator according to claim 23, wherein said stopper mechanism includes a main body section which is fixed to said body and a stopper pin which is screw-engaged with said main body section displaceably in said axial direction and which makes abutment against said rotatable member.

25. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein:

said pressure-adjusting mechanism comprises a pressure-adjusting plug which is screw-engaged with an installation hole communicating with an interior of said body; and

said pressure of said pressure fluid contained in said body is adjusted by screw-rotating said pressure-adjusting plug.

26. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein said driving mechanism is juxtaposed with said pump mechanism.

27. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein said pump mechanism comprises:

said pump piston which is retained by said tilting member, a cylinder body which is secured to a rotary shaft connected to a driving shaft of said pump-driving section and which retains said pump piston displaceably in said axial direction, and a spring which is interposed between said pump piston and said cylinder body; and

a chamber which is formed between said pump piston and said cylinder body, wherein;

said pump piston is driven and rotated in a circumferential direction about a center of said rotary shaft by the aid of said cylinder body under a rotary action of said rotary shaft.

28. The actuator according to claim 18, wherein said tilting member is formed to have a hemispherical shape, and a through-hole, through which said rotary shaft connected to said drive shaft of said pump-driving section, is formed at a substantially central portion of said tilting member.