Actuating device

• US 7,172,169 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Issued: 02/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Onesubsea IP UK Limited (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Cameron International Corporation (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Biester, Klaus
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rost; Andrew J.
• Application Number:
  US10/415,419
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048602A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.11, 251/129.12, 251/129.13
• US Class Current: 251/129.11
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2075 Coaxial drive motors
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2025/2463 using a wrap spring brake, i.e. a helical wind up spring for braking or locking
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/20 Screw mechanisms with automatic reversal F16H25/12
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2204 with balls
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2454 Brakes; Rotational locks
• 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 7/06 Means for converting reciprocating motion into rotary motion or vice versa
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/173 Screw and nut adjusting means

Abstract

An actuating device for regulating a control mechanism which is subject to a force against the direction of regulation. The actuating device includes a drive device which has a drive shaft and is connected in a moveable manner to a rotating spindle, by which means an actuating element can be axially displaced in the direction of regulation, in a housing receiving the device. The aim of the invention is to improve one such actuating device in such a way that actuation of the control mechanism is guaranteed in a constructively simple and cost-effective manner. In order to achieve this, the drive device comprises at least two electric motors which can respectively be actuated and controlled for the rotation of the drive shaft.

Claims

1. An actuating device for regulating a control mechanism subjected to a force against the direction of regulation, whereby the actuating device comprises:

a drive shaft;

a rotating spindle spaced axially apart from and connected in a moveable manner to said drive shaft;

an actuating element adapted to be axially displaced by said rotating spindle in the direction of regulation;

at least two electric motors, each motor adapted to be actuated and controlled both individually and in co-operation, each of the at least two electric motors being capable of rotating said drive shaft in a feed direction; and

a housing adapted to receive the actuating device.

2. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein said electric motors are arranged one behind the other in both directions of rotation in the longitudinal direction of said drive shaft.

3. The actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a dedicated motor control device is assigned to each of said electric motors.

4. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein said electric motors are servomotors.

5. The actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a rotating sleeve adapted to be driven by said drive shaft via a transmission device and rotationally rigidly connected to a ball nut of a feed device, wherein said rotating spindle is a recirculating ball spindle and is rotationally supported in the ball nut for movement in the regulation direction.

6. The actuating device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a ring flange rotationally rigidly arranged in said housing; and

a first spiral spring attached to said rotating sleeve and said ring flange so as to prevent rotation of said rotating sleeve in a direction opposite the feed direction.

7. The actuating device according to claim 6, wherein said ring flange protrudes from a transverse wall in said housing and is essentially coaxial to said drive shaft and said rotating sleeve.

8. The actuating device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a retaining sleeve rotationally rigidly connected at the first end to the transverse wall of said housing;

a guide sleeve adapted to allow longitudinal displacement and limit rotational displacement of said actuating element;

a second spiral spring attached to the second end of said retaining sleeve and said guide sleeve so as to prevent rotation of said guide sleeve opposite the feed direction.

9. The actuating device according to claim 8, wherein said actuating element is connected to the recirculating ball spindle via a spindle head.

10. The actuating device according to claim 9, wherein the spindle head comprises at least one guide element, protruding radially outwards;

and adapted to engage a longitudinal guide disposed on said guide sleeve and running along the regulating direction.

11. The actuating device according to claim 10, wherein said second spiral spring is drive-connected to a first stepper motor.

12. The actuating device according to claim 11, wherein the first stepper motor is drive-connected to a clamping sleeve from which a dog protrudes radially inwards, the dog being connected to one end of the second spiral spring.

13. The actuating device according to claim 12, wherein the clamping sleeve is rotationally supported on an outer side of the retaining sleeve and an outer side of a ring flange protruding from an inner side of said cover.

14. The actuating device according claim 13, further comprising a torsion spring arranged between the clamping sleeve and the ring flange, wherein the torsion spring is tensed by rotating the clamping sleeve.

15. The actuating device according to claim 12, wherein the first stepper motor has a first gearwheel adapted to engage teeth disposed on one end of the clamping sleeve.

16. The actuating device according to claim 15, wherein a second stepper motor is arranged diametrically opposite the first stepper motor and is adapted to drive a second gearwheel adapted to engage the teeth on the clamping sleeve.

17. The actuating device according to claim 16, wherein the teeth are formed by a toothed ring with inner teeth, wherein the toothed ring is releasably mounted on the end of the clamping sleeve.

18. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two electric motors can be actuated and controlled independently of one another.

19. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the at least two electric motors are stepper motors.

20. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein at least two separate electrical connections are arranged on the housing cover adjacent to the electric motors.

21. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein both electric motors can be operated simultaneously.

22. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the electric motors are synchronized by software via their motor control devices.

23. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein one electric motor is used as the master and the other electric motor is used as the slave.

24. The actuating device according to claim 1, wherein the electric motors are direct current motors.

25. The actuating device according to claim 1, further comprising a position sensor assigned to the drive shaft.