Latch-free actuators
AssigneeABB Schweiz AG
InventorDavid Peter Mika
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A latch-free actuator includes, for example, a movable arm, a first biasing element operable to apply a force to move the movable arm in a first direction, and a yieldable support having a rigid configuration defining a generally straight axis and a flexible configuration defining a non-straight axis. The yieldable support is operable in the rigid configuration to support a compression force along the straight axis due to and countering the first biasing element so that the movable arm is prevented from movement in the first direction, and the yieldable support is operable, by applying a tripping force, to the yieldable support to transition the rigid configuration to the flexible configuration to withdraw support of the compression force and allow the movable arm to be moved by the first biasing element in the first direction.
Claims35
A mechanism, said mechanism comprising:
- a movable arm;
- first biasing means operable to apply a force to move said movable arm in a first direction;
- a yieldable support having a rigid configuration defining a generally straight axis and a flexible configuration defining a non-straight axis;
- said yieldable support operable in said rigid configuration to support a compression force along said straight axis due to and countering said first biasing means so that said movable arm is prevented from movement in said first direction;
- and
- said yieldable support operable, by applying a tripping force, to said yieldable support to transition said rigid configuration to said flexible configuration to withdraw support of the compression force and allow said movable arm to be moved by said first biasing means in said first direction;
- wherein said yieldable support comprises a flat elongated member having a curved cross-section.
A method for actuating a movable arm, the method comprising:
- applying a first force to move the movable arm in a first direction;
- supporting, with a yieldable support disposed in a rigid configuration defining a straight axis, a compression force along the straight axis due to and countering the first force applied to the movable arm to prevent the movable arm from moving in the first direction, wherein said yieldable support comprises a flat elongated member having a curved cross-section;
- and
- applying a tripping force to the yieldable support to transition the rigid configuration to a flexible configuration having a non-straight axis and withdraw support of the compression force to allow the movable arm to move in the first direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.