US 10,837,470 B2Granted

Fluid powered rotary actuator and an improved sealing system

AssigneeTR Technologies Inc.

InventorJames Antony Kells

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Abstract

A fluid powered rotary actuator having a first member which is pivotally connected to a second member and which is includes at least one toroidal shaped spear or piston which acts within a correspondingly shaped toroidal shaped cylinder to move the first member relative to the second member. The or each toroidal shaped spear or piston and cylinder assembly includes seals mounted within a seal carrier and the configuration allows movement of the seals relative to the or each cylinder. This configuration allows the seals to continue to provide a leak resistant hydraulic seal between each toroidal shaped spear or piston and its associated cylinder even in cases where the toroidal shaped spears or pistons deflect relative to their associated cylinders. The cylinders are also mounted to the first or second members in a manner designed to reduce the chance of tensile cracking due to deflection of the cylinders.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A fluid powered rotary actuator, comprising:

a first member;
a second member;
and
at least one hydraulic actuator,
the first member being pivotally connected to the second member,
the first and second members also being operatively connected by the at least one hydraulic actuator,
the at least one hydraulic actuator having a substantially toroidal shaped or part toroidal shaped spear or piston, a substantially toroidal shaped or part toroidal shaped cylinder configured to receive the toroidal shaped spear or piston, a seal assembly mounting groove located between the cylinder and a mounting collar, and a seal assembly configured to minimize or prevent leakage of fluid from the cylinder,
wherein the seal assembly includes a sealing member and a seal carrier configured to support the sealing member of the seal assembly,
wherein the seal carrier has a first bearing surface and the seal assembly mounting groove has a second bearing surface,
wherein at least one of the first and second bearing surfaces is a convex bearing surface,
wherein the seal assembly is situated within the seal assembly mounting groove and is configured to allow a range of movement of the sealing member of the seal assembly, the movement not being restricted to a direction that is substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the part of the spear or piston that is adjacent to the sealing member, and
wherein contact between the seal carrier and the seal assembly mounting groove includes contact between the first and second bearing surfaces.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/090,406Filed 30 Mar 2017
Priority: NZ 71850130 Mar 2016
Published: US 2019/0113056 A118 Apr 2019
Granted: 17 Nov 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

F15B 15/125
Of the oscillating-vane or curved-cylinder type: of the curved-cylinder type
F15B 15/082
Characterised by the construction of the motor unit: the motor being of the slotted cylinder type
F15B 15/12
Characterised by the construction of the motor unit: of the oscillating-vane or curved-cylinder type
F16J 15/545
Other sealings for rotating shafts: submitted to unbalanced pressure in circumference; seals for oscillating actuator