Solenoid actuator
AssigneeTLX Technologies, LLC
InventorAndrew Paul Biehl
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A solenoid actuator includes a housing, a solenoid coil carried within the housing. An armature is carried within the housing and acted upon by the solenoid coil. A torque transfer arrangement of the solenoid actuator is configured to produce a rotational torque output upon an actuation of the armature. A firing pin is in contact with the torque transfer arrangement such that the rotational torque output produced by the torque transfer arrangement linearly transitions the firing pin from an unfired position to a fired position.
Claims18
A solenoid actuator for connection to a device, the solenoid actuator comprising:
- a housing;
- a solenoid coil carried within the housing;
- an armature acted upon by the solenoid coil, the armature linearly movable within the housing, the armature having a locked position and an unlocked position;
- a torque transfer arrangement, the torque transfer arrangement having a loaded position and an unloaded position, wherein the armature in the locked position holds the torque transfer arrangement in the loaded position, and wherein the armature in the unlocked position permits the torque transfer arrangement to transition from the loaded position to the unloaded position;
- a firing pin, the firing pin linearly movable between an unfired position and a fired position;
- wherein in the unfired position, the firing pin has a first extension distance measured between a terminal end of the firing pin and a reference axis of the torque transfer arrangement;
- wherein in the fired position, the firing pin has a second extension distance measured between the terminal end of the firing pin and the reference axis of the torque transfer arrangement, the second extension distance greater than the first extension distance;
- and
- wherein the torque transfer arrangement includes a first gear element, a second gear element, and at least one torsion spring acting on one of said first or second gear elements.
A solenoid actuator for connection to a device, the solenoid actuator comprising:
- a housing;
- a solenoid coil carried within the housing;
- an armature within the housing, the armature acted upon by the solenoid coil;
- a torque transfer arrangement configured to produce a rotational torque output upon an actuation of the armature;
- a firing pin in contact with the torque transfer arrangement such that the rotational torque output produced by the torque transfer arrangement linearly transitions the firing pin from an unfired position to a fired position, and
- wherein the torque transfer arrangement includes a first gear element, a second gear element, and at least one torsion spring acting on one of said first or second gear elements.
A solenoid actuator for connection to a device, the solenoid actuator comprising:
- a housing;
- a solenoid coil carried within the housing;
- an armature within the housing, the armature acted upon by the solenoid coil, the armature having a locked position and an unlocked position;
- a torque transfer arrangement comprising a first gear element, a second gear element, and at least one torsion spring acting on one of said first or second gear elements, the first and second gear elements in meshed contact;
- a firing pin linearly movable within the housing, the firing pin having an unfired position and a fired position;
- wherein in the unfired position, a first end of the firing pin is seated against a seat of the second gear element and the armature is in the locked position such that a first end of the armature is seated against a seat of the first gear element;
- and
- wherein in the fired position, the first end of the firing pin is in contact with a cam surface of the second gear element and the armature is in the unlocked position such that the first end of the armature is in contact with a cam surface of the first gear element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.