Helical drive actuator
AssigneeAmazon Technologies, Inc.
InventorWilliam Scott Kalm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one embodiment, an actuator has a roller, a helical track, and at least one track follower. The roller has a cylindrical body that has a first end, a second end that is offset from the first end along a central axis, and a cylindrical outer surface that extends from the first end to the second end. The helical track is disposed around the cylindrical outer surface in a helical pattern. The at least one track follower can be attached to a load, and rides along the helical track when the roller is rotated about the central axis so as to translate the load along an axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis. In some embodiments, the roller has an internal motor that is disposed within the cylindrical body.
Claims16
An actuator, comprising:
- a roller having a cylindrical body that has a first end and a second end that are offset from one another along a central axis, and that has a cylindrical outer surface that extends from the first end to the second end;
- a helical track disposed around the cylindrical outer surface in a helical pattern;
- at least one track follower configured to be attached to a load and configured to ride along the helical track when the roller is rotated about the central axis so as to translate the load along an axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis;
- at least one shaft having first and second shaft ends that extend outwardly from the first and second ends of the cylindrical body, respectively, along the central axis;
- and
- an internal motor that is disposed within the cylindrical outer surface and that is configured to rotate the cylindrical outer surface relative to first and second shaft ends of the at least one shaft so as to rotate the cylindrical outer surface and helical track about the central axis.
A method of moving a load with an actuator, the method comprising:
- causing an internal motor that is disposed within a cylindrical outer surface of a roller of the actuator to rotate the cylindrical outer surface about at least one shaft, such that the cylindrical outer surface rotates relative to first and second shaft ends of the at least one shaft that extend outward from a cylindrical body of the roller along a central axis, and to thereby cause a helical track disposed around the cylindrical outer surface to rotate in a first rotational direction with the cylindrical outer surface;
- and
- causing at least one track follower of the actuator that is coupled to the load to ride along at least one guide surface of the helical track to thereby cause the load to translate linearly along a first axial direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.