Actuator with spring compression and decoupling
AssigneeVault Pressure Control LLC
InventorsTravis McEvoy, Keith Adams, Jeremy Choate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for actuating an end-member is disclosed. The apparatus includes a housing, a spring within the housing, and a spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing. A brake member is associated with the spring plate for retaining the spring plate in one or more positions. A drive rod is associated with a motor to enable a first movement of the drive rod and to enable a second movement of spring plate. The first movement or the second movement enables the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member. The brake member may be engaged or disengaged to control or decouple spring compression forces in the actuator when the spring is compressed.
Claims17
An apparatus for actuating an end-member comprising:
- a housing;
- a spring within the housing;
- a spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing;
- a brake member associated with the spring plate for retaining the spring plate in one or more positions;
- a valve stem comprising the end-member and configured to move independent of the spring plate;
- gears associated with a motor to enable a first movement for the spring plate and to enable a second movement for the valve stem, at least one of the first movement or the second movement enabling the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member.
A method for actuating an end-member comprising:
- providing a housing comprising a spring, a valve stem comprising the end-member, and a spring plate, the spring plate forming a restriction for the spring within the housing, wherein the valve stem is capable of independent movement from the spring plate;
- retaining, using a brake member, the spring plate in one or more positions;
- and
- enabling, using gears associated with a motor, a first movement for the spring plate and a second movement for the valve stem, at least one of the first movement or the second movement enabling the actuating of the end-member in one or more different positions for the end-member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.