Multi-axis rotary piston actuator
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorsKamran Eftekhari Shahroudi, Larry Snyder, Robert Alan Gerhart
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a rotary actuator that includes a housing defining an arcuate chamber comprising a cavity, a rotor arm configured for rotary movement, an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said housing for reciprocal movement in the arcuate chamber, where a seal, the cavity, and the piston define a pressure chamber that includes part or all of the arcuate chamber, and a portion of the piston contacts the rotor arm, and a rotor assembly rotatably surrounding said housing and having a rotary output tube about the axis, wherein the rotor arm extends radially outward to the rotary output tube and the rotor arm is coupled to the rotary output tube.
Claims18
A rotary piston actuator assembly comprising:
- a first rotary actuator comprising:
- a first pressure chamber assembly defining:
- a first central bore;
- and
- a first arcuate chamber comprising a first cavity having a first actuator fluid port in fluid communication with the first cavity and the first central bore;
- a connector arm;
- an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said first pressure chamber assembly for reciprocal movement in the first pressure chamber assembly, wherein a first seal, the first cavity, and the arcuate-shaped first piston define a first pressure chamber comprising part or all of the first arcuate chamber, and a first portion of the arcuate-shaped first piston contact is affixed to the rotor connector arm;
- an outer housing rotatably surrounding said first pressure chamber assembly and comprising a tubular wall, wherein the connector arm extends to the tubular wall and the connector arm is coupled to the tubular wall;
- and
- a fluid delivery shaft having an elongated body disposed in said first central bore and defining a first shaft fluid delivery path.
A method of rotary actuation comprising:
- providing a first rotary actuator comprising:
- a first pressure chamber assembly defining:
- a first central bore;
- and
- a first arcuate chamber comprising a first cavity having a first actuator fluid port in fluid communication with the first cavity and the first central bore;
- a connector arm;
- an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said first pressure chamber assembly for reciprocal movement in the first pressure chamber assembly, wherein a first seal, the first cavity, and the arcuate-shaped first piston define a first pressure chamber comprising part or all of the first arcuate chamber, and a first portion of the arcuate-shaped first piston contacts is affixed to the connector arm;
- an outer housing rotatably surrounding said first pressure chamber assembly and comprising a tubular wall, wherein the connector arm extends to the tubular wall and the connector arm is coupled to the tubular wall;
- and
- a fluid delivery shaft having an elongated body disposed in said first central bore and defining a first shaft fluid delivery path in fluid communication with a first shaft fluid port;
- providing pressurized fluid to the first shaft fluid port;
- urging pressurized fluid to the first pressure chamber through the first shaft fluid delivery path, the first shaft fluid port, and the first actuator fluid port;
- and
- urging the arcuate-shaped first piston partially outward from the first pressure chamber to urge rotation of the outer housing in a first direction.
An arm of a machine apparatus comprising:
- a first arm portion;
- a second arm portion;
- and
- a joint portion pivotally connecting the first arm portion to the second arm portion, the joint portion comprising a first rotary actuator comprising:
- a first pressure chamber assembly defining:
- a first central bore;
- and
- a first arcuate chamber comprising a first cavity having a first actuator fluid port in fluid communication with the first cavity and the first central bore;
- and
- a connector arm;
- an arcuate-shaped first piston disposed in said first pressure chamber assembly for reciprocal movement in the first pressure chamber assembly, wherein a first seal, the first cavity, and the arcuate-shaped first piston define a first pressure chamber comprising part or all of the first arcuate chamber, and a first portion of the arcuate-shaped first piston is affixed to the connector arm;
- an outer housing rotatably surrounding said first pressure chamber assembly and comprising a tubular wall, wherein the connector arm extends to the tubular wall and the connector arm is coupled to the tubular wall;
- and
- a fluid delivery shaft having an elongated body disposed in said first central bore and defining a first shaft fluid delivery path.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.