Telescoping fluid actuator
AssigneeVector Engineering Co.
InventorGary Miller
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A telescoping housing for a single acting fluid actuator includes an outer actuator housing section and an inner actuator housing section mounted to reciprocate axially relative to the outer housing section while being surrounded thereby. The housing sections cooperate to form a chamber, and the housing is extended axially by supplying an actuator fluid under pressure to the chamber. A positive pressure is maintained in the chamber to avoid infiltration of outside contaminants into the chamber. Retraction is accomplished by reducing the fluid pressure sufficiently to allow the housing to retract under the influence of gravity, spring force, or other external force. The telescoping housing design eliminates the need for a reciprocating piston and piston rod.
Claims30
A fluid actuator, including:
- a first actuator housing section having a first-section end wall, a first open end opposite the first-section end wall, and a first-section side wall extending in a longitudinal direction between the first-section end wall and the first open end;
- a second actuator housing section having a second-section end wall, a second open end opposite the second-section end wall, and a second side wall extending in a longitudinal direction between the second-section end wall and the second open end;
- wherein the second actuator housing section is disposed in opposition to the first actuator housing section with the second-section side wall surrounded by the first-section side wall and with the second open end confronting the first-section end wall, whereby the first and second actuator housing sections cooperate to form an actuator housing with an enclosed chamber extending longitudinally between the first-section end wall and the second-section end wall;
- wherein the second actuator housing section is adapted to reciprocate longitudinally with respect to the first actuator housing section, between an extended state in which the first-section end wall and second-section end wall are relatively remote from each other, and a retracted state in which the first-section end wall and the second-section end wall are relatively proximate to each other, thus to alternatively longitudinally expand and contract the actuator housing;
- and
- a fluid supply component fluid-coupled to the chamber and adapted to supply an actuator fluid under pressure to the chamber, to longitudinally expand the actuator housing.
A process for assembling a fluid actuator housing, including:
- providing a first actuator housing section having a first-section end wall, a first open end opposite the first-section end wall, and a first-section side wall extending in an axial direction between the first-section end wall and the first open end;
- providing a second actuator housing section having a second-section end wall, a second open end opposite the second-section end wall, and a second-section side wall extending in an axial direction between the second-section end wall and second open end, wherein an outside diameter of the second-section side wall is less than an inside diameter of the first-section side wall;
- inserting the second actuator housing section axially into the first actuator housing section such that the first-section side wall surrounds the second-section side wall and the second open end confronts the first-section end wall;
- with the second actuator housing section so inserted, permanently radially reducing an end region of the first-section side wall proximate the first open end, to secure the second actuator housing section against removal from the first actuator housing section while permitting the second actuator housing section to travel axially relative to the first actuator housing section.
A fluid actuator system including:
- an actuator housing comprising a first actuator housing section having a first end wall and an axially extending first side wall, and a second actuator housing section having a second end wall and an axially extending second side wall;
- wherein the second actuator housing section is mounted to reciprocate axially relative to the first actuator housing section between extended and retracted states with the first side wall in surrounding relation to the second side wall, whereby the first and second actuator housing sections cooperate to define a chamber with the first and second end walls disposed at opposite ends of the actuator housing to determine opposite ends of the chamber;
- a fluid source containing a fluid;
- a fluid supply path extending from the fluid source to the chamber;
- and
- a fluid pump disposed along the fluid supply path operable to convey the fluid from the fluid source into the chamber under pressure to cause the second actuator housing section to travel toward the extended state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.