Actuator For Providing Relative Motion Between Two Points
AssigneeRobert Bosch GmbH
InventorsIvan Colin Nunez, Allan Dassaev Cadena Lopez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuator is suitable for providing linear motion between two points, and may be used, for example, in motorized positioning of an automobile steering column. The actuator includes a threaded spindle connected to a drive motor via a gear set, a first connection interface mounted on the spindle and engaged with the spindle thread, and a second connection interface mounted on the spindle and engaged with the spindle thread. The second connection interface is moveable along the spindle axis relative to the first connection interface when the spindle is driven by the drive motor. The actuator is arranged such that the first and second connection interfaces are disposed on the same side of the gear set.
Claims19
An actuator comprising a spindle having a first end and an opposed second end, the spindle including an external thread disposed between the first end and the second en&
- a transmission element disposed on the first end and having radially extending gear teeth, the gear teeth configured to engage a drive gear that drives the spindle to rotate about a spindle axis,
- a first connection interface mounted on the spindle and engaged with a first portion of the external thread;
- and
- a second connection interface mounted on the spindle and engaged with a second portion of the external thread,
- wherein
- the second connection interface is engaged with the external thread in such a way as to be moveable along the spindle axis relative to the first connection interface when the spindle is driven by the drive motor,
- each of the first connection interface and the second connection interface include a connection feature that enables a mechanical connection with an external structure, and
- the first connection interface is disposed on the spindle at a location between the second connection interface and the transmission element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.