Oscilatory hydraulic actuators with internal supply, return, and control passageways for multi-axis wrist actuator
AssigneeMoog Controls, Inc.
InventorJohn T. Caruso
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary actuator includes a shaft rotatably mounted on a body, and a servovalve arranged to operate a vane motor for selectively rotating the shaft relative to the body. A portion of the shaft extends beyond the body. Supply and return passages are provided to the body and shaft so that fluid power supplied to the body is supplied to the servovalve and is also available at the end of the shaft beyond the body. Two or more such rotary actuators may be connected by intermediate brackets to provide a wrist actuator capable of movement about axes.
Claims22
In a rotary actuator including a first body, a first shaft rotatably mounted on said first body and having one portion arranged within said first body and having another portion arranged outside said first body, an electrically-controllable first valve mounted on said first body and having a supply port adapted to be provided with a supply pressure, having a return port, and having a control port, said first valve being selectively operable to provide a control pressure at said control port, and a first motor provided with said control pressure and operative to urge said first shaft to rotate relative to said first body, the improvement which comprises:
- a first body supply passage provided in said first body and extending between a first body supply inlet port adapted to be provided with supply pressure, said first valve supply port, and a first body commutating supply outlet port exposed to a surface of said first shaft one portion;
- a first shaft supply passage provided within said first shaft and extending between a first shaft supply inlet port communicating with said first body commutating supply outlet port, and a first shaft supply outlet port opening on to a surface of said first shaft other portion;
- and
- an actuator having a member mounted on said first shaft other portion, said member having a member supply inlet port communicating with said first shaft supply outlet port, said actuator being operable independently of said first valve;
- whereby said first body supply inlet port will communicating internally with said first valve supply port and with said member supply inlet port.
An actuator assembly, comprising:
- a first actuator having an electrically-controllable first valve, said first valve having a supply port, a return port, and a control port, and selectively operable to provide a control pressure at said control port, having a first body, having a first shaft rotatably mounted on said first body and having one portion arranged within said first body and having another portion arranged outside said first body, having a first motor associated with said first valve and selectively operable to urge said first shaft to rotate relative to said first body, and having an internal supply passage within said first body and first shaft and communicating an inlet port on said first body with the supply port of said first valve and with an outlet port on said first shaft other portion;
- a first bracket mounted fast to said first shaft other portion for rotation therewith, said first bracket being provided with an internal supply passage therewithin extending between an inlet port in communication with said first shaft supply outlet port, and a bracket supply outlet port;
- and
- a second actuator having an electrically-controllable second valve operable independently of said first valve, said second valve having a supply port, a return port, and a control port, and selectively operable to provide a control pressure at said control port, having a second body, having a second shaft rotatably mounted on said second body and having one portion arranged within said second body and having another portion arranged outside said second body, having a second motor associated with said second valve and selectively operable to urge said second shaft to rotate relative to said second body, and having an internal supply passage within said second body and second shaft and communicating a supply inlet port on said second body with the supply port of said second valve and with a supply outlet port on said second shaft other portion, said second body being mounted on said first bracket with said second body supply inlet port communicating with said first shaft supply outlet port;
- whereby said first body supply inlet port will communicate internally with the supply ports of said first and second valves and with said second shaft supply outlet port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.