Back to results
US 4,994,004 AGranted
Electric actuator for swashplate
AssigneeStirling Thermal Motors, Inc.
InventorsRoelf J. Meijer, Robert P. Verhey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeStirling Thermal Motors, Inc.
InventorsRoelf J. Meijer, Robert P. Verhey
Estimating the term…
An actuating mechanism for controlling the swashplate angle in a Stirling cycle engine or other engine having parallel reciprocating pistons. The actuation system uses an electric motor for changing swashplate angle. Various embodiments for gear trains for communicating rotation of the electric motor rotor to the swashplate are described. In a first embodiment, a planet gear carrier is driven by the motor and the planet gears simultaneously mesh with two ring gears having a differing number of teeth. Rotation of the carrier creates a high reduction drive for the second ring gear. In accordance with a second embodiment, the ring gear carrier is permitted to freely rotate and a driving sun gear is provided which meshes with the planet gears. In accordance with a third embodiment, the planet gear carrier is driven and the planet gears have two different diameter scrtions which mesh with the two ring gears, thus avoiding the high friction associated with a mismatching of the teeth of the planet gear and ring gears of the first and second embodiments. The fourth embodiment combines the features of the second and third embodiment configurations.
An actuating mechanism for a swashplate of a reciprocating thermal machine for varying the angle of inclination of said swashplate with respect to a drive shaft to thereby vary the displacement of pistons coupled to said swashplate, comprising:
An actuating mechanism for a swashplate of a reciprocating thermal machine for varying the angle of inclination of said swashplate with respect to a drive shaft to thereby vary the displacement of pistons coupled to said swashplate, comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.