Electric swashplate actuator for stirling engine

A swashplate actuator for a Stirling engine having a drive shaft, a drive case, and a swashplate, for adjusting the incline angle of said swashplate with respect to said drive shaft, said actuator mechanism comprising:

• a motor mounted to said drive case,
• a first planetary gear set having:
• a first planetary gear set sun gear member, a first planetary gear set planet gear member, a first planetary gear set ring gear member, and a first planetary gear set planet gear carrier member, said first planetary gear set ring gear member coupled to and driven by said motor and said first planetary gear set planet gear carrier member fixed to said drive shaft, and
• a second planetary gear set having:
• a second planetary gear set sun gear member, a second planetary gear set planet gear member, a second planetary gear set ring gear member, and a second planetary gear set planet gear carrier member, said second planetary gear set sun gear member fixed to said first planetary gear set sun gear member, said second planetary gear set ring gear member fixed to said drive case, and said second planetary gear set planet gear carrier member coupled to said swashplate, whereby said first and second planetary gear sets are operatively interconnected and actuation of said motor adjusts the incline angle of said swashplate with respect to said drive shaft.

A cartridge swashplate actuator subassembly for a Stirling engine having a drive shaft, a drive case, an adjustment motor, and a swashplate, for adjusting the incline angle of said swashplate with respect to said drive shaft, comprising;

• a first planetary gear set having:
• a first planetary gear set sun gear member, a first planetary gear set planet gear member, a first planetary gear set ring gear member, and a first planetary gear set planet gear carrier member, said first planetary gear set ring gear member coupled to and driven by said motor and said first planetary gear set planet gear carrier member fixed to said drive shaft,
• a second planetary gear set having:
• a second planetary gear set sun gear member, a second planetary gear set planet gear member, a second planetary gear set ring gear member, and a second planetary gear set planet gear carrier member, wherein said first and second planetary gear sets are operatively interconnected and actuation of said motor adjusts the incline angle of said swashplate with respect to said drive shaft, and
• a cartridge housing to be fixed to said drive case substantially containing said first and second planetary gear sets.