Output load limiter

An actuator including a load limiter for limiting the force that is output from the actuator, the actuator comprising:

• a housing;
• an output shaft mounted for rotation in said housing about an axis, said output shaft including an external helical spline;
• a drive gear including an internal helical spline engaged with said external helical spline to transmit a drive torque to the output shaft, said internal and external splines having sufficient length along said axis to allow translation of the drive gear along said axis relative to the output shaft between a first position and a second position;
• a first stop surface secured against rotation about said axis relative to said housing;
• and
• a second stop surface movable into and out of interference engagement with said first stop surface and secured for translation along said axis with said drive gear and against rotation about said axis relative to said drive gear, said second stop surface being out of interference engagement with said first stop surface with the drive gear in said first position, said second stop surface being in interference engagement with said first stop surface with the drive gear in the second position to restrict rotation of the drive gear about said axis.

An actuator including a load limiter for limiting the force that is output from the actuator, the actuator comprising:

• a housing;
• an output shaft mounted for bi-directional rotation in said housing about an axis, said output shaft including an external helical spline;
• a drive gear including an internal helical spline engaged with said external helical spline to transmit a drive torque to the output shaft, said internal and external splines having sufficient length along said axis to allow translation of the drive gear along said axis relative to the output shaft between first, second, and third positions, the first position located axially between the second and third positions;
• a first stop surface secured against rotation about said axis relative to said housing;
• a second stop surface movable into and out of interference engagement with said first stop surface and secured for translation along said axis with said drive gear and against rotation about said axis relative to said drive gear, said second stop surface being out of interference engagement with said first stop surface with the drive gear in said first position, said second stop surface being in interference engagement with said first stop surface with the drive gear in the second position to restrict rotation of the drive gear in one direction about said axis;
• a third stop surface secured against rotation about said axis relative to said housing;
• and
• a fourth stop surface movable into and out of interference engagement with said third stop surface and secured for translation along said axis with said drive gear and against rotation about said axis relative to said drive gear, said fourth stop surface being out of interference engagement with said third stop surface with the drive gear in said first position, said fourth stop surface being in interference engagement with said first stop surface with the drive gear in the third position to restrict rotation of the drive gear in the other direction about said axis.