Actuator with integral position sensor
AssigneeCTS Corporation
InventorsDonald Robertson Lawrence, Steven Donald Keddie, Mike Joseph Chalovich, Yulanda Youhong Wang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuator and integral position sensor has increased reliability with a fail-safe mode. The actuator and sensor assembly includes a rotary actuator that has a driving shaft. A sensor rotor has the driving shaft mounted in a bore. A contactor is mounted to an outer edge of the rotor. The contactor is engaged with a resistor film as the rotor rotates. A driven shaft is mounted to the rotor in another bore. The rotor couples the driving shaft and the driven shaft together.
Claims24
An actuator and sensor assembly comprising:
- an electric motor having a first shaft extending therefrom;
- a sensor mounted to the electric motor, the sensor including:
- a housing having a cavity;
- a rotor mounted in the cavity, the rotor having a first bore, a second bore and a groove, the first shaft being engaged with the first bore;
- a film mounted in the cavity;
- a resistor mounted to the film;
- a contactor mounted to the rotor, the contactor engaging the resistor as the first shaft rotates;
- a first spring mounted in the groove, the first spring adapted to bias the rotor toward a first position;
- and
- the second bore adapted to be engaged by a second shaft.
An actuator and sensor assembly comprising:
- a bracket having a first and second surface;
- a stepper motor mounted to the first surface of the bracket, the stepper motor having a driving shaft extending therefrom;
- a sensor mounted to the second surface of the bracket, the sensor comprising:
- a housing having a cavity;
- a rotor mounted in the cavity, the rotor having a first bore, a second bore and a groove, the first bore mounted over an end of the driving shaft;
- a film mounted in the cavity;
- a resistor mounted to the film;
- a contactor mounted to the rotor, the contactor engaging the resistor as the shaft rotates, the contactor and resistor forming a variable resistor;
- a first spring mounted in the groove, the first spring adapted to bias the rotor toward a rest position;
- and
- the second bore adapted to be engaged with a driven shaft, the rotor being adapted to couple the driving shaft and the driven shaft together.
An actuator and sensor assembly comprising:
- a rotary actuator having a driving shaft extending therefrom;
- a rotor having a first bore, a first flange surrounding the first bore, a second bore and a groove, the first bore being coaxial with the second bore, the driving shaft mounted in the first bore and engaged with the first flange such that rotation of the driving shaft rotates the rotor;
- a contactor mounted to an outer edge of the rotor;
- a resistor film, the contactor engaging the resistor film as the rotor rotates, the contactor and resistor film forming a variable resistor;
- and
- the second bore being adapted to receive a driven shaft, the rotor coupling the driving shaft and the driven shaft together.
A sensor assembly comprising:
- an electric motor having a driving shaft extending therefrom;
- a housing mounted to the electric motor, the housing having a cavity;
- a sensor mounted in the cavity, the sensor having a rotor, the rotor having a first bore and a second bore, the driving shaft engaged with the first bore;
- the second bore adapted to be engaged by a driven shaft, wherein the sensor is located between the driving shaft and the driven shaft;
- and
- a contactor mounted to the rotor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.