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US 7,963,529 B2Granted
Counter-rotating motors with linear output
AssigneeBose Corporation
InventorsDavid G. Oteman, Steven N. Brown, Dariusz A. Bushko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actuator includes a first rotary motor, a second rotary motor, and a transmission coupled to the first and second rotary motors. The transmission converts rotation of the first rotary motor in a first direction and simultaneous rotation of the second rotary motor in a second direction to linear motion of an output shaft in a single direction. The actuator is usable in an active automobile suspension.
Claims19
An apparatus comprising:
- a first rotary motor comprising a first motor housing coupled to a support structure;
- a second rotary motor comprising a second motor housing coupled to said support structure;
- a transmission coupled to the first and second rotary motors comprising:
- a first ball nut having a first thread direction coupled to the first rotary motor,
- a second ball nut having a second thread direction opposite the first direction coupled to the second rotary motor
- a ball screw having a first threaded region matching the thread direction of the first ball nut and a second threaded region matching the thread direction of the second ball nut;
- wherein the transmission converts rotation of the first rotary motor in a first direction and simultaneous rotation of the second rotary motor in a second direction which is opposite the first direction to linear motion of an output shaft in a single direction, wherein the reaction torque applied by the pair of oppositely rotating rotary motors to said support structure is reduced compared to the reaction torque applied to said support structure by a single one of the first and second rotary motors operating alone.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.