Actuator assembly using a cam slot bearing drive mechanism
AssigneeBorgWarner Inc.
InventorsRobert D. Keefover, Murray F. Busato
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an actuator assembly (10) having an actuator device (26) operably associated with a housing (16), one or more rotating gear members (46, 48, 52) operably associated with the actuator device (26), a bearing member (76) operably associated with the one or more rotating gear members (46, 48, 52), and a cam (66) operably associated with the one or more rotating gear members (46, 48, 52), for translating rotary motion of the gear members (46, 48, 52) to axial motion. When the actuator 0 device (26) is actuated, the one or more rotating gear members (46, 48, 52) rotate, causing the bearing member (76) to move on the cam (66).
Claims30
An actuator assembly, comprising:
- an actuator device operably associated with a housing;
- one or more rotating gear members operably associated with said actuator device;
- a bearing member operably associated with said one or more rotating gear members;
- a cam slot formed on one of said one or more rotating gear members for translating rotary motion of said one or more rotating gear members to axial motion of the bearing member as said bearing member slides along said cam slot, wherein said cam slot is configured to have a contour that provides a continuously variable rate of axial movement of said bearing member through the rotation of said one or more rotating gear members;
- and
- wherein when said actuator device is actuated, said one or more rotating gear members rotate, causing said bearing member to move on said cam.
An actuator assembly for converting rotary to linear motion, comprising:
- a housing for supporting a shaft and connected to said shaft by a spring, said housing having an inlet and an outlet;
- at least one rotating gear member having either a cam slot or a bearing member, said at least one rotating gear member supported by said shaft and connected to said spring;
- a valve stem having either a cam slot or a bearing member;
- a valve connected to said valve stem on the opposite end as either of said cam slot or said bearing;
- a valve seat fitted to said inlet, said valve seat for selectably receiving said valve;
- an actuator device operably associated with said at least one rotating gear member;
- and
- wherein when said at least one rotating gear member has said cam slot, said stem member will have said bearing member with said bearing member received by said cam slot, and when said at least one rotating gear member has said bearing member, said stem member will have said cam slot with said bearing member received by said cam slot, and said spring biases said valve to be received by said valve seat, and when said valve is received by said valve seat, flow between said inlet and said outlet is blocked, and said bearing and said cam slot create a variable mechanical advantage such that when said actuator rotates said one or more rotating gear members to overcome the resistance of said spring, said bearing will move in said cam slot, causing said valve stem to move said valve away from said valve seat in a linear manner, allowing flow between said inlet and said outlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.