Electromechanical linear actuator

A method for operating an electro-mechanical linear actuator unit comprising an actuator housing (5) that accommodates at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), each of which, when actuated by a control device (2) independently of one another sets an associated drive means of a respective spindle drive (10A, 10B) into rotation so as to bring about a linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B) and produce relative linear adjustment of a control rod (12), the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B) are located in the actuator housing (5) such that the relative adjustment is produced either by simultaneous actuation of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), as a sum of the linear adjustment movements of the respective spindle drives (10A, 10B), or by actuating a single one of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), as the linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), and a respective brake (13A, 13B), which is actuated selectively by the control device (2) and which then prevents the linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), is provided in an area of each of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B) each comprise an electric motor (7A, 7B), each of which, via an associated driveshaft (8A, 8B), when actuated by the control device (2), sets into rotation an associated spindle nut (9A, 9B) of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), and the respective brakes (13A, 13B), when actuated, arrests are actuatable independently of each other to selectively engage and arrest rotation of the associated respective driveshaft (8A, 8B), the method comprising the steps of:

• comparing measurement data from respectively associated sensor means within control branches (4A, 4B) and monitoring power-conducting components, and
• actuating, if a fault is detected, the respectively associated brake (13A, 13B).

A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that implements control commands for operating an electro-mechanical linear actuator unit, comprising an actuator housing (5) that accommodates at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), each of which, when actuated by a control device (2) independently of one another sets into rotation an associated drive means of a respective spindle drive (10A, 10B) and so brings about a linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B) to produce relative linear adjustment of a control rod (12), such that the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B) are located in the actuator housing (5) such that the relative adjustment is produced either by simultaneous actuation of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), as a sum of the linear adjustment movements of the respective spindle drives (10A, 10B), or by actuating a single one of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B), as the linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), and in an area of each of the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B) a respective brake (13A, 13B) is provided, which is actuated selectively by the control device (2) and which then prevents the linear adjustment movement of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), the at least two electric drives (6A, 6B) each comprise an electric motor (7A, 7B), each of which, via an associated driveshaft (8A, 8B), when actuated by the control device (2), sets into rotation an associated spindle nut (9A, 9B) of the respective spindle drive (10A, 10B), and the respective brakes (13A, 13B), are actuatable independently of each other to selectively engage and arrest rotation of the associated respective driveshaft (8A, 8B), the electro-mechanical linear actuator unit is operated by a method of comparing measurement data from respectively associated sensor means within control branches (4A, 4B) and monitoring power-conducting components, and actuating the respectively associated brake (13A, 13B) if a fault is detected, such that routines for comparing the measurement data from the sensor means and for monitoring power-conducting components, and also for actuating the brake (13A, 13B) concerned if a fault is detected, are implemented by the control commands.